2006 Class A State Finals. Ads lost to Newport Central Catholic 37-34 after leading by double digits with less than eight minutes to go. Another state title was in hand, but a series of defensive miscues and turnovers gave the game away. The Ads haven't made it back to the state finals since and Coach Sam Harp only made it back to the semi-finals once in the rest of his tenure at Danville.

 

I know they've had some good teams since, but sitting in the stands that night it almost seemed like we were watching an era die in the blink of an eye.

Judging from your posts, I'm going to blame it on youth....but I have to disagree with all three of you.

 

The Rockcastle County loss was tough because we managed to get past Highlands only to lose in the semis, just short of playing in Louisville. However, that wasn't a first time for that. Same thing took place in 1991. We didn't even have to play Highlands in the playoffs because the Birds didn't make it that far (and we beat them 21-6 in the regular season). But anyway, we beat Greenup County 34-0 in the first round, Montgomery County 29-0 in the second round, and Ashland Paul Blazer 41-24 in the third round, only to lose in the state semis 3-12 to Dudley Hilton's Bell County Bobcats, who went on to win the AAA championship that year.

 

Also, yes, every loss to Highlands burns. However, no Highlands loss burns so much as the one in the 1992 playoffs. Cov Cath came into the third round of the playoffs with a 12-0 record, 15 individual and team records broken during the season, and what may well be the best team ever fielded by Cov Cath - this was also the year they shocked Cincinnati Moeller by handing the Crusaders a 22-17 loss at Moeller. The Colonels had beaten the Birds in the regular season by scoring 20 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to win 41-21. Cov Cath's quarterback, Adam McCormack, even had his picture on the cover of the KHSAA program for the football state finals...which the Colonels never made it to, because Highlands handed them a loss at Wooten Field in the rain and mud, winning 14-7 and ending Cov Cath's season with a 12-1 record. And THAT was the most painful loss Cov Cath ever had.

 

So, I was a starter on that 1992 CovCath team and, to be honest, there's not a week that goes by that I don't think about that game and just how deeply devastating that loss was for all of us...players, coaches, support staff, families, fans, etc.

 

Just thinking on it as I write this post, it hurts. The field was just an absolute quagmire after a heavy rain the night before. My recollection is that the Birds scored on maybe the first drive of the game -- a ground and pound time consuming drive. I recall just how well John Schlarman and I wanna say Drew Meyers (center)? and the right guard (Arnsberg...can't recall) played on that drive.

 

Then I think they scored on a fluke punt return (Brady Grimm?) right up the gut on us. We were shocked. Our offense was led by McCormack, but really, the key to our success was a gigantic, powerful offensive line. We just steamrolled people...but not that day.

 

On a dry field, I don't think they would have ever beaten us. We were more athletic, more offensively dynamic. The stars just aligned, the right amount of rain fell and their offense really did push us around that day.

 

I also recall just how devastating it was for Lynn Ray. He was very quite and very in the shadows for weeks after that. Some of our guys that could have gotten scholarships if they had been seen on a larger stage..didn't. Some coaches ended up leaving afterwards...and I think a lot of it based on the aftermath of the loss.

 

If anyone has pictures or game film of this game, I'd really appreciate it and I know a lot of us that were on the field that day would also.

 

Sigh

So, I was a starter on that 1992 CovCath team and, to be honest, there's not a week that goes by that I don't think about that game and just how deeply devastating that loss was for all of us...players, coaches, support staff, families, fans, etc.

 

Just thinking on it as I write this post, it hurts. The field was just an absolute quagmire after a heavy rain the night before. My recollection is that the Birds scored on maybe the first drive of the game -- a ground and pound time consuming drive. I recall just how well John Schlarman and I wanna say Drew Meyers (center)? and the right guard (Arnsberg...can't recall) played on that drive.

 

Then I think they scored on a fluke punt return (Brady Grimm?) right up the gut on us. We were shocked. Our offense was led by McCormack, but really, the key to our success was a gigantic, powerful offensive line. We just steamrolled people...but not that day.

 

On a dry field, I don't think they would have ever beaten us. We were more athletic, more offensively dynamic. The stars just aligned, the right amount of rain fell and their offense really did push us around that day.

 

I also recall just how devastating it was for Lynn Ray. He was very quite and very in the shadows for weeks after that. Some of our guys that could have gotten scholarships if they had been seen on a larger stage..didn't. Some coaches ended up leaving afterwards...and I think a lot of it based on the aftermath of the loss.

 

If anyone has pictures or game film of this game, I'd really appreciate it and I know a lot of us that were on the field that day would also.

 

Sigh

 

I was in the stands as a youngster for that game. I don't have any pictures apart from the ones in my mind, still.

 

One thing I heard from Coach Noll, years after the fact, "We just went into that game with the wrong gameplan. It was the wrong way to play that game in the rain and mud." You could see the regret as he said it. That comment, alone, has always made me think of how a coach must feel in light of a big game.

I would also say the 2nd loss to Harrodsburg in the Regional Championship game in 1995. A team that overacheived, and had beaten Beechwood in the opener in the Constitution Bowl.

1991-Meade County at Bowling Green. State semifinals. I believe the final score was 19-14 Meade County. Bowling Green was ahead the whole game and with about 1:00 left in the game Chuck Valentine broke loose for about an 80 yard run and Meade County scored on a 1 yard TD without about 2 seconds left in the game or something like that. Painful. I'll never forget it.

2004 to Mike Mitchell and HHS. We actually won that game after the forfeit but should have won it on the field anyway. Mitchell scored every TD. HHS had only given up around a 100 yds rushing all year. We had over 100 at the end of the 1st quarter. I have no doubt we would have beaten a down Boyle team the next week in Louisville. Of course Mitchell didn't play in the state championship.

 

2009 to Boyle. Very close to finishing back to back seasons 15-0. Still don't know where that damn kicker came from!!!

2004 to Mike Mitchell and HHS. We actually won that game after the forfeit but should have won it on the field anyway. Mitchell scored every TD. HHS had only given up around a 100 yds rushing all year. We had over 100 at the end of the 1st quarter. I have no doubt we would have beaten a down Boyle team the next week in Louisville. Of course Mitchell didn't play in the state championship.

 

2009 to Boyle. Very close to finishing back to back seasons 15-0. Still don't know where that damn kicker came from!!!

 

Amusing to say the least. :lol2: Where is the "could have?"

I can't believe there are no Highlands post on here so I will just get it out there in two words ...."Mud Bowl"

2013 loss in finals was most dramatic but mud bowl was most painful.

 

How about the 2006 loss to end the regular season?

How about the 2006 loss to end the regular season?

 

Not even close in my mind. The 2006 regular season game did not end the Birds season nor did it ruin their chances for back to back championships or a chance at 5 straight titles. Giving up the big lead and going 2OTs also contribute to the most painful loss for me. But I've only been following them since 1985, I'm still a newbie.

Not even close in my mind. The 2006 regular season game did not end the Birds season nor did it ruin their chances for back to back championships or a chance at 5 straight titles. Giving up the big lead and going 2OTs also contribute to the most painful loss for me. But I've only been following them since 1985, I'm still a newbie.

I have to agree with you, really.

 

I just thought the rarity of the loss, and the fact that it was as time expired could make it painful in the Fort.

2004 to Mike Mitchell and HHS. We actually won that game after the forfeit but should have won it on the field anyway. Mitchell scored every TD. HHS had only given up around a 100 yds rushing all year. We had over 100 at the end of the 1st quarter. I have no doubt we would have beaten a down Boyle team the next week in Louisville. Of course Mitchell didn't play in the state championship.

 

Not to rehash, but KHSAA gave us that win back. Not sure if they took Bell Co.'s win away, but HHS was 1-0 in that game as the record currently stands.

 

2013 Finals. Nuff said.

For Shelby County, several come to mind..

 

2007 6A Regional Finals vs. Boone County.. only lost by 10 and had been looking forward to dethroning Trinity the next week. This was the year Alex Matthews and Jordan Burk broke several records for passing and recieving, respectively.

 

2009 6A Regional Semis vs Trinity.. this was the last game Shelby Co. played as the only high school in Shelbyville, with a bulk of this team's talented underclassmen bolting to Collins the next season.

 

2012 5A Regional Semis vs J-Town... had finally recovered and posted its first winning season since 2009, coming within 1 point of upsetting state runner-up Collins (on the road, mind you) and had been seen as a potential state finals threat if they could get past John Hardin and Bowling Green.

 

2015 State Semis vs South Warren... dream season, defeated Collins for first time in program history (twice, one being a shutout and the other being in the playoffs) only to have State title hopes crushed by the Spartans. Achived #2 State 4A ranking, briefly over Johnson Central, so legitimate title hopes were there.