This is the most talented team to come from any Boone county school in years. Look for a deep playoff run.

 

I would say both the 2012 Cooper Jaguars and 2012 Conner Cougars would disagree with that statement. I think the 2015 Cooper Jaguars would also disagree with that statement. Since last year's team was probably more talented than this year's Ryle team and Cooper beat them last year. With that said Ryle this year is very good again and easily one of the top 3 teams in NKY again and will compete for the top spot.

 

So while Ryle is very good, I believe you have underestimated how good and talented some other Boone County teams have been in the last 5 years.

Where Cooper's 2012 had 1 outstanding class, this year's Ryle team has 2. Ryle's juniors and seniors only know how to win.

 

To put things in perspective. Last year's Cooper seniors were apart of a state finals runner ups team, then a state semi finals appearance, and then last year a one point regional championship lost that came down to the last play against a team that won comfortably against Ryle the week before. It seems to me that class from Cooper who just graduated was a true class that only knew what winning was like if that is your criteria for talent. Judging how a class does on a freshman level is not always the best indicator for how a class will be on the varsity level. Kids change a lot from their freshman years. From freshman football to varsity football is a big difference. As I stated in a previous post Ryle is very talented and one of the top 3 NKY teams. However you definitely have underestimated the talent on some Boone County Schools over the last 5 years and that is all I am pointing out.

Not sure if I can agree with this statement,, the Dixie team from a couple of years ago that made it to state was the most impressive I have seen in this area. It was 5A but the Cooper squad that made it to state was pretty darn good as well. From what I saw last year, Ryle really needs to improve their play on the Offensive and Defensive lines to really make a deep playoff run. Plus, you just do not replace a running back like the England kid.

This is the most talented team to come from any Boone county school in years. Look for a deep playoff run.

 

I was referring to the quote above with my earlier post

 

Union Raiders live at Ryles Raider Madness.

I was referring to the quote above with my earlier post

 

I do not agree with the statement made by KY Outsider either, the Dixie team you refer to was good, but not in Boone Co.

By Terry Boehmker

NKyTribune sports reporter

 

Ryle senior linebacker Collin Demetrakis missed the last five games of the 2015 football season with a broken femur bone in his right leg. Over the summer, he broke the fibula bone in his left leg and sat out the first few weeks of preseason practice.

When his doctor gives him the OK to return to the field, Demetrakis is going to

go at it like a caged tiger being returned to the jungle.

 

“I just have to fight my way back into it and make sure I’m ready to go when I’m

able to,” he said. “It’s only made me more and more hungry to go out and have a great season and contribute to the Ryle Raider defense.”

No one will be happier to see Demetrakis return than his long-time friend and teammate Jackson High, another senior linebacker for the Raiders. They came up together in the Ryle program and want to end their high school careers with a successful senior season.

 

“I was bummed out when he got hurt (last season),” High said. “I would just pray for him everyday, hoping he would get better. He was a big part of our team, too. I knew I needed him right by my side.”

 

High made a team-high 92 tackles last season for the Raiders, who lost in the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs and finished with a 9-3 record. Demetrakis wasn’t too far behind him with 63 tackles, even though he missed three regular season and two playoff games.

 

Ryle defensive coordinator Mike Woolf is excited to have both of the veteran linebackers returning this season because of their experience on the varsity level.

“They’re great young men and going to be good leaders for us,” Woolf said. “They’re going to be the quarterbacks of our defense, and it’s good to have two instead of one. They’re on the same page making calls and everything, which should make us better on Friday nights with their leadership and knowledge.”

 

Ryle did not have a stifling defense last year, allowing 303 yards and 21.5 points per game. But the Raiders were tough to beat because the offense averaged 428 yards and 37 points per game.

 

With senior quarterback Tanner Morgan returning, the Ryle offense expects to put up big numbers once again this season. If the defense does better than last year, there’s a good chance that only a few fans will notice.

 

“I think that’s a good problem to have, people talking so much about our offense,” Demetrakis said. “I think our defense is just as good as our offense, but we’re not looking for praise or applause. We just go out there and do our best to hold teams to as few points as possible. Whether we receive a lot of recognition for that or not, we’re still going to do what we’ve been taught to do

Ryle’s defensive formation will look a little different at times this season. Instead of having two middle linebackers, Demetrakis will slide to the outside and High will stay inside on several plays.

 

That change may cut down on the number of tackles Demetrakis makes this season, but he’s willing to do whatever is best for the team.

 

“It’s just our strengths that kind of put us there,” he said. “Jackson is really good at stopping the run in the middle of the field and I can run with wide receivers and tight ends. So it makes sense for him to be on the inside and me on the outside.”

 

Earlier this year, High improved his linebacker skills by attending a two-week series of practice sessions with USA Football. He worked with players and coaches from across the country to prepare for games against Canadian teams that were played Jan. 31-Feb. 5 in Dallas.

 

“Every day, we’d go four hours a day doing different drills and stuff,” he said. “I learned a lot with those guys teaching and coaching me every day.”

 

In a couple of weeks, High will get a chance to put what he learned to good use when he and Demetrakis take the field for the first game of the 2016 high school football season.

 

“We call ourselves the best linebacker core in Northern Kentucky because we know each other so well and we’ve been playing (varsity) together for the last couple of years now,” Demetrakis said. “We attack things together, knowing we have each other’s back and that helps us be a strong linebacker core.”

 

RYLE RAIDERS

 

 

2015 SEASON: 9-3 record, lost in second round of Class 6A playoffs.

DISTRICT: Class 6A, District 5 with Conner and Cooper.

HEAD COACH: Mike Engler (14-10 in two seasons at Ryle).

 

2016 SCHEDULE

Aug. 19 – COVINGTON CATHOLIC, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 26 – vs. Henry Clay at Lexington Catholic, 6 p.m.

Sept. 2 – at Boone County, 7 p.m.

Sept. 9 – HIGHLANDS, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 16 – at Campbell County, 7 p.m..

Sept. 30 – at Clark County, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 7 – COOPER, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 14 – at Conner, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 – SIMON KENTON, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 – DIXIE HEIGHTS, 7:30 p.m.

 

2

Anything new on how Ryle is progressing? Injuries? Move ins? etc. etc. Been kind of quite lately for the Union mafia!

Ryle travels to Lexington to take on Bryan Station for their Scrimmage tomorrow night. Some players might try things out on both Offense and Defense. I haven't heard of any new injuries. Collin Demetrakus (sp?) should be healing up and hopefully returning soon from an off season injury. He's a stud LB that goes sideline to sideline ball hawking.