4A #10 Ashland vs. 6A Tates Creek

[Backspin]

Ashland has beaten JC only once in the last 11 years:

2006: Johnson Central 35-7

2006: Johnson Central 28-21 (Playoffs; 2nd Round)

2007: Johnson Central 67-33

2008: Johnson Central 41-6

2009: Johnson Central 29-28

2010: Johnson Central 42-26

2011: Ashland Blazer 22-6

2012: Johnson Central 22-21 (Overtime)

2013: Johnson Central 42-7

2014: Johnson Central 42-7

2015: Johnson Central 8-7

2016: Johnson Central 43-6

 

11=8 or so?

[ATLCat]

Tates Creek is far from a physical team that should beat you up.

 

If anything I would say Tates Creek is the dream matchup you would want to end your season if you want to be challenged but don't want your starters banged up. If this were Scott County or Conner who like playing a phsyical brand of football I could see the argument, but Tates Creek will be happy airing it out and playing finesse and their Defense isn't exactly full of 6'3 210 LB's flying around busting heads.

[ATLCat]

Ashland doesn't have anyone who can cover Beerman and Gentry as a tandem

 

Tates Creek 38

Ashland 24

[Youngbloods]

So, does anyone know if Ashland is going to sit their starters? That will play a big roll in my decision making. Not to say that I'm going to root for TC, it's just that I believe it will be a more competitive game. Someone mentioned to me the other day that Roberts and one of the Wright brothers have not practiced due to injury. In info on that as well?

[Cubster]

Why sit starters? They aren't beating JC in a few weeks.

[Watusi]

Tates Creek is far from a physical team that should beat you up.

 

If anything I would say Tates Creek is the dream matchup you would want to end your season if you want to be challenged but don't want your starters banged up. If this were Scott County or Conner who like playing a phsyical brand of football I could see the argument, but Tates Creek will be happy airing it out and playing finesse and their Defense isn't exactly full of 6'3 210 LB's flying around busting heads.

Dead on balls accurate.

[Watusi]

Why sit starters? They aren't beating JC in a few weeks.

It's a defeatist attitude IMO. If you are going to shy away from the competition, then why schedule them to start with?

[Youngbloods]

All I'm saying is that it would have helped a little last year. Same "far from a physical team" that we played last year.

[Watusi]

All I'm saying is that it would have helped a little last year. Same "far from a physical team" that we played last year.

Injuries happen and they can come no matter the competition.

[Youngbloods]

True... but I'm just justifying where others have spoken out.

[Youngbloods]

Why sit starters? They aren't beating JC in a few weeks.

 

Anybody can beat anybody on a given night...

[Backspin]

Have JC and Belfry rested starters in their final week game the last two years? Would this be similar? I realize they may have better odds but the fact that they tried to hedge whatever odds they had would be similar reasoning.

[ATLCat]

Have JC and Belfry rested starters in their final week game the last two years? Would this be similar? I realize they may have better odds but the fact that they tried to hedge whatever odds they had would be similar reasoning.

 

Belfry and JC have not rested any starters as far as I know

 

With that said, both teams have been cautious with injured players in recent years. Belfry was without six starters two years ago and last season Johnson Central was down 2 or 3 starters.

 

Both teams subsequently missed the majority of those players during their First Round Playoff game as well.

[JDEaston]

Belfry and JC have not rested any starters as far as I know

 

With that said, both teams have been cautious with injured players in recent years. Belfry was without six starters two years ago and last season Johnson Central was down 2 or 3 starters.

 

Both teams subsequently missed the majority of those players during their First Round Playoff game as well.

 

The bolded stands out to me. The word cautious can have many different meanings, as far as coach speak goes. Those players not playing in a non district game could have very well been injured, or they could have been resting them do to a sore shoulder, etc. The same with the first round playoff game, the playoffs are watered down from what they once were, so if your a number one seed, you may as well sit anyone that isn't 110 percent in the opening round.

 

Last season Johnson Central and Ashland played in an absolute war prior to the Johnson Central/Belfry game. It was a hard hitting, defensive battle. No doubt in my mind that some kids were beat up and bruised in that one. The game ended in an 8-7 win for Johnson Central. While Johnson Central "cautiously" rested some players in the former game versus Belfry, they cruised on to Bowling Green. Ashland on the other hand didn't "cautiously" rest players versus Tates Creek, which led to multiple injuries in that game.

 

Basically you can look at it any number of ways. But I just don't see the reasoning behind having two tough teams to play, back to back, just prior to the playoffs. If you have to play a tough team to end your district schedule, that will work just fine to get you ready for your playoffs IMO. But rather than scheduling an out of district game against a tough opponent just afterwards, why not try and schedule that game around mid season?

[Backspin]

One mans trash is another mans treasure