Wow what a ballgame. That is one of the best high school football games I've ever seen. I hadn't seen Ashland play all year, but had just read about them in the papers, and here on BGP. I must say I was really shocked at how easily Ashland seemed to move the ball tonight. If it hadn't been for their turnovers I think Ashland could have walked away with an easy win. As much as Ashland seemed to control the ballgame Russell had a 14-0 lead early in the

3rd quarter. I really thought the key to the ballgame was when Ashland marched right back down the field after that and scored. They could have verily easily quit when they got down. I got a big chuckle from the Ashland student section when they ran onto the field after the 2nd OT. What in the world were they watching. The kick by Ashland's kicker wasn't even close. Anyways congrats to the Tomcats on the win. You definitely earned the respect of this Russell fan. Does this mean that Raceland is 8 points better than Russell? :scared: :scared:

Ashland was the better team tonight...They did control the game...Their offensive line grew up tonight...I saw them 2 weeks ago against Raceland & tonight they WERE NOT the same team I watched against Raceland...Ashland fans need to relax...Your team is not as bad as A LOT of you were saying...IMO, you can thank Raceland for waking you up...Call the first game an experiment...Your coaches went back to the lab & you guys could EASILY be 3-0 if this lineup were used from day 1...

 

Matt Thomas finally lived up to the hype we've heard for 3 years...He was "Arliss-esque" tonight...On the Russell side, Kasey had a great night as well...He's so strong and LOVES to deliver a hit when running the ball...

 

This is a good game for Russell to show they have a lot to work on...Now it's time to go to work & prepare for the rest of the year...I think we'll be just fine...If Ashland continues to improve at the rate they have since week 1 and cuts down on the turnovers & dropped passes, they'll make a good run in the playoffs...

 

I'm always disappointed when we lose but we did not give the game away...We were beaten...Like I said in the prediction thread, the "favorite" doesn't always win this game...It certainly wasn't pretty tonight but it lived up to what makes this series such a GREAT rivalry...Congrats to the Tomcats...

 

Now lets go to work Devils!!! No reason we can't use this game like we did the Boyd Co game last year...I have no doubt we'll be right in the thick of it at the end of the year...It's a long season...

 

BTW, the kick wasn't close...

Ashland was the better team tonight...They did control the game...Their offensive line grew up tonight...I saw them 2 weeks ago against Raceland & tonight they WERE NOT the same team I watched against Raceland...Ashland fans need to relax...Your team is not as bad as A LOT of you were saying...IMO, you can thank Raceland for waking you up...Call the first game an experiment...Your coaches went back to the lab & you guys could EASILY be 3-0 if this lineup were used from day 1...

 

Matt Thomas finally lived up to the hype we've heard for 3 years...He was "Arliss-esque" tonight...On the Russell side, Kasey had a great night as well...He's so strong and LOVES to deliver a hit when running the ball...

 

This is a good game for Russell to show they have a lot to work on...Now it's time to go to work & prepare for the rest of the year...I think we'll be just fine...If Ashland continues to improve at the rate they have since week 1 and cuts down on the turnovers & dropped passes, they'll make a good run in the playoffs...

 

I'm always disappointed when we lose but we did not give the game away...We were beaten...Like I said in the prediction thread, the "favorite" doesn't always win this game...It certainly wasn't pretty tonight but it lived up to what makes this series such a GREAT rivalry...Congrats to the Tomcats...

 

Now lets go to work Devils!!! No reason we can't use this game like we did the Boyd Co game last year...I have no doubt we'll be right in the thick of it at the end of the year...It's a long season...

 

BTW, the kick wasn't close...

 

Well said 58

Listening to the game, it sounded like Ashland still didn't run Thomas enough. It was there all night, and IMO they dropped back to pass too much.

Both teams played a hard fought ballgame tonight and it was a shame that one had to loose. It looked like Ashland had all the O line back for this game and they opened some holes for Matt. I hope this is a beginning for more good things to come. Keep the turnovers down and this will be a good offense.

Ashland was the better team tonight...They did control the game...Their offensive line grew up tonight...I saw them 2 weeks ago against Raceland & tonight they WERE NOT the same team I watched against Raceland...Ashland fans need to relax...Your team is not as bad as A LOT of you were saying...IMO, you can thank Raceland for waking you up...Call the first game an experiment...Your coaches went back to the lab & you guys could EASILY be 3-0 if this lineup were used from day 1...

 

Matt Thomas finally lived up to the hype we've heard for 3 years...He was "Arliss-esque" tonight...On the Russell side, Kasey had a great night as well...He's so strong and LOVES to deliver a hit when running the ball...

 

This is a good game for Russell to show they have a lot to work on...Now it's time to go to work & prepare for the rest of the year...I think we'll be just fine...If Ashland continues to improve at the rate they have since week 1 and cuts down on the turnovers & dropped passes, they'll make a good run in the playoffs...

 

I'm always disappointed when we lose but we did not give the game away...We were beaten...Like I said in the prediction thread, the "favorite" doesn't always win this game...It certainly wasn't pretty tonight but it lived up to what makes this series such a GREAT rivalry...Congrats to the Tomcats...

 

Now lets go to work Devils!!! No reason we can't use this game like we did the Boyd Co game last year...I have no doubt we'll be right in the thick of it at the end of the year...It's a long season...

 

BTW, the kick wasn't close...

 

 

Classy win or lose as always devil58. :thumb: :thumb:

Evans is a very good kicker. He and Russell will rebound.

Listening to the game, it sounded like Ashland still didn't run Thomas enough. It was there all night, and IMO they dropped back to pass too much.

 

 

I agree with that. I thought Ashland should have run Thomas more between the tackles. He showed flashes of his old man tonight.

Congratulations to the Tomcats players and coaches on a hard earned win. They deserved it.

 

Also BIG TIME games by Thomas and Mahan. If Thomas runs like he did tonight the Tomcats will be tough to beat. That was not the same timid runner from the past. A great performance. Same for Mahan. He kept his composure and made big plays while scrambling all game long. Needs to cut back on the fumbles though.

 

Ashland deserved to win. That was the best and most physical game I have seen the Tomcats play in three years. You gotta tip your cap to them.

Classy win or lose as always devil58. :thumb: :thumb:

 

I'll "Amen" that one.

 

 

Frances

The question of the night. Did Matt Thomas become a man tonight? The man Ashland has been waiting for for over a year now?

Good night.

Red Shift -

 

Hang in there. As you get older, you'll always remember games like this, but life has a way of putting the outcome of ballgames in perspective.

 

Enjoy the heck out of high school, and keep pulling for your classmates.

 

As the old saying goes - "This too, shall pass."

 

 

Frances

Great post and comments Frances, all of us older folks know that very well.:thumb:

The question of the night. Did Matt Thomas become a man tonight? The man Ashland has been waiting for for over a year now?

 

 

He did in my eyes. That is by far the hardest I have ever seen Matt run. Like I stated he looked a lot like his dad Gary tonight.

The question of the night. Did Matt Thomas become a man tonight? The man Ashland has been waiting for for over a year now?

 

Just seeing this question over and over makes me wonder. Was it Matt Thomas who became a man or were there 5 men who grew up, up front?

 

Food for thought,

Yoter