You'll not go broke picking Belfry and Central to advance deep in the postseason every year. Come Saturday, Belfry will play in their ninth state championship game in the last fourteen years, looking to win a sixth title and fourth in a row. Central, meanwhile, will be making their seventh appearance in the last ten years, and will look to add a sixth crown to the trophy case. To say these clubs are experienced is an understatement.

 

It wasn't always this easy. For years, Belfry was the bridesmaid, losing championship games in 1979, 1985, and 1986. Even after winning legendary coach Philip Haywood's first two titles in 2003 and 2004, the Pirates lost four championships between 2007 and 2012.

 

Central had even less history on their side. Long a powerhouse prior to desegregation in the late-1950s, Central posted a number of good-not-great years in the early 1960s before bottoming out in a stretch that included twenty consecutive losing seasons from 1974-1993. The Yellowjackets had only made it as far as the state semifinals twice (1995 and 2006) before Ty Scroggins arrived and went to work winning championships, the first in 2007, his first year on the job.

 

It was in that 2007 championship game that these two programs first became acquainted with each other and it was because of their numerous battles over the last decade that these two programs from completely opposite ends of the Kentucky spectrum came to be known as the two best in Class 3A and among the top ten in all of Kentucky.

 

After sweating out second, third, and fourth round wins, Central topped Belfry 27-17 at Papa John's Stadium in 2007. The Jackets would romp over Belfry in 2010, 46-7. The next two years were instant classics. 2011 saw Central's Tajh Milliken hitting Cornelius Bolden with a 35-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter to beat Belfry, 15-14. 2012's final went to overtime, with Central again clinching through the air, this time a touchdown pass to Marcel Malone from Sydney Telford, to set the final margin at 12-6. Belfry would finally get revenge in 2014, a 14-7 win that saw the Pirate defense pitch a second half shutout.

 

Now we're set to take yet another ride on this glorious rivalry. Belfry, from the farthest reaches of eastern Kentucky, ranked #1 in the preseason and who never once relinquished their hold. Central, from downtown Louisville, ranked #6 in August but wobbled by four straight losses to open the season, only to win nine of their last ten behind the defense that has been their calling card for so long.

 

Belfry, with their balanced power running game, boasting six rushers who cleared the 500 yard mark on the season but none who've hit 1,000. Central, with their dynamic rushing duo of Corey Johnson (1,097 yards) and Chereioun Jones (781 yards).

 

Belfry, who had to roar back from a 17-0 deficit at Corbin in the semifinals, hold on a pivotal fourth down and goal, then stomp on the neck of the Redhounds with 42 unanswered second half points. Central, who needed a touchdown catch from U'Kari Baker in the final minute of the fourth quarter and an interception afterwards, to salt away Elizabethtown, 21-14.

 

Belfry, with Philip Haywood, the all-time winningest coach in Kentucky history with 416 wins. Ty Scroggins, who resurrected a program and built it into a powerhouse behind defense and discipline.

 

It's time for another chapter in Kentucky high school football history. The sixth meeting in ten years. The two best 3A programs in the Commonwealth. I'll see you on Saturday night!

 

TALE OF THE TAPE

 

Schedules/Results

 

BELFRY

Aug. 26 - Tates Creek (W) 48-12

Sept. 2 - Harlan County (W) 47-13

Sept. 9 - at Newport Central Catholic (W) 41-8

Sept. 16 - at Pikeville (W) 56-13

Sept. 23 - at Knoxville Catholic, TN (L) 20-45

Sept. 30 - Cabell Midland, WV (W) 35-21

Oct. 7 - at Lawrence County (W) 49-0

Oct. 14 - Warrensville Heights, OH (W) 36-0

Oct. 21 - Pike County Central (W) 60-0

Oct. 28 - at Johnson Central (W) 21-16

Nov. 4 - Bath County (W) 50-0

Nov. 11 - Fleming County (W) 61-0

Nov. 18 - Russell (W) 43-12

Nov. 25 - at Corbin (W) 42-17

 

CENTRAL

Aug. 19 - DuPont Manual (L) 20-21

Aug. 26 - at Corbin (L) 14-20

Sept. 2 - at Christian Academy-Louisville (L) 14-44

Sept. 9 - at St. Xavier (L) 7-51

Sept. 23 - Waggener (W) 41-21

Sept. 29 - at Moore (W) 28-0

Oct. 7 - Thomas Nelson (W) 50-0

Oct. 14 - at Bardstown (W) 21-19

Oct. 21 - Henry County (W) 41-3

Oct. 28 - at Pleasure Ridge Park (L) 3-42

Nov. 4 - Garrard County (W) 48-26

Nov. 11 - Boyle County (W) 37-6

Nov. 18 - at Lexington Catholic (W) 30-7

Nov. 25 - Elizabethtown (W) 21-14

 

Statistics

Leading Rusher

Belfry: Derek Wellman - 770 yards; 9 touchdowns

Central: Corey Johnson - 1,097 yards; 19 touchdowns

 

Leading Passer

Belfry: Noah Corbett - 321 yards; 9 touchdowns

Central: James Simpson - 1,281 yards; 14 touchdowns

 

Leading Receiver

Belfry: Austin Woolum - 163 yards; 5 touchdowns and Cameron Catron - 167 yards; 3 touchdowns

Central: Ukari Baker - 715 yards; 7 touchdowns

 

PREDICTION

 

Belfry has spent the entire season at number one for a reason. The Pirates have had little trouble this season, with their only loss coming on the road to a Tennessee powerhouse. A slow start at Corbin only served to show how dangerous these Pirates can ultimately be. But if anyone can slow the Big Red Machine down, then it is Scroggins and Central. Many in the Belfry community credit Central with forcing the Pirates to improve and those same Yellowjackets will have a couple tricks up their sleeve to try and win another title. It just won't be enough. Too much Belfry in this one.

 

Belfry 35 Central 14

ttt

Great Read

Five previous meetings and four have been up for grabs wlate in the 4th

 

 

Only the 2010 game did not come down to the wire.

 

 

 

Belfry has to avoid what happened in 2007. The Pirates entered as a decided favorite and the two teams shared a common opponent. Central had lost to a team Belfry had defeated.

 

After falling behind 7-0, Belfry answered with 10 straight points and had the ball heading into the Half and had appeared to take momentum over. Instead of kneeling it Belfry took a deep shot for the endzone and the QB was hit as he released and a wounded duck flew into the air. Central's Darrell Taylor picked it off and then got about 4 bone crushing blocks to spring him for a 76 yard INT return for TD. Central went into the Half up 14-10 and momentum shifted.

 

Right after the 2nd Half Central took the opening the kickoff and finished a drive with a TD pass. Suddenly Belfry had went from 10-7 and feeling like they had regained control to trailing by 11 and having to overcome a very confident team.

 

Belfry answered in the 4th Quarter to cut the deficit and had the ball inside the redzone on what appeared to be the game winning drive. Belfry fumbled and Central recovered. Central converted a key First Down and without timeouts left Belfry needed a strip to have a chance, Central ran a stretch play and broke a tackle and put the game clinching TD.

 

For many Belfry fans that loss is one of the All-Time painful ones. That 2007 team was a machine and had steamrolled everything in it's path to a 14-0 record including convincing wins over Johnson Central, Corbin, and a 62-28 drubbing of a very good Breathitt County team in the Semi's. They rushed for a hair under 5000 yards. Their backfield consisted of Dustin May and Ivan Lee and averaged about 6'3 245 between the two of them.

 

Belfry got caught flat footed that day and Central just kept momentum swinging back their way. This year's edition will need to take a valuable lesson from that game.

Congrats Belfry on another state title!

 

Great season Central. Nothing to hang your heads about.