I watched this scrimmage (again) and it didn't appear very even, Conner would still win.

 

The Beechwood team in the scrimmage and the Beechwood team in the state championship game were very different. I am sure Conner improved also but not like Beechwood did.

The Beechwood team in the scrimmage and the Beechwood team in the state championship game were very different. I am sure Conner improved also but not like Beechwood did.

 

Beechwood was somehow exactly what I thought they were and surprising at the same time.

 

I expected to see a well coached, lightning quick, funadmentally sound team and that's exactly what I saw.

 

At the same time, they surprised me just how tiny they were. It was like the Mighty Mites out there. With that said, Beechwood just executed beautifully and used their quickness to their advantage at the LOS to create disruptions and play very good sideline to sideline.

 

Dare I say it, but Beechwood kind of reminded me of your standard issue Mayfield team in a lot of ways.

 

Not a lot of guys that college coaches are drooling over, but man alive they play well together

I think you all are seriously underestimating the depth and athlete advantages the second-tier 6-A schools (Lafayette, Scott County, PRP, Simon Kenton, Ryle, etc.) would have over schools like Johnson Central and Belfry.

 

I think over the long haul Jason is right. While some smaller schools are having recent success long term the bigger schools would have the advantage. Isn't this Johnson Centrals first title. Is this the product of a very good group coming through over the next several years? The bigger schools have just that many more kids to choose from and the percentages of getting bigger, faster athletes is there. Not all big schools but the majority of them.

I think over the long haul Jason is right. While some smaller schools are having recent success long term the bigger schools would have the advantage. Isn't this Johnson Centrals first title. Is this the product of a very good group coming through over the next several years? The bigger schools have just that many more kids to choose from and the percentages of getting bigger, faster athletes is there. Not all big schools but the majority of them.

 

In an overall sense, probably, however, within the context of this one year I think Belfry and Johnson Central deserve their spots over some of the larger schools.

I think over the long haul Jason is right. While some smaller schools are having recent success long term the bigger schools would have the advantage. Isn't this Johnson Centrals first title. Is this the product of a very good group coming through over the next several years? The bigger schools have just that many more kids to choose from and the percentages of getting bigger, faster athletes is there. Not all big schools but the majority of them.

Long term isn't the topic at hand, though. We are actually just talking this year, this week. It is a current ranking, not a 10 year average.

I disagree with this. Beechwood was no good when they played Conner in August and hung with them. After that game I thought Connor was very average and I thought Beechwood would go 5-5 this year. I have never seen a team improve as much as BW in one season. I also think BW is better than Conner. One common opponent was New Cath and Conner kind of struggled with them at home and BW completely dominated them late in the year on the road.

 

Conner lost 4 fumbles 3 inside the 10

Trinity

Bowling Green

X

Belfry

Male

Lafayette

Johnson Central

CAL

Ryle

Scott Co

Manual

Franklin-Simpson

PRP

Simon Kenton

Ballard

Fern Creek

Central

Covington Catholic

Beechwood

Mayfield

Corbin

Christian Co

Conner

Owensboro

Pulaski

I think you are severely underestimating the starting talent that Belfry and Johnson Central has as well as their actual depth.

 

Covington Catholic gave Scott County everything they wanted and I would consider the Colonels an inferior product to both Belfry and JC.

 

Tates Creek competed for 3 Quarters with Lafayette and Belfry had a running clock on them at the start of the 2nd Quarter

 

The worst Highlands team of all-time scored 53 on Simon Kenton and the Pioneers struggled to stop the run all season.

 

Ryle is tough to get a read on because they didn't like to leave their NKY bubble.

 

Do you think any of those Eastern 6A teams could stop Belfry or Johnson Central's Offense? Based off what I have seen I don't think they could and I especially do not think any of them would win the L.O.S.

 

Having seen Lafayette several times I am certain that the Generals would absolutely loathe a game with Belfry or Johnson Central. Lafayette would hit some big plays, no question, but everything I saw from Lafayatte tells me I do not think they could keep either of the smaller schools from scoring over 40 points.

 

To be fair if you put those teams you mentioned like Ryle and Lafayette,etc. in 3A and 4A and put Belfry and Johnson Central in 6A. Each one of those teams probably look just as dominant as Belfry and Johnson Central did in those classes and then we could say wow those teams could and would be better than most 6A teams because they would have been so dominated and looked the part. While Belfry and Johnson Central would have dealt with the same problems those teams did in 6A in being very good teams but never considered true title contenders because of teams like Trinity, Male and St.X. So Belfry and Johnson Central would have the same opinion of them as teams you mentioned like SK, Lafayette, etc as being very good but not great. Every year those teams think they can play with Trinity, male, etc and then we see the results. It's such a big jump in level. Johnson Central and Belfry would experience that same hard jump in level of play just playing the likes of SK, Lafayette, etc and not even mentioning Trinity. So it's just so hard to tell exactly how state Champs in 3A and 4A would do in 6A.

FWIW, Calpreps Top 25 is as follows:

 

1. Trinity

2. Bowling Green

3. St. Xavier

4. Lafayette

5. Johnson Central

6. Belfry

7. Male

8. Scott County

9. Ryle

10. Manual

11. CAL

12. Simon Kenton

13. PRP

14. Covington Catholic

15. Ballard

16. Fern Creek

17. Christian County

18. Corbin

19. Franklin-Simpson

20. Mayfield

21. Conner

22. Central

23. Owensboro

24. Cooper

25. DeSales

I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Johnson Central or Belfry, as I was very impressed with both this weekend. But as someone who primarily covers 6-A football, you'd better have something more than a great rushing attack to compete with the best in 6-A. You have to have some balance on offense, or those 6-A defenses will eat you alive.

 

Again, not a knock on Belfry or Johnson Central. They can rely almost solely on the run - be really, really good at it - and that's all they need offensively to win their classes.

Trinity

Bowling Green

X

Belfry

Male

Lafayette

Johnson Central

CAL

Ryle

Scott Co

Manual

Franklin-Simpson

PRP

Simon Kenton

Ballard

Fern Creek

Central

Covington Catholic

Beechwood

Mayfield

Corbin

Christian Co

Conner

Owensboro

Pulaski

 

How is Owensboro ranked higher then Owensboro Catholic?

I'll go ahead and say it, but Johnson Central and Belfry would have given ANY and EVERYBODY up there fits offensively (as would have T, BG and Lafayette done to them b/c of what they do and have).

 

I hadn't seen Johnson Central in person, and I still had my doubt to whether or not they were what others were advertising them as...but, they were one of the more impressive looking teams I've ever seen up there and I've been going to these things for a long time.

 

 

Physically.... they didn't look real.

I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Johnson Central or Belfry, as I was very impressed with both this weekend. But as someone who primarily covers 6-A football, you'd better have something more than a great rushing attack to compete with the best in 6-A. You have to have some balance on offense, or those 6-A defenses will eat you alive.

 

Again, not a knock on Belfry or Johnson Central. They can rely almost solely on the run - be really, really good at it - and that's all they need offensively to win their classes.

 

I know that's what popular belief wants us to think these days, and how dare we question that way of thinking..but, I truly don't think they'd have eaten those two alive anymore than they eat alive their fellow 6A that are more "balanced".

 

I laughed at the thought earlier in the year that JC could even play with, let alone beat a PRP team that was stacked (and, almost knocked off Male in the 2nd round as you know)...but, after Sunday...I'd have paid good money to see JC square off against either of them.

 

I'm not saying they'd win, but I'm definitely saying that despite their obvious differences in style of play and class(es) that automatically want to make us think "They'd have no chance."; I think we'd all be surprised.

I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Johnson Central or Belfry, as I was very impressed with both this weekend. But as someone who primarily covers 6-A football, you'd better have something more than a great rushing attack to compete with the best in 6-A. You have to have some balance on offense, or those 6-A defenses will eat you alive.

 

Again, not a knock on Belfry or Johnson Central. They can rely almost solely on the run - be really, really good at it - and that's all they need offensively to win their classes.

Ever heard of an Indiana school named Warren Central? They have fielded some great 6A teams over the years with an offense that is just as run oriented as Johnson Central.

 

For years I have read comments here that:Johnson Central would never win a state 4A title until they scrapped their offense in favor of a balanced attack like Highlands has. Now that they have won a title in dominating fashion, the bar has been raised and the comments are now that they could never compete with good 6A teams without a more balanced offense.

 

A well coached team with outstanding linemen and skill players will always be competitive in any class. Like Warren Central's great teams, this Johnson Central team passed enough to keep defenses honest and had 219 passing yards against Belfry, which defended the pass very well this season - and that was with a freshman quarterback. Teams that discount Johnson Central's ability to pass the ball the next few years are going to be disappointed.

 

Did you really have South Warren ranked fifth in all classes in the preseason? :-)

I certainly didn't mean any disrespect to Johnson Central or Belfry, as I was very impressed with both this weekend. But as someone who primarily covers 6-A football, you'd better have something more than a great rushing attack to compete with the best in 6-A. You have to have some balance on offense, or those 6-A defenses will eat you alive.

 

Again, not a knock on Belfry or Johnson Central. They can rely almost solely on the run - be really, really good at it - and that's all they need offensively to win their classes.

But here's the thing. Those Eastern 6A teams that make up your second tier are far from any defense that would "eat you alive"

 

Belfry and JCs lack of balance would no doubt hinder them against T, X, or Male. You won't see me or anyone else refute that. Lafayette, Scott Co, and the NKY 6A schools though are nowhere near the level of those three teams when it comes to Defense or the LOS and that's what we are debating.

 

Belfry and JC brings a physicality, size, and a level execution that none of those second tier 6A teams has seen from a "run only" team.

 

I still 100% stand by my claim that Belfry and JC at the very least are on equal footing as those second tier teams and would most likely out execute and out battle them at the LOS which is where 90% of prep games are won.