This thread is as ridiculous as getting worked up in the early summer about the upcoming season...Too much to speculate & a long time away...

 

However, it's out there so I'll take the bait...

 

I know there are other teams with legitimate chances at winning the title but for the sake of this thread I will discuss the 3 that everyone seems to be predicting...

 

If I were going to pick a champion at this point based on what I've seen so far, I would have to go with Mercer-burg...They were tough last year & seem to have added what they needed to get over the hump...(Speed and 2 schools to choose from ) At this point in the year they appear to be clicking while Belfry & Russell are slower starters...

 

While both Belfry and Russell lost to Ashland, from what I hear Belfry should have won their game but were killed by turnovers & costly penalties...Russell could have won their game too but it was far from the dominating performance I heard Belfry put on...Many felt like Belfry was the better team that night...I, for one, did not think we were better than Ashland the night we played...Now, I know you shouldn't make comparisons based on how one team plays another so I won't...But, I will say that at this point in the season I am concerned about us playing against strong and physical teams...We were "out-physicaled" by Ashland & I am concerned that either Belfry or Mercer would do the same to us AT THIS POINT...While there are no guarantees that we will make it that far, luckily we would not have to play either until at least Thanksgiving...We will be as good as we are going to get by then so if these games happen, Let The Best Team Win!!!

Westerns #24 Justin Collins is fast.

#8 Ronnie Darden is fast.

But

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mercer Co.#13 Brandon Ford is Faster......

#3 Daryl Smith is faster

#32 Donald "sunshine" Walker Faster

# 2 Cory "ACTION" Jackson Is the Quickest back in the state of KY

All four of these guys on the same 2A team? Doesn't seem fair. Are they really faster than Anderson and Beaumont? Are they really that much faster than X's Will Simmons? How about Trinity's Williams and the Dutton twins that anchored Trinity's state champion track team? Just wondering.

What did Boyle Co do the season before their first title? I believe they went 7-5 and had never smelled anything close to a title. Then what happened to them? The very next year they were one of the best teams in the state and went on one of the greatest runs in the state. .

 

 

I think you make a good point in the rest of your post but this is not neccesarily true. Smith was building to that point.

 

Boyle was the AA semi-finalist in '96 and lost at Breathitt by less than a TD during the Bobcats big run of titles and wins. The '97 team was undefeated against the likes of Danville and Lex Cath and ranked #1 going into the playoffs. They lost to that hot Bourbon team (whom they had throttled in the regular season) in the mud of the playoffs and you could see what Smith was building.

 

So they had "sniffed" the opportunity of a title before the '99 to '03 run. :thumb:

All four of these guys on the same 2A team? Doesn't seem fair. Are they really faster than Anderson and Beaumont? Are they really that much faster than X's Will Simmons? How about Trinity's Williams and the Dutton twins that anchored Trinity's state champion track team? Just wondering.

 

I looked and looked this is all i could find...

Dunbar

HS Boys 200 Meter Dash

Kwasi Obeng (bard) 22.29

Stephen Morton (bs) 22.46

Cory Jackson (hburg) 22.48

Jay Brashear (bs) 22.71

Nathan Dutton (trinl) 23.02

Anthony Eldridge (lexch) 23.04

Brandon Ford (hburg) 23.3

Marshall Mays (pd) 23.33HS

 

Boys 4x200 Meter Relay

Scott County 1:31.71

Harrodsburg 1:32.18

Highlands 1:32.82

Paul Dunbar 1:33.64

Trinity (Louisville) 1:33.82

Bardstown 1:34.63

I have an idea why don't we compare who is better this way. Mercer-Burg or Russell-Raceland. Now that sounds like a fair comparison. That would make the enrollments commenserate with one another thus being a fair comparison. I would take the Russell and Raceland bunch.

Jeepman,

Didn't you realize that the purpose behind this week's Belfry-Pikeville game is to decide which mascot is kept after the two teams become one for the playoff run in 2A?

Jeepman,

Didn't you realize that the purpose behind this week's Belfry-Pikeville game is to decide which mascot is kept after the two teams become one for the playoff run in 2A?

 

Now that would be one heck of a team.

I think you guys are on to something. We can combine Russell/Raceland and Belfry/Pikeville and the winner of that matchup can play the winner of a game between Mercerburg and a Combined team of Newport/NCC in the Consolidation Bowl. I think we may be able to get corporate sponsorship and a TV deal. Watch out BCS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of the above is pure sarcasm and should be completely ignored. This talk of enrollments is rediculous. Lets just play football.

I don’t have a dog in this fight but have enjoyed reading the thread. The fact that there is no clear and decisive favorite within AA is what I truly love about high school football. How much fun would it be if there was an indisputable favorite to win it all?

 

Simply due to my local newspaper, I tend to follow Russell more than Belfry or Mercer. One point which is evident is the lack of competition Russell faces throughout their district. Its of no fault of theirs, but they essentially have a cake walk until midway through the playoffs. When I look at the W-L records of the Belfry and Russell opponents in 2005, they are somewhat similar with the edge of stronger opponents going to Belfry.

 

Does Mercer have such a situation within their district?

I don’t have a dog in this fight but have enjoyed reading the thread. The fact that there is no clear and decisive favorite within AA is what I truly love about high school football. How much fun would it be if there was an indisputable favorite to win it all?

 

Simply due to my local newspaper, I tend to follow Russell more than Belfry or Mercer. One point which is evident is the lack of competition Russell faces throughout their district. Its of no fault of theirs, but they essentially have a cake walk until midway through the playoffs. When I look at the W-L records of the Belfry and Russell opponents in 2005, they are somewhat similar with the edge of stronger opponents going to Belfry.

 

Does Mercer have such a situation within their district?

Traditionally no....Newport and Lloyd Memorial are usually very good teams, however they may be down this year. Newport seems to be the toughest of the remaining games for Mercer.

What did Boyle Co do the season before their first title? I believe they went 7-5 and had never smelled anything close to a title. Then what happened to them? The very next year they were one of the best teams in the state and went on one of the greatest runs in the state. So you can throw out the experience of being there and the swagger that the teams that have been there. This Mercer team is tough. Last night Boyle scored to cut the lead 21-14 late in the fourth. Mercer goes 3 and out and has their punt blocked and Boyle has the ball at the Mercer 16. What do they do? They hold them on downs. Game over or almost. They showed alot of toughness last night. From what I saw if you aren't loaded with team speed then their pursuit on defense will hurt you. All I'm saying is that they have just as good of a chance as anybody else. The community is going nuts over their new TEAM and they are getting alot of press. I just think it's going to add alot more excitement to the playoffs. Mercer will bring loads of fans so if they make it far enough to play one of the powerhouse teams it will be an unreal atmosphere. Their was alot of anger over this merger in the community. But, the more this team wins the more healing I see out their of the folks that were hurt about Harrodsburg High being no more. You just have to be from here to understand. So people are a little over excited and I know I am one of them. But, the playoffs are a way off so I believe this thread will grow for awhile.

:thumb: Great post...:thumb:

Outsiders will never understand the dynamics of what has taken place in Mercer-burg this year. There has been alot of sacrifice and give and take to make this work. Our guys may understand TEAM concept more than most squads this year. They are hungry and tired of mediocrity...they WILL be a handful come playoff time.

I don’t have a dog in this fight but have enjoyed reading the thread. The fact that there is no clear and decisive favorite within AA is what I truly love about high school football. How much fun would it be if there was an indisputable favorite to win it all?

 

Simply due to my local newspaper, I tend to follow Russell more than Belfry or Mercer. One point which is evident is the lack of competition Russell faces throughout their district. Its of no fault of theirs, but they essentially have a cake walk until midway through the playoffs. When I look at the W-L records of the Belfry and Russell opponents in 2005, they are somewhat similar with the edge of stronger opponents going to Belfry.

 

Does Mercer have such a situation within their district?

None of the three teams should really be tested within district play. Maybe Newport for Mercer and Maybe Sheldon Clark for Belfry.

I do agree that being there before helps your chances. Many coaches tell there players, "act like you've been hear before." Belfry always had solid teams but never could quite get over that hump til 2003. I agree that it does help but i dont think that it makes that much of a difference.

 

Now as far of Johnson Central goes, they have always seemed to exit the playoffs to early. Many times the have been beaten, the game was close and they beat theirselves or a key player or 2 has been injured, just like last year when they turned the ball over 6 times and were still only beat by 6 points. Do I think experienced in playoffs is what contributed to the loss, not in the least.

 

 

IMO, Lack of experience is WHAT beat you. Players having to deal with the pressure of performing...and that gaining that presence comes from performing in clutch situations....especially playoff situations. The experience factor was very evident in Belfry's 2004 run to Louisville. It was evident in Breathitt's title runs..as well as Boyle's. Programs develop a winning mindset. I don't necessarily believe that a program has to win a state championship to have the mindset....but at some point to validate what's being preached to the kids...you really need to produce in pressurized situations.

 

IMO, JC finally has a coach that can take your football program places that they've never been. Matney is an excellent motivator and he's not afraid to mix things up. He's also a Belfry graduate...so you can't go wrong there:D