All-Area Large School Football: Gamble all in for JC, Love story for Tomcats

 

Matthew Sparks | For The Daily Independent

 

CANNONSBURG Johnson Central didn't need to take a huge gamble when it had to overcome the loss of its top rusher just one game into the 2017 campaign.

 

When the chips were down, senior Blake Gamble rose to the occasion. He took his opportunity and ran with it, and in the process, ran away from opposing defenses.

 

Gamble was named The Daily Independent's Large School All-Area Player of the Year after he compiled 1,907 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns this season.

 

"This means everything to me," Gamble said after the team photo shoot at Boyd County High School on Tuesday. "This year, I fell in love with the team. I fell in love with some of the younger kids. It was such an honor to play the role that I did."

 

Ashland recorded its first 10-win season since the 1990 state championship team. The Tomcats won their first district crown in six years and hosted a region final at Putnam Stadium. As a result, Tony Love was awarded Coach of the Year honors for the first time.

 

Continued in the link... All-Area Large School Football: Gamble all in for JC, Love story for Tomcats | Sports | dailyindependent.com

All-Area Small-School Football: Salmons' Rams climb mountain, Allen looks to Mountaineers

 

Zack Klemme | The Daily Independent

 

CANNONSBURG Raceland has had football teams expected to make noise on the statewide stage. The 2017 Rams weren’t one of them.

 

“We didn’t seem to be the most talented team ever,” Rams senior lineman Tyus Ferguson said, “but it’s like last year we found a way to lose half the time, and this year, we found a way to win.”

 

Raceland kept doing that all the way to its first Class A state championship game in school history. There, the Rams lost to Beechwood, 41-0, but added another block to its foundation, coach Michael Salmons believes.

 

“Maybe a lot of people had become frustrated with the barrier that had been in place for many years,” Salmons said Tuesday at the All-Area photoshoot at Boyd County, “and I think once that door kinda got pushed down, people realized, hey, wait a minute, this can happen and this will happen. Making history was very special.”

 

Salmons was chosen The Daily Independent All-Area Small School Football Coach of the Year. Ferguson is one of nine Rams voted onto the All-Area team.

 

Continued in the link... All-Area Small-School Football: Salmons' Rams climb mountain, Allen looks to Mountaineers | Sports | dailyindependent.com

The Large School team is heavily comprised of players from JC (10), Ashland (10), and Greenup County (8). No surprise really, they were easily the three best teams in that district.

 

No Gunnur Lewis from Raceland on the Small School team. That is a little surprising to me. He was one of NEKY's breakout stars this year.