Belfry's running game really got going against Bryan Station. I simply don't see NCC being able to control the LOS and slow down that run attack.

Belfry's running game really got going against Bryan Station. I simply don't see NCC being able to control the LOS and slow down that run attack.

 

Belfry is very good team yr and out. They run there stuff no matter who they play. The up most respect for there program. An it's always a tough to play down in Pond Creek. But Newcath will be fine once fully healthy. It's week 4 of the season win or lose for any team will just help them find out what they need to fix going into district and playoffs. If Newcath can just get a few stops and maybe score early an often it could turn into a good game. If not Belfry will win by a couple scores.

Hey Watusi. Coming down for the game. Looking forward to it. Hear it's a great place to play. Any "Can't Miss" places we should eat at before the game??

It is a great place to watch a game. Welcome to Pond Creek.

 

My advice, eat in Pikeville. There are several good places there. Peking/Hibachi is very good and you can choose between Chinese buffet or Japanese Hibachi (need a reservation for Hibachi). Pig in a Poke is a great bar b que place. Texas Roadhouse is good, but tough to get in on Friday night. Bank 123 in downtown Pikeville is good. And there is 3 or 4 Mexican places. They also have a ton of run of the mill options, like BWW, Applebees, Gattis, Golden Corral, A new Asia buffet (good sushi), etc. And many fast food options. If you wait until you get to Pond Creek, then you have the Steakhouse and Giovannis and fast food. Or you can cross the river and go to Starter's Sports Bar, which has good food, or Smokin Pit Barbecue, which is new but I've heard great things.

Great! Thanks for the info!

Belfry by 14.

It is a great place to watch a game. Welcome to Pond Creek.

 

My advice, eat in Pikeville. There are several good places there. Peking/Hibachi is very good and you can choose between Chinese buffet or Japanese Hibachi (need a reservation for Hibachi). Pig in a Poke is a great bar b que place. Texas Roadhouse is good, but tough to get in on Friday night. Bank 123 in downtown Pikeville is good. And there is 3 or 4 Mexican places. They also have a ton of run of the mill options, like BWW, Applebees, Gattis, Golden Corral, A new Asia buffet (good sushi), etc. And many fast food options. If you wait until you get to Pond Creek, then you have the Steakhouse and Giovannis and fast food. Or you can cross the river and go to Starter's Sports Bar, which has good food, or Smokin Pit Barbecue, which is new but I've heard great things.

@Watusi any potted meat at any of these joints?

@Bench

 

Not that I know of. Food City carries some killer Combination meat for sandwiches though. (As well as the redneck trinity of canned meat, Vienna Sausages, Potted Meat and Treet)

Belfry 35-6.

CHANGE IN STARTING TIME!!

 

 

The Belfry and Newport Central Catholic football game will begin at 7 p.m., head coach Philip Haywood announced today.

 

Pre-game coverage Friday night will begin at 6:45 pm., followed by kickoff at 7 p.m. on WDHR 93.1 FM and on livestream at 93.1 WDHR | Today's Best Country | Pikeville, KY

Belfry will have a running clock in the first half and cruise to 2-1.

This might not be a popular question, but... Why is this game played? Are there no other options within four hours for either school?

This might not be a popular question, but... Why is this game played? Are there no other options within four hours for either school?

 

When this series began a few years back it was highly anticipated. NewCath was in a run of State Finals appearances and Belfry was too. Two fairly similar sized schools with great traditions. It was a no brainer.

 

The first few years saw NewCath slightly decline and Belfry ascend rapidly with a couple of the best teams they have ever had. That led to some lopsided scores.

 

The series was set to end but both teams had difficulty finding people to play. They decided to re-new for another year. NewCath played back to back home years as a result with Belfry getting the home game this season.

 

For Belfry:

- The Pirates have a lot of trouble finding teams to play them. Most EKY teams just aren't on their level right now and the best teams either are already on Belfry's schedule or in 3A and potentially a playoff foe. The only other EKY teams who traditionally might make sense:

JOhnsonC entral- Already on the schedule

 

Pikeville/Hazard/Paintsville/Raceland- These are 1A shcools and with Pikeville on the schedule there really isn't a good form to playing more than one 1A team. Pikeville is already kind of the 1A flagship program and Belfry has dominated that rivalry the past 20 years.

 

Corbin/Bell County/Russell- 3A teams and potential playoff foes

 

Southwestern- Pretty long drive in itself, but Belfry has played them and actually went to Southwestern in back to back years.

 

Pulaski County- Never could get an agreement from both sides, lots of rivalries they have to honor on their schedule

 

Ashland- Don't get us started on this one. The best way to describe the Ashland/Belfry dynamic is Ashland is the friend who only calls you when they want something and can only meet when it's convenient for their schedule.

 

Pburg- They used to play a lot but Pburg has been down for a while and the rivalry stopped once it became non-competitive.

 

So this leaves the other 5A schools outside of Pulaski County. Belfry played Harlan County for 4 years and it was very one sided. NewCath typically is much better than those teams.

 

What further hurts Belfry is the way Ohio and WV do their playoff points it doesn't make sense to play a small school like Belfry and risk being penalized if you lose. There are only a couple smaller schools in WV that can compete with Belfry, the only schools that it makes sense to play are from the biggest classification which is why you have seen Cabell Midland (a school almost 4X Belfry's size) and Huntington on the schedule.

 

As a result you see Belfry frequently having to play 6A schools from Lexington to fill the schedule. They have also played schools from Knoxville and made the 5 hour bus trip.The fact Belfry is literally in the furthest eastern tip of Kentucky doesn't help.

 

With re-alignment it wouldn't surprise me to see Belfry come to an agreement with some of these teams leaving 3A (Corbin, Central, etc).

 

With all that said, I try to be as unbiased as a Belfry fan as I can, but the Pirates are about to experience a little lull in their talent pool as most small schools do.

 

Belfry had a freakish run, perhaps the best run of talent to ever come through an EKY program, but they seem to be on the tail end of that peak. The economy has been hit hard and enrollment is down and guys like Dotson, Bentley, and Horton just simply are not on the roster in the younger classes. Belfry will contend for titles the next two years but I anticipate they will come back to the pack a little for a few years following.

This might not be a popular question, but... Why is this game played? Are there no other options within four hours for either school?

 

It's a good early-season barometer for both teams, and a useful home-and-home that has given each team a chance to get acclimated to the travel experience, which you want if you plan on playing for a championship.

 

Belfry got their travel experience last year, now NCC gets theirs.

With all that said, I try to be as unbiased as a Belfry fan as I can, but the Pirates are about to experience a little lull in their talent pool as most small schools do.

 

Belfry had a freakish run, perhaps the best run of talent to ever come through an EKY program, but they seem to be on the tail end of that peak. The economy has been hit hard and enrollment is down and guys like Dotson, Bentley, and Horton just simply are not on the roster in the younger classes. Belfry will contend for titles the next two years but I anticipate they will come back to the pack a little for a few years following.

 

 

While the current 7-8-9th grade classes do not have the kids that have went to Kentucky Middle School All-star games, a ton of camps, or received a truck load of hype, there is 4-5 very good players in each grade. They are also 2 and 3 sport kids who don't have the time to go to a ton of camps. There might be a D1 kid or 2 in that group at something, so they will be just fine.

 

With that said, our 5/6th(1 - 4th grader) grade group, I would put up against anyone in this state.

Don't forget tonights game time has been moved up to 7 pm instead of the usual 7:30.

 

Looking forward to the game tonight. Belfry is a little banged up. Hearing that Mounts, Hensley and Barker are all nursing injuries, and may not play for the Pirates.

 

Any word on whether Kelly is expected to suit up for NCC?