Yet again, though maybe for the last time in awhile, the two old EKY arch-rivals meet...

 

Belfry comes in as a dominant force in 2A football over the last 3 years. The Pirates have put together a series best 7 straight victories over the Blackcats beginning in 2002, including a dominant 42-10 win earlier this year at Cam Stadium.

 

Prestonsburg began the year in rough fashion turning the ball over 7 times in a 12-3 loss to Leslie Co.. However, this Prestonsburg team has improved itself on a consistant basis each week through the season culminating in last Friday's dominant win over BGP's #6 ranked Sheldon Clark.

 

I'll post my take on the game later in the week.

 

I want to take this opportunity to state how much I've enjoyed the football played between our schools. I wish Belfry nothing but the best on their move to 3A next year. :thumb:

 

Now...let's get the ball rolling...

Well I have to admit I've never been more wrong about a team than I was about this P-burg team. I saw them early in the year and thought they were so bad that they would be rebuilding for years. Now here they are playing real good football in a matter of weeks. My hat is off to them, the coaches must have done a great job making this tream improve so much, and the players have hung in there as well when they could have thrown in the towel early.

Im sure some people thinks this will be an easy game but as Lee Corso would say not so fast my friend. I would have felt much more confident playing SC Friday night. For one reason we played a very good game against Pburg in game one and against SC we really left something not finished. Im sure though that Coach Haywood will have his boys ready to play. At least I hope so. If they do I think we will win and wear them down in the second half like most Belfry teams do. I feel our 2 championship years Pburg was just as good as us maybe even more skilled but our debt was the difference.

But I know Pburg is going to bring it and pull out everything to try and beat us. I hope Belfry comes prepared. In the playoffs though you better bring your A game and Im sure they will. Ill post a score later when I think about it some but this should be a fun game.

Well I have to admit I've never been more wrong about a team than I was about this P-burg team. I saw them early in the year and thought they were so bad that they would be rebuilding for years. Now here they are playing real good football in a matter of weeks. My hat is off to them, the coaches must have done a great job making this tream improve so much, and the players have hung in there as well when they could have thrown in the towel early.

 

Though not to the "rebuilding for years" extent you stated, I had also started to think Prestonsburg was down this year.

 

But looking back now, perhaps this team's problem early was simply varsity-level inexperience. What makes me think that is...the team now looks faster.

 

It makes sense if you consider last year's team. In '05, P-burg didn't get many of those runaway type games in which the second team gets lots of playing time. That forced this Blackcat team to "learn on the job".

 

Whether they can play well enough to hang with Belfry remains to be seen. But, I LIKE this team. They're playing well together.

 

:bunny:

This is truly a trap game for Belfry.

 

Belfry's execution in the first matchup was nearly flawless, and Pburg really didn't get a chance to show much.

 

One thing I can guarantee in this game is I don't see pburg having the opportunity to throw another bomb against the JV or kick an onside kick against them in the closing seconds.

 

I honestly feel Pburg will move the ball more effectively than last game where probably 70% of their offense came off the afforementioned pass and a broken play in the first half... from watching the SC/Pburg replay the offensive line looked like a completely different unit and the running backs ran with a renewed sense of urgency.

 

That being said, Pburg's offensive scheme will still allow Belfry to remain in their 5-2 and IMO will not pose a lot of midmatches. I see Pburg having the ability to move the ball and the clock, and defensively I see the Blackcats having success at slowing the Belfry ground game. With that said, I honestly feel Belfry has too much overall team speed, and just too many options in their backfield to be shut down for 4 quarters.

 

Belfry 21

Pburg 10

With either 7 or 14 of Belfry's points coming at the end of the game.

 

The key to this game for Belfry IMO will be Elkins at QB. He is going to get hit ALOT and get hit HARD... and with Pburg stacking the box like they always do against Belfry, the opportunity to make some huge plays passing will be there if he can capitalize.

Belfry has seemingly scored a long TD through the air in all of the Pburg games of recent vintage. Expect Belfry to sneak a RB right up the center of the field for a score early.

 

I have no clue what else to say about this game.

I have to say this:

 

I have been on here for a while (in one way or another) and OneIJoe has been the Rock of the Blackcat program and John Dorrosett (even in his weakest of moments in the face of my strongest criticism) and I respect him for his loyalty.

 

I KNOW that he would feel betrayed if I did not say this:

 

Belfry gets their EIGHT victory in row against Prestonsburg! (Sorry Watusi and all of the other wonderfu Pirate fans, but I have to be consistent)

I can see a playaction pass at the 1st of the game to losen up the defense a little bit. It will be a fake to the fullback and the runningback and the reciever will go long.......The qb will be the key to the game

No need to apologize to me, CFJ, I think Belfry will get their 8th too.

 

LEON, good to see you on here.

 

Now everything seems right with the world. Belfry and Prestonsburg is playing again in the playoffs. It MUST be November. :thumb:

The two facets of Belfry's offense that absolutely killed P-burg in the first game was the option counter to the weak side and Belfry's downfield passing.

 

The counter's success was understandable with P-burg's crowding the line (gives BAD angles and not enough cushion to react to the play unless the backside DE stays home to help the OLB).

 

But I'm still dazzled with how well Belfry passed the ball. Has the downfield passing game been this good for you guys in your other games this season ? :confused:

People can say what they want but this has to be among the biggest football rivalries in the state. These two teams meet here every year and its always a classic and I don't expect anything different this season. It'll be a lot closer than in the regular season. Good luck to the Pirates and the Blackcats!

I saw both teams play early in the season. IMO, Belfry is the better team. If they can eliminate turnovers - they will roll on.

I saw both teams play early in the season. IMO, Belfry is the better team. If they can eliminate turnovers - they will roll on.

 

There is no doubt that earlier in the season Belfry was the better team. The Pirates won 42-10 a few weeks ago in their first meeting, but since then the Blackcats are playing on a different level. I expect a much better game and a different Prestonsburg team this week.

 

I love this rivalry.:thumb:

The two facets of Belfry's offense that absolutely killed P-burg in the first game was the option counter to the weak side and Belfry's downfield passing.

 

The counter's success was understandable with P-burg's crowding the line (gives BAD angles and not enough cushion to react to the play unless the backside DE stays home to help the OLB).

 

But I'm still dazzled with how well Belfry passed the ball. Has the downfield passing game been this good for you guys in your other games this season ? :confused:

 

The passes have been there every game,,, the catches on the other hand haven't. Elkins is far from perfect with his passing ability, but it is more of an exception than an expectation, when he misfires. Against SC for example Belfry had a couple passes that were easily going to be huge gains (30+ yards) or touchdowns that ended up resulting in dropped passes.

Prestonsburg is one of those teams that needed a season to get it together.And I think they will upset Belfry this week and play Middlesboro for the Region next week. Prestonburg 23 Belfry 16