Congratulations to Russell on the convincing win. Good luck next week.

Question: Was this a real physical game, and if so will that hurt Russell since Mercer seemed to have a cake walk in their game?

I think Belfry's youth showed some tonight, I do have to say our defense played well though. Russell was the better team and I wish them the best, I hope thwy win it all. Belfry and Russell were evenly matched during some points of the game, Russell took advantage of certain situations and our offense never got a rythym. As I said before our youth showed tonight, and I congratulate Russell on a nice win.

Belfry is a team with class and there fans also. I one enjoyed the PA announcer. He never gave up and was still cheering his team on until the very end. The fans and BGP members are a class act also.

 

WILLS, WILLS, WILLS, Number 56 Middle linebacker for Russell. He was the key factor in this win. He runs the defense and is moving players around all night long. He is the main reason Belfry did not score. Congratulations on your finest game yet.

 

Russell found a way to win. Congratulations. Both sides of the line looked great.

 

Tyler Jones is a stud. He put it out of reach by breaking two tackles and then throwing a TD to Frazier.

 

Frazier I knw would have to have a good game and he caught two TD passes. Congatulations

 

Turnovers were the death. You cannot make them and get away with it against either one of these teams.

 

I'm tired and going to bed. Driving 5 hours has made me tired but it was well worth it.

 

Congratulation to the Belfry players on a fine season and representing the mountain area well.

Congrats Russell! Good luck next week!

Congrats to the Devils Jeep and all Devils fans.

 

Belfry did well. Final 4 and another Regional Title. A good season for Belfry. I don't think many Belfry fans could be upset with the effort his team has put forth this year.

 

Belfry saw Corey Chapman literally do everything he could. It was an inspired year IMO. Not the most talented Belfry team, but a team I think all Belfry fans are proud of.

 

Russell was lead by 20+ Seniors who were state champions. I think Mercer will win next Friday, but IMO the Devils have the best shot to pull it off. Their line is big and strong enough to compete.

Thoughts on the game:

1) I want to make an apology to the PA guy whom I called unprofessional

before even remembering what he was like. I expected something completely

different and aside from being a little repetitive and cheesy (Everybody, let's

rumble!) he was very enjoyable, accurate, and professional.

 

2) Russell's defense was a monster. They really only allowed two long drives

to the Belfry offense, once at the end of the first half, once toward the end

of the second. The stunting and blitzing really disrupted the Pirates offense

up the middle, and Russell's speed to the outside eliminated the sweeps and

option plays. They have improved vastly over the course of the month I have

gone without seeing them. Some of the Devil's deep pass coverage looked a

little leaky, but all in all Russell's defense dominated the game.

 

3) Tyler Jones was exceptional. There were a couple of plays that he kept

alive (the final TD and a first down run late in the ballgame come to mind.)

There were several others in which minimized a loss by getting closer to the

line of scrimmage. The only bad pass I can recall off hand was an overthrow

of the TE Corey Hall. He ran the bootleg to near perfection and was the

keystone to the offense.

 

4) Russell never let being at Belfry phase them. I can give some of that credit

to fan support that came down. Not only did they overflow the visitors seating

but I believe they backed Russell enough to neutralize that homefield advantage.

 

5) I have to be honest, the margin of victory could have been quite a few

points wider. I believe Russell had two Red Zone opportunities that resulted

in zero points. This is not a knock on Belfry, because they too could have

scored a couple of TD's. However, I want it to be known to all the Mercer Co.

fans that this too could have been a blowout and it was against better

competition. With that being said, I can't say Russell is the favorite going into

next week's game. Again, the pass coverage looked a little weak at times, the

kicking game in terms of extra points didn't look great, (though Evans may

have just been having a bad game) and the offense occasionally moved back-

wards more easily than it should have, though for the majority of the second

half it looked great.

 

Lastly, I want to say that the CAM is a very nice stadium. Even though it

could stand an expansion or two, for the most part they were facilities worthy

of highest honor. (I just wish there was an easier way of getting there.)

Congratulations to Belfry and good luck next week to the DEVILS!

Russell is more than Kasey Clark. Jones, Beekman, Wills, Sizemore, Wells, Gullett, and Hicks are all big time players and can hurt a team in many different ways. If you key on stopping Clark's running game he torches you receiving( see Corbin and Belfry games) Jones can beat you running the ball (see both Fleming Co. games) Frazier has had big receiving nights and the Devil D tonight was unbelievable! Congratulations to the Devils go win another State Title and to Belfry wow first class program with first class facilities. When we were leaving Cam several fans stopped us and made comments like go win it again or man that was great D. We all really respect your program and class. The Belfry fans are top notch and the way you support your kids is great.

 

5. The Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on 3rd and 4 when Epling may have caught a TD.. as a result it went from best case scenario a touchdown, then from 4th and 4,, all the way to 4th and 19.

 

 

 

I was standing at the fence in that cornor of the endzone. It was a great effort but he was out of bounds. It was the correct call. I understand his frustration but you have to keep your head.

Belfry could use more seating, but ONLY when Russell, and big time programs come in. Usually, the visitors don't come in force.

 

Russell made all of the big plays. They played good fundamental football. But according to the webcast I tuned into, Clark only had 13 yds on 7 carries.

 

I think the Belfry D played well. The Belfry offense just couldn't move the large and solid Russell front.

Belfry could use more seating, but ONLY when Russell, and big time programs come in. Usually, the visitors don't come in force.

I suppose that's so, but I even think that you could stand some more home

seating. There were an awful lot of Pirates standing around the fence too.

It sounds like the Devils are getting a nice, loud welcome back up the hill.

Belfry could use more seating, but ONLY when Russell, and big time programs come in. Usually, the visitors don't come in force.

 

Russell made all of the big plays. They played good fundamental football. But according to the webcast I tuned into, Clark only had 13 yds on 7 carries.

 

I think the Belfry D played well. The Belfry offense just couldn't move the large and solid Russell front.

Yes this is correct and 1 of those carries was 11 yards on a 3rd and 9. He caught 4 passes for 89 yards so in the big defensive stuggle he had over 100 yards of offensive and one of the big catches also was a pass interfence penalty on third down. The first TD was a great catch as well!

Both Defenses were outstanding.

 

Hickman and Burton were terrors along the line of scrimmage, using there speed to shoot the gaps and disrupt Russell's blocking scheme.

 

Russell's defense I can't say enough about.

 

Josh Wills is the man.

 

Clark, Sizemore, Beekman, Wells, Harvey, Frazier, Jones, Redden, Gullett and Baily all made big plays.

 

I'm not sure but I believe Russell held Belfry to 39 yards Rushing and 111 passing.

I was standing at the fence in that cornor of the endzone. It was a great effort but he was out of bounds. It was the correct call. I understand his frustration but you have to keep your head.

I just watched the replay on tv and you are correct.. he made a phenominal catch but never got his feet down as the Russell player knocked him out of bounds.

 

After watching the replay I am even more impressed with Willis of Russell!

 

Belfry fumbled the ball 6 or 7 times..though they only lost two... each one was pivotal.

 

Brian Milam on WYMT hit the nail on the head when he said that the game was decided on first down all night for Belfry... the Devils consistently forced 2nd and long and disrupted Belfry's gameflow.

 

Russell, you had wonderful crowd support tonight. The Belfry fans never really got into the game it seemed due to the Russell performance on the field and that helped play omehwat of a role I feel. It seemed Belfry mentally destrcted after 13-0 in the 4th.

 

The Pirates will positively stacked next season with potential, and with the grduation of those 24 Seniors of Russell's could possibly be the region favorite.

 

We have anywhere from 7-8 starters returning on both sides of the ball, including a 1500 yard rusher, a solid young QB, and the entire front seven on defense aside from Burton at DT