article 3A Notebook: What If They All Lose?

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Rough Night for the Top Flight in Class 3A

 

After last week's Bluegrasspreps.com Class 3A Top Ten was released, the question was posed by a commenter wondering what would happen if every team in the rankings were to lose. On Friday night that question nearly became a reality as five of the top six teams lost and the only non-loser was also a non-winner, with Bell County on their open week.

 

Before we criticize too sharply, however, every loss was a "good" loss, meaning that each team played competitively against a top tier opponent. Top-ranked Christian Academy of Louisville (3-1) fell in overtime to 6A #5 Ballard. The loss broke an 18-game winning streak for the Centurions. CAL pitched shutouts in each of their first two games but allowed 20 points last week to an undermanned Eastern squad and another 40 against Ballard. They schedule gets no easier as they travel to 4A #1 Boyle County next week. CAL is certainly among the best in the class but some early season concerns are starting to become evident.

 

Meanwhile, in a Catholic school battle in Lexington, second-ranked DeSales lost to 4A #3 Lexington Catholic, 34-31. DeSales (1-2) fell down early and trailed by two touchdowns before mounting a comeback that resulted in a lead going into the fourth quarter. It wasn't enough, though, as LexCath scored and then stopped a late DeSales drive deep in Knights territory. DeMarcus Avery led the Colts with 120 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

 

Belfry took their show on the road and was shut out, dropping a 14-0 decision at Kettering Alter, just outside of Dayton, Ohio. The Pirates defense was lights out with the exception of two big plays, but that was enough to give Alter the win. Belfry (2-1) compiled only 117 total yards of offense and were without running back Isaac Dixon, who suffered a mild ankle injury but is expected to be back next week against Class 1A #1 Pikeville.

 

Fifth-ranked Ashland lost for the first time in 2019, dropping a 34-33 nail biter in overtime to Wheelersburg (Ohio). Ashland (3-1) took an early lead but were caught just before halftime. After that, a long weather delay led to a longer game, with the outcome in doubt headed to overtime. Ashland's Blake Hester scored on the Tomcats' overtime possession but was then stopped on the two-point conversion attempt. Wheelersburg then scored and booted the extra point, giving the Tigers the thrilling win.

 

Finally, number six Elizabethtown (2-2) was blitzed by 6A #9 Central Hardin, losing to the Bruins 57-40. The fifty-seven points were the most allowed by Elizabethtown since giving up 63 in a loss to DeSales in 2012. E-town's offense had no trouble moving the ball, rushing for 333 yards as a team, 174 of those plus three touchdowns from Joseph Becherer. The defense will have to shore things up going forward into a district schedule that looks tougher every week and includes Bardstown and Larue County.

 

So what does it all mean? Probably not much. Every loss was a toss-up going in and competitive going out. If anything, it probably just reassures the commonwealth that the road to a state championship in Class 3A will be hotly contested all season.

 

East Carter Wins Battle for the Barrel, Remains Undefeated

 

It's no secret that football has never been the premier sport at East Carter. The Raiders have twice been to the state basketball tournament and won a state baseball crown in 1984. Football hasn't had a winning season since 2005, has only won four playoff games in school history, and has never advanced past the second round. It looks like that might all be changing.

 

East Carter used a 14-point third quarter, 143 passing yards and a touchdown from Braden Hicks, and held on tight in the fourth to beat county rival West Carter, 39-34, and take home the "Barrel" the two schools play for for the first time since 2013. East Carter is now 4-0 for the first time since 1994.

 

"That feels great," East Carter coach Tim Champlin told the Ashland Daily Independent. "I‘m happy for the kids, our school and the community. To get this one off our back is special. A lot of alumni were coming up and hugging me." (Barrelin’ through: East beats West, 39-34 | Sports | dailyindependent.com).

 

The celebrations will need to end quickly for East Carter, as the Raiders face consecutive road trips to Fleming County and Tolsia (WV) before entering a brutal district stretch against Ashland, Greenup County, and Russell. But for just one night in Grayson, the folks were celebrating once more like it was 1994.

 

Trigg County Making Noise in Western Kentucky

 

An old school power that hasn't had much to crow about in recent years is starting to win at an old school clip. Trigg County improved to 4-0 on the season with a blistering 40-6 win at Ballard Memorial in a game that for the fourth time in four games featured a running clock for the Wildcats.

 

Trigg scored four times in their first six plays with Tayshaun Barker leading the way with a 54-yard touchdown run and 63-yard touchdown reception. On the evening Trigg piled up 388 yards of total offense. Quarterback Cam Jordan threw for 177 yards and three touchdowns.

 

Competition levels increase starting next week as Trigg hosts Murray and then Paducah Tilghman. They have a road game at 1A power Crittenden County and home games to finish the year with Union County and Caldwell County. If the Wildcats can keep the momentum from their first four games the eyes of Kentucky will shift dramatically to Cadiz.

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Around the Rankings

 

#7 Paducah Tilghman (3-1) responded well from last week's tough loss to Mayfield, bettering Graves County, 34-13. Jayden Freeman ran for 280 yards and four touchdowns in the victory.

 

#8 Glasgow overwhelmed Allen County-Scottsville, romping over the Patriots, 50-7. Glasgow (4-0) has scored over 50 points in three straight games while holding their opponents to a total of 34 points.

 

#9 Taylor County (4-0) got a breather after two tough opponents, beating Green County, 45-8. Five different Cardinals scored on the night, highlighted by a Conner Roney kickoff return for a touchdown.

 

#10 Mercer County faced a stiff challenge in 4A #1 Boyle County and came up short, 43-7. Mercer (3-1) struggled to move the ball on offense, gaining only 78 yards on the ground and 94 through the air.

 

Extra Points

 

Casey County picked up their first victory of the season knocking off previously unbeaten Russell County, 34-19. Quarterback Reece Brown threw for 238 yards and a touchdown and ran for another 95 yards and three scores for the Rebels (1-3).

 

Jackson County shut out Jenkins, 30-0, for their first win in 2019. It was the first shutout for Jackson County (1-3) since blanking Berea in the season opener in 2017.

 

Adair County (1-3) beat Metcalfe County in a close one, 24-20. Adair and Metcalfe are among six schools that started the Pioneer Athletic Conference this season. There are two divisions (north and south), and whoever finishes first in each division will play each other in the season finale, as will seconds and thirds. Adair's win likely means a Week 10 matchup with Washington County in what is one of the more unique scheduling setups in Kentucky.

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Three to See

(Each week the 3A Notebook will preview the three best games featuring Class 3A teams for the coming week)

 

1. Christian Academy of Louisville at Boyle County. In what should be one of the two best games in Kentucky (along with Trinity/Male), CAL travels to Boyle County for a clash of two top-ranked teams. CAL comes in off a loss to Ballard while Boyle is undefeated in four starts.

 

2. Pikeville at Belfry. Two rivals that don't particularly care for each other meet up on the banks of Pond Creek. Belfry has dominated the series of late, having won every meeting but one since 2001. Both are state championship contenders in their respective classes.

 

3. Murray at Trigg County. Class 2A #5 Murray travels to unranked Trigg County for the first meeting between the schools since 2010. Trigg County has feasted on lesser competition to start the year and will be looking to make a huge statement with a win over the Tigers.

 

Just One More

(Tired of the same teams every week? Want to go off the beaten path for a 3A game this Friday night? Each week we'll look at an under-the-radar matchup to watch in Class 3A)

 

Ironton (OH) at Ashland. Two old foes from just across the river renew their rivalry once again at Putnam Stadium. Ashland has won four straight in the series.

[Coltcity]

Great report!

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ttt

[theguru]

ttt

[Hearsay]

My surmise here is that there are some really good, but no dominant, teams in 3A. Dominant teams in the past have had no trouble beating really good schools from higher classes, but 3A is losing most of those games this season. There also seems to be a dearth of teams with balanced offensive attacks, as posters at PT, Bell, Belfry, CAL and others have lamented the lack of a competitive passing game. I think the screws will begin to tighten on those teams over the next few weeks.

[Hearsay]

Yet another week in which 3A could conceivably fall on hard times. I think Pikeville/Belfry, Desales/Cooper, Taylor County/Simon Kenton, Bell/Whitley County, Ashland/Ironton, and the margin in Boyle County/CAL could all be very telling. If a significant number of those teams fall, I don’t think we simply get to call them “good“ losses anymore, and that 3A may need a serious shake up and look in the mirror.