Caldwell Co had a really good quarterback that year If my memory is correct.

 

Not sure about QB, but they definitely had a great RB in the Fuqua kid who was a Junior. Remember him leading them to the Finals in 98.

 

Stewart Childress. I know he was leading Cladwell County to their State title in '98 as a Senior, so I presume he was the QB in '97 as well. Went on to a good career at Murray State.

For the record guys I will give us a few more of these over the next few weeks.

 

Went and pulled every Final AP Poll and every final Lit Poll back to the 70's. Also pulled the AP and CJ All-State teams as well.

 

My plan is to get them uploaded at some point where anyone can easily access them if needed. Love seeing history be held on to.

2. This was the Bourbon County cinderella season. The Colonels, who finished outside the Top 10 at the end of the Regular Season, got red hot and rode it to a title. Lawrence County and Breathitt County played an epic game of undefeated teams with the Bulldogs ruining Holcomb's dynasty, then Bourbon turned around and posted a 14-0 upset to reach the Finals.

 

Bourbon came out of nowhere that season in the sense that they had never really been good before, but Bourbon was really good that year. They were ranked 12th here (remember, there were 50+ teams in each class then) and had finished third in a stacked district with Boyle, Danville, and Lexington Catholic. They had some really good players, too.

 

I think the Bourbon story has become somewhat mythical with many people erroneously calling them a 4-seed (they were a 3) and acting as if they were 2-8 headed to the postseason. This was, in truth, a very good team all season that showed it in the playoffs.

Bourbon came out of nowhere that season, but Bourbon was really good that year. They were ranked 12th here (remember, there were 50+ teams in each class then) and had finished third in a stacked district with Boyle, Danville, and Lexington Catholic. They had some really good players, too.

 

I think the Bourbon story has become somewhat mythical with many people erroneously calling them a 4-seed (they were a 3) and acting as if they were 2-8 headed to the postseason. This was, in truth, a very good team all season that showed it in the playoffs.

To set the record straight for anyone wondering, Bourbon was 7-3 entering the playoffs. Two of those losses were Boyle County and Danville.

 

I think some of the confusion came in the fact that Bourbon faced 11-0 1-seed Boyle in the 2nd Round after surviving Somerset 15-12. The Colonels won 24-0.

 

To show how competitive that District was... the Regional Finals was not Danville or even Rockcastle County ( both finished the regular season 9-1). It was actually Bourbon vs. LexCath (the 4-seed who was 7-3 with all three losses in District play). Bourbon won 20-0.

 

It was the rare 3 seed vs. 4 seed Regional Final. Something I am not sure I recall ever seeing again.

Great stuff!

Franklin-Simpson started 2-5 that year in AA. They were the 2-seed in their district behind Glasgow. FS went to undefeated Washington County in the second round and won 24-8. Then if I remember correctly they beat Elizabethtown in the Region finals. Elizabethtown had beaten Glasgow in the first round. FS then lost at Owensboro Catholic at Rash Stadium 14-0 in the state semifinals. I doubt I will forget the name of Billy Boarman, who had a 90-plus yard TD run that night to break the game open for the Aces.

Franklin-Simpson started 2-5 that year in AA. They were the 2-seed in their district behind Glasgow. FS went to undefeated Washington County in the second round and won 24-8. Then if I remember correctly they beat Elizabethtown in the Region finals. Elizabethtown had beaten Glasgow in the first round. FS then lost at Owensboro Catholic at Rash Stadium 14-0 in the state semifinals. I doubt I will forget the name of Billy Boarman, who had a 90-plus yard TD run that night to break the game open for the Aces.

 

I think OCath has had a Boarman on the roster since the 70's.

The 1997 Mudbowl game between CovCath and Highlands is a personal favorite of mine: