Final per the update thread.

Glad this game happened!

Great game!

Belfry executes a beautiful gameplan of keep away and utilized a new offensive look to control the clock.

Pirates touch the ball twice in the 2nd Half and scored twice, but a botched XP coupled with a long K.O. return proves the difference.

Lavell Wright scores twice including the game winner on a screen pass under a minute to go. Lunz was a tackling machine and it was needed because Isaac Dixon and Brett Coleman both shined. 

1 minute ago, ATLCat said:

Great game!

Belfry executes a beautiful gameplan of keep away and utilized a new offensive look to control the clock.

Pirates touch the ball twice in the 2nd Half and scored twice, but a botched XP coupled with a long K.O. return proves the difference.

Lavell Wright scores twice including the game winner on a screen pass under a minute to go. Lunz was a tackling machine and it was needed because Isaac Dixon and Brett Coleman both shined. 

Great recap @ATLCat ?

Belfry

49, carries, 286 yards

Coleman 0/3, INT, 20 carries, 154 yards, 3 TD

Dixon 24 carries, 130 yards

 

NH

Wright 16 carried, 87 yards

Wimberly 14/18 102 yards, 1 TD, 1 rush TD

Great game. 

I think the Trojans may have been exposed a little in this game as far as 6A top teams go. Nothing against Belfry, as they executed a good game plan.

1 minute ago, NLTanker1 said:

I think the Trojans may have been exposed a little in this game as far as 6A top teams go. Nothing against Belfry, as they executed a good game plan.

I wouldn't say exposed.  Belfry is consistently excellent so a good North Hardin team should be about equal to the Pirates. 

1 minute ago, NLTanker1 said:

I think the Trojans may have been exposed a little in this game as far as 6A top teams go. Nothing against Belfry, as they executed a good game plan.

Lots of respect for North Hardin.

Their defense is legit, Belfry used coaching to catch them flat footed this week, but even then they tackled great and never gave up the homerun to Dixon.

With that said, as good as Wright is, and folks he is the real deal....

I don't see NH being capable of scoring enough points against the best of Louisville 6A.

Their offense is not very polished or complex.

I don't think there is another 6A public school outside of Louisville I would say I like over them, but I definitely cannot put North Hardin ahead of Male, T, and maybe Manual.

I must say this was closer than I thought it would be.

North Hardin=

 

Belfry fans watching that botched XP=

 

Photo Courtesy of Ray Justice, Isaac Dixon is a dude! Also a good look at belfry's sharp new uni's.

 

Day after thoughts:

- I loved what Belfry's staff did last night big picture. The Pirates backfield pieces simply have not summed up to enough of a threat outside of Dixon and the Pirates have not had that traditional FB they can ride when the going gets tough. They basically did a 2-man game with Dixon at FB and Coleman running the ball from QB and it was a thing of beauty.

Coleman showed he is a bad, bad man and Isaac Dixon may have had to grind for yards, but it was the most impressive 24 for 130 I think I have ever seen. Not sure there is another team outside of Trinity who could have held him from a bigger statline but NH's pursuit speed and exceptional gang tackling saved big plays.

- Special Teams is the great X-factor in High School Football. Belfry probably was the better team most of the night but Special Teams swung the game and proved the difference.  If you want to beat Belfry in the playoffs this is definitely the first part of the game you can make up ground.

- The RPI system is flawed. Belfry in the end gains less from losing to a Top 10 overall team in Kentucky by 1-point than if they would have scheduled a team like 5A Whitley County and won by 50. I continue to think there needs to be more weight to strength of victory or strength of loss.

- North Hardin LB Michael Lunz= Most underrated player in Kentucky. I know he is a D1 guy, but he should have higher offers and much more notoriety. That guy is a machine and doesnt miss tackles.

2 hours ago, ATLCat said:

- The RPI system is flawed. Belfry in the end gains less from losing to a Top 10 overall team in Kentucky by 1-point than if they would have scheduled a team like 5A Whitley County and won by 50. I continue to think there needs to be more weight to strength of victory or strength of loss.

I just made this exact point in the RPI thread. I agree. 

I’m not surprised by North Hardin only scoring 21 their offense hasn’t been fantastic this year so far but I am a little surprised that they gave up 20 especially since they’ve been fantastic on defense and Belfry basically never throws the ball.