WHAT A GAME TO START OFF THE 2022 SEASON!

This Opening 2022 Rafferty's Bowl matchup has been one the State will pay attention to for sure.

In order to do this game justice, you will get both a South Warren perspective (from me) and a Highlands perspective (from my man @Kenny Powers), which will be provided below!

For the defending 5A Champion South Warren Spartan's, their impressive run was a payoff of going with younger talented players with many 3-year varsity starters leading the way. Coach Brandon Smith has done a great job of directing his program and seeing that opportunity certainly paid off with an impressive Championship season last year. 

However, all good things must come to an end as the lion share of that 2021 championship team graduated in May.  But the cupboard certainly isn’t bare on Nashville Road as SR WR/DB/Kick Returner Christian Conyers will be the featured player on this year’s team.  Mr. Conyers has committed to playing football next year at Tennessee and should give every team South faces nightmares about how to deal with this Mr. Football candidate, who plays all over the field. 

That is likely the highlight of the early good news for South.  On offense, two very good Olineman return in SRs Corey Bitterling and Micah Larue, but the other 3 are likely inexperienced unless (DLine stalwart) KJ Hardesty goes both ways.  At QB, Caden Veltcamp will play on the Rafferty’s Bowl field, but not for South Warren, as the WKU commit changes uniforms this fall.  SO Bryce Button is the likely candidate to replace Veltcamp.  He is a good looking athlete, but no varsity experience.  The RB position will be filled by inexperienced players as well, as 3-year workhorse Kobe Martin graduated.   Conyers will line up at WR some along side fellow SR Keegan Milby.  Any others will likely be inexperienced on the varsity level.

For the Spartan defense, SR KJ Hardesty will be the anchor on the DLine, but he will have new Dline mates this year.  At LB, only SR William Trussell returns.  Trussell is a good player who had 31 tackles and 3 picks last year.  But losing Luke Burton and 2021 leading tackler Tyler Snell is significant.  In the Spartan defensive backfield, Conyers will be all over the place covering strong opposing WRs and playing safety.  He will likely be joined at safety by FR Easton Jointer, who is a really talented young player to watch, who could even get some early snaps at QB if needed.  He’s got a cannon for an arm. 

The kicking game for South Warren will uncharacteristically be less known at this point in the season as state-wide undervalued, talented kicker/punter/WR Eldar Dervisevic, a 4-year starter at kicker, graduated.  JR Eli McIntosh likely gets first shot to replace the multi-faceted Dervisevic. 

Honestly, that is A LOT to replace, but if anyone can do that Coach Smith likely is the one to do it.  South Warren will have a very good team by the time the district games come around, but could they struggle out of the gate with so many less experience players on the field?  We shall see.  That is really what makes this Highlands game so fascinating.  South Warren coming off the 2021 State Championship season and Highlands looking to get back to that level.  It’s going to be a GREAT game!

This is the Highlands perspective from @Kenny Powers!  GREAT Job Kenny!

Nice write ups! Excited about this game. Will there be any video of this game online?

27 minutes ago, El Diablo said:

Nice write ups! Excited about this game. Will there be any video of this game online?

Last year a couple of the local radio/TV channels broadcasted online. Be on the lookout throughout the week for more info. 

7 hours ago, Purple88 said:

This is the Highlands perspective from @Kenny Powers!  GREAT Job Kenny!

2 great write ups. Only thing to be added for Highlands would be on defense. Carson Shelton is starting on Dline and Christian Stojkovic has been in the main rotation at LB. Should be a good week 1 matchup. 

Great info, @Purple88 and @Kenny Powers!

I love this matchup in Week 1 on multiple levels.

1. It's an intra-class contest, allowing us an instant peek at where two of the brand names in our state stand within 5A.

2. It's a pick'em game. Highlands has more people back, but South Warren has the superior, recent championship pedigree. The Birds could be on the ascent, while SW may descend a notch or two this year. 

3. Mr. Football implications. Conyer and Noon each have a prime opportunity to make a splash in a marquee bowl game under the lights at WKU.

4. Sphire/Smith reunion. I haven't heard otherwise, so I'm assuming Chuck Smith is still on his son's staff at SW? Chuck and Bob Sphire were the five star generals overseeing one of the great rivalries of the late 90s and early 2000s: Sphire at Lexington Catholic and Smith at Boyle County. They met eight times, with Smith besting his counterpart five games to three. The '99-'00 games were white hot. Boyle County won all four games those two years en route to state titles, but all were decided by eight points or less. That includes the 18-16 and 16-14 classics in 2000. For some, myself included, this Rafferty's Bowl will ooze nostalgia for that era of football. They may no longer be leading the Rebels and Knights, but they're still clad in black and blue.

21 minutes ago, DevilMayCare said:

Great info, @Purple88 and @Kenny Powers!

I love this matchup in Week 1 on multiple levels.

1. It's an intra-class contest, allowing us an instant peek at where two of the brand names in our state stand within 5A.

2. It's a pick'em game. Highlands has more people back, but South Warren has the superior, recent championship pedigree. The Birds could be on the ascent, while SW may descend a notch or two this year. 

3. Mr. Football implications. Conyer and Noon each have a prime opportunity to make a splash in a marquee bowl game under the lights at WKU.

4. Sphire/Smith reunion. I haven't heard otherwise, so I'm assuming Chuck Smith is still on his son's staff at SW? Chuck and Bob Sphire were the five star generals overseeing one of the great rivalries of the late 90s and early 2000s: Sphire at Lexington Catholic and Smith at Boyle County. They met eight times, with Smith besting his counterpart five games to three. The '99-'00 games were white hot. Boyle County won all four games those two years en route to state titles, but all were decided by eight points or less. That includes the 18-16 and 16-14 classics in 2000. For some, myself included, this Rafferty's Bowl will ooze nostalgia for that era of football. They may no longer be leading the Rebels and Knights, but they're still clad in black and blue.

I don’t see Conyer being a serious contender for Mr. Football.

Coach Smith is still on staff with his son.  Got the chance to speak with both when Bullitt East scrimmaged SW and Allen County Scottsville a couple of weeks ago. 

1 hour ago, Killowatt59 said:

I don’t see Conyer being a serious contender for Mr. Football.

His career to this point doesn't scream Mr. Football, but the race is so wide open this year I wouldn't rule anyone out. 

48 minutes ago, DevilMayCare said:

His career to this point doesn't scream Mr. Football, but the race is so wide open this year I wouldn't rule anyone out. 

Yeah, probably can’t rule it out. I just think South struggling this year will kill any chance he has to win that.

On 8/13/2022 at 2:10 PM, El Diablo said:

Nice write ups! Excited about this game. Will there be any video of this game online?

Both games live streamed. This is a free service. 

Link: stfanclub.com/live

16 hours ago, BEChargers said:

Coach Smith is still on staff with his son.  Got the chance to speak with both when Bullitt East scrimmaged SW and Allen County Scottsville a couple of weeks ago. 

 

I interrupted a conversation he was having with one of the Bullitt East coaches so he made me start "chopping and popping" on the whistle.  Aside from that he seemed to still be enjoying his time coaching with his son. 

Saturday game?

6 minutes ago, MaddenCurse44 said:

Saturday game?

Yes, 5 pm Central (6 pm Eastern) start.

51 minutes ago, lincoln24 said:

Both games live streamed. This is a free service. 

Link: stfanclub.com/live

 

17 minutes ago, Purple88 said:

Yes, 5 pm Central (6 pm Eastern) start.

So excited!!