Jumpers Look To Pounce On Admiral's Sinking Battleship

Records: Somerset (4-3) | Danville (2-4)

BGP Ranking: Somerset (#8 in 2A)

Series History: Danville leads 53-27-3 all-time

Table Setter: This rivalry, which reaches as far back as 1909, has been very streaky over the last two decades. To keep that trend alive, the Admirals, who've won two in a row over the Jumpers, must right the ship after enduring a shellacking at the hands of Bullitt East. It marked the fourth consecutive loss for a Danville squad in freefall.

While the Ads have struggled over the last month, Somerset has been riding a rollercoaster. The Jumpers won their first two games and have alternated losses and wins ever since. The most recent was a 30-13 setback to Hazard. The offense and defense have both let them down in their biggest games, being outscored a combined 122-20 against Beechwood, Corbin, and the aforementioned Bulldogs. No slouches in that group. 

Throw in Boyle County and the Chargers for Danville, and both of these teams have stared down top competition this year and have the bruises to show for it. Somerset appears to be in a better place both physically and mentally, so a little 'Title Town' magic may be in order if the Ads are going to end their current skid.

Will Danville have enough players to play?

Somerset will win. Guy Bailey will have a field day on Danville's defense. I think Somerset is way more physical also. Give me the Jumpers 35-21. 

I'm taking Somerset in this one.  Danville is falling apart and it seems to get a little worse each week.  I had hopes the ADS were going to put together a good season, but I don't think they can salvage it now.

How many players from Danville were officially ejected last week and will miss this game with Somerset? 

It seems like the wheels have fallen off in Danville, I'm not sure how many more games they will win this year. I don't think they are winning this one.

I will set player and roster issues aside because I have no knowledge on that. This is arguably the most interesting matchup in the state this week. Both teams have been up and down. Hard to get a read on what happens in this one. I lean slightly to Somerset. 

This is the most important game on Danville's regular season schedule.  They need to do something, anything to change the trajectory of the season.  All four losses have been against schools in higher classes but they were favored in two of those games.

A win sets them up for #2 seed from the district and helps them avoid a second round matchup with LCA, assuming they would beat their opponent from the sister district in round one.  A loss makes that second round matchup more likely, denying the Ads a regional title game berth for the fifth consecutive season.

1 hour ago, DanvilleFan said:

This is the most important game on Danville's regular season schedule.  They need to do something, anything to change the trajectory of the season.  All four losses have been against schools in higher classes but they were favored in two of those games.

A win sets them up for #2 seed from the district and helps them avoid a second round matchup with LCA, assuming they would beat their opponent from the sister district in round one.  A loss makes that second round matchup more likely, denying the Ads a regional title game berth for the fifth consecutive season.

Huge game for the Ads, for the reasons you said. If they can pull this one out and manage a region final appearance, that would be as positive a finish to the season as could be expected. After the year they've had to this point, it's something they could point to and say, "Despite everything, we were a win away from a region title and semifinal berth, even in a down year. Imagine what we can do if we play for each other and tune out the noise?". 

That scenario would be huge for those kids. You look for every positive you can find and cling to it.

37 minutes ago, DevilMayCare said:

Huge game for the Ads, for the reasons you said. If they can pull this one out and manage a region final appearance, that would be as positive a finish to the season as could be expected. After the year they've had to this point, it's something they could point to and say, "Despite everything, we were a win away from a region title and semifinal berth, even in a down year. Imagine what we can do if we play for each other and tune out the noise?". 

That scenario would be huge for those kids. You look for every positive you can find and cling to it.

Danville's district setup has them in the west now rather than the east, right?  So based on RPI you could theoretically be looking at a scenario where Mayfield could play Danville in the region finals?  Kinda wild to speculate about seeing a matchup like that in the round of 8.

6 hours ago, DanvilleFan said:

Danville's district setup has them in the west now rather than the east, right?  So based on RPI you could theoretically be looking at a scenario where Mayfield could play Danville in the region finals?  Kinda wild to speculate about seeing a matchup like that in the round of 8.

That's one of the good and bad things about this current RPI setup. It guarantees you two west teams and two east teams in the semis, but it can move great games up a round too early. For example, 4A is almost guaranteed to have some combination of Corbin, Johnson Central, Lexington Catholic, Boyle playing in the 3rd round.

Will there be a Danville stream of this game?

8 hours ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Will there be a Danville stream of this game?

I don't think so.  Danville doesn't stream their games.

Lake Cumberland Sports will have the audio stream. 

Link here:  https://edge.mixlr.com/channel/jnuvg

 

 

Somerset Athletics is streaming it on Youtube.