Raceland at Sayre Predictions/Updates

[DevilMayCare]

 

Rams Look To Stain Sayre's Spotless Record

Records: Sayre (12-0) | Raceland (9-3)

BGP 1A Rankings: Sayre (#5) | Raceland (#2)

Round 2 Results: Sayre beat Paris | Raceland beat Frankfort 

Series History: First ever meeting 

Teaser Preview: As if an unblemished regular season wasn't reason enough, it might be time to put a little respect on Sayre's name.

The Spartans toppled the Eiffel Tower last week to set a date with 1A co-favorite Raceland.

The book on Sayre says they have one of the state's premier pitch and catch combos. Luke Pennington is quietly teaching a masterclass in quarterbacking with an unheard of touchdown to interception ratio of 47 to 0. Brock Coffman, one of the top athletes in Lexington, is the primary target with over a thousand yards receiving and 20+ touchdowns, plus eight interceptions from his safety spot. Hits talents have garnered FBS attention. 

That same book also conveys a soft schedule, one of the weakest in 1A. There lies the space between the Spartans and Rams. Raceland has shared the field with Highlands, LCA, Pikeville, and a few others that Sayre's schedule couldn't touch. 

Logan Lundy, Noah Wallace, Jaxon Heighton and the rest of Raceland's senior class have played a lot of football together. After getting a piece of the limelight last year, they want the whole thing. It's championship or bust for the Rams.

If it's going to be the former, they'll have to be road warriors, because they've likely seen the last of Ram Stadium. 

[tomcat1984]

Raceland didn’t shy away with their schedule this year. They lost close one to Ashland and got pounded by Highland. I think if raceland squeaks by in a close one. 

[9068]

I think Raceland may be a little better that Sayre just because of their schedule.

[Hard Work]

I’ll be THAT guy! Give me the Spartans in an upset! The Spartans find a way to get it done late! 
 

Sayre - 38

Raceland- 35

[rerun]

The talented QB for Sayre will will connect in the end zone a time or two but in the end Raceland puts this one away quite comfortably.  The Sayre schedule is not the fault of the football players. The administration needs to "schedule up" in order to put their kids in a position to compete in these games. All they achieved with the schedule was to guarantee (via RPI) the last game of the season would be at home. I mean no disrespect to Coach Pennington or the program, your kids just need to see strength and speed before the playoffs in order to compete with the Raceland and Pikeville's of this world. 

[gchs_uk9]

If you had asked me last week I'd have said Raceland in a rout, but seeing Sayre dismantle Paris makes me believe the Spartans are better than most think, even if they are undefeated. I still believe Raceland wins by a couple of scores, but it will be an interesting litmus test for where exactly Sayre is in the Class 1A pecking order.

[Hard Work]

I have seen many take a dig at the schedule but when you have about  300 kids K-12 and you have years that are up and down in numbers you can’t lock into a two year contract with the top teams in the state. Raceland gave highlands a solid game last year but got beat 40-0 this year and I don’t believe that is competitive play! 
 

Sayre is just in its 4th year on a varsity schedule and I believe some forget that just last year they were in a district with Pikeville and Hazard. How many coaches over reach in scheduling and it doesn’t allow for a program to withstand? Coach Pennington looks to be building a program to withstand those low years and to still be competitive in these early years of this program. 
 

If the Spartans find a way to upset the Rams are we still going to be talking about strength of schedule or will we finally talk about 11 vs 11 and how teams matchup? Strength of schedule was the issue vs Bethlehem and Paris and Sayre handled both of them pretty easily. 
 

I also need someone to help me with an history lesson and understanding why Raceland fans talk like they are Pikeville? Raceland has yet to win the big one and has only been to the show once according the history books. Sounds to me like there is some worry going up against a team that’s only 7 years existing as a program!
 

Pikeville has won 7 times and has proven they are a force in Class A just because they escaped with a 7-6 victory doesn’t mean that Pikeville isn’t going to be sitting on the other side waiting for the winner of this game. 

[gchs_uk9]

12 minutes ago, Hard Work said:

I also need someone to help me with an history lesson and understanding why Raceland fans talk like they are Pikeville? Raceland has yet to win the big one and has only been to the show once according the history books.

Twice. Lost to Beechwood in 2017 and Pikeville last season. 

[Hard Work]

Just now, gchs_uk9 said:

Twice. Lost to Beechwood in 2017 and Pikeville last season. 

Appreciate the correction. 

[rerun]

Not a Raceland fan or a dis-fan here. As a program, I agree, they are not in the same league as Pikeville. However, as a team, this year they beat Pikeville. So yes, at least for this year they should be mentioned in the same league as Pikeville. In my opinion it's a two horse race, and what do those two horses share in common, they played better teams and elevated their game by doing so. If Sayre beats Raceland then more power to them, I'll be one of the first to congratulate them. But I'm not planning on eating crow just yet. 

[hrcarrier]

This game is intriguing to me. Earlier on I would have said Raceland wins this going away. Now, I’m not so sure. Sayre has made themselves look a lot better than I thought they were earlier in the season. After beating Paris as they did over the past weekend, I could see this being an interesting game. I think Raceland still wins probably, but I look for it to be close.

[Voice of Reason]

Raceland is a 7 point favorite on calpreps.com. Closer than I expected it to be.

[9068]

8 hours ago, Hard Work said:

I have seen many take a dig at the schedule but when you have about  300 kids K-12 and you have years that are up and down in numbers you can’t lock into a two year contract with the top teams in the state. Raceland gave highlands a solid game last year but got beat 40-0 this year and I don’t believe that is competitive play! 
 

Sayre is just in its 4th year on a varsity schedule and I believe some forget that just last year they were in a district with Pikeville and Hazard. How many coaches over reach in scheduling and it doesn’t allow for a program to withstand? Coach Pennington looks to be building a program to withstand those low years and to still be competitive in these early years of this program. 
 

If the Spartans find a way to upset the Rams are we still going to be talking about strength of schedule or will we finally talk about 11 vs 11 and how teams matchup? Strength of schedule was the issue vs Bethlehem and Paris and Sayre handled both of them pretty easily. 
 

I also need someone to help me with an history lesson and understanding why Raceland fans talk like they are Pikeville? Raceland has yet to win the big one and has only been to the show once according the history books. Sounds to me like there is some worry going up against a team that’s only 7 years existing as a program!
 

Pikeville has won 7 times and has proven they are a force in Class A just because they escaped with a 7-6 victory doesn’t mean that Pikeville isn’t going to be sitting on the other side waiting for the winner of this game. 

Great points!

[great_falls]

Raceland is good. They beat "the King" of 1A earlier in the year in a game that was played for pride (as I don't see it did anything for Raceland in the RPI...since they're traveling this week). HARD WORK has some legit points about the fact that Raceland is often portrayed in the same light as Pikeville, NCC, Mayfield, Beechwood, etc. as 1A powers and dynasties...but that is a recent development. Don't get me wrong, Raceland has always been a good 1A football program, but not elite and anyone that would argue differently is a homer. Coach Vanderhoof had a good, hardnosed product. What Coach Salmons has done is awesome and he's created a machine with full community support! But Raceland is not 1A royalty. Not yet. So in this game their advantage, if any, is the personnel they have on the field. Their legacy as a traditional power will not make Sayre back down or back off...and it shouldn't. Raceland travels and Raceland wins, but not because of it's name on the front of the jersey, they win because of the names on the back...this year they have better, seasoned players ready for this moment.  

[Cheese]

I think Raceland is better than most think in Class 1A. They walked into Pikeville earlier and took a win. That's impressive. I also am impressed with Sayre, that coach is worthy! I just think Raceland is locked in to get back to the finals and they will be a hard team to overcome. Good luck to both teams.