Bell County at Rockcastle County Predictions/Updates

[RoCkMaN28]

Week 7 is here and that means a big time matchup between two heavyweights in 3A district 7! The often heated rivalry game features the top two teams that finished 1st and 2nd in the district last year and who many considered the top two contenders again this year for the district crown. 
 
Rock will host the matchup on what will not only be there final home game of the season but it will also be the final time they play on grass. Construction will take place on the new middle school that will see Rock get a new turf field. Rock has started 6-0 for the first time since 2011 and is Chris Larkey’s first ever 6-0 start since taking over the Rockets program 3 years ago.

The bobcats of Bell County have won 5 straight and are 5-1 on the season with the only loss coming the first game of the season to North Laurel 24-22. 

Bell County is coming to the Rock seeking a win after loosing at home to Rockcastle by a score of 40-38 last year in a game that was not only a shoot out but a battle between two high scoring offenses. Rock is looking to beat Bell for a second straight year something that Rockcastle has not been able to do since Tom Larkey was coaching the Rockets.

This years version of the Bell vs Rock matchup will see both teams going back to the style of play they are both known for ground and pound offense and big time defense! Who will get the W come Friday night ? Will the Rockets stand tall and Improve to 7-0 while defending there final game on grass? Or could the bobcats get revenge and crush the Rockets not only giving them there first loss of the season but also handing them there final loss on there storied gridiron ?

[DevilMayCare]

Very competitive, old school feel to this game. Hilton's as old school as it gets and Larkey was taught by a father/coach that was cut from the same cloth.

Bell has played a better schedule, but they did last year too and it didn't matter. I like that Rockcastle's defense has held up as the opposition has improved in the last two weeks. This could easily go either way, but I'm siding with the Rockets at home in a rock'em, sock'em brawl.

[RoCkMaN28]

Rockcastle defense has been their biggest strength so far this season. 
Rockcastle has allowed 73 points or 12 points per game. Team has 261 tackles and 67 tackles for loss.The defense also has forced 4 INT and 8 fumble recoveries which averages out to 2 take away per game average. They have been able to control line of scrimmage and get in the opponents backfields any time they have wanted to. The last two weeks the opponents they faced were much better  forms of competition yet the defense played even better. The game against Paris the Rock defense had 47 tackles and 10 tackle for losses. The defense also forced 1 INT and 2 fumble recoveries. This past Friday night the defense faced Clay County where they had 61 tackles and 15 tackle for losses. The defense also forced 3 more fumbles they recovered. 
So far this season they have allowed 297 total rushing yards or 49 per game. 274 passing yards total which is 45 per game. 571 total yards of combined offense or  95 yards per game. Regardless of competition that is what pretty impressive numbers! 
 

This Friday will show a lot about just how special this team can be. If Rock defense can keep this type of performance up and hold Bell county offense even remotely close to those numbers you have to like their chances!

[RoCkMaN28]

I looked at the wrong stat line on Rock pass defense. They have allowed 538 passing yards on the season or 89 per game. 

[RoCkMaN28]

Game will feature the number 1 leading rusher in 3A with Bell county Kaleb Miller 986 yards and 16 TD going against the number 6 leading rusher in 3A for Rockcastle in Isaiah Jackson with 714 and 10 TD. Same two players are also number 1(Miller/Bell) and number 5(Jackson/Rock) in team scoring in 3A.

Rock defense also has the number 2 and number 3 players rank in 3A for sacks. 

Bell is ranked number 5 in team scoring and Rockcastle is ranked number 9 in team scoring for 3A.

Rock defense in 3A is ranked number 1 in sacks. They are also number 2 against the run and number 10 against the pass for a team defense of number 4 total.

[TCR]

All the best to both teams, a lot of great games historically in this rivalry! Impressive that Bell County has the #1 rusher in 3A despite losing Daniel Thomas, who led in 3A last year.

@RoCkMaN28 love your information! I take it that Chris Larkey is the son of Tom Larkey? The defensive statistics are interesting. Rockcastle's defense always seemed to be their rock, no pun intended. This was years ago, but with another Larkey maybe they carry this same philosophy - they would put six linemen down and one linebacker. The linemen were extremely disciplined at shutting down the running gaps and one other area that impressed was how they would bear crawl and cut out the offensive lineman in front of them. Then one gap would be deliberately left open - and usually when the back would see that and attack it, the linebacker would be there to get them. 

I want to say it was 2001 when Rockcastle allowed in the negatives in rushing yards for much of the season with this system.

[RoCkMaN28]

On 10/2/2024 at 11:24 PM, TCR said:

All the best to both teams, a lot of great games historically in this rivalry! Impressive that Bell County has the #1 rusher in 3A despite losing Daniel Thomas, who led in 3A last year.

@RoCkMaN28 love your information! I take it that Chris Larkey is the son of Tom Larkey? The defensive statistics are interesting. Rockcastle's defense always seemed to be their rock, no pun intended. This was years ago, but with another Larkey maybe they carry this same philosophy - they would put six linemen down and one linebacker. The linemen were extremely disciplined at shutting down the running gaps and one other area that impressed was how they would bear crawl and cut out the offensive lineman in front of them. Then one gap would be deliberately left open - and usually when the back would see that and attack it, the linebacker would be there to get them. 

I want to say it was 2001 when Rockcastle allowed in the negatives in rushing yards for much of the season with this system.

You would be correct Chris is the son of Tom Larkey. Tom took over the Rockcastle program and put us on the map. You are also correct with that 2001 season and the formation that you mention was a staple of how we played defense back in the day. Tony Saylor was the mastermind behind that defense that stopped the run so well that it was crazy along with adjustments that would make you just go wow ! He was something special and those teams was too! Those were the two years we went back to back to state and had we played any other team but Boyle county back then we would have 2 state titles no doubt! Those were the first of 5 straight titles and undefeated seasons for Boyle and Jacob Tamme and company. Yet the second time around we fair much better but result was same 21-0. The first meeting we just wasn’t ready for Tamme and it got out of hand. He was something special to stop and we never really could. But after he graduated we did better but not good enough. But Tom and Tony are still at every game still to this day 

[RoCkMaN28]

Tomorrow is the final game on grass before the upgrade to turf starts soon bittersweet that it’s against an ol foe and rival in Bell county! Hopefully if everything goes good we will get to hear another one bites the dust and Rock gets that W! Go Rock!

[gchs_uk9]

13 hours ago, RoCkMaN28 said:

Tomorrow is the final game on grass before the upgrade to turf starts soon bittersweet that it’s against an ol foe and rival in Bell county! Hopefully if everything goes good we will get to hear another one bites the dust and Rock gets that W! Go Rock!

Didn't know you guys were adding turf. Lots of good games on the grass in Mount Vernon and for many years in the 1990s and early 2000s it was as tough of place to play as anywhere. It still is. I'm sure the new turf will be nice, though. Congratulations!

[Coach Preston]

14 hours ago, RoCkMaN28 said:

Tomorrow is the final game on grass before the upgrade to turf starts soon bittersweet that it’s against an ol foe and rival in Bell county! Hopefully if everything goes good we will get to hear another one bites the dust and Rock gets that W! Go Rock!

I can almost hear Rick Flair yell, "Woooooooo", thinking of all the past great games between these two teams. Good luck guys!!

[RoCkMaN28]

10 mins before kickoff

[RoCkMaN28]

[RoCkMaN28]

Last game on grass !

[RoCkMaN28]

Rock to receive 

[RoCkMaN28]

Bel kick off out of bounds