1 hour ago, Brown said:

I’ll be shocked if it’s 4 TD’s or 42-7.  Owensboro has competed twice with St. X lately and both have been really good games.  O held a 14-0 or 14-7 lead the last game.  I believe X tacked on 2 TD’s in the 2nd half to win 28-14 and a Wimsatt-led OHS team went toe to toe until the 4th quarter.  They were driving down 7 and dropped an easy 4th down conversion and St. X went in and scored and Owensboro lost by 13.  X should be favored no doubt always tough.  The Owensboro O-line is undersized on the right, with Hampton playing guard and also the guy playing at RT.  Good technique but it’s going to be tough there.  LT Muster is a man and will be a load though and hopefully the big center is back.  Ganaway at QB can be huge here…just as Wimsatt was very tough for X to contain, I do believe Ganaway willl be as well.  He may not beat Wimsatt in the 100, but I believe his first 10 -20 he would - very quick and agile.  Plenty of speed and capability from Bryant, Dillard, Morris on the outside.  Key for OHS is to churn out 1st downs, move the sticks.  Defense is capable - very good secondary.  My guess is X will try to impose its will running the ball.  We will see how good this Devil defense is - my thought is pretty good so far.

 

Last two times Owensboro led the total yards - but they were really close.  ‘21 game was a heat exhaustion nightmare for both teams and ‘22 O scored once defensively and only 1 time offensively.  Much better QB this time for O than ‘22.  I know very little about X this year…I’m still having Jack Sivori nightmares.

 

I looked at St. X stat report from the 2022 game and only one player left that is still playing is Marlon Harbin who had 2 catches for 14 yds. 

8 hours ago, Brown said:

I’ll be shocked if it’s 4 TD’s or 42-7.  Owensboro has competed twice with St. X lately and both have been really good games.  O held a 14-0 or 14-7 lead the last game.  I believe X tacked on 2 TD’s in the 2nd half to win 28-14 and a Wimsatt-led OHS team went toe to toe until the 4th quarter.  They were driving down 7 and dropped an easy 4th down conversion and St. X went in and scored and Owensboro lost by 13.  X should be favored no doubt always tough.  The Owensboro O-line is undersized on the right, with Hampton playing guard and also the guy playing at RT.  Good technique but it’s going to be tough there.  LT Muster is a man and will be a load though and hopefully the big center is back.  Ganaway at QB can be huge here…just as Wimsatt was very tough for X to contain, I do believe Ganaway willl be as well.  He may not beat Wimsatt in the 100, but I believe his first 10 -20 he would - very quick and agile.  Plenty of speed and capability from Bryant, Dillard, Morris on the outside.  Key for OHS is to churn out 1st downs, move the sticks.  Defense is capable - very good secondary.  My guess is X will try to impose its will running the ball.  We will see how good this Devil defense is - my thought is pretty good so far.

 

Last two times Owensboro led the total yards - but they were really close.  ‘21 game was a heat exhaustion nightmare for both teams and ‘22 O scored once defensively and only 1 time offensively.  Much better QB this time for O than ‘22.  I know very little about X this year…I’m still having Jack Sivori nightmares.

 

I believe Saint X returns their top three tacklers this year. If so, then you can expect a loaded box to slow Hampton down. Great game for O to start off the year and I think Ganaway will have opportunities to show off his skills. I think it all depends on how things workout up front, IMO. 

17 hours ago, Brown said:

My guess is X will try to impose its will running the ball.

This is my biggest worry.. 3rd and short situations will be basically an automatic with the line advantage they have. X might not have to score 30 plus if they just play keep away. I do think our offense is capable of putting up 20 plus against this great St. X defense though if they’re able to get stops. 

 

I’m glad we got this series with X….one of the best teams year-in and -out and great program.  Hopefully it helps both teams going forward.

Massey Ratings have it St. X 42-12. Guess Owensboro going to miss to extra points or get a TD, FG, and safety. I would just round it up to 42-14. I think it will be closer than that. I think both teams have good offenses but St. X probably has a better defense with amount of starters they returned from last year plus looked good in their two scrimmages so I'll go with St. X 35-17.

The last 2 games X has won the war - we didn’t stop them once in 2021 - both teams had several injuries, heat exhaustion in that one.  O only scored 1 offensive TD in 2022, although it had a great drive and was stood up at the goal line (X’s M.O.) and lost 28-14.  That O team was loaded except at QB - no threat to run much, wasn’t quick enough to evade.  In both games O out gained X - depending upon which teams stats you look at, O had between 5 to 30 more yards each game.  But X isn’t worried about big plays or yards, they power you and drain you with superior depth and size…and by the 2nd half if you aren’t ahead, you basically have no chance.

In 2021, X went up 17-0 before Wimsatt brought back O to tie it 24 all at half.  O tied it again at 31 all before dropping an easy conversion on 4th down in the 3rd quarter…couldn’t stop X that year as O had numerous players out (as did X) due to injuries and heat.  In 2022, O had a pick 6 and a big Carbon run, but our QB was not what we needed.  X continued to slowly bowl you over and won 28-14, even though O was threading to cut it to 7 in the 4th.  X wouldn’t give up a short yardage TD.

 

I think X has a similar defense to 2022.  Not sure about their offense.  Owensboro has a stout defense as well and a great secondary.  Based upon past experience I think it will be a defensive battle and low scoring.  For O to have a chance they need to be AHEAD at half time, then make X have to pass instead of run.  Harbin will be hard to stop anyway on the outside and running, but that is where the Defense might get some TO’s and points.  Special teams will be Hampton and Dillard on kickoffs and I guess the same and Green on punt returns.

I think it will be a low scoring game (unless turnovers shorten the field for a team).  At least I hope it’s low scoring because X will be so tough to punch it in the end zone.  I believe Ganaway will present a much bigger challenge than Boone did  in 2022.  Will that result in more points?  I don’t know - all points will be tough to come by.

 

I’ll say 21-14 X.

1 hour ago, Brown said:

The last 2 games X has won the war - we didn’t stop them once in 2021 - both teams had several injuries, heat exhaustion in that one.  O only scored 1 offensive TD in 2022, although it had a great drive and was stood up at the goal line (X’s M.O.) and lost 28-14.  That O team was loaded except at QB - no threat to run much, wasn’t quick enough to evade.  In both games O out gained X - depending upon which teams stats you look at, O had between 5 to 30 more yards each game.  But X isn’t worried about big plays or yards, they power you and drain you with superior depth and size…and by the 2nd half if you aren’t ahead, you basically have no chance.

In 2021, X went up 17-0 before Wimsatt brought back O to tie it 24 all at half.  O tied it again at 31 all before dropping an easy conversion on 4th down in the 3rd quarter…couldn’t stop X that year as O had numerous players out (as did X) due to injuries and heat.  In 2022, O had a pick 6 and a big Carbon run, but our QB was not what we needed.  X continued to slowly bowl you over and won 28-14, even though O was threading to cut it to 7 in the 4th.  X wouldn’t give up a short yardage TD.

 

I think X has a similar defense to 2022.  Not sure about their offense.  Owensboro has a stout defense as well and a great secondary.  Based upon past experience I think it will be a defensive battle and low scoring.  For O to have a chance they need to be AHEAD at half time, then make X have to pass instead of run.  Harbin will be hard to stop anyway on the outside and running, but that is where the Defense might get some TO’s and points.  Special teams will be Hampton and Dillard on kickoffs and I guess the same and Green on punt returns.

I think it will be a low scoring game (unless turnovers shorten the field for a team).  At least I hope it’s low scoring because X will be so tough to punch it in the end zone.  I believe Ganaway will present a much bigger challenge than Boone did  in 2022.  Will that result in more points?  I don’t know - all points will be tough to come by.

 

I’ll say 21-14 X.

When St. X was up 17-0 in that game they had 5 starters on defense go out with injury in that 1st and 2nd quarter and when I saw that I knew would be tough to hang on against Wimsatt and if didn't have that 17-0 cushion would have lost.

Curious @Tigerpride94 if freshman Gavin Carwile is getting any playing time on the X o line. He is the only freshman listed on their varsity roster. Went to South Oldham for middle school and I know the family. Great kid and family, wish he was playing for South Oldham High but I can’t help but root for the kid at X.

@Tigerpride94 - yes I agree.  Owensboro was without a lot through the game, which is why both teams struggled defensively.  Although X still was a top tier team defensively without Jaxon, Carter and Meirs (they proved that against others teams!).  But X defense was over the top good with them.  I said if we didn’t have Wimsatt it would have been a running clock and probably wouldn’t have scored.  He was able to evade - and yes it did help to have the big 3 out.  

2 hours ago, BBN_34 said:

Curious @Tigerpride94 if freshman Gavin Carwile is getting any playing time on the X o line. He is the only freshman listed on their varsity roster. Went to South Oldham for middle school and I know the family. Great kid and family, wish he was playing for South Oldham High but I can’t help but root for the kid at X.

I'm not sure but will see what I can find out. Must be talented if on varsity as a freshman.

Safe to say that Owensboro doesn’t have much to lose here, right? Seems like as long as they get through the game injury free, the opinion of Owensboro isn’t going to change because they got beat on the road against St. Xavier. I think there’s a good chance we learn more about who X is more so than O on Friday. 

Off topic some but I’m hearing OHS got a new enrollee from Ohio that will be a big time peice for them at Defensive Back! I think all he’s waiting on is clearance from the KHSAA.

6 hours ago, JD5692 said:

Off topic some but I’m hearing OHS got a new enrollee from Ohio that will be a big time peice for them at Defensive Back! I think all he’s waiting on is clearance from the KHSAA.

Based off his Hudl the young man is a STUD! Will be a great addition to the defense. First Muster now him. Is this the Ganaway affect?

First game of the season so there will be some pieces for both teams starting and playing now that may not at the end of the season because teams think they know what they have but don't really unknow until the real games start. 

St. X has pieces returning but what about the support players around them? I think St. X wins but don't see them blowing out the Red Devils.

X - 28

O - 10