I really hate it when we loose a game and then attempt to throw some blame toward refs. I can assure you the refs made a lot less mistakes that Russell and Mason County. That game could have gone either way and the refs had nothing to do with it. It is very unfortunate when an inadvertant whistle is blown. It happens at all levels. Guess what? It will happen again.

 

Mason did a good job shutting down number 8 as you say. Most players would not be out there with the injury # 8 is playing with. So congratulations. Hopefully #8 Tyler Jones will be healthy in 27 days if we play again.

 

By the way I thought Mason County has a very good football team. Your Head Coach is top notch in my book. Going for two. I really liked it. GUTTTS!! The second meeting should be another great game.

 

I never blamed the refs I made an observation, cmon Jeepman if your QB had faked the sweep to #13 and #8 took off down the sideline, got a block, and the whistle blew because the ref was faked out by the fake and blew the whistle when #13 was tackled you KNOW you would make that observation. I want to see both teams best games. I think that would have been one of many pivotal points in the game. OBSERVATION. Here is one for you, observation Mason lost to Russell. Tough game, good coaching, sloppy play, etc,etc,etc....:thumb:

On the Cox run the whistle blew long before he broke into the clear. Most players had stopped.

 

The pass interference was just that. The defender made contact way before the ball got there and there is know such thing as an uncatchable ball in high school.

 

The fumble or incomplete pass was close. Its was a judgement call that usually half the stadium is not going to agree with. Jones never saw the rush comming from behind. But I'm not sure if his arm was going forward or not. It was that close.

 

If you watch the tape no one stops until Cox makes the cut on the CB and is open down the sideline. Whistle first heard by players as Cox makes the cut. It was a pivotal inadvertent whistle. Plus a heck of a fake by Cox who had 2 rushing and one throwing TD. The tying rushing Td was a superman leap in the endzone. Nice.:thumb:

If you watch the tape no one stops until Cox makes the cut on the CB and is open down the sideline. Whistle first heard by players as Cox makes the cut. It was a pivotal inadvertent whistle. Plus a heck of a fake by Cox who had 2 rushing and one throwing TD. The tying rushing Td was a superman leap in the endzone. Nice.:thumb:

 

It was loud on the Russell side so the I'll take your word when the whistle blew. Either way it was a heck of a fake. I thought Jones was going to get him on that tying run. The kid can barely cut on that ankle. Two very good athletes.

I never blamed the refs I made an observation, cmon Jeepman if your QB had faked the sweep to #13 and #8 took off down the sideline, got a block, and the whistle blew because the ref was faked out by the fake and blew the whistle when #13 was tackled you KNOW you would make that observation. I want to see both teams best games. I think that would have been one of many pivotal points in the game. OBSERVATION. Here is one for you, observation Mason lost to Russell. Tough game, good coaching, sloppy play, etc,etc,etc....:thumb:

 

 

I understand what you are going through. I hate it when things like that happen.

 

It makes me just about puke when I look at the tape of the Mercer County Russell Championship game. Mercer is on the Russell 1 yard line on forth down and the try a QB sneak. They are stopped cold. In the film you can see the lineman spot the ball on the 1/2 yard line with his hand in the air. The play is still not stopped. Finally after approx. 3 more seconds the ball is knocked out of the QB hands and falls to the ground. The rest is history TD Mercer. Was it a TD? Absolutely not. The refs blew the call for a state championship game that changed the outcome.

I understand your pain!!

 

If we meet again in Russell lets hope that the refs are on top of their game. All in all I feel the refs do a great job.

I understand what you are going through. I hate it when things like that happen.

 

It makes me just about puke when I look at the tape of the Mercer County Russell Championship game. Mercer is on the Russell 1 yard line on forth down and the try a QB sneak. They are stopped cold. In the film you can see the lineman spot the ball on the 1/2 yard line with his hand in the air. The play is still not stopped. Finally after approx. 3 more seconds the ball is knocked out of the QB hands and falls to the ground. The rest is history TD Mercer. Was it a TD? Absolutely not. The refs blew the call for a state championship game that changed the outcome.

I understand your pain!!

 

If we meet again in Russell lets hope that the refs are on top of their game. All in all I feel the refs do a great job.

 

I gurarantee that the refs hope so too. We really do want the kids to determine the outcome.

OK, everybody give me a cookie. I predicted 27-26 Russell. Page 3 of Football Forum, Post #53. :jump:

OK, everybody give me a cookie. I predicted 27-26 Russell. Page 3 of Football Forum, Post #53. :jump:

 

You didn't call overtime. No soup for you.

You didn't call overtime. No soup for you.

 

Darn!! :jump:

Congratulations to Russell! The re-match should be a dandy.

Like most, I'm looking forward to the rematch. A few observations from a casual fan:

 

#13 for Russell was a stud. Mason had no answer for him. My understanding is that Russell's QB is dinged up; limiting his effectiveness.

 

Mason I believe showed a limited playbook. Few if any deep passes (although the running game was pretty effective, to my surprise). I look for lots more of the playbook to be utilized should the rematch come to pass.

 

I'm not going to pin the blame in a one-point game on the officials; but we seem to be getting some really strange calls here in Maysville; and they haven't all gone against the Royals. There's absolutely no excuse for a ref being faked out when everyone else in the stadium sees the QB running up the left sideline following a WR blocking for him. Would Cox have scored? We'll never know. Did that play wind up giving the Devils a short field? Sure did.

 

Russell needs to find someone who can field a kickoff or a punt. To their credit, just about every one of those drops were recovered by the Devils.

 

The decision to go for 2 will be debated for some time. Conventional wisdom is to go for the tie at home. However, what lost the game was not the refs or the failed 2-point conversion. It was the sack after Mason had run back an interception deep in Russell territory (why did Russell throw in the first place - going for the win on the road?).

 

Both teams have things to work on before what will hopefully be a rematch in a few weeks. Good luck to the Royals and the Devils the rest of the way!

Devils are on track and beginning to roll ... deep into playoffs .. This team can play ...

 

No problems with Raceland this week .... Bring on Belfry ...

 

Mason , was as good as SK .. run defense needs some work ... Glad someone is in this district that can produce very good regular season games...

Then you should move up to 5A, Highlands and Covington Catholic play up, if you don't like playing in a weak district, as you implied.

Like most, I'm looking forward to the rematch. A few observations from a casual fan:

 

#13 for Russell was a stud. Mason had no answer for him. My understanding is that Russell's QB is dinged up; limiting his effectiveness.

 

Mason I believe showed a limited playbook. Few if any deep passes (although the running game was pretty effective, to my surprise). I look for lots more of the playbook to be utilized should the rematch come to pass.

 

I'm not going to pin the blame in a one-point game on the officials; but we seem to be getting some really strange calls here in Maysville; and they haven't all gone against the Royals. There's absolutely no excuse for a ref being faked out when everyone else in the stadium sees the QB running up the left sideline following a WR blocking for him. Would Cox have scored? We'll never know. Did that play wind up giving the Devils a short field? Sure did.

 

Russell needs to find someone who can field a kickoff or a punt. To their credit, just about every one of those drops were recovered by the Devils.

 

The decision to go for 2 will be debated for some time. Conventional wisdom is to go for the tie at home. However, what lost the game was not the refs or the failed 2-point conversion. It was the sack after Mason had run back an interception deep in Russell territory (why did Russell throw in the first place - going for the win on the road?).

 

Both teams have things to work on before what will hopefully be a rematch in a few weeks. Good luck to the Royals and the Devils the rest of the way!

 

I could not agree with you more!!! That play took all the momentum from one side(Mason) of the field and moved it back over to the other (Russell). On Russell's radio post-game show they awarded that player with their "hit of the game".

 

I also was sort of surprised that Mason didn't pass as much as I thought they would, but the run was there as you mentioned.

 

Good luck to Mason next week against Fleming. Is it as big a rivalry as Russell /Ashland ?

Bring on Belfry ...

 

...

 

Easy there... Russell has an extremely difficult path to a POTENTIAL meeting with Belfry, in case you haven't noticed you have to play this same Mason County team who just took you to overtime, then you will take on an undfeeated Breathitt County on the road (and one of the toughest road games to win) before then travelling South to either Belfry, Somerset, or Sheldon Clark.

 

If Russell gives any bit of their focus onto what the Pirate's are doing they will all be able to watch the state semi-finals from the bleachers, same can be said for Belfry. It's cliche', but the state semi's are still a looong way away and lots can happen if you don't take it one game at a time.

Easy there... Russell has an extremely difficult path to a POTENTIAL meeting with Belfry, in case you haven't noticed you have to play this same Mason County team who just took you to overtime, then you will take on an undfeeated Breathitt County on the road (and one of the toughest road games to win) before then travelling South to either Belfry, Somerset, or Sheldon Clark.

 

If Russell gives any bit of their focus onto what the Pirate's are doing they will all be able to watch the state semi-finals from the bleachers, same can be said for Belfry. It's cliche', but the state semi's are still a looong way away and lots can happen if you don't take it one game at a time.

 

I agree. It could as easily be a Breathitt/Sheldon Clark semi. Everyone needs to take it one game at a time.

Easy there... Russell has an extremely difficult path to a POTENTIAL meeting with Belfry, in case you haven't noticed you have to play this same Mason County team who just took you to overtime, then you will take on an undfeeated Breathitt County on the road (and one of the toughest road games to win) before then travelling South to either Belfry, Somerset, or Sheldon Clark.

 

If Russell gives any bit of their focus onto what the Pirate's are doing they will all be able to watch the state semi-finals from the bleachers, same can be said for Belfry. It's cliche', but the state semi's are still a looong way away and lots can happen if you don't take it one game at a time.

 

Actually IF Russell Makes it past East and Mason in the district they would be at home against the winner of Breathitt County's district.