#4...A LO fan already posted something about Bell Co. and they hoped Bell Co would play LO in the championship game....LO is in for a rude awakening come playoff time, cause they are gonna end up playing a team somewhere along the line that is balanced and can score points and stop LO....then what are they gonna do??

 

What's interesting is to look at their potential playoff opponents. First thing to keep in mind is that Lone Oak, if they keep winning, will play every playoff game at home until Louisville.

 

First Round

Muhlenberg North

I think even the biggest of questioners of the Purple Flash team would pick them to win this game!

 

Second Round

Calloway County/Hopkins County Central

Either team would be a very tough opponent. Lone Oak won at Hopkins Central 45-14, but a playoff rematch would likely be tougher. Much has already been said about their overtime win at Calloway. What could be pivotal in this game is that it would be played at Lone Oak.

 

Regional Final

Marion County/Bullitt East/North Bullitt

This would be a very good game but any real analyst of Kentucky High School football has just as many questions about this triumvirate of teams as they do Lone Oak. Making the long trip from the middle of the state to Paducah would be tough.

 

State Semifinal

Warren East/Franklin-Simpson/Valley/Fairdale

Interestingly enough, there are several question marks in this group as well. By that I mean "no proven winners." Also, this game would be at Lone Oak.

 

* * * * *

 

They also have several factors working for them this season:

 

1) No western Kentucky powers (BG, Tilghman, Owensboro, Warren Central, etc.) standing in their way.

 

2) Several questionable "top-level" opponents from the middle part of the state.

 

3) Heavy 4A favorites knocking each other out on the way to Louisville (Franklin County/Lexington Catholic/Bell County) along with annual contenders who might surprise (Harrison County/Rockcastle County/Boyle County) all being in the east bracket as well.

 

All this to prove my point: Lone Oak is a huge question mark and no one truly knows how they will perform under the bright lights of the playoffs. But they couldn't have asked for a better year to get the chance.

I'll go with the man from Fulton City he only has around 70 guys in the school and has done a tremendous job.

 

I agree with the coach from Fulton City, he has really turned that program around, as well as coach Haskins from Lone Oak, and also Coach Shawn Berner from Fort Campbell.

I agree with the coach from Fulton City, he has really turned that program around, as well as coach Haskins from Lone Oak, and also Coach Shawn Berner from Fort Campbell.

 

Has Lohaus turned Fulton City around or is he blessed with a good crop of talent from a tiny school? Remember, too, that Fulton City was 7-2 last year before having to forfeit games because of an ineligible player.

 

This is in no way an attempt to discredit the job Wayne Lohaus is doing. What I'm saying is that, much like other little schools, the talent level just happens to be really high for a couple years.

...and also Coach Shawn Berner from Fort Campbell.

 

I would argue that Berner fails to get enough out of the kids at Fort Campbell. He's had big-time Division I talent on that roster for several years yet they've never tasted the state semifinals.

I would argue that Berner fails to get enough out of the kids at Fort Campbell. He's had big-time Division I talent on that roster for several years yet they've never tasted the state semifinals.

 

I completely disagree. Because of Fort Campbell's unique situation of being a military post most of these kids have never played more then a couple of years together and to be able to take them year in and year out and have the success that they have had is in my book a good coach. If not reaching the semi-finals is the benchmark of success then almost all 6A(4A) coaches fail to measure up except for St X and Trinity. The Fort Campbell program was pathetic after Marshall Paterson retired and it wasn’t until Coach Berner came in and turned things around that these boys have played to their potential. Did you ever consider that one reason a lot of these kids, except for probably Johnson, are getting Div I offers is in large part do to the job he is doing.

Has Lohaus turned Fulton City around or is he blessed with a good crop of talent from a tiny school? Remember, too, that Fulton City was 7-2 last year before having to forfeit games because of an ineligible player.

 

This is in no way an attempt to discredit the job Wayne Lohaus is doing. What I'm saying is that, much like other little schools, the talent level just happens to be really high for a couple years.

 

And I would argue that you can have all the talent in the world, but if they aren't coached properly they aren't going to succeed as a team.

I completely disagree. Because of Fort Campbell's unique situation of being a military post most of these kids have never played more then a couple of years together and to be able to take them year in and year out and have the success that they have had is in my book a good coach.

The guy has a valid argument. There is no question that the Fort Campbell team of 2005 had plenty of talent, but they were done in by a fourth-quarter collapse against Owensboro Catholic.

 

And I'm not sure the circumstances you cite apply to the 2005 team ... the heart of that team had been together for two years.

 

I don't think Berner is a bad coach at all ... in fact, I think he does a pretty good job. But the Falcons have come up short in the playoffs a couple of times in recent years.

#1. I will list the schools that, year in and year out, are successful:

 

-Mayfield.....thats all I need to say.

-Paducah.....is 4th behind Mayfield in state's all-time wins column.

-Marshall......fields a tough, competitive, hard-nosed team every year.

-Graves.......has fielded extremely competitive teams since '99.....(i know because I was a junior @ mayfield that year) and their record since then will show that...I think they have even won a couple of playoff games in that stretch too, including last year against Christian Co.

-Trigg....yes I know they stunk up the 90's....Mayfield played them in the '98 1A 1st round playoffs and killed them on their way to the state championship game, where we were pummelled by Middlesboro (I had 10 tackles in that game!! as a sophomore)...here is the last 9 years of Triggs success:

 

'99- (3-7) no playoffs

'00- (10-2) lost to Murray 2nd round

'01- (10-3) lost to Glasgow 3rd round

'02- (8-3) lost to Monroe Co 1st round

'03- (9-3) lost to Owensboro Cath 2nd round

'04- (10-2) lost to Owensboro CAth 2nd round

'05- (9-3) lost to Owensboro Cath 2nd round

'06- (10-3) lost to Owensboro Cath 3rd round

'07- (6-2)......to be continued.

 

75-28....not too bad over almost the past decade.....

 

#2. What have they won lately?? I think Mayfield wins their district almost every year, and goes to the final four quite often from what I hear and see....and you can't blame Paducah for not winning any districts or playoff games when they were playing Hoptown and Bowling Green in the regular season and playoffs!!!

 

#3 Lone Oak having a better winning percentage in the 90's than Trigg isn't saying anything. I think I already made that clear above.

 

#4. Coach Haskins is doing a great job...I don't dislike LO in any form or fashion, although you might be getting that impression. Its just that Im not going to toot LO's horn for playing and beating the teams they have beat...it just doesn't impress me, BUT YES, he is doing a good job. It is always nice to see a dormant program wake up and compete.....your just not being very objective when dicussing your team....obviously you cheer for them, as I do for Mayfield, but be realistic. A LO fan already posted something about Bell Co. and they hoped Bell Co would play LO in the championship game....LO is in for a rude awakening come playoff time, cause they are gonna end up playing a team somewhere along the line that is balanced and can score points and stop LO....then what are they gonna do??

 

...to be continued: Fort Campbell 59/Trigg 7, ouch!

By the way, I was the one hoping to meet Bell Co. down the road in the state championship game. Now, if that were to happen, I would call that in itself quite an accomplishment for LO. No knock against Bell Co., I know absolutely nothing about them other than they're the number one team in 4A; just being able to play them would be a success for our team (program).

...to be continued: Fort Campbell 59/Trigg 7, ouch!

By the way, I was the one hoping to meet Bell Co. down the road in the state championship game. Now, if that were to happen, I would call that in itself quite an accomplishment for LO. No knock against Bell Co., I know absolutely nothing about them other than they're the number one team in 4A; just being able to play them would be a success for our team (program).

 

I was one of LO's doubters due to their schedule but I am now startig to buy in. They have certainly proven they are capable, it just remains to be seen if they will do it. If they do I would love to be there and witness the Flash playing for all the marbles and what a story it would be to see Haskins coaching LO at the Pizza Box. This would be like watching one of those football feel good stories that makes the big screen

To answer the question, I am going to go with Haskins

For my money, Jack Haskins is the best coach in western Kentucky. His track record speaks for itself.

 

I agree. Knowing how terrible Lone Oak was before he got there speaks volumes about his ability to build a program. He hasn't done it with just X's and O's either. His involvement with the youth programs has built interest in the sport.

The guy has a valid argument. There is no question that the Fort Campbell team of 2005 had plenty of talent, but they were done in by a fourth-quarter collapse against Owensboro Catholic.

 

It seems everyone is criticizing Coach Berner because they didn’t win a State Title in 2005…..they lost to Owensboro Catholic by 3 points and OC who went on play in the title game and that was their only loss of the season. How in the world does that mean he didn’t use his talent? There are a lot of teams who have Division I recruits who don’t win state titles. How about Lone Oak this year? I agree that Coach Haskins one of the candidates, but if they loose in the playoffs does that mean he hasn’t used his talent, specifically Robinson, to the best of his ability?

 

And I'm not sure the circumstances you cite apply to the 2005 team ... the heart of that team had been together for two years.

 

Not entirely correct. That was the first complete year Johnson played with the team and that was the first year for Sophomore QB CJ Croft, among others. Seeing how Johnson was the “heart” of the defense and the primary running back and CJ was the leader of the Offense, I don’t agree that the heart of the team had been together for two years.

 

I don't think Berner is a bad coach at all ... in fact, I think he does a pretty good job. But the Falcons have come up short in the playoffs a couple of times in recent years.

 

With all of that said, I though this was about 2007 and not 2005? In 2007 Coach Berner so far has turned an 0-2 team that gave up 100 points in its first two games to a 7-2 team who has given up only 72 points in the last 7 games and soundly beaten two of Western Kentucky’s 2A powerhouses.

Not entirely correct. That was the first complete year Johnson played with the team and that was the first year for Sophomore QB CJ Croft, among others. Seeing how Johnson was the “heart” of the defense and the primary running back and CJ was the leader of the Offense, I don’t agree that the heart of the team had been together for two years.

Johnson played two seasons at Fort Campbell for two seasons, did he not? Leonard Gordon did, too, and so did the Samoan linebacker. That was the core of that team.

 

Croft was the quarterback, but he was hardly a critical player on that team.

To me, the team that has made the biggest turnaround is Caldwell. I cant go with LO or Fulton City because of their schedule. Both coach's for those programs have done a great job though.Lets see how those coach's do after they graduate this bunch. And to you "purple flash" to answer your question what has Mayfield done lately? Just last year they were in the state semi finals and the year before the state finals. We all know here they have hit a rough spot this season and it may or maynot get better for this year. I will also say the future teams of just about any wky team is not any brighter than Mayfields for the 4 years.

Johnson played two seasons at Fort Campbell for two seasons, did he not? Leonard Gordon did, too, and so did the Samoan linebacker. That was the core of that team.

 

Croft was the quarterback, but he was hardly a critical player on that team.

 

Johnson came in mid-way through his junior year. Leonard and Orlando had played together for a couple of years, but I beg to differ that a QB is not a critical player. He touches the ball on every offensive snap. Like I said before – this about 2007 and not 2005 and how is loosing one game to a pretty darn good Owensboro Catholic game not using your talent?