I thought it would be a good idea to see who everyone would place on their all-area team if they could use any player since 1990. Just using schools from the Ashland-Area (that is the schools the Daily Independent includes in their annual all-area team). But with out breaking it down into a big school and small school division. And no player can play two ways and some athletes might have to play their non traditional positions. You can also choose three athletes. So IMO here would be my team...

 

Defense

FS - Kasey Clark (Russell) Great athlete, very versatile.

SS - Michael West (Lawrence County) Speed, Speed, Speed.

CB - Issac Ison (Russell) Excellent nose for the ball, hard hitter.

CB - Thomas Tolliver (Raceland) Arguably Raceland's best athlete ever.

LB - Stephen Crisp (Fairview) One of the hardest hitters I've ever seen.

LB - J.T. Forrest (Raceland) Leader on 06' Rams #1 ranked defense in Class A.

LB - Josh Porter (Greenup County) Good ol' fashion football player. Hard nose.

DE - Michael Gabbard (Russell) Strong, fast, and athletic from the DE spot.

DT - Mike Salmons (Raceland) One of Raceland's all-time greats on O and D.

DT - Andrew Law (Greenup County) One of the toughest players to block in the area during his time in high school.

DE - Bradley Jones (Fairview) Can get to the passer, one of "The Views" all-time greats.

 

Offense

QB - Scott Grizzle (Raceland) Areas all-time leading passer, key ingredient in RHS' district title team in 06'.

RB - Chris Jennings (Fairview) Most gifted RB to play in this area ever. Played for University of Arizona.

RB - Josh Gross (Russelll) Cut-back king, Russell's all-time best RB.

WR - Gerad Parker (Lawrence County) One time KY's all-time recieving leader. Played at UK.

WR - Eric Day (Russell) All the tools for a great WR. At one time was Russell'scareer leader in TD's, total yards, and rec. TD's.

TE - Hostester (Lawrence County) not sure of first name. University of TN signee.

T - Aaron Miller (East Carter) Had all the tools to be a great one at UK...

T - Brandon Pennington (Ashland) Hard worker, great leader, and an even better tackle.

G - Sheffey (Boyd County) Excellent career at BC and WVU.

G - Josh Wills (Russell) Great speed for a guard, can get out and pull on anybody.

C - Brad Queen (Greenup County) nearly impossible to get penitration against this guy.

 

Special Teams

K - Aaron Pettrey (Raceland) State record holder, Ohio State signee.

P - Marc Messer (East Carter) state leader in punt yards as a senior.

PR - Arliss Beach (Ashland) could be on this team at several positions. Great career at UK and some time in the NFL.

KR - Jason Miller (Raceland) Maybe unknown to some but every Raceland Ram fan remebers the name of this exciting player.

 

Athlete

Dontae Wright (Lawrence County) Could dominate at nearly every spot on the field. Miami of Ohio signee.

Drew Ramey (Russell) Great QB for devils, also great in the defensive back field.

Jake Hughes (Boyd County) versatile player, BC's offense went through him during his career as a lion.

 

* Now that would be a team that any coach would love to have!!!

Uh, Arliss Beach is the only RB in the area to have made an NFL roster so far, so he would have to be one of the 2 in the Backfield, IMO. Maybe there could be 3, cause all 3 (Jennings, Gross, Beach) were amazing, tough to leave one of the 3 out. I would say Beach and Gross as 1 and 2, they played at their schools for more years, but Jennings was a beast as well. Overall, alot of top-notch players on this list.

I would think Chris Hutt(RB-signed with Marshall) and Marc Washington (RB signed with Princeton) from Ashland would have to be on there somewhere.

 

Also Jeff Frasure (LB Morehead State) and Nathan McPeek (OL Marshall) from Russell.

 

Zach Fugeman (Athlete) from Boyd County and Ian Holbrook (Athlete) from Ashland.

Very proud of the players that have come through this area the past 17 years. Some pretty good talent. Still some that have not been mentioned.

I thought it would be a good idea to see who everyone would place on their all-area team if they could use any player since 1990. Just using schools from the Ashland-Area (that is the schools the Daily Independent includes in their annual all-area team). But with out breaking it down into a big school and small school division. And no player can play two ways and some athletes might have to play their non traditional positions. You can also choose three athletes. So IMO here would be my team...

 

Defense

FS - Kasey Clark (Russell) Great athlete, very versatile.

SS - Michael West (Lawrence County) Speed, Speed, Speed.

CB - Issac Ison (Russell) Excellent nose for the ball, hard hitter.

CB - Thomas Tolliver (Raceland) Arguably Raceland's best athlete ever.

LB - Stephen Crisp (Fairview) One of the hardest hitters I've ever seen.

LB - J.T. Forrest (Raceland) Leader on 06' Rams #1 ranked defense in Class A.

LB - Josh Porter (Greenup County) Good ol' fashion football player. Hard nose.

DE - Michael Gabbard (Russell) Strong, fast, and athletic from the DE spot.

DT - Mike Salmons (Raceland) One of Raceland's all-time greats on O and D.

DT - Andrew Law (Greenup County) One of the toughest players to block in the area during his time in high school.

DE - Bradley Jones (Fairview) Can get to the passer, one of "The Views" all-time greats.

 

Offense

QB - Scott Grizzle (Raceland) Areas all-time leading passer, key ingredient in RHS' district title team in 06'.

RB - Chris Jennings (Fairview) Most gifted RB to play in this area ever. Played for University of Arizona.

RB - Josh Gross (Russelll) Cut-back king, Russell's all-time best RB.

WR - Gerad Parker (Lawrence County) One time KY's all-time recieving leader. Played at UK.

WR - Eric Day (Russell) All the tools for a great WR. At one time was Russell'scareer leader in TD's, total yards, and rec. TD's.

TE - Hostester (Lawrence County) not sure of first name. University of TN signee.

T - Aaron Miller (East Carter) Had all the tools to be a great one at UK...

T - Brandon Pennington (Ashland) Hard worker, great leader, and an even better tackle.

G - Sheffey (Boyd County) Excellent career at BC and WVU.

G - Josh Wills (Russell) Great speed for a guard, can get out and pull on anybody.

C - Brad Queen (Greenup County) nearly impossible to get penitration against this guy.

 

Special Teams

K - Aaron Pettrey (Raceland) State record holder, Ohio State signee.

P - Marc Messer (East Carter) state leader in punt yards as a senior.

PR - Arliss Beach (Ashland) could be on this team at several positions. Great career at UK and some time in the NFL.

KR - Jason Miller (Raceland) Maybe unknown to some but every Raceland Ram fan remebers the name of this exciting player.

 

Athlete

Dontae Wright (Lawrence County) Could dominate at nearly every spot on the field. Miami of Ohio signee.

Drew Ramey (Russell) Great QB for devils, also great in the defensive back field.

Jake Hughes (Boyd County) versatile player, BC's offense went through him during his career as a lion.

 

* Now that would be a team that any coach would love to have!!!

 

 

 

Juan Thomas was the most dominant football player to have played in this area in the past 30 years, and maybe ever. How in the world can' you leave him off?

Juan Thomas was the most dominant football player to have played in this area in the past 30 years, and maybe ever. How in the world can' you leave him off?

 

I wasnt 100% sure what years he played at Ashland. I didnt know if it was in the early 1990's or 1980's. Obviously there are many more players that deserve to be on this list. There have been so many great athletes go through this area in the past 15 years ut would be impossible to fit them all on here. This list is just my opinion and Im sure there are people who's team will be greatly different then my picks. But I will agree that Nathan McPeek was one I definetly left out, he is very deserving to be on this team.

I wasnt 100% sure what years he played at Ashland. I didnt know if it was in the early 1990's or 1980's. Obviously there are many more players that deserve to be on this list. There have been so many great athletes go through this area in the past 15 years ut would be impossible to fit them all on here. This list is just my opinion and Im sure there are people who's team will be greatly different then my picks. But I will agree that Nathan McPeek was one I definetly left out, he is very deserving to be on this team.

 

 

Juan played on the 1990 State Championship team. He should be on everyone's list. I don't think anyone would argue that.

Juan played on the 1990 State Championship team. He should be on everyone's list. I don't think anyone would argue that.

Agree.

I agree as well. Just wasnt sure on the exact years he played.

West was a better HIGH SCHOOL back than Beach and Gross so he is in the backfield for sure.

Well, Bless your heart, RamCat you did a fine job. Seems you have a fine knowledge of the area players. But I have to disagree with you on the quarterback spot. And I'm a fan of Grizzle, no doubt. But in my most humble opinion, that Holbrook boy was the finest quarterback in the area for several years. I saw both he and Grizzle play but he lacked the arm strength of Holbrook. The Rams were a pass oriented team, and well they should have been with all of those weapons, but Holbrook put up some impressive stats with a more balanced attack. Shoot, I don't think that you could go wrong with either, but since you said "have at it", I'll make that change alone. Heck, with the frame on that Holbrook boy, I think he'd have done a bang up job in the "sweet science". I saw him get his head pounded a few times and he hopped straight up. He's bound to have an iron chin!:thumb:

 

Only in America, baby!

I only used 9 schools and went from 1990 to 2007.

 

Offense:

QB: Holbrook (Ashland)

FB: C. Johnson (Ashland)

RB: Beach (Ashland)

RB: Jennings (Fairview)

RB: Gross (Russell)

WR: Parker (Lawrence)

WR: Day (Russell)

TE: Marsh (Ashland)

OL: McPeek (Russell)

OL: Wills (Russell)

OL: Miller (East Carter)

OL: Griffith (Raceland)

OL: Queen (Greenup)

 

Hon.Mention:

Ashland: Miller, Salyers, Bond, Nichols, Smith, Stakely, Pennington, Hale, Davis, Brown

Boyd: Caldwell, Vanhoose, Mullins, Burchett, and Chaney.

East Carter: Fite, Damron,

Fairview: Holbrook, Krantz, Barbour, Jones, McCoy, Suttles, Musick, Parks,

Greenup: Porter, Law, Craft, Dowdy, McCallister,

Lawrence: Meadows, Abshire, Storts, S.Cook,

Raceland: Stewart, Bostick, Kazee, Colegrove, Grizzle, Salmons,

Russell: Brown, Gabbard, Ward, Ison

West Carter: Flannery, Holbrook

 

Defense:

DL: Lee (Ashland)

DL: Hostetller (Lawrence)

DL: Sheffey (Boyd)

DL: J. Thomas (Ashland)

DL: Thompson (Raceland)

LB: Forrest (Raceland)

LB: Crisp (Fairview)

LB: Davis (Ashland)

LB: Frasure (Russell)

DB: Swimm (Russell)

DB: McDavid (Ashland)

DB: Michaels (Lawrence)

DB: Wright (Lawrence)

 

Hon. Mention:

Ashland: Bentine, L.Bonner, Cannoy, Troxler, P.Nichols, Vaughn

Boyd: Groves, R.Keelin,

East: Huffine, Pfau

Fairview: Dixon, Tackett, Jones, Kaylor, Blanton

Greenup: A. Law,

Lawrence: Preece,

Raceland: McKenzie,

Russell: Thompson, Hutchinson,

West: ????

 

Specialties:

K- Pettrey (Raceland)

PR- Tolliver (Raceland)

KR- Newman (Raceland)

P- Fugeman (Boyd Co.)

 

Athletes:

ATH: Hutt (Ashland)

ATH: Clark (Russell)

ATH: Washington (Ashland)

ATH: Thomas (Ashland)

ATH: West (Lawrence)

ATH: Hughes (Boyd)

ATH: Ramey (Russell)

ATH: Gable (Greenup)

ATH: Gurule (Ashland)

ATH: Jones (Russell)

ATH: M.Johnson (Ashland)

 

I'm sure I left some out that didn't pop into my old brain....

Ramcat and 3high, you have named some great players, and brought back some great memories. I think if you took the players on both list and put them anywhere on a football field, you win many games. I won't even try to top these players. But, the only thing missing is a coaching staff, so I will try to provide a list of coaches that would make this these teams shine.

 

Head Coach: Ivan McGlone (Russell)

 

Offensive Coordinator: Bill Tom Ross (Raceland, Boyd Co, Johnson Central)

Offensive Line: Kevin Brown (West Carter), Nathan McPeek (Boyd Co, Fairview)

Receivers: Jarod Parker (Raceland)

Running Backs: Vick Marsh (Ashland)

Quarterbacks: Steve Dowdy (Ashland)

 

Defensive Coordinator: Gary Morris (Russell)

Defensive Line: T.J. Maynard (Greenup Co, Raceland)

Linebackers: Mike Salmons (Greenup Co, Raceland)

Defensive Backs: Jim Matney (Johnson Central)

 

Special Teams: Leon Hart (Ashland)

Charlie Johnson at Ashland was the best fullback I've ever seen. Period.

Matt Thompson was an awfully good guard and LB for the 2002 Russell Red Devils.