They'll have district games against Letcher, Clay, Whitley and North next year. I don't know why South wouldn't also play them, and it sounds like they plan on playing Bell. Hopefully, they can also continue playing Lee, Va., and Middlesboro.

I think this game will be closer than most expect. HCC is not the power some fans had hoped, but they will represent the County well with Larkey leading the way. Football players are developed over time, not two months. It will take some time.

 

HCC wins its first game over the campers 28-7 pulling away late.

I want to see the bears win big, but I don't want us to be like, dare I say it, Mercer Co. I think Coach Larkey has way too much class for anything like that to happen. PLUS Lynn camp has a solid football program. I am torn with wanting to see the Bears demolish somebody and not wanting to flex our muscles too much with a smaller school. I guess I just don't hate Lynn Camp.:cry:

 

Sorry Campers, we need this win.

They'll have district games against Letcher, Clay, Whitley and North next year. I don't know why South wouldn't also play them, and it sounds like they plan on playing Bell. Hopefully, they can also continue playing Lee, Va., and Middlesboro.

 

District games will HAVE to be played, HDE. If Harlan County turns into what everyone thinks they may, watch how fast many of the closer traveled games against smaller schools dry up. We will play almost anyone at LC, but there are many local teams that refuse to play local teams or regional teams for a lot of different reasons. If they (HC) turn into a team that can crush the smaller schools, it won't be worth the trouble for either side. No one wants to play a game that there is little to no chance to win and a lot of chances to get kids hurt. A small school cannot lose kids and keep on keeping on. If they do play, it will be for guaranteed money. Not a lot of teams lined up to play them this year and some that did dropped them during the summer, didn't they? HC could become a victim of it's own success. Just the way it is. A team that many expect to come out their first year and stomp the water out of almost everyone can only get better, right?

Perry Central will be their district also.

From what I have heard Bell County will be on the schedule next year and years to follow. I think we have enough quality competition here in the mountains that will agree to play us, but we may have to travel some. Lee County VA could turn into a good rivalry game also the middle schools played for the conference championship last year and have already played this year. I'm guessing eventually M'Boro will drop out. As for having a good offense I think putting up 32 on Letcher Central shows we can score (if I'm not mistaken the defense scored only one

TD so that would actually be 26 points) Getting Green back and having a good rotation will keep our backs fresh. Also I don't think they need to be developed into football players this is a first year team not the first year of playing. Although I do believe they need time to adjust to a completely new system to which I think they are coming along nicely.

 

Not trying to trash Lynn Camp or anything (Don't really know a lot about them) Could someone tell us what quality teams they have played in the past that would be comparable to the Black Bears? Just trying to get a feel for them.

My point was that they will, hopefully, be able to lock down six to eight games. There aren't too many local teams playing them anyway. They have very long trips to Fleming County and Grayson County, Va., coming up.

Lynn Camp has played Hazard, Pikeville, Whitley every year since their consolidation (Comparable numbers to HCHS over the years), Middlesboro, Cumberland/Evarts for decades, Harlan Ind. about the same, Somerset, and a lot of the local teams (Williamsburg/Pineville/etc.). We usually have one of the toughest schedules around, especially for a "A" team.

 

HDE, that is what I am getting at. Success at the level everyone predicts could force them to play a lot of the long road trips you are writing about. I would suspect Larkey does not want to play Rock due to leaving. Maybe after a while has passed, just not soon.

Talked to the coaches tonight. One and done. I would say they had better get in that league fast, because I'm going to guess that mountain games are about to get real hard to schedule for them. Central, maybe Western Kentucky and northern Kentucky will be the only teams of that size that will play them, without the promise of a really BIG check.

 

This is not intended to insult or disrespect anyone. When you type things come off as cold.

 

But I really can't stand this. LC is tough, hard hitters, Harlan County better come to play. But will not play next year. A lot of teams do this. As long as they feel they have a chance to win they will play, but once they have a down year or don't think they can win they take their ball and go home. This teaches kids that when they go off to a bigger place they aren't as good because they are smaller. I think playing better competition makes you better. I think a game on the schedule where you know they are bigger and better but you circle it and say hey we can play with these guys lets make them remember they played us. HC played a better team in LCC last week and are a better team for it and you couldn't buy the feeling they have from having a chance to win. I say make a commitment to a team and play every year. Show them Hoosiers before the game or something.

 

I understand LC may not fall into this category they are honoring a past schedule and we really appreciate them stepping up and doing that.

Some of it could be cold sounding, and I'm sorry, but sometimes it's just the way it is. Just an observation about big teams and small teams and a gap. These Blow Out Game Predictions got me thinking about it. (Not just Lynn Camp, just teams in general because of the postings.)

 

If you get a new team that some other teams have a beef with over their situation (which I realize they have no control over) that will not play them or back out of playing them, and then they go out and start drilling (not saying it's going to happen friday) teams because they can, it is not going to get the other teams around the area to line up and play them, is it? (Also, getting embarassed does not always leave kids with the positive mind set you alluded to. Sometimes thinking you can hang with someone and then get ripped 78-3 does not always boost morale.)

 

We (Lynn Camp) have a loaded schedule most years, so keeping another one on a school our size may not be the wisest thing to do. Really do not think LC played this one because they thought they were strong this year and had a chance to win. We lost a lot of talent last year and are still fitting pieces together, too.

 

It is good to play teams that make you stronger, but sometimes teams will just be packing too much year in and year out for many positives to come out of it, which is what I think will hurt HC with mountain teams. If the talent level and numbers stick, it will be too much for many teams with 30 man rosters or less. (I don't see many mountain teams running out and trying to sign St. X or Trinity to multi-year contracts.)

 

Also,

I am fairly certain that LC got a 1 year deal with HC because of redistricting next year and HC really needing games. Mitchell and Larkey are also a large part of this game getting scheduled. Cold or not, just expressing thoughts on what I think could happen as HC becomes successful. No insult or disrespect here, either. Actually, just the opposite. If I am right in what I say, it just means HC has had the success that they want and the teams not wanting to play is just an unfortunate by-product of success. If that is coming off as cold, I am sorry, but I just think it is true.

As far as the schedule is concerned, one has to take into account the travel expenses that will be incurred with traveling outside of the moutains. I wouldn't look forward to HC traveling into WKY, NKY or even Louisville anytime soon. I know this year games are very far away but nothing but beggars could not be choosers when scraping to find games.

As far as 2009 is concerned I believe these teams will be on the schedule.

 

North Laurel

Perry County Central

Clay County

Letcher County Central

Whitley County

Lee County, VA

Bell County

Leslie County

Middlesboro, may be sticking around also.

And most of those are the types of teams that I said would have to end up on the schedule. Bigger schools or powerhouse smaller schools. Smallest school on there is Leslie County. M'boro and Bell always tough. The rest are big schools. Not an "A" on the list. Some of the closer games that you just posted are also district games, I would think, starting next year. Still allows the wiggle room for non-district teams later and the teams deciding to go after smaller fish and the spectere of the long trips still hanging there to complete the future schedule.

Bell may be the one that hangs on for a while. they still don't play Corbin and this game may fill that gap for a little while.

 

Also, HC could find itself in a situation like we did. Our district is ourselves, Williamsburg and then the long hauls to Campbellsville and Clinton County. They could be put anywhere that the KHSAA wants them in the next redistricting and play it off as "geographically sound", travel expenses be dogged!

As far as the schedule is concerned, one has to take into account the travel expenses that will be incurred with traveling outside of the moutains. I wouldn't look forward to HC traveling into WKY, NKY or even Louisville anytime soon. I know this year games are very far away but nothing but beggars could not be choosers when scraping to find games.

As far as 2009 is concerned I believe these teams will be on the schedule.

 

North Laurel

Perry County Central

Clay County

Letcher County Central

Whitley County

Lee County, VA

Bell County

Leslie County

Middlesboro, may be sticking around also.

 

 

That's a very good schedule. If South could round it out, no trip would be farther than 90 minutes away.

Looks like I'm gonna need some more gas money.

Looks like your games will be closer, Mama Bear, just more of them.

Not to make anyone mad, well that was pretty funny before, but I don't understand how LC should be in the same ballpark as HCHS. Maybe HCHS don't put up 52 points because of the coaching, but LC is just not that good from what I have seen. They had a OK team win Q Henson was TB for a couple of years, but they still played 1A. And don't get me wrong I think HCHS shouldn't even play LC, because really HCHS 5A and LC is 1A. I guess my mind set is HCHS should beat them and beat them bad, but like you'll have said this is the first time these kids have played together and also under a new coach. But anyways good luck to both teams and GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!

 

:flame: Lynn Camp