HERE is the 'perfect storm'...

 

* A community that loves not good, but GREAT football

 

* Tradition

 

* Parents of players that genuinely want the TEAM to do its best...even if that means a transfer kid comes in and plays more than 'their little Johnny.'

 

* An administration that appreciates the importance of school spirit to the OVERALL SCHOOL'S SUCCESS - and how much school spirit is influenced in particular by the first and largest "spectator sport" on the HS yearly calendar

 

* Daddies that grew up playing for and excelling for same high school their sons will attend...and instilling in them a DRIVE to want to be a part of the same thing

 

* A feeder-system (from pee-wee to Middle School age) that stresses the right things for the right age and is 'in-line' with the wishes of the high school coaching staff

 

* A PUBLIC school system with ACADEMICS that would make people out of district make huge sacrifices to be a part of it.

 

* Tremendous facilities.

 

* Tremendous coaching...that emphasizes fundamentals, simplicity, commitment in the off-season, and strong player-coach relationships

 

...that storm's been brewing for a while. Maybe everything up to now was just the outer edges of it and now we're just smack dab in the middle of the 'EYE' of that storm.

Highlands beating Cincy X last night ranks as one of the best ever wins by a KY high school football team against an out of state opponent. Trinity beating Elder a few years ago (and then Elder winning it all) still ranks as number one in my mind unless Cincy X wins Ohio D1 and then this game will surpass the Trinity win. You could argue since Cincy X is so much bigger than Highlands it is a bigger win than Trinity beating Elder because Trinity and Elder are very similar in many regards including size. However, I think since Elder went on to win it all the Trinity win still ranks as #1 and the Highlands win as #2 all time.

 

What interests me the most is the perfect storm that came together for the Highlands victory. I have some random thoughts here that all added up to Bluebird Delight:

 

1. Highlands approached this game as if it was the Super Bowl. This is the game HHS has pointed to all off season.

 

2. Cincy X just finished beating Louisville X and Trinity who are normally considered the best two teams in KY. So if Cincy X handled both of them (I know the Louisville X game was close) then I think it is very possible Cincy X was overlooking Highlands.

 

3. Cincy X was flat.

 

4. The Cincy X coaching staff was guilty of the same mistake they made a couple of years ago against Trinity at Cincy X (LINK to that thread for reference). They approached the game like a scrimmage (or at least wanted to work on their passing game) instead of cramming the ball down Highlands throat. Two years ago against Trinity, X had enough juice to overcome it, last night in Fort Thomas the Birds hung tough. Sometimes you get the bear and sometimes he gets you, this time the blue bear (Bluebird) got the Bombers.

 

5. Cincy X plays Elder next week.

 

6. The Highlands coaching staff turned in one of the finest performances by any staff ever.

 

7. Highlands played tremendous defense.

 

Ah the perfect storm!

 

GO BIRDS!

 

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

 

Well said.

Although a minor point, add to the list that being on national TV was a factor in HHS' favor

 

1 - emphasized the already huge magnitude of the game, particularly to "fringe fans"

 

2 - TV timeouts gave the Birds a chance to rest & strategize and made the St. X depth less of an advantage

Although a minor point, add to the list that being on national TV was a factor in HHS' favor

 

1 - emphasized the already huge magnitude of the game, particularly to "fringe fans"

 

2 - TV timeouts gave the Birds a chance to rest & strategize and made the St. X depth less of an advantage

 

I think what made St. X's depth less of an advantage was also Highlands only had one player going both ways. That being Collinsworth.

HERE is the 'perfect storm'...

 

* A community that loves not good, but GREAT football

 

* Tradition

 

* Parents of players that genuinely want the TEAM to do its best...even if that means a transfer kid comes in and plays more than 'their little Johnny.'

 

* An administration that appreciates the importance of school spirit to the OVERALL SCHOOL'S SUCCESS - and how much school spirit is influenced in particular by the first and largest "spectator sport" on the HS yearly calendar

 

* Daddies that grew up playing for and excelling for same high school their sons will attend...and instilling in them a DRIVE to want to be a part of the same thing

 

* A feeder-system (from pee-wee to Middle School age) that stresses the right things for the right age and is 'in-line' with the wishes of the high school coaching staff

 

* A PUBLIC school system with ACADEMICS that would make people out of district make huge sacrifices to be a part of it.

 

* Tremendous facilities.

 

* Tremendous coaching...that emphasizes fundamentals, simplicity, commitment in the off-season, and strong player-coach relationships

 

...that storm's been brewing for a while. Maybe everything up to now was just the outer edges of it and now we're just smack dab in the middle of the 'EYE' of that storm.

 

Yes on all counts CoachJ!

You hit the nail on the head, CoachJ

 

"Good is the enemy of Great" and Highlands has overcome any kind of complacency and have turned in great perforformances year in and year out.

 

Nuff' said...Congrats to the Birds!!!:ylsuper:

 

HERE is the 'perfect storm'...

 

* A community that loves not good, but GREAT football

 

* Tradition

 

* Parents of players that genuinely want the TEAM to do its best...even if that means a transfer kid comes in and plays more than 'their little Johnny.'

 

* An administration that appreciates the importance of school spirit to the OVERALL SCHOOL'S SUCCESS - and how much school spirit is influenced in particular by the first and largest "spectator sport" on the HS yearly calendar

 

* Daddies that grew up playing for and excelling for same high school their sons will attend...and instilling in them a DRIVE to want to be a part of the same thing

 

* A feeder-system (from pee-wee to Middle School age) that stresses the right things for the right age and is 'in-line' with the wishes of the high school coaching staff

 

* A PUBLIC school system with ACADEMICS that would make people out of district make huge sacrifices to be a part of it.

 

* Tremendous facilities.

 

* Tremendous coaching...that emphasizes fundamentals, simplicity, commitment in the off-season, and strong player-coach relationships

 

...that storm's been brewing for a while. Maybe everything up to now was just the outer edges of it and now we're just smack dab in the middle of the 'EYE' of that storm.

I see nothing more than a 17 year old kid playing football.Trying to stop a touchdown at all costs.I've known Will since he was 10.He's a great kid and I would never want anything bad to happen to him,but to say this was anything more than the game of football is false in my opinion.

 

I agree. The picture doesn't show that Bardo gave a great stiff arm and that the defender was reaching for whatever he could get ahold of to get around Bardo's reach advantage. The penalty was called. Unfortunately, they both came down on Bardo's throwing arm. I hope that he can make it back soon.

No, I think you are wrong there. Speed is nice, but two things:

 

1) St. Xavier isn't slow

2) Colerain is pretty fast and we had no luck whatsoever against their defense.

 

I don't mean to sound like a typical Ohio blowhard but if these two teams lined up 10 times, I'm still taking St. Xavier to win more than they lose. I truly am at a loss over what I saw. There is no explanation in my mind whatsoever. Unless, of course, Colerain, Indy Cathedral, Trinity and St. X (Lou) are all below average this year. Guess that's possible. :idunno:

 

-CardinalsFan

 

From the one game I've seen of Colerain this year, neither your O line or D line is a fast and quick as Highlands. That is where X got beat by Highlands.

I think what made St. X's depth less of an advantage was also Highlands only had one player going both ways. That being Collinsworth.

 

I'm not even sure how much he played on defense.

From the one game I've seen of Colerain this year, neither your O line or D line is a fast and quick as Highlands. That is where X got beat by Highlands.

Watching the replays the other night, the thing that struck me was how our guys handled those big guys. The only word I can think of is "discipline." They didn't get sucked in, they played with patience when it was needed and explosiveness when they had to. It was really amazing.

 

Average St. X Offensive Lineman: 6'3" - 259

 

Average HHS Defensive Lineman: 5'11" - 199

Watching the replays the other night, the thing that struck me was how our guys handled those big guys. The only word I can think of is "discipline." They didn't get sucked in, they played with patience when it was needed and explosiveness when they had to. It was really amazing.

 

Average St. X Offensive Lineman: 6'3" - 259

 

Average HHS Defensive Lineman: 5'11" - 199

 

HHS D line is that small? That surprises me. I thought they had more size than that. Who are the starting defensive linemen besides Dierig?

HHS D line is that small? That surprises me. I thought they had more size than that. Who are the starting defensive linemen besides Dierig?

Those stats are from the CBS broadcast.

From the one game I've seen of Colerain this year, neither your O line or D line is a fast and quick as Highlands. That is where X got beat by Highlands.

Not on topic...but entirely depends on which game you saw. And even if it was week 1, kind of hard to judge speed between two teams that aren't on the same field together.

 

I am confident knowing what I know that our DLine is every bit as fast or faster than Highlands DL. OL, not as confident but would still bet on their lateral quickness and strength over Highlands.

 

Complete and total speculation, of course.

 

-CardinalsFan

Not on topic...but entirely depends on which game you saw. And even if it was week 1, kind of hard to judge speed between two teams that aren't on the same field together.

 

I am confident knowing what I know that our DLine is every bit as fast or faster than Highlands DL. OL, not as confident but would still bet on their lateral quickness and strength over Highlands.

 

Complete and total speculation, of course.

 

-CardinalsFan

 

 

Of course its complete and total speculation, like you believing that Highlands can't win state if Bardo doesn't return as the qb.

 

I made my comparison on the common match up, Cinti X. Watching your lines perform against X and watching our lines perform against X lead me to my conclusion. Our D line got off blocks quicker against X than your D line did. No way, and I mean no way, that your O line is quicker and faster than Highlands O line. Bigger and stronger, probably. But quicker and faster: no way.

 

Do I really have to get the Ru's permission to post links to the Yappi threads where the X-Colerain game was discussed and even the Colerain fans were criticizing Colerain's O line for not being able to block X? X's defense is not so good because they over whelm you with strength, rather they overwhelm you with their quickness and stunts. Highlands did a much, much better job stopping X's defense than Colerain's O line did and it was because Highlands O line was much quicker. Deny it all you want, but the proof is on tape.

Anyone can post all the links they like to Yappi or JJHuddle.