Highlands 34 Harlan County 6

[hoosierbirdfan]

In the prediction thread I said 28-0 and was told that I have no class. (28-0 / 34-6 you do the math ! )

[horst muhlmann]

Last night a couple of the Harlan County plays looked winded (especially #24 McMillian), especially in the 2nd half. Played their hearts out but didn't seem to have the speed to break the long runs that seemed to be their bread and butter all season.

 

Hope to see you in Ft. Thomas next season . Glad you're staying in 5A. The trip to Harlan will be one the players, coaches, and fans will long remember.

[BGBird]

Last night a couple of the Harlan County plays looked winded (especially #24 McMillian), especially in the 2nd half. Played their hearts out but didn't seem to have the speed to break the long runs that seemed to be their bread and butter all season.

 

Hope to see you in Ft. Thomas next season . Glad you're staying in 5A. The trip to Harlan will be one the players, coaches, and fans will long remember.

 

Don't think that will happen. The Bears stay in 5A, the Birds move to 4A. Who knows, a few years down the road when they re-draw the lines, and we may meet again.

[horst muhlmann]

Don't think that will happen. The Bears stay in 5A, the Birds move to 4A. Who knows, a few years down the road when they re-draw the lines, and we may meet again.

 

The long drive must have taken more out of me than I thought! I stand corrected. Good luck in 5A next year. Highlands gets Boyle County and other 4A powers.

[jpa2825]

Depth & Balance huge factors in the game.

 

Depth -- it was no coincidence that HHS threw deep many times last night. For starters, it is what they do ("get athletes in space and let them perform."). In this game, it was also an effective DEFENSIVE strategy. With HC's key players (#24 RB, #23 RB and #14 QB) all playing in the defensive secondary, every play on defense turned out to be a "wind sprint" against Gold, Gall or Sheehan. While GG&S were getting water and recovering on the sidelines after a drive, #24, #23 and #14 were running plays on offense. Additionally, #14 had to run a 30 yd jog / sprint after each offensive play to get the next play from the sideline. That takes a lot out of a player.

 

Balance -- when you don't have to defend the pass, it makes things simpler. Find the ball and go get it. Not an easy task when big bodies are trying to push you out of the way, but with 11 flying to the ball you usually get there and make a play. The rushing attack chews up time which makes it tough to come back from a large deficit. It also makes it difficult to manage the clock. Similar to Johnson Central in the last drive of the game last week, HC struggled with their important final drive of the 1st half because they had no ability to control the clock by passing (incomplete, OB or 1st down stops the clock). If they are able to stuff it in before half, the crowd gets into it and the result is in doubt. As it turned out, they didn't, HHS makes a statement drive to start the 2nd half and the field starts to tilt toward HHS.

 

Thanks to all the folks in Harlan County for your hospitality. Wish we could've witnessed the scenery on the drive. As it was, just happy to get out of Harlan alive!!!

[75center]

Scenery in West Virginia was beautiful!

[leatherneck]

Depth & Balance huge factors in the game.

 

Depth -- it was no coincidence that HHS threw deep many times last night. For starters, it is what they do ("get athletes in space and let them perform."). In this game, it was also an effective DEFENSIVE strategy. With HC's key players (#24 RB, #23 RB and #14 QB) all playing in the defensive secondary, every play on defense turned out to be a "wind sprint" against Gold, Gall or Sheehan. While GG&S were getting water and recovering on the sidelines after a drive, #24, #23 and #14 were running plays on offense. Additionally, #14 had to run a 30 yd jog / sprint after each offensive play to get the next play from the sideline. That takes a lot out of a player.

 

Balance -- when you don't have to defend the pass, it makes things simpler. Find the ball and go get it. Not an easy task when big bodies are trying to push you out of the way, but with 11 flying to the ball you usually get there and make a play. The rushing attack chews up time which makes it tough to come back from a large deficit. It also makes it difficult to manage the clock. Similar to Johnson Central in the last drive of the game last week, HC struggled with their important final drive of the 1st half because they had no ability to control the clock by passing (incomplete, OB or 1st down stops the clock). If they are able to stuff it in before half, the crowd gets into it and the result is in doubt. As it turned out, they didn't, HHS makes a statement drive to start the 2nd half and the field starts to tilt toward HHS.

 

Thanks to all the folks in Harlan County for your hospitality. Wish we could've witnessed the scenery on the drive. As it was, just happy to get out of Harlan alive!!!

 

Bingo. Another very, very good game by the Birds D. There are some pretty sore young men in Harlan County and Ft. Thomas today, I'd think. HC was a typical Larkey hard hitting team. Birds responded with the same. I was standing in one endzone filming and a HC fan comments to me during a break: Your defensive players are tiny, but man they fly to the ball and hit very hard. Just another great job by our D against another very good, hard running O.

 

Dale obviously felt the air was the way to move the ball and throw the ball we did. Towles had some outstanding passes and there were some outstanding catches. Towles had to scramble more than he liked but things worked out just fine. Another win and another trip to compete for a state title.

 

 

Met several very nice folks from HC. Thanks for coming up and introducing yourselves to me. The HC folks were nothing but gracious, down to earth good people.

 

Personally, I liked the stadium and the field. I'm told the restroom facilites on the visitors side could be "enhanced", but other than that, I wish HC wouldn't be building a new stadium. I liked the feel of Cawood stadium. Improve the heads on the visitor's side, put down some field turf and I'd say it'd be perfect (okay, I'd probably replace the metal pipes holding the cable going around the field with something of a break away-plastic nature). But other than those changes, I'd keep it as it is. That stadium has character, history and just yells-mountain football. I hope the new facility won't be another sterile, looks like 100 other, football stadiums.

[THUNDERBIRDS]

Bingo. Another very, very good game by the Birds D. There are some pretty sore young men in Harlan County and Ft. Thomas today, I'd think. HC was a typical Larkey hard hitting team. Birds responded with the same. I was standing in one endzone filming and a HC fan comments to me during a break: Your defensive players are tiny, but man they fly to the ball and hit very hard. Just another great job by our D against another very good, hard running O.

 

Dale obviously felt the air was the way to move the ball and throw the ball we did. Towles had some outstanding passes and there were some outstanding catches. Towles had to scramble more than he liked but things worked out just fine. Another win and another trip to compete for a state title.

 

 

Met several very nice folks from HC. Thanks for coming up and introducing yourselves to me. The HC folks were nothing but gracious, down to earth good people.

 

Personally, I liked the stadium and the field. I'm told the restroom facilites on the visitors side could be "enhanced", but other than that, I wish HC wouldn't be building a new stadium. I liked the feel of Cawood stadium. Improve the heads on the visitor's side, put down some field turf and I'd say it'd be perfect (okay, I'd probably replace the metal pipes holding the cable going around the field with something of a break away-plastic nature). But other than those changes, I'd keep it as it is. That stadium has character, history and just yells-mountain football. I hope the new facility won't be another sterile, looks like 100 other, football stadiums.

 

I agree...That was one cool place to watch a High School football game. Only changes would be the Restrooms....Good thing I had access to a Clean bathroom on our bus for my little girl. I'm assuming the local Got-A-Go guy was off on Thanksgiving and Black Friday....

 

The sound system was Awesome!!!!

 

Also the loooooong curving drive to Harlan was not bad at all. I have seen much much worse!!!!!

[ft bronc]

Bingo. Another very, very good game by the Birds D. There are some pretty sore young men in Harlan County and Ft. Thomas today, I'd think.

 

If there was any question of whether the Birds D could man-up against bigger, physical teams it has been answered the past two weeks. Those kids have flat-out played their butts off in the mountains & shown tremendous heart. Keep it up boys. Only one more week!

[Fishhead]

So will Highlands be coming home through West Virgina or over Pine Mountain?

 

Congrats to Highlands, good luck next week.

 

Wow. Pine Mountain was impressive. Made me wish I'd brought our Cabrio. (The wind whipping through the holes in the roof would have been worth it just to drive it up and down that mountain.)

[BlackBearDenMother]

Great game from Highlands as we expected. Congrats and good luck next week...hope and expect you win the state championship. I met a trio of Highlands BGP posters outside the entrance gate...very nice guys and glad I got to meet you. I hope everyone enjoyed their trip to Harlan County!

 

I'm so proud of our Bears. They have nothing to hang their heads about. They have come a long way in a short time. District and Regional Champs is nothing to sneeze at. Get in the weight room this year and work hard. We'll be waiting in the stands in 2011 to see our Bears once again!!!

[tdyballgame]

Saw support from other local NKY folk. We tailgated with a "Mafia" member before the game and talked during the 1st QTR. That guy is dedicated to NKY football. Would love to have him on my side. LOL!!! Just think, wonder if we could steal him too. Might be room on the short bus this week. Heck, we could really impress him on Big Red. He and SueBird would get along just fine.