Fan Fare: Tiny Lawrence County growing a football coaching tree

 

By Mark Story — Herald-Leader Sports Columnist

Posted: 8:02pm on Feb 5, 2011; Modified: 8:44pm on Feb 5, 2011

 

Together, the four shared — three directly — in the most memorable night in the sports history of Lawrence County.

Nov. 21, 1997. Breathitt County High School brought a 42-game football winning streak to Louisa for a Class 2A football playoff game with upstart Lawrence County.

 

By the time the Bobcats left, there had been an epic Lawrence rally, a post-game scuffle and the goal posts had been torn down.

In Lawrence's 36-28 victory, Phillip Ratliff served as the defensive coordinator for then-Lawrence County head coach Chuke Williams. Wide receiver Gerad Parker caught two touchdown passes. Jason Michael was the starting QB for the Bulldogs.

 

Then an eighth-grader, Dontae Wright was watching the game in a brand-new, North Carolina-blue jacket — which he ruined with joyful diving into the post-game muck on the field amid the raucous victory celebration

 

 

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I actually coached in that game. Gerad was my WR. 3 of those guys are some of my best friends and the other dated my older sister. Pretty awesome article and there's an even bigger network when you start looking at high school coaches from there too. I can honestly say those guys mentioned are some of the best guys I've known in my lifetime! Jasons story is unreal if I had time to share the whole story. Couldn't help but tear up reading about Dontae. Such a great guy!

I can remember being a kid and following these guys when they were in high school. I only caught a game or two, but they were always the team I looked for first in the Ashland Daily on Saturdays to see how they did. I can't say how awesome I think it is that these guys are representing Eastern Kentucky at the college and NFL coaching level. If/when they get head coaching jobs, I will be a huge fan of where ever they go.

Great story. Just read it the other day.

I just got through texting Coach Ratliff about this article. He loved these kids. I think it would be awesome to see them all coaching together someday, at any level.