Now that 2005 is all finished, let's hear some thoughts on this past season. Consider the following:

 

1. Best overall team in KY by the end of the year

 

2. Biggest pleasant surprise

 

3. Biggest disappointment

 

4. Best single game in the state

 

5. Best player

 

6. Best coach

 

7. Most interesting/intriguing storyline

I'll go first:

 

1. Best overall team in KY by the end of the year: a toss-up between St. X and Trinity, but I'll go with Trinity, mainly out of respect for them winning the game that really counted (i.e. the title game, and not the regular season contest with Saint X).

 

2. Biggest pleasant surprise: Bullitt East going undefeated in the regular season, then defeating Boyle County in the playoffs, which kept BC out of the state finals for the first time in seven years.

 

3. Biggest disappointment: a toss-up between Ft. Campbell's 2A playoff performance and NKY 4A football, but I'll go with the former.

 

4. Best single game in the state: the LexCath-CovCath 3A playoff game (a close shoot-out, which hinged on LC going for and making a fourth-and-ten conversion which determined who won 3A this year).

 

5. Best player: Micah Johnson is the overall best player in KY; Justin Burke has the most impressive stat line in the state (in terms of TDs, INTs, yards, and W-L).

 

6. Best coach: there are lots of ways to interpret this. When NCC lost to Beechwood yet again in the regular season, I had every reason to suspect this year would go just like last year (with regards to Beechwood's mastery over NCC). But, NCC really pulled together, and by November was definitely playing the best 1A ball in the state, so Coach Schneider deserves credit for this. This category is hard to give just one answer to.

 

7. Most interesting/intriguing storyline: again, there are some options. One could be the retirement of Beechwood's Coach Yeagle in the recent past. Another could be Trinity foiling Saint X's dream season in the state finals. Yet another could be Coach Sphire and LexCath finally breaking through in the playoffs, after so many close calls, and winning it all in convincing fashion. I'll go with Coach Sphire/LexCath, just because it may represent the permanent establishment of a new perennial "KY football powerhouse."

1. Best overall team in KY by the end of the year: I know it will make some people mad, but I'm still going to go with St. X. Trinity won when it counted and I congratulate them for that, but I still think X was the best team.

 

2. Biggest pleasant surprise: Despite a dissappointing finish, I think it was the Hazard Bulldog's great season.

 

3. Biggest dissappointment: For me personally, I was hoping Breathitt County would be better than they turned out, but I think Prestonsburg was a bigger dissappointment. I honestly thought they had a chance to win 2A when the season started.

 

4. Best single game in the state: St. X vs. John Hardin in the 4A playoffs.

 

5. Best player: Justin Burke - Lexington Catholic

 

6. Best coach: I'm gonna go with Trinity's coach for getting his team to pull the upset against X.

 

7. Most interesting/intriguing storyline: To me it was LexCath's march through the playoffs. They won a shoot-out with CovCath, then their supposedly spotty defense shuts out Highlands, and then they hang 49 on a Bowling Green defense that was supposed to be one of the best we've seen in a while. They proved they could win games by any means necessary, and they did it with the monkey of past playoff defeats on their back. Nice job.

1. I'd still take St. Xavier over Trinity if they met again ... and Lexington Catholic's late charge makes them an intriguing consideration.

 

2. Newport ... came out of nowhere.

 

3. Henderson County ... a critical injury didn't help, but the Colonels never lived up to their billing.

 

4. For sheer excitement and suspense, it would be hard to top John Hardin and St. Xavier. Honorable mention goes to two games I saw ... Bowling Green-St. Xavier on opening night and a wild game between Warren Central and Marshall County.

 

5. Justin Burke or Micah Johnson ... either would have been a most deserving Mr. Football.

 

6. My personal choice is Mark Brown ... built John Hardin from scratch into a team that pulled off one big upset and very nearly a bigger one, all within six years.

 

7. Lexington Catholic finally shook the rather large primate that had been placed on their back, often by critics thaty exaggerated their previous "failures."

ttt

1. Best overall team in KY by the end of the year:

St. X - Curley's injury early in the game really hurt them. If he had gotten hurt in the semi's, at least the Tigers would have had a week to prepare with somebody else in there.

 

2. Biggest pleasant surprise:

Newport - These kids really had the community rally behind them and where playing solid football at the end of the year.

 

3. Biggest disappointment:

This one is tough, but I will go w/ Ft. Campbell. They had a great season, but couldn't get out of their region.

 

4. Best single game in the state:

Regular season - Henry Clay/Christian County

Playoffs - Tie

CovCath/LexCath and Newport/Russell

 

5. Best player:

Tie - Justin Burke/Micah Johnson.

 

6. Best coach:

John Schlarman - Newport was knocking pretty hard on the door of a 2A state title by year's end.

 

7. Most interesting/intriguing storyline:

Catholic schools almost pulling off the state title sweep.

1. Best overall team in KY by the end of the year:

Trinity with consideration to Lexcath and St.X.

 

2. Biggest pleasant surprise:

Lexington Chrisitan had a nice run all year. Won their district and some solid non-district games. And thumping Beechwood in what many knew at the time was going to be Coach Yeagle's last game if Beechwood lost, was a major task.

 

3. Biggest disappointment:

I really thought Ryle might be poised to make a nice run in the 4A playoffs, but then they did not even end up winning the district. Thought CovCath had everything going their way until losing to Highlands at home and hurting their chances.

 

4. Best single game in the state:

Regular season - Bellevue/Beechwood

Playoffs -

Newport/Russell game for gut-wrenching. CovCath/Lexcath for toe-to-toe.

 

5. Best player:

Justin Burke for getting it done at LexCath after so many other teams had not.

 

6. Best coach:

I don't believe in best coach, but I would give credit to the Trinity staff for putting the players in a position/mindframe that allowed them to reverse the results versus St. X.

 

 

7. Most interesting/intriguing storyline:

Prop 20 vote in the middle of the football season, followed by 5 Catholic schools in the final, including one with the all-time wins record Coach who is a BOC member and longtime advocate of a private/public schools playing together, followed by LexCath getting hit with sanctions during the playoffs.

1.) Best overall team:I would go with Trinity. Although St. X has a lot of talent, you still have to give it to them for regrouping after the tail-kicking the tigers gave them earlier in the season.

2.) Biggest pleasant suprise:Russell taking home the gold.

3.) Biggest dissapointment:Ft. Campbell not going further in the play-offs.

4.) Best single game in state:Regular Season: St. X v.s. Lex. Catholic.

Play-offs: St. X v.s. Trinity

5.) Best Player: Micha Johnson!

6.) Best coach: Not sure of the name, but I would give it to NCC/Lex. Catholic.

7.) Most interesting/intriguing storyline:The idea of placing the private schools in their own division.

7. Most interesting/intriguing storyline:

Prop 20 vote in the middle of the football season, followed by 5 Catholic schools in the final, including one with the all-time wins record Coach who is a BOC member and longtime advocate of a private/public schools playing together, followed by LexCath getting hit with sanctions during the playoffs.

Duh... I can't believe I overlooked this issue as the most interesting storyline of 2005!!!!! It would have to be Prop 20. In fact, this issue is so clearly number one, that it's probably better to list what storyline is number two.

 

The publics/privates debate and voting that took place this year is monumental.

I'll go first:

 

1. Best overall team in KY by the end of the year: a toss-up between St. X and Trinity, but I'll go with Trinity, mainly out of respect for them winning the game that really counted (i.e. the title game, and not the regular season contest with Saint X).

 

2. Biggest pleasant surprise: Bullitt East going undefeated in the regular season, then defeating Boyle County in the playoffs, which kept BC out of the state finals for the first time in seven years.

 

3. Biggest disappointment: a toss-up between Ft. Campbell's 2A playoff performance and NKY 4A football, but I'll go with the former.

 

4. Best single game in the state: the LexCath-CovCath 3A playoff game (a close shoot-out, which hinged on LC going for and making a fourth-and-ten conversion which determined who won 3A this year).

 

5. Best player: Micah Johnson is the overall best player in KY; Justin Burke has the most impressive stat line in the state (in terms of TDs, INTs, yards, and W-L).

 

6. Best coach: there are lots of ways to interpret this. When NCC lost to Beechwood yet again in the regular season, I had every reason to suspect this year would go just like last year (with regards to Beechwood's mastery over NCC). But, NCC really pulled together, and by November was definitely playing the best 1A ball in the state, so Coach Schneider deserves credit for this. This category is hard to give just one answer to.

 

7. Most interesting/intriguing storyline: again, there are some options. One could be the retirement of Beechwood's Coach Yeagle in the recent past. Another could be Trinity foiling Saint X's dream season in the state finals. Yet another could be Coach Sphire and LexCath finally breaking through in the playoffs, after so many close calls, and winning it all in convincing fashion. I'll go with Coach Sphire/LexCath, just because it may represent the permanent establishment of a new perennial "KY football powerhouse."

 

I like your post just fine.