Great game between even matched teams as the Pirates remain undefeated.

 

Pirates held on 4th Down in their territory with around 4:30 left, they wouldn't relinquish the ball. Pirates had a 1st and Goal at the 1 foot line with a minute left and Haywood chose to kneel on it and sacrifice pride.

 

Ashland went for a 2 point conversion on their lone score and failed.

Nice win for Belfry!

Congratulations to Belfry! It sounds like it was a good game.

Sounds like a great game, congrats to Belfry/ .Hopefully the Tomcats will get back on track and win the rest of the way out.

Congratulations to the Pirates.

Belfry plays up to beat the #7 4A team (who had only previously lost to the #1 team in the entire State of WV). The reigning 3A Runner-Ups, who return nearly all their key pieces, now remain undefeated. Will this finally be the week they jump Tilghman in the BGP rankings?

Nice win by the Pirates...sounds like a classic heavyweight fight.

First off, this was a playoff atmosphere, big crowd, great weather, nothing on the line but pride and both these programs are long on pride. It was a lot of fun to be at CAM Stadium tonight. Add to that the game itself was a defensive battle, which is a thing of beauty to me even though it isn't sexy, and it was just a really good high school football contest.

 

Ashland was big and fast as advertised. This was a really great game between two teams that were about as evenly matched as they could be. The defenses are carbon copies, both of them fly to the ball and when they get there they will hit you. There are some sore young men on both teams this morning, I guarantee it. I would love to see these two teams play about 10 more times and I would be willing to bet they'd finish about 5-5.

 

Ashland took away the outside for the Pirates and forced them to get theirs up the middle. Belfry seemed content to take 5 yds a pop and use up the clock and move the chains. There were several 3rd and 4th down stops by both teams, and some mistakes made too. Belfry's pass coverage was excellent, which allowed them to get pressure on Hunter in the first half a lot including a few drops for losses. Ashland adjusted and didn't throw much as the game wore on, at least not as much as we expected based on what we'd been told about the Tomcats.

 

I was impressed with Massey, his speed is hard to deal with. If he gets loose, you are probably not going to catch him. He did get loose once around right end on a speed option and picked up about 40 yds. Then Watts picked up about 30 on the next play taking the ball down to the one yd line. Belfry made a nice goal line stand forcing Ashland to use all 4 downs to finally poke it in for their only score. Belfry fans were shocked Ashland went for a 2 point conversion there late in the 3rd quarter. I thought I remembered reading that they always go for 2 on every score, is that correct? Anyway, Belfry's defense stopped the conversion and nobody scored the remainder of the game.

 

On Ashlands last drive there was a bit of a controversial call. Ashland punted on 4th and 2 from about mid field with maybe 6 min or so left in the game. Belfry had a substitution infraction on the play and put the Tomcats back in business. After 3 plays it was another 4th down and maybe 6 to go. I can't remember if Ashland ran the speed option again and Hunter kept it or if it was a pass to a WR, but the ball carrier raced for the sideline and appeared to stretch out past the first down marker for a first down. The ref marked him out of bounds about a yard short, apparently his foot was out before he stretched. It was hard to see for me because it was on the other side of the field right in front of the Ashland bench. The refs had a good view however and there wasn't much protest, but I would have liked to heard Dickie Martin's radio call at that moment.

 

Belfry got the ball back with about 4-5 mins to go and drove the ball down to the 1 yard line by basically running the fullback, Willis, consecutively. He was a bulldozer getting about 5-6 yds a carry and basically just carrying the team down the field. With 1:20 to go and Ashland with only 1 timeout left, 1st and 10 from the 1, Coach Haywood had them take a knee 3 straight plays to end the game.

 

I hope this game stays on the schedule for a long time. It is good for both teams.

Great job Pirates.

I was going to refrain from posting this but I can't. How long will Ashland let their bonehead radio guy continue to defame the entire Ashland area with his on air junk? First, he must have said, along with his partner, that Ashland got no calls, everytime they had something going that they were whistled and that the officials simply wouldn't let them win this game. Then, with less than 4 to play, he says that Ashland has only 4 penalties for the game! Just a moron. He whined that Belfry's HOF coach somehow had a hand in every decision and-or flag that was thrown. Griped twice that Ashland players were horse-collared as they headed for the sideline but no call. Please, learn the rules before opening your mouth to insert your foot. And to be quite honest, I don't understand how Ashland fans aren't embarassed by his antics. There's no patting the opponent on the back when they just whipped your butt. Always excuses.

 

Here, you want a solution to all of Ashand's woes last night? Get a placekicker.

Dickie Martin is a cartoon.

First off, this was a playoff atmosphere, big crowd, great weather, nothing on the line but pride and both these programs are long on pride. It was a lot of fun to be at CAM Stadium tonight. Add to that the game itself was a defensive battle, which is a thing of beauty to me even though it isn't sexy, and it was just a really good high school football contest.

 

Ashland was big and fast as advertised. This was a really great game between two teams that were about as evenly matched as they could be. The defenses are carbon copies, both of them fly to the ball and when they get there they will hit you. There are some sore young men on both teams this morning, I guarantee it. I would love to see these two teams play about 10 more times and I would be willing to bet they'd finish about 5-5.

 

Ashland took away the outside for the Pirates and forced them to get theirs up the middle. Belfry seemed content to take 5 yds a pop and use up the clock and move the chains. There were several 3rd and 4th down stops by both teams, and some mistakes made too. Belfry's pass coverage was excellent, which allowed them to get pressure on Hunter in the first half a lot including a few drops for losses. Ashland adjusted and didn't throw much as the game wore on, at least not as much as we expected based on what we'd been told about the Tomcats.

 

I was impressed with Massey, his speed is hard to deal with. If he gets loose, you are probably not going to catch him. He did get loose once around right end on a speed option and picked up about 40 yds. Then Watts picked up about 30 on the next play taking the ball down to the one yd line. Belfry made a nice goal line stand forcing Ashland to use all 4 downs to finally poke it in for their only score. Belfry fans were shocked Ashland went for a 2 point conversion there late in the 3rd quarter. I thought I remembered reading that they always go for 2 on every score, is that correct? Anyway, Belfry's defense stopped the conversion and nobody scored the remainder of the game.

 

On Ashlands last drive there was a bit of a controversial call. Ashland punted on 4th and 2 from about mid field with maybe 6 min or so left in the game. Belfry had a substitution infraction on the play and put the Tomcats back in business. After 3 plays it was another 4th down and maybe 6 to go. I can't remember if Ashland ran the speed option again and Hunter kept it or if it was a pass to a WR, but the ball carrier raced for the sideline and appeared to stretch out past the first down marker for a first down. The ref marked him out of bounds about a yard short, apparently his foot was out before he stretched. It was hard to see for me because it was on the other side of the field right in front of the Ashland bench. The refs had a good view however and there wasn't much protest, but I would have liked to heard Dickie Martin's radio call at that moment.

 

Belfry got the ball back with about 4-5 mins to go and drove the ball down to the 1 yard line by basically running the fullback, Willis, consecutively. He was a bulldozer getting about 5-6 yds a carry and basically just carrying the team down the field. With 1:20 to go and Ashland with only 1 timeout left, 1st and 10 from the 1, Coach Haywood had them take a knee 3 straight plays to end the game.

 

I hope this game stays on the schedule for a long time. It is good for both teams.

 

 

You got a couple players confused I'm thinking. McLeod #6 (senior fullback) is the guy that went around the right end for the big gain right before Watts had his. Massey (#8 junior WR) had a nice kickoff return to start the game when he got it back to the Ashland 48. A game like that has to be good for both teams and will benefit both.

Thanks for the correction. I knew Massey had the big kickoff return to start the game and I thought it was #8 again who had the big run. My apologies to Mr McLeod, that was a nice run and he is a good looking running back too. Were you at the game ballbrain?

Great game to watch at the Cam! Both teams flexed their Defensive strengths. I thought Belfry controlled both the offensive and defensive lines of scrimage. Belfry's ball control kept the Tomcats offense off the field most of the second half.Great strategic move by Coach Haywood in 4th quarter to take a knee and keep Ashland from ever getting the ball back. This game will help both teams prepare for the challenges for the district and playoffs. Congrats to the Pirates and I wish you continued success!

Oh yeah! I was there.