Great game, great atmosphere. Nothing but respect for the Golden Lions program, from the bottom up they seem to be doing things right. They were great hosts and I enjoyed every minute of the trip.

 

What a nice team Garrard County had. Wow, the athleticism was evident all over the field and they played with some kind of heart. They deserved to win this game and they gave everything they had but just came up a little short. Belfry got caught a few times in situations they don't like to be in. They played without starting corner, Sani Warren, who is the best defender in the secondary. There seemed to be some confusion out there as twice in the first half they let McCoy get 10 yards deep behind the coverage and Abney hit him in stride for long touchdown passes of 75 and 56 yards. Hayes was a treat to watch also. The Pirates did a pretty good job of containing him for the most part save for the one long touchdown run. Like good running backs will do, he made them pay on that one. On the play prior to that, both Belfry's starting defensive ends were shaken up and had to go to the sidelines. Garrard exploited that weakness and Hayes ran right through the 6 hole for 72 yards and it was a thing of beauty.

 

Even though Belfry started out in a 2 touchdown hole, and went into the locker room down 21-13 at the half, they came out in the 3rd quarter like a veteran club who has been there before. They were not tight and took their time and let their big offensive line clear the way for the backs to get the Pirates back into it. Behind the running of Dixon, Willis, Robinson and Johnson, Belfry put up a couple of scores to go ahead 28-21 right at the end of the 3rd quarter. But it wasn't over.

 

Belfry held Garrard scoreless the entire 2nd half until late in the 4th when Garrard put together one of the nicest and grittiest drives I've ever seen against Belfry. Abney was perfect on that drive throwing strikes to McCoy on slants and Hayes on the ground to move the ball downfield and put it in the end zone with about 2 1/2 minutes to go. Coach Scenters showed some intestinal fortitude and decided to go for 2 on the point after. If Garrard makes that 2 point conversion in that situation, they would have probably won the game. The Pirates had the play well scouted and held Caudill out of the end zone to keep the score at 28-27. Coach Scenters stated they had scored on that play on 15 of 16 attempts this season, something the Belfry staff must have picked up on when watching film of the Lions.

 

After failing to move the ball on their next possession, the Pirates had to punt it away to give Garrard one more shot. After a few plays and some success the Lions were at about midfield when Abney's pass to McCoy on the home sideline was picked off by Gary Runyon in an incredible play. Runyon returned that interception about 65 yards for the score to make it 34-27 with 12 seconds left in the game to ice it.

 

I have seen a lot of high school football games, and this one would rank up there pretty high on my list as most exciting. I cannot say enough good things about the whole experience and I walked away a fan of Garrard County. I wish them nothing but the best going forward and I hope we get to replay this one again next Thanksgiving weekend in Belfry.

I don have a couple of questions/comments about the officiating in this game.

 

Three times the officials threw flags and then waived them off. Two of those flags were on plays where Belfry scored touchdowns, only to waive the flags off and count the scores. There was no indication about which team the flags were on so I don't know what the deal was. I was wondering if anyone had heard an explanation from either staff about those flags.

 

Also, they called defensive chop block on Garrard 3 or 4 times in the second half. I'm wondering what the rule is on that penalty. In his post game interview, Coach Scenters said something to the effect that he saw Belfry's coaches at half time talking to the refs and he inferred that they had coerced the refs into calling that penalty repeatedly in the 2nd half. Then he said he didn't want to go there in the interview, but he already had said it. It left me wondering if Coach Scenters felt the call was wrong, and also was he saying Belfry's coaches had done something wrong by talking to the refs. Maybe it was just disappointment and frustration talking, as sometimes it isn't the best time to put a coach on the air immediately after an emotional loss.

 

Anyone have any information or comments on these issues?

I don have a couple of questions/comments about the officiating in this game.

 

Three times the officials threw flags and then waived them off. Two of those flags were on plays where Belfry scored touchdowns, only to waive the flags off and count the scores. There was no indication about which team the flags were on so I don't know what the deal was. I was wondering if anyone had heard an explanation from either staff about those flags.

 

Also, they called defensive chop block on Garrard 3 or 4 times in the second half. I'm wondering what the rule is on that penalty. In his post game interview, Coach Scenters said something to the effect that he saw Belfry's coaches at half time talking to the refs and he inferred that they had coerced the refs into calling that penalty repeatedly in the 2nd half. Then he said he didn't want to go there in the interview, but he already had said it. It left me wondering if Coach Scenters felt the call was wrong, and also was he saying Belfry's coaches had done something wrong by talking to the refs. Maybe it was just disappointment and frustration talking, as sometimes it isn't the best time to put a coach on the air immediately after an emotional loss.

 

Anyone have any information or comments on these issues?

 

These were all questions of mine as well. I do know for a fact that either one or more of Garrard County's coaches have e-mailed those officials since the game. It was a very hot topic around the town, but not the reason we lost the game. I agree with you Watusi, if we convert that 2 point conversion, GC wins, but that just how the cookie crumbles! Good luck in the championship!

The rule reads as follows....There is a free blocking zone that is located in a rectangular shape around the ball. The dimensions are 4 yards on each side of the ball and 3 yards behind and in front of the ball. Within that zone blocking below the waist is legal if: 1. Both players were within the free block zone at the snap 2. The ball does not leave the zone. All of the blocking below the waste penalties were called on counter plays where the ball is held by the quarterback while two OL pull. The ball never leaves the area. The ONLY exception is when the ball leaves the free block zone. Garrard County did the same technique in the first half as in the second half. Which included there small OLB which were always on the line of scrimmage and always came flat. At half time Coach Haywood was talking very aggressively with the refs and then the guy on there sideline threw all 4 flags which costs 60 yards in penalties. There were also 3 penalties called on Belfry which were waved off. 2 of the penalties resulted in touchdowns. 1 penalty was called on Garrard when a player from Belfry hit him in the back and he fell over a pile, that was going to be a late hit on Garrard but was waved off. Belfry is a good team, coach Haywood is a great coach and used his accomplishments to manipulate the officiating crew. I'm not sure how such a poor officiating crew was assignment to such a big game, I really hope they learn the rules in the future.

I don have a couple of questions/comments about the officiating in this game.

 

Three times the officials threw flags and then waived them off. Two of those flags were on plays where Belfry scored touchdowns, only to waive the flags off and count the scores. There was no indication about which team the flags were on so I don't know what the deal was. I was wondering if anyone had heard an explanation from either staff about those flags.

 

Also, they called defensive chop block on Garrard 3 or 4 times in the second half. I'm wondering what the rule is on that penalty. In his post game interview, Coach Scenters said something to the effect that he saw Belfry's coaches at half time talking to the refs and he inferred that they had coerced the refs into calling that penalty repeatedly in the 2nd half. Then he said he didn't want to go there in the interview, but he already had said it. It left me wondering if Coach Scenters felt the call was wrong, and also was he saying Belfry's coaches had done something wrong by talking to the refs. Maybe it was just disappointment and frustration talking, as sometimes it isn't the best time to put a coach on the air immediately after an emotional loss.

 

Anyone have any information or comments on these issues?

 

The call was wrong. Referee made up his own explanation says the cut block by the defense must be at the same time "simultaneous" as the snap, which is NOT in the rule book anyway. If there is literature somewhere stating something different I would love to be educated on it. If you want to read the rule please see my other post.

There was one other time this season when these penalties where called. They were called against Danville in the second half after the officials were talked to by Sam Harp. Looks like having over 300 wins carries a lot of weight with officials. This did not win the game for either team, just hate that people can be manipulated so easily.

I would say that the call was on the defensive player for cutting an offensive player. You can't cut someone below the waist unless you are in the free blocking zone.

The call was on the defender and he was in the free block zone.

The referee that called every one of them...was on the Belfry sideline.

The call was on the defender and he was in the free block zone.

 

Were both players in the free blocking zone when the ball was snapped?

Were both players in the free blocking zone when the ball was snapped?

 

I couldn't see from where I was standing, but from what I hear the Garrard coaches practiced it all week, and made sure it was legal or else they wouldn't have continued to do it, ya know?