Uncle Rico

Chad played a lot last year didn't he? I recall hearing his name quite a bit.

I heard he won the middle school lift and finished second in his weight class, who got 1st? His brother (Hunter Lewis) who will be a 7th grader also competed and won some.

Back to topic. I expected to hear a little more about some Letcher Central boys!!

Coach Larkey took a lot of interest in middle school talent as soon as he was hired. That's always a good sign. I believe we have enough talent in Harlan County to cover any type of weather!

I'm guessing we are just supposed to give our opinion. I think you can get a pretty good idea of who will develop from 8th grade. Some kids may do all the growing there going to others still have some growing to do and it also depends on weightlifting but talent wise I think you would know.

TJ will benefit from a full year at one position, I can't remember when he wasn't split on offense! I have said several times that Dylon Smith would impress if he got the chance to run the ball, which Coach Larkey starting letting him do toward the end of the season, but I think we will need him as a threat at wide out to clear the lanes some for the running backs! If he plays mostly receiver, I look for Marcus McMillian to breakout. I believe Coty Taylor will play behind TJ, he's a little more thunder than lightning. And here's another for HDE, if we get the right combination we will have the "Perfect Storm".

If the stadium is done right and our boys get as good as we know they will that walk across the bridge should be intimidating enough, but I like the idea of a real bear, I wonder if we could find some one wrestle it at halftime????

We need to find something that makes a sound like the fireworks at Letcher Central. We don't really want to copy something someone else is doing, especially cannons,no cannons if someone puts a cannon over there I will push it in the river!!! I'm guessing our train horn will be pretty loud over there!!! It would be great if some live bears starting hanging around the area!

It's the red hair!!!!!

I can remember TJ Green playing both ways a lot but he didn't play everyplay. Gilliam played some DB, but not as much as he did running back. It's just hard to keep atheletes off the field. I could go on, but like I said earlier Coach Larkey will have more time to get a feel for where players will be best suited and will be able to prepare them more!

I agree with Mama Bear, these boys being in the weight room and getting to know and help each other will really help. Though there doesn't seem that there has ever been a rivalry with the team, Coach Larkey meshed them perfectly! The football team coming together without a hitch last year really put aside any worries with the whole issue of the consolidated high school. Football is amazing!!!! As our boys are doing in the weight room the bond between the whole county and the new school/football team will keep growing stronger and stronger.

The Bell game is at the end of the regular season so it shouldn't be to hard for the Bears to focus on their district. I agrree with the tackling issue, they really didn't wrap people up they just wanted to hit and try to knock ball carriers down. I'm sure Coach Larkey will have that taken care of this year, he had a little too much to deal with last year!

It don't take much from either county to ruffle each others feathers, I can't wait for football period, but the Harlan County Bell County rivalry will be something special. I hope it can be rekindled at the middle school levels too!

I don't think Mama Bear was talking about this year, I think she meant some of the battles in the past between Coach Larkey's Defense and Bell. I do have to agree with her about backing our Black Bears! That is one of my pet peeves. I have said it hundreds of times that fans should support their team and expect their team to win every game they play.

On another site we were discussing how you don't really hear a lot about teams from the western part of the state why is that? I think it's hard to get info from news media, websites, etc. in the eastern/northern part of the state. But from a previous post it looks like they have been represented in the state championship game quite a bit. I didn't see any eastern KY teams in there (I hope that changes soon!).

In Harlan County we believe our Black Bears will earn some respect in 5A. Go Bears!

Yes someone will step up. I believe this is one of the biggest advantages of the consolidation and a big team. There will always be someone there that can step in. That's good motivation to work harder because if you don't someone else will. Did you ever see the King of the Hill episode where Bobby made the track team?

I could see the Burgan kid filling in nicely he has that LB/FB mentality. Tucker Lewis a freshman may also play a big role in filling that void!

I hear Larry Williamson looks pretty comfortable at QB behind a real nice o-line.

I think TJ will get his chance this year to play the whole year at TB. I'm excited about it. I agree we will hear his name a lot if he gets the playing time. If my memory serves me right seems like I heard that Clemson has already contacted Jamie once. I look for the Black Bears to be a force in our first year in 5A! GO BEARS

Harlan County is new to 5A so we will just have to wait and see. Of course I believe they are going to be successful. Coach Larkey will have a full season under his belt and a very important full offseason to work with. Go Bears!!

Maybe not!!!!

I don't know, he's been with him a long time, but Coach Tom is a tried and true ground and pounder and if you do that right it's hard stop even if you know it's coming. Mama Larkey might just have to listen to Bll Ellis on the radio for that one. Apollo never got in the ring with Rocky again except to practice.