WHO'S NEXT?

Countdown to kickoff, now just 24 hours away. Woo-Hoo. :banana:

Guess word hasn't gotten out yet from this remote end of the state to the other about what happened last Friday night. I felt gracious in giving up the 20 pts.

You must be thinking of Cov Cath

I realize it's the state championship, but I hope the Cards can put the emotional win from last week behind them. I think the big/easier than expected win 2 years ago against Beechwood led to the slow start/lopsided loss to Lex Christian in the '09 championship. Mayfield came out and played determined and focused in this game last year while Hazard really struggled in many facets. Obviously, part of that was attributed to Mayfield. However, it went from bad to worse very quickly before halftime. Hazard is likely in the same position Mayfield was in last year's game, out to prove they are better than they showed. I can't imagine Hazard, who can pass the ball with some success, won't be better prepared mentally this year. As 5wide mentioned in his synopsis, Hazard will bring the same mix of run and pass keeping Mayfield honest. I went 24-14 in the Beechwood game. Going Mayfield 35 -20 this week.

There is certainly something to this. The last time Mayfield was seriously threatened at home, Paducah Tilghman 2010, QB took off down the field on multiple occasions - picking up large chunks of yardage in the process. This was done mainly in the 1st half of that game, and appeared to be more of an improvising tool than part of the game plan. Tilghman played it more cautiously in the 2nd half and it probably cost them the game last year.

Western KY officials... how in the heck did you draw that conclusion. :confused:

WTW?

My take on the Cardinals from this year and last would be Mayfield 2010 offense a + defense b Mayfield 2011 offense b defense a or a + The LHC coaching staff, as reported in the Courier Journal, felt like the gap between the 2 teams had narrowed going into last week's game. Well, it did. This year's game was a whopping 1 point closer than last year's. I think the Beechwood/Mayfield game will show the gap has narrowed between these 2, but not enough to get the Beechies over the hump. Danville is to Mayfield as Mayfield is to Beechwood. This series is slowly heading in that same direction. Considering that even the powers that be on Bluegrass Preps pick Mayfield to win another championship... it's gotta make any Cardinal fan feel pretty good. Just got a feeling that the Tigers will get off to yet another slow start in this game and playing at home is all Mayfield should need. 17 to 0 at halftime, 24-14 final. Mayfield moves on to play Hazard next week in Bowling Green and then maybe in a couple of weeks, someone can copy all 5 pages of this thread and paste them under a new thread called Mayfield Beechwood 2012... unless, of course, that thread is already going on somewhere already. Is it ever too early?

Last year's offense was the most efficient. Can't remember how many running clocks we had during the course of last year - 10 maybe- with the first string hardly playing after halftime. The offense is not too shabby this year, but it's the D that has gathered all of the accolades. Ya can't win if you don't score.

If you're looking for food, other than stadium grub, you may want to eat before arriving. Not only is the school on the other side of town, but that is where Mayfield's version of "restaurant row" (McDonalds, Snappy Tomato, BK, KFC, couple of very good BBQ joints.... the list goes on) also resides. It's a small town so you could probably find your way around, but if you don't want the hassle - something the next county over might be a better bet. A trip through Paducah, which is where Beechwood stayed last time down here, will bring the biggest choice of food and another 4 lane road in to town instead of along the Purchase Parkway, which is the way mapquest will lead you.

While I'm on the Local 6 page, may as well post the highlights from last Friday night. Mayfield/Holy Cross highlights are 6 minutes in, Paducah Tilghman and Murray highlights proceed the Cardinals. http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/sports/gridiron-glory/1118-Gridiron-Glory-134164078.html

Friday appears to be as good as it gets for late November. :thumb:

I think you're dead on. Just can't fathom how Beechwood makes up the 3 touchdown deficit they were beaten by at home last year or the 5 td's they lost by last time they made the 5 hr trip west. Considering Mayfield's D is the best in recent memory (77 points allowed - best in KY) , and it was pretty dog gone good the last 2 years with the Tigers avg. a meager 7 pts a game. 3 or 4 touchdowns for the home team should be enough to get the job done. If the Beechies come down to the corn fields and chicken farms of WKY looking like they've crossed the border into another country as they did 2 years ago, this game will end by halftime. By season's end, Cards will continue to distance themselves from the rest of the teams in 1A, and the gap is pretty wide currently. Vocke still gets his, would not be surprised to see him bring a punt or kickoff return back for 6. 31-14 Mayfield.

Just another case were the opposing team's offense went missing in action. It doesn't matter if Mayfield scores 21, 42, 63, etc. Defense will get it done, red zone D is simply outstanding! Cougars were not a team use to getting dominated and their frustration showed. I wouldn't expect to see excessive penalties and turnovers next week, in a game which undoubtedly will be closer.

A dry field shouldn't impact our blow by ability either.

Don't you think in a few of these games where LHC scored more than 40 pts. that working on the passing game may pay dividends in the long run? This Friday, for example. LHC topped 40 points in 10 games, topped 60 points on 6 occasions. Seems there was plenty of room to be more creative while thumbing through the playbook. Mayfield may run the spread, but you'll see a 50/50 mix.

28 to 12 PT

Either way, everyone else is playing for second place behind Highlands. The Bluebirds coming to 4A pretty much eliminated any hopes of Lone Oak ever winning a state title. Lone Oak won't even exist as a high school in a couple of years. Then McCracken County can play for second place behind the Louisville schools in 6A.

Mayfield 35 -7. D has been solid all year, offense improves week in and week out. Like Country Day, is this Louisville Holy Cross' first trip to the boondocks(as the Country Day announcer put it)?

BIG 1 Bowling Green 2 Warren Central 3 Franklin Simpson 4 Madisonville - NH 5 Christian Co. 6 Henderson Co. 7 Lone Oak 8 Graves Co. 9 Ohio Co. 10 Warren East small 1 Mayfield 2 Paducah Tilghman 3 Owensboro Catholic 4 Murray 5 Edmonson County 6 Fort Campbell 7 Butler Co 8 Trigg Co. 9 Monroe Co. 10 Russellville

Considering Mayfield has the stingiest defense in the entire state, points wise (48 total), I can't see R'ville getting more than 1 score. 45-6 Mayfield

Good dress rehearsal for travel should the May-Bw game materialize. Except that E'Town is only the halfway point on a trip to Mayfield.

31 to 8 Mayfield

Would be surprised if Hazard loses this game and stunned if LCA scores 34 points. 28 to 7 Hazard

Tough spot for the Cards between the Tilghman game last week and cross town rival Graves Co. next week. I really think Murray deserves a top 10 spot in the BG Preps 2A poll, not real high, but a 9 or 10 placement. Maybe it's because Murray rarely finds themselves down by a lot of points or they don't have the offensive capability to crawl out of a deep hole, but they appeared to be satisfied with not being blown out as opposed to trying to win or keep this close. A grind it out, ball control offense will not win you any games when you are already behind by 4 touchdowns. No sense of urgency until the final drive of the game, way too late by then. Maybe they see 35 to 7 as some kind of moral victory after years of being led to the woodshed before this series took a break.