XtraIce

Hollingsworth is a Junior? I thought he was a Sophomore.

The Roster in the HHS program has him listed in the 11th Grade 6'1" 180lbs. That is what I was using as a reference.

Birds won the JV game 62-0...

In my opinion if the JV QB was not a Junior but a Senior he might be the stater this year. It would be a interesting QB competition. However he is just a Junior so he has to wait his turn.

When I compared the records of the HHS classes at the JV and Frosh records that had a losing record and how they fared at the Varsity level, I was told on here that you cant equate the JV and Frosh games to what will happen when they are varsity players. At the time I believed that the Frosh and JV results should have some correlation to future results. I guess will see as the future unfolds.

Is the cannon back, or is that something else they are using to generate the big boom on touchdowns?

Not actual cannon - Fireworks that sounds like one. Its handled by a hired pyrotechnician. Supervised by the FTFD.

...

31 to 7

8;30 4th qtr

HHS still is not utilizing players both ways. In this game it worked out and they wore down the two way Lex Cath. players. If they want to contend in 5A that needs to change.

HHS is a 4A size school playing up into 5A so the best players need to be on the field more to compete.

I get that playing only one way helps reduce injuries and guys get more time to learn positions and rest in games but to compete in 5A they need there best on the field.

Last weeks game at Campbell Co was on You Tube under HHSFilmAndBroadcast channel - it was streamed but I could not get sound only video.

I could not find any advance notice if it will be on again this week. Just have to wait and see.

Congratulations to both teams! X is on a roll. Kudos to Highlands...a smaller enrollment but a state power in a number of sports every year.

Fort Thomas City Population of 16,500 vs 615,000 in Metro Louisville

Highlands has won state titles in a number of sports over the years since the school was founded in 1888. Its biggest accomplishment is its ranking in the states academic record.

How close under this alignment is COvCath to 4A?

CovCath has enrollment of 598.8 boys average

In class 5A the range is a Low of 556 to high of 724.8

There are 7 schools with lower avg enrollment in 5A than CCH.

HHS has enrollment of 486.3 boys average

In class 4A the range is low of 430.5 to high of 552.5

There are 11 schools in 4A with larger enrollments than HHS

In previous alignments both CCH and HHS were both 4A size schools playing up. Now only HHS is 4A.

Had to wait to get tickets. Gym is packed and they had to see if there was room for more. Luckily we got in. Finding seat anther challenge.

Cov Cath is on the precipice of being 4A. I believe they are one of the smallest 5A schools.

There are seven schools with lower enrollment numbers in 5A. Covcath is larger than South Warren, Frederick Douglas, Whitley County, Collins, Johnson Central, Logan County, and Hopkinsville.

In the months leading up to the '98 football season (the "best ever" year with Lorenzen, Smith and company) the big question was O Line. Zero starters on O Line were returning. The guys we were trying to replace were All State Scott Kuhnhein and Phil Scherer who went on to play D1 football. The guys that ended up as starters did not look like an O Line, skinny, small so on and so on. I believe only 2 got in the 800 lb club. Despite this Highlands broke like every offensive record that year and won state.

 

All you need is a guy that can do his job, attack, and get nasty. That's been the Highlands way since like 1961. They don't need to all be 6'-7" 385 lbs. The guys that can block this team to a state championship are walking around in the halls. Every time I hear "but what about the Oline??" I think about that team and how size truly does not beat speed, strength and attitude at the high school level.

Having followed the team thru this period until now I love to get reminders - thanks.

I too recall that the HHS O Line back then was smaller but stronger and more athletic. The D Line I recall that many teams had were big and slow and not very fit. Today is apples and oranges. Larger schools now have many O Line guys that are big, strong and athletic. So I believe size is an issue in today's game with larger schools. Just one of the things the O Line will need to scheme against.

Would you feel the same way if it was Covington Catholic that was in this position? Highlands football does themselves no good playing in a district that includes Holmes, Harrison County, Bourbon County, Scott or whomever else is in that district. It hurts the gate number one and creates a lot of travel to play district football games.

This is different logic for playing 5A from your previous post I commented on. When I read your previous post I felt you meant HHS needed to be challenged and 4A was not good enough. Now you reason that its the money and a CCH thing.

You can still schedule CCH and play them once like the last few years. In the past they had to travel greater distance to find teams that would play them. Now they are playing teams around NKY and the gates are better. I do not see this changing as long as the current coaching staff is in charge.

I still stand by the need to put the players and coaches first and play in the class their male student population supports.

So you say take the "easy" road and play in 4A versus the "hard" road which is stay in 5A. I can tell you that the consensus in the Fort would be the latter every day, all day. Never has been nor will it be the way that Highlands football does things.

With this logic they need to play in 6A. Why play in the lower 5A class if the best challenge is 6A. You make it sound like playing in 4A is beneath Highlands.

This should not be about the "we play up" ego.

Both the players and coaches should be given the best opportunity to succeed against schools their size around the state. They should schedule 5A and 6A schools thru the season to get them ready for the 4A tournament.

There is a reason the KHSAA divides schools into class based on the number of male students in a school. Schools with a larger male population have a statistical number advantage over smaller schools.

So its impressive when a smaller school in class has success beating larger schools (higher class) around the state.

There is also the law of averages where sustaining this success is difficult.

I have also seen a shift in the way the larger schools have conditioned and prepared with better coaching that have leveled the playing field. You can visually see this in guys on the OL/DL. There a lot more big athletic guys in football shape now than I would see in years past.

What has also affected HHS is the coaching change since Dale left. This is BW's first Head coaching position where he is fully in charge and he is taking over a program after years of above average results.

If they play in 5A I would expect continued difficulties and a coaching change in the near future. If they play in 4A where there student male population is a fit based on the KHSAA class then I would expect the coach and team would have a higher probability of success.

This should not be about the coach or the egos of "we play up". It should be about the players and to give them the best chance to succeed against schools their same size. I would like to see them play in 4A unless the HHS Admin sees an economic reason to move to 5A.

After talking with a member of the Highlands squad, they will be playing 5A. And thank goodness, it would be ashame to move down just to avoid tougher competition. That’s just not right.

 

#MHFGA

I am surprised if true. 5A puts the coaching position more at risk. Given the current staff they should coach in 4A. Unless the HHS coach has the support of the school admin. Win or Lose in 5A.

I agree with that. Just asking if you used to be the top dog now the "rival" you owned for years is the top dog and rolling while you struggle. Does that add the the want-need to clean house

Nope. Last two years not enough even if the rival is now top dog. For now house is BW's, unless he whats to move on.

I am a little confused in this thread. Are people disappointed Highlands wasn't able to put a running clock on Oldham County? Are people knocking this Highlands team because they fell one score short of a running clock in the first half? I mean, the game was a a total blowout and never in jeopardy. What are we talking about here?

 

:idunno:

Just did not see the same lever of play and intensity in the second half. A number of Oldham better athletes were going both ways and had wore down. I figured that HHS would take advantage but too many second half mental mistakes and penalties that should never happen when up 34 to 7 at half time.

If HHS is going to advance this cant happen next week, given the team will be better and its an away game.

Oldham County finished 6-4 beating Jeffersontown 14-12.

Highlands finished 5-5 beating Boyle County 36-12.

 

Highlands heads into the post season on a 2 game winning streak, While Oldham is riding 3 wins.

 

It is Oldham County’s first playoff berth since 2014 (lost to PRP 7-42 6A first round).

Last season Highlands lost in the first round to Doss 32-52.

 

Who wins?

Correction - Boone County not Boyle

So what is your explanation for the dramatic drop in talent level? Furthermore, the timing of Dale's retirement suggests he knew this was coming.

Dale knew the guys from grade school thru high school. He was active in all the football activities in Fort Thomas. He had great rapport with families, kids and coaches JR thru HS

He also would never shy away from a challenge and was driven to make players better and put them in a position to succeed.

Football had taken him away from many family activities over the years and now that his kids were having kids he wanted give them more of his time. He also is active in church and gives his time in important projects. I believe his wife and kids had more to do with his leaving than any drop in talent.

To platoon or not platoon. Tough question. HHS has won state championships both ways. IMO...It really depends on adapting each year to what you have. Every coach knows their talent level and depth. The reason I think Dale was so good is because he adapted so well to all the variables you face coaching high school sports.

I totally agree. Dale was very good at making adjustments and getting the guys to buy in. He was a head coach at two different schools before HHS and was more seasoned at the position. Its BW first go as head coach. I know Brian was co-head coach with Dale for a number of years before Dale retired but its not the same.

Also I feel Brian has been slow to allow guys to play both sides of the ball. He believes in the advantages of the platoon system - keeping players fresh, limited exposure to injury, more focused learning of the position, etc. How much do you give up to get a marginal increase in results. Some tough decisions for a coach and a lot of room for arm chair quarterbacks. I am sure he will be given ample time to succeed.

Most every year HHS has out of district students play football but the percentage compared to the students who live in FT has been small. Some have been very good players but again the percentage is small compared to the very good players who live in the city. Why did the out of district students choose to go the HHS. Many different reasons can be listed - Education, Parent choice, team success, friendship, opportunity, Coaching, etc.

Look at the percentage of male students that participate in the game on a Friday night. The school has mid 400 male students and approx 100 dress for the varsity game. Both Dale and Brian worked hard to establish platooning of the team. They not only platoon but do numerous subbing of positions. They also look to the Seniors for leadership and have high expectations of them. I am almost certain that compared to other schools HHS has a much higher percentage of male student body touching the field on Friday nights.

You can argue both sides of platooning. If they stop the platooning and limit the numbers I do not believe the results would have seen a significant difference last year. Might of helped with the score differential. This year they are in similar situations with the larger 6A schools and Cov Cath.

So as a coach do you blow up the platooning now and then try and get the buy-in and go back when the talent supports its use. How is this action good for the program over the long term? Would this action be taken just to placate the HHS individuals in the know.

I think BW will be given the time to succeed. Last year and this year are not the measure to use to judge his coaching ability - I believe the HHS individuals in the know understand this.

Will HHS coach keep his job?

Most likely will. Due to Student participation and an expected move to 4A.

I have always been able to park on Berry Avenue south of the stadium. Its one way traveling north towards the stadium. Need to be a little early. Last min. will not work.

Kroger's is an option but I have always gone in store and purchased an item first and then eat at gold star next to Kroger's after the game.