KNIGHTRIDER

Catholic by three to five scores...

Fully agree...game time on!!

Catholic looked pretty good in the scrimmage with Somerset. Their overall team speed is a real asset to all phases of the game. Experienced as it is this year, their youth can still be a wild card, but Letton has a pretty good "attitude grip" on the kids. QB is outstanding as are the skill players and the "trench soldiers" are coming alive. Bell Co has always been a tough place to play and this year will be no different, but I think this Knight bunch is going to come home with a win and a tough bowl game ahead with John Hardin.

If you want to see how biased officiating can dictate the outcome of a game, read "Resurrection" written by Jim Dent about Parseghian's first team at ND. He took a .400 to .600 team of five years to within 1 min 40 secs of an undefeated season and national championship in the final game at SC. Three officiating calls in the second half (two near the end of the game) put an end to that campaign. Read about the calls and how they were made. Officials at all levels have agendas (it only takes a few).

I've been with the LC program since 1994, and I've seen a lot of high quality QBs come through here. This Bolin kid is the real deal. We could see the confidence come out of him from his first downs on the practice field and he is loaded with pure talent. A large part of his success comes from his postive relationships with all the players on the team. He's got a first class dad (and if you meet him you can see Kyle's got a lot of growing room) and Catholic's fortunate to have him. I'm looking forward to next year getting under way. If you like high school football, give yourself a real treat and come watch this guy.

I saw this kid kick PAT's and FG in three games this past season. Despite the copius mane (hair), he is the real deal. He has a strong leg and, judging from the length he dealt with on many FG, he can "aim" his kicks very accurately. High school players seldom get these skills automatically. They have to work with a serious coach who knows what's going on, and then physically and mentally devote a significant amount of their time to practice. It's really nice to see a kid who is willing to give of himself and his time to become really good at this phase of the game, get the recognition from a D-1 major conference program in the form of a full scholarship. I'm looking forward to watching Matt on Saturday afternoons next fall.

If LC does pull it out, it will be the upset of the year, but I think I could handle it. Seriously, they have a tremendous program with great coaching and great kids in the skill positions. I think their most valuable players are the five offensive linemen...they allow the other positions to do what they do. The challenge to Catholic is to come up with some game plans that show them offensive/defensive schemes they haven't dealt with. That's a tall order, but sometimes confusion can be your best friend, leading to turnovers and from that point on, it's a game. We're not coming over their to give them another regional title..they may get it but they are going to have to earn it. Come on over and we'll talk about it...I'll be the guy dressed in blue.

These and many other reasons not yet expressed justify LC being hit with a cannon shot directly between the eyes and Boyle moving forward to argue with Dudley's dorighters for the 4A crown. That premise being established and laid out there is precisely why we will all make the trek to Danville and watch the game. That is what makes high school football great. We will even endure whatever surprises the Boyle student body and fan supporters leave on the bleachers. We will even stipulate that the Boyle administration knows nothing about it and does not tolerate such actions-that doesn't require them to come up with another "whopper". On the game front, BC is not unbeatable...they are a very talented and well disciplined team on the field..they make very few mistakes and work hard to make you eat yours...nonetheless, I will be there to witness a near perfect machine struggle when a couple of bolts come loose, and the machine loses its' game face...Catholic is a good football team and is capable of knocking off Boyle...sometimes, when a sure thing is virtually guaranteed, the most unexpected outcomes suddenly might become real...high school football...it's the greatest show on earth...see you there.

By all standard means of measurement, LC should get their butts handed to them, but that's why they play the games. I would be shocked if Cath pulled an upset, I'm not looking for it, but if it were to happen, no one in the state would enjoy it more (maybe Mike Glaser might). These games have been our yardstick over the years. T should win it, but I'll be there to see it, whichever way it goes. GO BIG BLUE

Admirable numbers until you consider the record established from Concord, California: De La Salle Spartans won 151 consecutive high school football games. Coach Bob Ladaucer has more unbeaten seasons than total losses.

Tough situation for LCA, but one that they put on themselves ( kids have to learn rules-sometimes easy and somtimes the hard way). To their credit, they manned up and played the game. When the score in third quarter hit 23-0, I think a lot of heart took a hike. LC's got a lot of talent in the freshman and sophmore ranks and as it gets experience, they begin to show. That said, LCA was, in their emaciated form, not the yardstick they could have been, but you play the game with what you've got. Boyle Co will be a much different kind of yardstick and we'll be lucky to escape with our scalps. The season moves on...

Catholic is riding the learning curve like a roller coaster this year. From the first couple of games I saw some real talent on both sides of the ball, but it is very raw..needs development and finesse. The heavyweights on their schedule don't allow much time/oppertunity to develop. I'm hoping the game begins to "gel" for them right around playoff time. This game will probably be like a gunfight at OK corrall, but I like LC's potential for quick strike to pull this one out..in the long run, they will be all right..but it's gonna be a journey getting there.

Several years ago when the schools had a "junior high school" program that went through and including the ninth grade, then jumped to "senior high school" through the 12th, Lexington had some very impressive junior high football and basketball programs which were not only strong in and of their competition but also became strong feeder programs for Lex high schools. Then a fellow named Barth Pemberton became the big dog here in Fayette and ushered in the shift to the middle school concept. He saw little need for an athletic adjunct to the middle school academics and, with the exception of intramural sports, did away with the athletics in middle schools. Many parents did not share his view and demanded a sports program so, in a compromise, he agreed to a "modified" athletic program with specific rules which a lot of counties adjacent to Fayette could not stomach. Consequently, the only competition the Fayette middle teams could attract were in Fayette Co itself. The preparation this provided to the players moving on to the local high schools was not "top shelf" and resulted in many parents checking into other options.

I think part of the problem is the treatment FC coaches get from the central office downtown: I learned this past week that the Dunbar coaches are required to empty trash can, pick up trash, clean the gym and dressing rooms, etc. No maintainence personnel are provided to clean up after games. There was also a time when coaches wanted to come to FC because the larger schools gave them a larger student body from which to select teams. Now, FC requires all student athletes to maintain a 2.0 GPA, while the KHSAA requires student athletes to be passing (this includes a D grade) in four of six core subjects.

If they find a way to sneak the LTC in a uniform and onto the field..look out..only shortcoming is that, as it was when he was young, he only lasts a coupla minutes..if you can survive that then you can have your way with him..(I know, I went to grade/high school with him)

LC's youth is as advertised...they pull some genuine "how'd that happen" plays coupled with some flashes equally genuine in skill and outright beauty in motion on a hundred yard field. The defense is gonna need some attention (but when is that news to any team at this point in the season) but the offense shows some respectable talent that's going to get some folk's attention. And they've got a solid steady coach who's wise and patient enough to allow that talent to develope (in a schedule that will demand it developes). They will be fun to watch and should be in the thick of the 4A playoff run by the end of the season...GO BIG BLUE...

You need to educate yourself regarding the "district question" in Jeff Co. You're way off.

You need to get a grasp on what you're talking about...seems to be a void there.

I would love to hear Silberman again try to define "level playing field" (a favorite justification he inherited but never learned to explain) and Adkins assert, once again, that the "status quo" is in effect.

You would be speaking of the type of statement Euton's father made prior to their move to central KY and Dakota's emergence at Scott Co?

Holmes has outstanding speed and athletes, but I think LC's assets are equally strong. In addition, LC has good depth in various spots where I'm not sure of Holmes reserves. It won't be a runaway but I see Catholic 35-Holmes 24.

While we don't have the depth of resources sideline to sideline to match up with Trinity, nonetheless, this is one of the "yardstick" games where we find out where we are in various phases of the game. We'll be competetive, but I'm not sure how long it will last. I remember a few years ago going into a similar game with St X and a third team placekicker coming on to nail a field goal as time ran out and gave us the win...so, anything can happen. We've got a great bunch of players, an outstanding coaching corp, and a terrific student body stacked up in the dungeon and we appreciate the opportunity to show what we've got to an oustanding Trinity program.

The first extra point kick ruling was reversed because the ball was wide left...it rolled that way after the ball landed..that's a law of physics, four other officials saw it that way-had nothing to do with Coach Letton. LCA did play an outstanding game and it was matched by our Knights. What happens after an abnormality (two hour weather delay late in the progress of a hard fought game) comes down to the character of a team and it's individuals once play is resumed. At that point you begin to see what guys are made of. I'm proud of our boys.

LC 45 LCA 35...it'll be fun to watch...who knows, DA might even consider allowing Fayette schools to play them

Defense in the middlle against belly runs and counter series has been our Achilles heel so far this season...we just don't have the wide bodies to withstand the thrust of the O line and the back's momentum when he gets there...but there's always speed...