FSfan

AC-S was without its starting QB for this one. FS defense was dominant, very hard to run against. FS was determined to run the ball and eventually had some success. AC-S did their homework on defending the wing-t and did a pretty good job. FS passing game making all the difference this year. When the running game stalls, they can air it out. I would still like to see more passing, especially early in the game. FS defense gave up 56 yds offense and forced at least 4-5 turnovers. Good district and rivalry win heading into the bye week. This win effectively clinches the district title for the Wildcats as the only teams who could possibly tie them for the best district record have already lost to FS.

Franklin-Simpson JR DL Dion Pearson. Been double-teamed most of the year and still is almost unblockable. Only O-lineman with any success against him was SW's Jacob Lacey. He played RG in the SW-FS game and it was Pearson's most quiet performance of the season. Much was made about SW QB Litten's injury giving FS a chance to get back in the game, but when Lacey started having trouble with cramps in the 4th quarter and did not play as much on offense, Pearson helped create the havoc which resulted in the turnovers that changed the game in FS's favor.

It all depends on how FS handles the fall break routine. If they prepare for this game the same way they have all year, they will be fine. If not...it could be a big upset. I think the memory of what happened last year will prevent it from happening again. FS 42-7.

7-Halls 5-Daviess Co. 3-Red Boiling Springs 2-Union Co. 1-Ballard Memorial TB-Halls

Nice field. Good nachos. Too many flags. No rain. FS is healthy. On to AC-S!

Fun for the fans to speculate about it, but let's hope the team doesn't think about it. Their focus needs to be 7-0. According to polls and computer ratings, FS will be favored in every game they play unless they make it to a matchup with Johnson Central, and that is a long way off if it even happens. FS could conceivably lose each game it has left. Not likely, but possibly. -Warren Central is winless but has played 6 good to great teams and FS would be lucky to be .500 with the Dragons' schedule. -Allen Co.-Scottsville catches FS on the Cats' fall break week. FS usually seems to play its worst game of the year that week, usually against ACS, which seems to play its best game of the year that week. ACS likes to throw it, which can cause the FS defense problems. -Warren East has played Glasgow very close this year, and the Raiders usually bring their "A game" against FS. -Russellville should be 9-0 going into the FS game, and they have played FS very close in the last few years, with a few wins in the series lately. On paper they are the best team left on the schedule. In 2011, when FS was state runner-up in 4A, they beat ACS in overtime, and beat Warren East by only 3 points. FS was heavily favored in both games.

WC was also the only blemish on what would have been another perfect regular season for FS...just 5 years ago. WC beat FS 34-6, then FS won 12 straight before falling to Highlands in the state title game in 2011. I don't expect that to happen this year. Hopefully WC can rebound from its struggles sooner rather than later.

7-Allen Co.-Scottsville 5-Metcalfe Co. 3-Graves Co. 2-Muhlenberg Co. 1-Owensboro TB-Allen Co.-Scottsville

OK I started this thread so I might as well give my (biased) opinion. I think FS is #1 right now. "To be the man, you've got to beat the man." FS just beat the champs. Now that doesn't mean Johnson Central won't win it all, so could Wayne, JH, Hoptown, South Warren (if they can get healthy) FS or maybe even a dark horse. I will plead ignorance on the strength of the WV teams JC has beaten. I don't know if WV football compares to KY football. But right now, FS is undefeated, they beat SW, last night FS showed it can throw the ball against a good defense that had stopped the running game. FS defense gave up 4 good plays last night-2 big passes to Hayes, the first TD pass which should have been a 15 yard gain but the receiver broke a couple of tackles, and Litten's good run. Only team that has run well against FS was Greenwood and that was when FS was tired in the 4th quarter playing against an offense who had nobody playing defense. But really it all comes down to this: I heard someone say that the late coach James "Shadetree" Mathews, after FS had won one of its state titles, said about ratings-"They can hang their hat on those rankings, I will hang my hat on this trophy." May the best team win.

Franklin-Simpson knocked off defending 4A state champ South Warren 30-24 while gaining over 400 yards on the vaunted Spartan defense. Johnson Central keeps rolling along with a 56-0 beating of Boyd Co. They are the last 2 undefeateds in 4A. Which team deserves to be ranked #1? FS has quality, albeit close wins over Greenwood, Caldwell Co., and South Warren. JC has one good, not close win over Lexington Catholic and 2 wins against highly ranked West Virginia teams. What say you?

I doubt a run-heavy 4A team could beat FS or South Warren. Hopkinsville probably has the best chance of beating FS or SW unless one of those other teams can pass fairly well.

If both teams had stopped running and kept passing the ball, this score might have been in the 50's.

Heard we had about 5,000 people at the Homecoming game vs. Metcalfe Co. a few weeks ago. Still had some room left. Don't expect that many tonight, but will be a good crowd. Shadetree Stadium is probably the biggest high school football stadium around this area except for BG's El Donaldson Stadium. Shadetree is 25 rows high and goes from about the 15 yard line to the other 15. BG's is about the same height but a little longer.

Loser probably goes to Hoptown in the 2nd round, but the winner will probably have to face ACS for a 2nd time in the 2nd round. Tough game either way.

7-Mayfield 5-Franklin-Simpson 3-Caldwell Co. 2-Hopkins Co. 1-Calloway Co. TB-Mayfield

My understanding is that FS and Caldwell agreed to accept the halftime score as final without resuming play. Apparently Scott Co. and Lafayette had no such agreement. Same as if 2 teams agree to shorten the remaining quarters in a game, all it takes is the agreement of the 2 head coaches. The FS-Caldwell result is odd because the game was still close. Caldwell could have forced the issue and made FS stay until the storm was over or come back the next day or forfeit, but they didn't.

FS is moving the ball very well, mostly running but passing more this year. Had over 400 yards offense against Greenwood but stalled out in the red zone a couple of times. Defense has played extremely well in every game except in the 4th quarter against the Gators, due at least partly to fatigue from players going both ways vs. Greenwood platooning. Early false starts against Greenwood and 2 fumbles against Caldwell Co. kept FS from having bigger early leads in those games. FS has had very few significant injuries so far this year, they were plagued badly with them late last season. Saw South Warren play Monroe Co. in the Rafferty's Bowl, and while their defense was still very good it was not as good as last year's. However, the Spartans offense seemed a little bit better than last year's and that was without Namvong at running back for that game. Their passing game impressed me as did QB Litten's running. SW has not been as fortunate as FS in the injury department, to say the least. I think the SW coaching staff will come up with some things to help make up for the players they may not have in this game, and I expect FS to try to shorten the game by running the ball IF they can sustain the running game this year. I think FS has the talent and experience to match up with SW this year, even if the Spartans were at full strength. I'll pick FS 21-14.

The TSSAA website shows KnoxCath with a forfeit loss in their first game against Morristown West. Anyone know any details about that?

Luck is part of being a successful football team. Sometimes people think that means lucky bounces of the ball, but more often that means players staying healthy. SW has a lot of players hurt, but good coaching (which they have) can help to mask a lot of that. SW at less than 100% is still better than most teams. FS or anyone else still better bring their A-game if they expect to beat SW.

Final. FS led 40-0 with 10 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. FS ran 14 plays in the first half and 6 in the second. Efficient, to say the least. Ready for South Warren!

That's the good thing about the playoffs having 4 teams from each district. When I was a kid, only the district champ got in the playoffs so if you had a bunch of injuries or just one bad night, a really good team could miss the playoffs. I expect FS and SW to play twice this year unless Hoptown messes it up.

Saw Monroe against South Warren in the Rafferty's Bowl. They had a few good pass plays against them, but had a hard time rushing the ball. I think the same will hold true against FS. Don't see fatigue being a factor this week for FS against a 2A team. I'll guess FS 42-7.

7-Clinton Co. 5-Marshall Co. 3-Christian Co. 2-Ohio Co. 1-Webster Co. TB-Clinton Co.

Franklin-Simpson is 4-0 for the first time since 1994.

I thought about that second 1994 game (which was the 3A Region 1 title game) last night, similar score until the end. FS led BG 17-7 at the half, but BG came back to take a 20-17 lead. FS had the ball 1st and goal at the 3 with a couple of minutes left, but BG defense held them out all 4 plays. I think BG went on to be state-runner up that year with a close loss to CovCath. Didn't see the 1995 game but BG won 13-12 at BG. Closest game BG had all year as they went on to win their first state title. FS dropped down to 2A in 1995 and lost the state title game in double OT to Breathitt Co. While I'm on memory lane, 1999 also saw 2 FS-BG games, which FS swept. 14-13 at BG when the Purples missed 2 field goals in the final minute. Also a great game. FS took the rematch at home in round 2 of the playoffs 14-0. Last time FS beat BG.