smatting

Way to show class in victory . Glaser and his staff coached St. X to the best overall season of any team in the state this year. For whatever reason, they tightened up in the championship game when some critical injuries and uncharacteristic penalties made it apparent that it wasn't going to be another blowout. Trinity played - and Beatty coached - a great game. He did exactly what I thought he would have to do to beat St. X, and it certainly helped when Curley got knocked out. I saw a couple of the Trinity players who were very diplomatic after the victory. Too bad the same isn't true of some of their fans.

Tigers - Hold your heads high. You had a magnificent season. I know the pain feels unbearable right now, but time will help you recall that splendid 25-game streak and four years of the pride of playing for St. Xavier High School.

It's not so much a matter of "being ready for it" as it is being strong, quick and disciplined enough to stop it. St. X didn't really run as much veer as I form last game anyway. We'll see if they can stop a St. X offense that has also improved substantially since then.

Some of it is a little crazy, but there are also some great choices. I was all ready to go on a tirade about Nick Schickel from St. X not being on there, and then I saw he was first team! Excellent choice. A good job by the sportswriters to pick up on that - a kid short on talent compared to some of the very top kids, but absolutely the most fundamentally sound DB in the state and one who performed at as high a level as anyone in leading maybe the state's best secondary.

Yeah, just British. Plus, he's right.

I don't think the situations are analogous, necessarily. I think St. X would still have handled Trinity by at least 20 even if Vic had been out for the game. They were simply that dominant up front and defensively. I don't think that Trinity could have beaten St. X in any of the previous years with Brohm's backup starting. Certainly, Brohm's teams benefitted from a stronger defense then (as well as a relatively much weaker St. X offense). But I still maintain that he was the sine qua non, the one player without whom Trinity would not have been able to win [Edit: I sort of agree with RP about the 2002 game now that he brings it up. That year, Trinity was very strong]. I don't think one such player necessarily exists for St. X, though Anderson is obviously a difference-maker.

I don't think anyone is trying to discredit how good those players were/are. But the point is that this year's group is arguably just as, if not more, talented than that one. What is the biggest difference in their recent offensive performance versus X? There's no Brohm to throw deep outs and slants with an accuracy that no other HS QB I've ever seen could. That completely changed the way teams had to defend Trinity. It's no cut on their current players or past players.

Trinity offense vs. St. X defense St. X will try to make this a field position game, like they did last time. The last game was so thoroughly controlled by the St. X defense - which gave the offense short fields repeatedly - that it never even felt like Trinity had a chance. That said, Trinity does have the best WR group in the state, and a QB who impressed me in September despite the relentless pressure he faced from the St. X front. Will Trinity be able to run at all against St. X? They have the athletes to do it, but if they don't have success and give up the run early, St. X might shut down their passing game again. T-alum is correct in his appraisal of Trinity's offense, to a degree. Yes, it is probably the most complex passing offense anyone in the state is running. But is it a good one to run at the high school level? I'm still not convinced that it is. Bill Diedrick and Willingham ran a very similar offense at Notre Dame, and it never produced against equal or better competition because of its predictability in the running game and the extreme burden it puts on the QB making reads after the snap as opposed to allowing him to check out of a bad play pre-snap. Trinity will need Petrino to get rid of the ball quickly to avert the St. X pressure - but he may struggle to complete short slants and other "hot" passes because X's guys collapse the pocket and get their arms up very well, and he is no Manning stature-wise. If I were Bob Beatty, I would feed X a steady diet of screens and QB runs on rollouts. Try to pound the ball right at them, and throw some quick hitches to the WR when St. X leaves them in single coverage on the outside. Try to get Senn or Orndorff mismatched on a St. X DE by using more motion and shifts. We'll see how much of this he does. To do the same thing he tried to do in game one would doom Trinity in this game. St. X offense versus Trinity defense Can Trinity's front seven be competitive? That is the question. They were for literally the first three plays in the first game, then the rest of the contest was the largest mismatch I've ever seen in this series. The bottom line, IMO, is if Trinity can stop St. X from running to the outside. If the line can allow Mattingly can pick up 5 or so per toss like he did in the first contest, opening things up for Vic to run wild, then the only way Trinity will win this game is with multiple St. X turnovers. If the Rocks can't stop the St. X running game, then X will likely grind this game into a potential 28-7, 28-10 type affair. If the St. X offensive line brings the same or greater intensity than they did in September, then Trinity will need an absolutely Herculean effort from Switzer, Wood etc. to have a shot. This should be a good game, likely more competitive than the early-season lopsided affair. I expect Trinity to connect on a few of the deeper passes that they missed on before, and to have a little more success running the ball. But I think ultimately the St. X offense, defense and special teams will be too much. Trinity is a formidable foe, a worthy adversary for a tough, talented St. X team. I see this one being decided by X's outstanding pass defense and its ability to run the ball in the second half. Prediction: St. X 162 Trinity 2

I agree completely. Had Trinity not abandoned the run earlier in the year (and last year) they could have averted, or at least lessened, the wide margins of defeat. They've got to keep trying to run the ball some, even if X stones them early.

IMO John Hardin and Male were the best public school teams in 4A this year. Bowling Green and Lex Cath both could of given them a run for their money.

Great performance by St. X. Warren Central was simply outmanned and overwhelmed, especially along the lines. St. X came out motivated and firing on all cylinders. St. X got TDs from Anderson (3), Mattingly (3), Drew Eckman (1) and Alex Kramer on a punt return. Tim Doughtery added two FGs in a bitter cold.

The game will be closer than last time. I think St. X will still score at least 35-40 points if they don't turn the ball over. Trinity should be able to score this time. I think the outcome will depend on turnovers and if Trinity can connect on deep passes, which they weren't able to do last time. No predictions yet, other than....PAIN.

The most accurate forecast you will find on the internet. Unlike weather.com, this one uses short-range models. Check it out. http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=Bowling+Green%2C+KY The link is for Bowling Green. Should be a nice evening, but it'll get chilly when the sun goes down before kickoff.

In the little bit of the Warren Central game that I watched before the St. X - BG early morning affair, I was impressed with their team speed and particularly the running back. I think their defense will be similar to John Hardin's. But I remember being shocked by how tough the 2003 WC team was along the lines, not just Dewalt. I hope this crew isn't quite that physical upfront, or this game could be very tough.

Any one of you guys have an opinion or any information about his recruitment and where he might be leaning? I know he took an official visit to ND this weekend. Do you think he has serious interest in them? Or are UK and/or Georgia the only serious players? Any opinions from people close to the situation - or anyone at all, for that matter - would be appreciated.

I was actually wondering the same thing. I would think that, particularly in a playoff game, this might be against KHSAA rules. Not that it actually had any impact on the game - I'm just curious about the regulations on this.

What does this even mean? In some sense, yes, they "could have" beaten St. X. But X won both games, and in reality they were in control of both easily until weird things happened at the end of each.

I think you're dead on on all points. One thing is, I thought Mattingly was pretty effective on the ground, but neither of them was able to break off a big play like in most games. Victor ran the ball incredibly hard and very well. BTW, this game should have been over without the drama because Mattingly picked up a first down on 2nd and 9, but a mystery spot kept them a yard shy, which led to the false start, etc. Props to John Hardin's QB - that kid can play.

Absolutely. Glaser has never been given enough credit for molding his numbers into a Band of Brothers, teaching them how to be men, and loving them like a father - all the while putting together this year and last a 25-game win streak with the toughest schedule in the state, regular season and playoffs. Sounds like a Coach of the Year to me!

I agree. Last year, I thought Beaumont was the better player, and he still is likely more impressive all-around since he is able to go both ways and play basically every snap on offense. But I think Anderson is now the better offensive player. His balance allows him to break more tackles than Doug does, and I think he is just a slight step quicker and faster in the open field.

What makes me feel a little better is that X already prepared last week for Manual's Wing T. While I'm sure there are differences in this variant, the extra week of prep against a similar system can't hurt.

Eric Shelton.

There's a problem in your post. The "T" shouldn't be there next to "X," certainly not after watching the St. X-Trinity game this year. But about the game... St. X certainly isn't overlooking JH. The film of the Male-John Hardin game got their attention in a hurry. Apparently they had guys easily pulling away from Beaumont on long runs, and that's indicative of some scary, scary speed. The key in this one will be St. X's ability to control the clock. If they can chew up long drives on the ground and finish them with touchdowns, it'll keep the potent JH attack off the field and allow X to win in a tight one.

Your final question is the key. I think this matchup will depend on how strong and capable NH's lines are, and/or whether they are able to "get up" two weeks in a row to face another talented foe. I think any team who can beat X will not only have to have the skill guys, but will also have to play an exceptional game along both lines to slow the Tigers rushing attack down and move the ball on the ground against St. X. St. X's pass defense is simply too good for them to be passed on very well, and their rushing attack, which has been consistently strong of late when both backs are healthy, is almost impossible to stop unless the defense is very talented in the front seven and plays a great "out of their minds" game. The motivated Tigers that came out against Trinity and Manual will be a load for anyone.

Yeah, cause as you know, the "Kitty Cats'" offense really struggled running the ball and scoring points this year against quality teams. :lol: