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Dropping? "Greatly helped their prospects?" Prospects for what? That school has an amazing tradition - & there isn't a school in 1A anywhere on that list - that even resembles competition for those NCC athletes.

Perhaps playin up decision is due to proximity of 5A schools in playoff district vs. where they would have to go to compete vs. 4A KY schools? And what does it really matter? The Bluebirds schedule is always full of 6A schools: Ryle, Cooper, Campbell, Simon K., Scott Co., Boone, Lex Cath, Cov Cath - NET: The names on the schedule would NOT change much at all no matter 3A, 4A or 5A. And as far as out kicking your coverage or whatever that expression was in thread - didn't they just win a state 5A title three years ago? And like seven straight prior to that ?

Bearcats are LOADED. Coming off a 30-6 season and four starters returning as MEN with upgrades all around at the PG & shooting guard positions and a deep bench at the four/five positions. Will be great fun to watch them at NKU this season and open next year in new 5/3 arena vs. Buckeyes and UCLA.

Yeah Joe Riley loves to play - with or without break and cast. What a great game. NCC has an impressive large sophomore class - and wonderful families and competitors. Highlands frosh loaded with athletic talent, including a backup QB that comes in 3rd quarter (no snaps all season) and wins game w plays... Solid frosh class of athletes at HHS.

Seriously? Five frosh wins in a row vs HHS? Why does this NOT surprise me. Although winning at Frosh level/entry participant level - is NOT strategy one. I get that. HOWEVER... I already posted - this game - these athletes - at the start, really looked like a speed and talent mismatch. This HHS campus, community and the football tradition and Fort - the leadership amidst this concussion era of much smaller/limited participants and larger school competition - if this is important to you in the Fort - if competing and rolling your best athletes out there 24/7 - and WINNING - if that is important and part of your DNA - please STEP IN or STEP ASIDE and permit others to lead this process.

Frosh Birds scored on first two possessions and Cov Cath looked a bit overmatched talent/speed wise early on (IMO). My father and i were in first row behind the Cov Cath bench and after HHS scored again early in 1st quarter, we both looked at one another and said this was gonna get ugly. Well we were absolutely right - it did get UGLY: There must have been 20 penalties and multiple TD runs called back due to penalties - including Highlands TD at very end of game. Give Cov Cath kids credit - they stood ground/ battled last 3 quarters for a heck of a comeback W.

Baby birds host Trinity a week from Saturday at 1pm I believe. Both teams played well, and Birds simply have more firepower for now with everyone getting in on act on O: Hergott throwing and running, Faulbush, Noe, South, Buten, Vinson - believe everyone scored.

AND Joe's TD's - made possible by great line/FB blocking and a flee-flicker (spellcheck) - executed perfectly by a very gifted athlete/teammate, S. Vinson.

Next time TAC...@pregame fun, did get to meet the great folks @Claryville Inn !!

6pm on schedule

Wow. Was this not close ?

Thanks again so much for the game updates !!

Thanks SOO much Theoldguy. Travelin Dad appreciates the game updates/connect so very much - THANK YOU !!

Probably not - but why we play these fabulous games. At HHS gym, the score with 3 min. remaining before half, was 21 to 19. HHS coach made substitutions, and half score was 42 to 21 i believe. Ya best man-up between the 28 foot markers at/around half court with CC at any level. They engage D early and HARD and smell weakness & POUNCE on lesser athletes not attacking AND or caring for the ball.

No doubt - Xavier's stretch of opponents have been very tough and great test for Xavier. X has dominated this crosstown shootout for a decade...I think they've won 7 of last 9 or something - time for little Mic's team to SHOW UP and actually make shots at home. When UC senior guards play well - and shoot well alongside Soph Evans - they are a very difficult out. Love the jumping jack frosh bigs too off UC's bench (13 & 33). Hope they get a chance to rip the rim off the backboard a few times...

JOAT i actually agree with you. (danger of writing communication and not interpreting everything perfectly..) I believe they ALL should play...but just acknowledging that on some nights - this is very, very challenging - to always perform best, and hit the rotations properly..just difficult.

No sorry i don't mean to imply any kid should be playing over anyone...ever. And not here to criticize - just share a few of my observations since i've attended a few ballgames... My impression watching a few practices and consistent rotation of players during games is that - he respects the parody and kids and luvs-on as many as possible including weaving kids in and out of rotations and lineups and that is just very hard to pull off - the juggling of lineups during games - with a 3rd grade team or a 9th grade team. IMO, challenging to compete, night in and out, at the highest level vs. GOOD competition or perhaps a team of 5-7 that has played together for many months - and they know they are not coming out of the game...(confidence). OK - just posting an observation - really not great at debate

Agreed Qryche11. Someone was asking about how they were doing record-wise...I suspect they are close to 500 - I believe they have won a few more games than they have lost but as Qryche11 pointed out - it's clear this admin/coach is NOT 110% focused on doing anything/everything to get the W. He really tries to get a variety of lineups PT both in games and practices...and that too - may be a little odd for kids that have never sat on a bench prior.

The (3) 8th graders will ALL continue to play hoops thru HS, as long as they are healthy for certain. Having the frosh hoops coach Franzen leave for Cov Cath (I think) - after he coached these kids all summer - that certainly did not help this team chemistry etc. And big, talented Salter, bouncing around between JV/Frosh.. he just joined the Frosh team after other player's departure. Net, these kids have never played together as close unit - and it shows. I can't comment on sets or framework - don't really know the personnel/skillsets or the coaching strategies/framework moving forward.

Baby Birds are fine. Lotsa of individual, young talent, just at times look like they don't enjoy playing together or not very invested for sure. Don't take care of the ball/possessions. Coach/staff are very nice folks - but first year and like all staff, a public school professional/teacher as coach - checking a lot of public/family PT boxes there. The coach rolls 10 or so kids out each game - and always a different line up and kid scoring - so all good. This 10 kid strategy may ensure more bodies for JV/Varsity but it looks very recreational at times...which is probably the point with these 13 year olds I guess. Different times. 10 years a go I was asked to assist 7th grade hoopsters at HMS and watching first day of "try-outs" and the varsity coach, (who's jersey needs to be retired & hung), and a great man and coach came up to me and asked what i thought. I pointed to one hoopster trying out and said - he's very long and can jump; can't score or handle yet - but maybe down the road. He looked me square in the eyes and said "I wish him the very best, and he can get stronger and better on his time - not mine." Ok then. Different times for sure.

Thank you - Claryville - interesting...K thanks much.

What is Claryville ? What is that ? I'm good with LA, Lower Alexandria - but what is Claryville - pardon my geo ignorance ....

TAC - luv ya longtime. So i read one poster on this particular titanic struggle write "Hope the Birds can keep it close...." Like, academically close? Or shave/beard close? What close are we talkin about ? Hmmm. Keep it close - Ok that's not something I'm totally COMFY with in athletic competition - or business for that matter. Life, doesn't work that way. Close. K - Perhaps I'm from a different era or WHATeva - but "keep it close" ? How about we promote really, really committed STRONG, athletic, talented, working, physical (hello) athletes. I hope the fab Birds and ALL academic and athletic programs - ALL programs, schools, across the planet - can really "keep it close" moving forward. Good luck with closeness...(call Gillette).

When will the Cooper 'McNeils' be back? Sorry casual fan - but continue reading they are playing without them ?