Painter

I’m not surprised by which team won this game, but am shocked at how close the score was. That’s what I get for making assessments based on the Vikings of yesteryear instead of the current one. Didn’t Rowan take a hiatus from district competition just a few years ago? ryan is right….Rowan Co and Lawrence Co have both significantly raised the competitive bar in Region 1 District 8. Congrats to Mason Co… Keep up the great turna-Rowan Vikings!

Didn’t really mean to come across as trying to stifle the tone of this thread…your opinion and comments ryan are typically on point and certainly you have the right to express them… As an Ashland fan, this win is one I would like to savor for a few days within its own merit. Being a fan of high school football, I agree its compelling to speculate about all the possibilities which MIGHT lie ahead for this promising group of Tomcats. We, as fans, can afford that to do that. However, should this team even start of thinking beyond doing their best in next Monday’s practice and preparing for Waverly (OH), it would not only be presumptuous, but quite possibly disastrous. Ashland has not won a regional championship since 1990, and it’s been 3 years since taking the district crown. Beating Ironton was fantastic, but it doesn’t mean squat in terms of adding any more championships to this storied program. There is more work to be done. Ditto!

GEEEEZZZ....Enough of this Highlands stuff! :ohbrother: PLEASE!? The Cats just beat a team which they haven’t conquered in nearly two decades….I don’t care if Ashland was going to play for a state championship next week….I want to savor this victory for a while. Highlands football is about as close to my thoughts as how much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood….

Hart with the plays…the players with heart.

Congratulations on this win Rams! I just caught the game highlights on the news…even from those little snippets of film, it looked like Raceland was playing very hard. It’s amazing how a win can make some of the earlier frustrations fade. Opportunities are now there for the taking...A whole new season is about to begin!

According to his father, Conner suffered a concussion and didn’t even know what team the Tomcats were playing tonight. I’m glad there will at least be game films for him to watch...I’m afraid he won’t remember too much about this evening. Get well soon Conner, we need you back in the lineup. I hope for a speedy recovery for everyone injured in this game…there are going to be some extremely sore players tomorrow. This was a very hard hitting game…exactly what one would want from an Ashland / Ironton matchup. I especially hate to hear about the Ironton player breaking a leg if that is indeed the case…get well soon, young man.

If there is one thing which typifies this group of Tomcats, it’s they play TEAM football…very unselfish, poised and determined. From the opening drive, Ashland marched down the field, scored, and never looked back. The play selection by Coach Hart was text book in terms of ball control and variety. A very good Ironton team simply did not have an answer for the Cats tonight.

I’m not sure about tonight’s game being broadcast ryan….but you undoubtedly can watch the umpteenth showing of Russell vs Raceland (episodes 2007 AND 2008) on Time Warner. Those games are shown more than the complete series of Andy Griffith, I Love Lucy & Seinfeld combined.

"Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free...":walk:

Im only good for a free cup of coffee rambler....Graybeard is the guy with all the cash.

That is indeed true coup....they transferred back to Greenup Co.

Huh? :confused: I do agree though...Johnson Central is not, nor has ever been, on the same level as Ironton when it comes to football. As for your Kentucky reference, I actually think the Cats will take the Game Cocks this year.

There is no way to slice this that makes the situation anything less than tragic, however, I am relieved by the verdict.

Here are some stats amassed thus far from these two teams in 2009 Ironton - 3 games played: Total Passing - 93 1 TD Total Rushing - 1023 13 TD Total Yards - 1116 Opponent Total Yrds Rushing – 104 – 300 Opponent Total Yrds Passing – 140 Opponent Total Yrds – 440 Not too many surprises here…vintage Tiger football. On the average, Ironton will run the football 15 consecutive times before throwing it once. These stats came from Ironton beating Wheelersburg 24 – 8, Russell 45 – 0, and Gallia Academy 39-6. Ashland – 4 games played: Total Passing - 252 2 TD Total Rushing - 933 14 TD Total Yards - 1185 Opponent Total Yrds Rushing – 626 Opponent Total Yrds Passing – 88 Opponent Total Yrds – 714 Ashland's wins come against Greenup Co. 51-7, Raceland 31-0, Belfry 22-20 and Russell 28-7 One of the intangibles for this contest is Coach Lutz is only 4 games shy of being the all time winningest coach in history of Ohio high school football. Currently, Lutz is at 357-79-5.

I’m not quite ready for one of those Ashland/Raceland 50-50 shirts doc…especially when I see how you get beat about the head and shoulders from your GC brethren…not way I walk that fence line. I make no attempt to hide my respect for the Raceland program, and I do have roots in that fair community too.:thumb:

Don’t worry about forgetting what my allegiance is Ram Fan....at least once a year I will remind you!

In recent history, the last time Raceland was 1 -3 through their first four games was in 2000 and 2004 when they finished the season 1-9 and 5-6 respectively. Although this current season is still relatively young, this East Carter game could be a watershed moment for the 2009 Rams. If these young players have any fight in them at all, this is the time to show it. The East game is very winnable IF Raceland can start showing some of the attributes typified by Ram football. If getting beat by a single, measly point from cross county rival Greenup doesn’t light a fire under their collective behinds….you guys might as well start talking about basketball or deer hunting… One would think these players would be ready to obliterate any opponent which gets in their path from here on out. Gut check time fellas.

Boyd typically has the type of player/team which can give Russell problems…big, strong lines which usually aren’t pushed around easily…followed by a pounding running attack. A perfect example is the single blemish on Russell’s title run in 2005. However, the Lions really seem to be struggling this year, even by Boyd Co. standards. IMO….Russell puts BC out of their misery early in this contest.

LOL

Well, that clarifies your perspective a bit better. I do agree with your second post on this thread however. Your insight echoes the same thoughts we “old timers” have every year on the south side of the Ohio River…The Tomcats need to BELIEVE then go out and PERFORM accordingly. I recall Lutz mentioning some of his Ironton teams had a similar sense of dread when it was time to travel to Portsmouth. Eventually, the tide will turn in this series…even with the current lopsided run of games, fans still turn out and support their respective programs. This Friday should be no different…in fact, it may even be turned up a notch or two. BTW….I am an Ashland alumnus.:thumb:

First you write... Then you post... Well...If I buy your logic on the first quote (and I do), then it looks like the Tomcats are NOT "back" considering your expectations favor Ironton. Also...unless Ashland has found a place kicker, all of these scoring predictions for Tomcat points should probably be in increments of 6 or 8...not 7.

Not in the last decade. In 2001, Russell was blanked by Wheelersburg but that game was played in Ohio. On the other hand, Russell has shut out 9 opponents during that same stretch of time...typically its an East Carter or Lewis Co game.

LOL…Actually, he is…but barely. That’s his elbow in the far left of the pic. The photo was from the 2003 season, Coach Hart’s first encounter with Ivan McGlone. If you notice, there are 5 Tomcats in on that tackle…with another closing. The 03 Defensive Cats were fast, but the current version has taken overall speed to a new level. Ashland won at the Hank that year….33-14.

One of my favorite pics from an earlier Tomcat encounter with Russell...

Good question. Coach McGlone is our local "Dean" of football. Hart's predecessor, Larry Hall was .500 against McGlone. Composite record between these two programs has the Tomcats winning 32-20-0.