devil58

When you throw #'s out like that, you make it look like we have to replace an entire team & start over & that, by a long shot, is not the case...There are several players returning with substantial experience...In McGlone's system, some who don't start end up playing as much or more than some who do and I'm not talking about cleanup time in the second half of games...Russell has some fine players to replace but that's no different than any other year...The great news is we ALWAYS have people waiting to step up and fill those positions...The beat goes on at Russell...Life went on without Gross & it will certainly go on next year as well...Players will be missed but just look at the players returning who played a lot this year...Kasey Clark rb/db, Jacob Sizemore end/db/p, Josh Wills g/lb, Ethan Gullett c/ol, Toby Hicks t/c, Tyler Jones de/qb/rb, Nick Lewis rb/db, Marcus Frazier db/rb, Aaron Beekman lb/rb, Dwaine Evans k/fg, Jason Dolly k...Those are the ones off the top of my head who played big time minutes this year...There are certainly more who played more limited action but that's 9 core players plus 2 kickers...Remember, most players go both ways at this level so even if some don't, that's an awfully strong nucleus of players to build around... It looks like we will be reloading again next year!!

Thankfully we play the championship in December, in 30 degree temps with tons of 2-3 minute media timeouts...I never saw the so called fatigue that Russell was supposed to succumb to...In fact, they looked a bit fresher than the guys from OCath...IMO

In that case, we appreciate you beating the best team in the west & making it so easy for us to win the title!! :thumb:

I found this post I made on August 31 prior to the Ashland game ...I certainly am not taking credit for the idea but was extremely proud when I heard that Sam Sparks made the announcement that he would like to see it done prior to next season when the team was welcomed back Saturday night after winning the State Championship... For me, the most exciting part is we may not have to wait until he retires...At this point I fully expect him to return next year...I have had many people say to me that it would be the perfect time to leave if he won the championship...He could "go out on top"...I TOTALLY disagree!! He may be enjoying coaching more now than he ever did...I have had the EXTREME priviledge of seeing this man in action up close a few times in the last couple of years...He does not look or act like a man who is anywhere near hanging up the proverbial whistle...As long as he & his wife are still in good health, I fully expect him to be back for at least one more year...We are often told that people on injured lists in sports are "day to day"...At this point in Coach's career, I would simply list him as "year to year"...Let's face it, as much as some of us would like to see him coach forever, the reality is he is going to retire at some point in the not too distant future... Let's all hope he stays as long as he wants to...He has definitely earned the right to coach on a field that is officially named after him...It's all just a formality anyway...That's been his field for a long time!!!! :fire: 58

CLUELESS!!!! :laugh: :laugh: Thanks for playing!!!

I love a woman who knows her football...If I weren't already married!!

I must be missing something... :confused: Where in this thread have you gotten that info?? I have read this entire thread and have yet to see Russell posters make any comments like this...I know my statement about our team speed is in no way stating that we have D1 players...I'm sure if anyone from OCath who posts on here has seen film on Russell they will agree that I am not making misguided comments fueled by blind loyalty...Russell's speed is not spectacular but solid 1-11...We have weaknesses just like all teams...Read it again...Why is it that every statement is twisted into a my dad can beat up your dad post?? GROW UP!!! Obviously both teams are very good or they wouldn't have made it this far...You guys may come out and jump all over us...I hope not but anything is possible... You guys are the favorites...You are rated higher than us, knocked off teams rated higher than us, & been to the championship game for the second year in a row...Most of us understand this & would never make comments toward your team that are disrespectful...You have Russell's attention & respect...I know our coaching staff & players are taking your team seriously... BTW, I don't know where that cheer came from either!! :eek: :fire: 58

That's the important point that I think people have been missing...Russell's team is not full of track stars...No one has stated that...You probably won't look at them, especially on film where everyone generally looks slower, and say WOW that's the fastest team I've ever seen...What Russell does have is several kids with above average speed who close to the ball well and no one who is fat and slow...It is rare that a team does not put anyone out there who has "questionable" mobility...So, what Fball says is pretty accurate about team speed 1-11...On the downside, you can sometimes give up some size & strength when you have this type of team...We very rarely play a game where we look bigger than our opponent... Now, if I had a choice I'd take size and speed (wouldn't we all) but I will give up some size and "possible" strength for overall team speed...

According to the info for the Championship on the KHSAA website, we will be the home team since we are in the bottom half of the bracket...Looks like we will be solid maroon... :thumb:

I hope they can do that...That is the one thing that has disappointed me this year, especially in the post season...We haven't pressured the QB enough IMO...I believe that is the reason we have "appeared" to struggle against the pass at times this year...The db's can only be expected to cover for so long...We are athletic enough to cover man to man in my opinion...We HAVE TO try some things this week to try & disrupt their QB...I have all the confidence in the world in Coach Morris...I feel certain he will put together a great package for the Aces...They will be the best team we have faced all year... Someone asked earlier about how Russell's backfield compares to Belfry's last year...Russell's is very good...Belfry's was great...2A will rarely have a team with a backfield duo as good as Howard & Jones were...You may have one "stud" back but rarely 2 in the same backfield...Russell has a "stud" in Clark, 6'0'' 190 lbs...Brown is very good at QB....He isn't very big but he's quick and has a strong, accurate arm...Edwards is a strong rb with good speed...He hits the hole quick & is hard to bring down...You can't arm tackle him...The rest of the backs, Lewis, Jones, Beekman, etc. are all quick and capable...That's the thing that about Russell year in and year out...They always have several interchangable backs to compliment a feature back or QB...There's never a weak link in the backfield...You have to respect them all...Clark and Brown have been the ones who get most of the press but Edwards, Horn(injured), Potter(injured), Lewis, & Jones have all had 100 yard games this year and Beekman has had a few long runs as well...It ain't pretty but it's been effective for the last 30 years!! We just hope we're able to hang around for awhile in this game and not get blown out by OCath's high powered offense...

They're... Just trying to help... :thumb:

Great post!!! :thumb: :thumb:

Of course you do because you won last year & lost this year...I do feel that Belfry was the better team last year but I'm not so sure the difference is as much as you all like to think...Belfry took advantage of Russell mistakes and pulled away late but at no point in that game was there the obvious thought that Russell was lucky not to be down 35-0...We know what happened with the Russell fumbles and the swing in score that it produced right before the half in last year's game...Give Belfry credit last year for taking full advantage of what they were given...They were better at that than Russell was last night...Because Russell did not capitalize on their opportunities like Belfry did last year, it caused the game to be much closer & far less in doubt than it should have been...Again, that goes back to the heart & fight in your team...Congratulations...I truly believe the better team won in both cases...

They may hope Russelll wins but believe OCath will...Like today, my heart wanted Ky to win but my head said Tennessee would...I'm not agreeing with Pirates2005, just trying to explain their possible line of thinking...

My Prediction is: Unlike last week's Belfry/Russell thread this one will not make it through the week...It's obvious that a certain trash talker on the O'Cath side won't let this thread survive...

So , what you are saying is that O Cath would have beaten your Pirates easily had you won tonight??

WOW!!! What a game!!! To say I was shocked by Russell's first half dominance would be an understatement...I did expect us to win but I would not have been surprised if we didn't...We were playing the 2 time defending champs and although it was a different team, it was still the same tradition...I didn't expect them to walk into our stadium & hand it to us and they had a good 2000 people with them who were determined to help them get back to Papa John's...As it turned out, they weren't as ready as it appeared in the first half to hand over the reigns... Momentum is funny thing and it can change like the wind!! Do you realize how close we were to being up 34-0 at the half?? Two great defensive plays/stands by Belfry made it 20-0 instead and set the stage for some nervous moments for the Devil faithful...As I stated in another post, the plays in question were right in front of me because I was standing at the goal line...On Brown's long run the defender popped the ball lose at the 1 1/2 yardline & the ball rolled into the endzone & out of bounds...That's a touchback & Belfry's ball...On the second play in question Brown was down just inside the 1 yard line...I wanted those scores too because they would have been nails in the coffin but they were the CORRECT calls... Credit Belfry for coming out in the second half and giving themselves an opportunity to win a game that could have easily been over at the half...They played with the type of heart you expect champions to play with...You have to admire that type of determination...It's a credit to the players, their families, & the coaches who instill the values and character it takes to compete at that level...Hold your heads high Pond Creek Nation...Not many will ever have the type of run you had... :thumb: Now, it's out turn to carry the torch for the eastern end of the state...It's been a long 27 years...We've sure been close recently and now we have another shot to win a title for our great school, players, & coaches...For many of us, it seems LONG overdue...Other Russell teams like 1979, 1996, 2002, & 2004 have been just as worthy but were not as fortunate to get to this point...You carry their memories with you...You have an opportunity that they dreamed of but were unable to realize...You can make things a little better by taking that final step and bringing another championship home to Russell High School... Last night Belfry played with the heart of a champion...You guys took that one "step" further...The words are on the top step as you leave the field...Read them & believe them everytime you walk up those steps..."Heart of a Red Devil"...Win or lose , you play for the LOVE & HONOR of Russell High School...Never take that lightly!! :fire: 58

Jay kind of touched on it but both the NO TD calls were correct...They were right in front of me and as much as I wanted them both to be wrong they weren't...I was on the goal line about 5 yards off the sideline...On Brown's long run the Belfry defender popped the ball lose at the 1 1/2 yard line...The ball rolled into the endzone & out of bounds...I told the guys I was with immediately that it was a touchback & Belfry's ball...The second one, Brown was down just inside the 1 yard line...Sorry guys!! I wanted those scores BADLY too!!! We would have been up 34-0 and wouldn't have had to go through the 2nd half suspense...

I'm sure you'll see the same graciousness from Russell fans again win or lose...We would expect that Belfry's great fans will respond as you've stated...I think we all are expecting another hard fought game that is full of mutual respect...We're to the point now where all we can do is wait...Have a great trip here, enjoy the game & hospitality, and have a safe trip back to Pond Creek... May the best team win!!! :fire: 58

Russell - 21 Belfry- 20 :fire: 58

There have been several games through the years where the visitor side has been full...Not many since we dropped to 2A...I have no doubt Belfry will bring more than enough to fill that side & then some...I know we had more fans than our visitor side holds when we traveled to their place last year...I know they travel at least as well as we do...I definitely look for standing room only on Friday night...The crowd would probably be a record if the temps were not going to be in the 20's...Who knows, it still may be?? It will be a great atmosphere for the boys to play in... BTW, don't forget to stop by for chili and grilled cheese at the middle school...

Well, it looks like we are going to get what we've hoped for since last year... A BELFRY/ RUSSELL REMATCH!!! Blue Blazer said the same thing I said to you guys over a week ago when I posted on one of your threads that we were hoping for a rematch...You guys are the two time defending 2A State Champs and EVERYONE from Russell has great respect for all you've accomplished...We feel like we've been right there and with a break or two, we could have done a "Devil Dance" or 2 on the carpet these last few years as well...This is our 3rd semi-final in the last 4 years...With the exception of you guys, no one from the East can match that success...We're kind of tired of being the bridesmaid!! Your great coach waited a long time for his first championship & now he's won 2 in a row...Our great coach got his first almost 30 years ago and we'd like to see him get his second before he retires...Hopefully he will get a chance to do that this year...We are proud to get to return the hospitality you showed us last year...You guys were great hosts!! This will he an "old school" game in a grand old stadium much like last year...Two teams that are going to line up and say,(for the most part), "stop our running game if you can"...I know both teams are excited and will definitely leave it all on the field...The best team will win & hopefully bring another championship to Eastern Ky the following week... I'll be extremely surprised if you'll hear any trash talk from Russell fans this week...We're going to tell you why we feel we will win but I do not expect any disrespect toward the Pirates from our fans in their comments...Hopefully, this thread will be one of the longest ever on BGP!! Good luck to both teams!! My prediction will come later this week...I don't have a real feel for it at this point...Looking forward to a great week of debate!! :fire: 58

Easy now!! I believe I remember passing you a time or two when I was wandering the halls of RHS...

I don't think it is just Eastern Ky...I don't think our state turns out a multitude of ELITE running backs...Alexander is playing in the NFL right now but I don't think you can come up with all that long a list of Ky high school running backs that have REALLY made a huge impact at the D1 level over the last 20 years... Certainly not BIG TIME D1...

Ooops!! Sorry about that!! I started my reply and had to go do a few things & I came back & finished the post...I guess I forgot it was you that asked...I'm getting older you know!!