Czar

What is the hold up then?

The head coach and athletic director at Johnson Central was informed by Coach Haywood that they no longer wanted to play the game on week 11 because of the risk of injuries going into the playoffs. Coach Matney had tried to get the game moved to a earlier week for years but Belfry refused. They also said that the series was no longer competitive for them and they were looking to schedule someone else but that they still may play the game on week 3. After the conversation between the two head coaches, one of Belfry’s assistants posted on the list serve that they were looking for a week 3 game. So in a span of maybe 45 minutes, they went from possibly playing week 3 to Belfry looking for another opponent. So instead of Belfry hosting Johnson Central on week 3 in 2023 they’re traveling 3 hours away to Southwestern. The crowds during the Belfry and JC games were always massive and for many years it was the prime game in Eastern Kentucky. The two teams are playing in 2024 as a part of the Pike County Bowl. Before someone states that’s the reason why they aren’t playing this year, I want to add that JC and Pikeville agreed to play each other almost a month after Belfry dropped JC from their schedule. The Pike County Bowl had nothing to do with the decision to drop JC.

It’s still hard to believe that Belfry and Johnson Central will no longer be playing. They’ve played each other for the past 20 years. The first three years were scrimmages and the last 17 during the final week of the regular season.

I’ve heard that Mayfield and Johnson Central will be playing the next two years.

Raceland is no longer playing Johnson Central. A week after Coach Salmons told one of our high school assistants that they will host JC this season on week 5 he informed them today that he already has an opponent for week 5. It looks like he had no intention of playing that game and was looking for another game the entire time. I guess he feels like he can compete more with 5A Highlands than 4A Johnson Central. So far JC has Madison Central, Pikeville and Ironton on their non district schedule. If this is the norm for the Raceland head coach it’s no wonder he’s always looking for games. I can 100 percent guarantee that Raceland would’ve benefited more financially by playing Johnson Central that week than Highlands.

Johnson Central will be traveling to Raceland week 5.

From what I was told by someone at the game it was an assistant coach that went after and bumped the official. Paintsville can’t complain about the officials in this game. The white hat that was assigned to the game does all of their youth and middle school officiating. One of the other officials is a Paintsville graduate and another is the uncle of a recent Paintsville player.

Ashland will be scrimmaging Lexington Catholic at Cabell Midland High School in Ona West Virginia.

He’s referring to Joe Chirico.

Exactly! There’s a reason that Jim Matney has been the only one to win at Johnson Central.

Johnson Central’s baseball coach is also the principal at the Johnson County Middle School. The head softball coach is also the DPP of the Johnson County School district. In this district it is common to do both.

I was just thinking about the RPI impact of the game. Coming into this game Belfry is 14th in 3A and Johnson Central is 4th in 4A. It looks as if Belfry has little to gain in the RPI and their path is pretty much set even with a win over Johnson Central. Johnson Central still could gain some ground in the RPI with the win over Belfry. With the chance of gaining some ground in the RPI I could see JC really come out in this game trying to prove a point. From what I’m told JC is healthy and should be playing with a full roster. Does anyone know Belfry’s status? I’m hoping it’s an injury free game and both squads take home the gold in December.

Johnson Central is needing a first scrimmage. Does anyone know of any teams that are looking for a scrimmage?

The Danville game will not be played. We have tried for months to get a contract from the people at Danville but never could get one. Danville’s head coach informed us on Monday that they have picked up another team to play on that date. I’ve heard it was Breathitt County but can’t confirm that.

Johnson Central will be playing at Danville week 6. I’m not sure who the week 3 game is against but I do know they are looking for one more game and can play either week 4 or week 5.

Yes they have. A team dropped out of the Bluegrass Bowl leaving Lexington Catholic, Fern Creek and Henry Clay. The fourth team is now Johnson Central. Without swapping the games Johnson Central would’ve played Henry Clay the first two weeks of the season. Johnson Central will play Fern Creek the flowing year in the Bluegrass Bowl.

Week One Johnson Central will play Henry Clay in the Mingua Beef Jerkey Bowl. The other game will be Lafayette and Conner. Week 2 Johnson Central will play Lexington Catholic in the Bluegrass Bowl. Henry Clay will play Fern Creek in the other game of the Bluegrass Bowl.

Henry Clay and Johnson Central will be playing week one.

I hate to spoil all of your fun tomcat 1984 but Coach Love and Coach Matney are actually pretty good friends. In fact Coach Love and Coach Matney talked this year about getting the series revived but the only week Ashland had open then was week 7 and Johnson Central had that week filled with a district opponent Clay County. Ashland has since filled that date with Elizabethtown. So what did Coach Love do? Since he dislikes Coach Matney so much(your words) he turned around and agreed to scrimmage at Jonson Central on August 13th and they’re are playing an home and home series in JV. I’m not sure who is on Ashland’s schedule this year but their schedule is now fill according to Coach Love.

Was told today that Johnson Central contacted North Hardin about playing on 9/24.

It will be tough for a Corbin to get a game with their map numbers being so high. To much of a risk for teams.

Rowan was a red county last week but Ashland still played that game.

Johnson Central will play.

Johnson Central

Is the Boyle/Madison Southern game cancelled?