EKU_05

JMO, but I feel that Johnson Central really lays it to the Tomcats pretty thick in this one. I may ahve to eat crow, even though I am neutral on this, but I say the Eagles take it by at least 4 TD.

Personally I feel as if Corbin has the weakest district. You put Corbin in Region 4 and they are probably the 4th or 5th best team, and yet they are the class of that district by a mile.

I finally have had a chance to get on here since last weekend. I think every Belfry fan should thank the Cardinals for being the best alarm clock possible. Not only did the Cards awake Belfry in terms of rolling through the competition but it through up huge red flags at about 4 different problems that needed to be exploited for us to live up to our potential. 1. TACKLING- It was just plain sad... if Belfry locks up then not only do they win but they may even hold SC's offense under 100 yards. The assignments were great, the execution was attrocious. 2. SPECIAL TEAMS- Pike Central demnstrated a weakness in kickoff returns... but SC thrived off it. The Punt Return for a TD plus a Kick Return inside the ten. 3. MENTAL TOUGHNESS- Belfry expected this to be a walk in the park... and once we built a lead we choked worse than the Arizona Cardinals on MNF. This proves that we have got to go for the knockout punch when it's there 4. DROPPED PASSES- We dropped at least 2 easy TD passes.... maybe even three. We finally have a QB who can put the ball where it needs to be, but what good is that if we can't make the play. You take away the kick returns and dropped passes (the mental errors) and Belfry absolutely routs the Cards in this one.... probably by a score of around 49-14. Belfry was clearly the more talented team,,, but SC EARNED and DESERVED the victory. Time to see what these Pirates are made up of.... this could be the best thing to ever happen to them, or it could be the demise of a state title calibur team.

Tim Couch..hands down.... National Player of the Year in Football where he obliterated records and brought attention never before seen to KY High Schools. In Basketball didn't he average around 30 a game? As for Kenneal Jenkins.. I remember him well. Due to injuries and sickness my first extensive varsity playing time came my Sophomore year against Madison Central @ Mad. Central. I had to guard Marquise Estill and remember switching on a screen just to see Jenkins jump nearly over my head to dunk on me.

Sad thing is this is not even that great of a team! Matewan is going to miss the playoffs this season and last week were defeated by perennial cellar dwellar Tug Valley. Kinder has won a state title before and Matewan was a powerhouse in the early 90's... but this team is average at best. He just genuinely ran the score up for the heck of it really.

So before everyone across the state jumps on the Mercer County bandwagon...just consider these stats a little... there is a pretty good team in East KY and Russell probably has numbers that are almost just as impressive!

Got bored..something crossed my mind..researched it... Belfry has been quite possibly the most dominant 2A team since dropping down, especially the past 5 seasons. Here's some interesting numbers: -Since dropping to 2A in 1999 Belfry has went 62-7 against 2A teams. In that time frame they have scored 2,617 points,,, while allowing 730. -Average score vs. 2A opponent since dropping: 38-11 - In the past five seasons (2002 season-present) the Pirates have went a remarkable 44-2 against 2A competition. During that time frame they have outscored 2A competition 1,859 to 416! -Average Score since 2002 season vs. 2A: 40-9 -In the past five seasons (only four postseasons can be accounted for) Belfry has made the state semi-finals 3/4 times, won 2/4 State Titles, and Won 4/4 District Titles (undefeated in district play) -The 2A teams to defeat Belfry are Russell (1X), Breathitt (3X), and Prestonsburg (3X) -In the past five seasons only Russell and Breathitt defeated Belfry, both teams went on to win the state title game by over 3 times the point margin of their matchup with Belfry.

Heard today that Bardstown's Coach Downs is being invetsigated bythe FBI after the complaints from some "Adams Family" saying their cousin has been kidnapped.....

This reminds me of the saturday night live skit with Will Ferrell who plays the old hair guy off the street chosen to satnd in for an art class to draw. At the end of the class when they tell him to leave he says, "You all wouldn't recognize art if IT were outside taking a dump on your car, which IT is about to do in 15 minutes."

God it's good to be a Belfry fan right now.... such a relief not having that gigantic bullseye like last year even when your team is equally as good if not better....

Not very many Larue or Western posters on here so this could be a game that gets lost in the mix. A pair of Top 5 2A teams competing for a district title. Larue County has a fairly impressive resume coming into this one, and Western is flawless. Both teams are sort of a mystery for the rest of the state. Anyone in the know with any thoughts and predictions?

If I could see any two teams play in the AA Finals it would be Belfry vs. Russell.... but...that can't happen. Just between me and everyone else... if Larue County can handle Western this weekend than maybe, just maybe, they could have the most impressive resume in the West going into playoff season.:sssh:

Gish you know good and well why all those old matchups you played against Belfry seemed so loud... in closer games more coaches come out. Hence more playcall questioning, hence larger noise! :lol: At a typical Belfry game of about 3000 people you can have the greatest coaching clinic in America because usually 1500 of those fans are coaches that night. But, at the end of the night 99% of those leave their criticisms at the door. It's just that 1% that can cause trouble such as what's going on at Boyle County. I'll admit that I am just as bad as the next guy when I get caught up in the game... but I have noticed just as JD has posted that the more my coaching experience increase, the less my criticism gets. Funny how that works! HAHA Coach Haywood is a pinnacle..plain and simple. The man stands for integrity, moral value, and touches his player's lifes on a level far beyond the playing field. Seeing sad situations in the area recently (Yogi Kinder @ Matewan, Tug Valley's team walking out at halftime last year, the swinging doors of Shelby Valley) only solidifies to me what this man has stood for. WHEN Haywood decides to retire they can say one thing, the same thing I could only wish for if I ever get to the level of being a head coach, that "He did it is way, but his way was the right way." Goinna get off topic briefly. Keith Madison recently was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame and it reminded me of a lesson I learned in one of my college coaching courses. Our professor listed no names, just numbers on board dealing with wins and losses and we discussed for one hour who was more successful with option A being average numbers and option B being some outstanding stats. She later listed another set of stats which included gradation rate, number of NCAA violations, and arrests and revealed that Option A was Keith Madison and Option B was Bob Huggins. That point stuck with me because 1) It illustrated what "success" truly means and 2) Huggins will never be a Hall of Came Coach, but Madison is. Coach Haywood is an exception... he is a Hall of Famer for the success he breeds both on and off the field for his players!

The 'Boro has too many horses for the Dragons to stop IMO and too much depth. Middlesboro has emerged, in my opinion of course, as the clearcut choice to meet Belfry in the Regional Finals.

Trust me... there are much deeper issues that would make posters on here want to call for Kinder's head. I dont know if anyone caught the part about Kinder and Hunt teaching together? If so, it's worth noting that while teaching together at Burch, Kinder was the Matewan coach. IMO, Yogi Kinder should be banned from high school coaching and 90% of that comes not from his on the field lack of sportsmanship, but instead from what he ahs done in the classroom and in the public eye.

49-7 with a running clock

Dials is a great back, dont get me wrong... but we are talking about quite possibly the best backfield in 2A with May, Chapman, and Epling... as well as Andrew Elkins who is one of the better true option QB's you will find in 2A as well. Of any of the points I made I feel the safest saying Belfry has more talent at the skill positions... heck a backfield of Ivan Lee, Phillip Hickman, and Heath Varney would make most 2A teams in the state very very happy!

Oneijoe, it is VERYsledom I disagree with you, but on this one I don't follow your logic. Belfry's second and third stringers (we are talking line, skill positions, and all) was set up inside the 30 with approximately 3 minutes plus in the game. Against a majority of Blackcat first stringers they moved the ball and scored while all the while keeping it on the ground with the clock running. The same said 2nd and 3rd stringers were also who the defintive Pburg 1st string tossed not one, not two, but THREE passes against. Upon which, it once again was a special teams unit with NO regular players who the Blackcats attempted the onside kick against. Now I don't mind splitting hairs one bit... but to say that what Pburg did was equivalent and rational to what Belfry did is proposterous in my opinion. I seldom disagree with you and strongly respect your opinion...but on this one I can't follow you.

Belfry has a definitive advantage up front on the line and should dominate. Belfry is much deeper than SC and much more athletic at the skill positions. Belfry has the mental edge on SC, having owned the Cardinals since their drop to 2A. Pburg defeated SC... Belfry demolished Pburg. Just looking at it on paper the Pirates should walk away with this one........ THUS, I AM SCARED TO DEATH! Belfry is walking into a Hornet's nest Friday against a team with nothing to lose and a history of pulling the upset. SC is gritty, well coached, capable of chewing up the clock, and VERY opportunistic in forcing turnovers. If Belfry doesn't come in focused and fired up we will watch the Cards walk away victorious.

1. Mercer 2. Russell 3. Belfry 4. Western 5. Middlesboro 6. Larue Co. 7. Caldwell Co. 8. Breathitt Co. 9. Sheldon Clark 10. Monroe County 11. Fort Campbell 12. Corbin 13. Trigg County 14. Leslie County 15. Christian Academy of Louisville

I know of a couple tiny schools who may stand in Mercer's way....

Is Pikeville a sleeper contender for the 1A title? The Panthers have lost three games, but those games were to: 4A Henry Clay- #4 in 4A, 8-0, and the Panthers played the Devils closer than quite a few Lexington 4A schools. 3A East Jessamine- The 5-2 Jaguars have lost only to 4A Henry Clay (see above) and 4A Woodford (5-2) who in turn have only been beaten by said Henry Clay and 8-0 4A Lafayette. The Panthers played the Jags very close on the road and many Panther fans felt should have upset them. 2A Belfry- #4 in 2A, 7-1. Panthers actually led the Pirates, who may very well be the best 2A team in the state in the 4th quarter. Belfry's only loss was to 7-1 3A Ashland in OT and the Pirates defeated the reigning 1A champs earlier this year. Many Pirate fans feel the best team they have faced this year has been Pikeville. Take away the three losses to competition that is a combined 20-3 and the Panthers have outscored their opposition 187-26! They have a solid line, a stingy defense, and three outstanding runners. Maybe you think they are a sleeper, maybe not, but at least we can see that this isn't your typical 4-3 1A team.

Congrats to those two,,, Western's Darden and Collins both passed the 1000 yard mark last week. By seaon's end Belfry should have three backs over 1000 yards each.

Intermountain... to make you even more mad: 1. I can choose between the Belfry/Pburg replay on WPRG 2. They just showed Belfry highlights

Hardy is getting Sports OT... so far all you missed is the rave of how wonderful Johnson Central is .... haha