Darkwing

After that point, Jude had all of three carries for 17 yards, in well over a quarter of play. All other RBs and the QB carried multiple times throughout the game and also the fourth quarter. If he were solely attempting to get yards for Jude, he could've tried much, much harder, and done much, much more against a rather defenseless Greenup County team. Don't ask me to explain the reasoning for the knee; I can't. But I can tell you, if he wanted Jude to have 500 plus that game...it would not have been any problem. At all. Same for the Boyd County game, and Heath, and St. Thomas More...

Glad that Trinity took it easy on HHS in the scrimmage! Wow, how bad would this beating be in real season? Feel sorry for Cincy St. X. Recruiting is AWESOME this season. Hope Calipari can take a lesson from Beatty!!!

Central maybe. They'd have to do more than squeak by the teams they're squeaked by. Bell County...are you kidding me? After the destruction of Lone Oak, 3A is PT's to lose, period. 3A is dishwater weak anyway.

This is amazing. Tilghman is 3A favorite. They'll be okay.

Sure looks like Ironton sucks. And if they think Russell's QB is good, they've not seen Hunter. I take Ashland in this one. Ashland is district favorite, big.

Not sure what anyone can grumble about here. He had 9 carries and didn't play after the first series of the third quarter. Matney had JV in on both sides of the football by mid-third, and at one point tried a 54 yard FG. if you find something unsportsmanlike tonight, you're on a witch hunt.

Hey, not that they ever call important game-tying field goals good in important games at Putnam Stadium anyhow... =) (Devil's advocate, from a Johnson Central fan, from several years ago...in respectful, joking manner.)

Boyle's no pushover. Especially in Boyle County. If the Birds win by 3 TDs, then you might as well go ahead and not play the rest of the 4A season. I can't imagine winning by 21 in Danville against THAT black and gold. (And, just for the record...I do love black and gold.) Is it Harrington who wore #6 last year for Boyle, is that the right name? That kid was fantastic on defense. Sure, Highlands is Highlands, always will be. I can't imagine Mueller will overlook any team, he's too good a coach. But for the HHS fans, if you think this is an easy W, don't be surprised if you go down to Danville and that team punches your team in the mouth right up front. They're not playing around, and they have a few state titles of their own! I'd like to watch this game myself.(However, I cancelled a trip to NYC in order to attend JC's home opener, so...yeah.)

As I said, all I saw were the two games against Johnson Central. Even on a bad ankle, Mueller had Towles carrying the football more than throwing, especially in the first half as I recall. Not saying Towles is an inferior QB, or even that he was at full strength against JC, nor will I deny he might have been throttled a bit by the conservative game plan. He throws fine passes, and he's a top-notch HS QB. Bir ripped us apart throwing the football, though. All over the field, all the different routes, and very accurate, again and again. I'm not saying Towles is overrated as a prospect; I'm saying Bir is very UNDERrated at this point. I'm sure that'll change.

Having seen both HHS and CovCath in person as an impartial observer last year, I thought CC had the better offense. Bir, I thought, was a much more accurate passer than Towles, who really only did damage against JC running the football. I don't think Towles threw the same tight spirals or velocity as Bir did in the action I saw. If CC develops anything that resembles a defense, they're probably one of a very, very few teams that could keep it close with HHS. Just my two cents. I don't think CC will beat HHS, but I think they have to be included in any top 5 in Class 4A.

Well, nobody on this side of the state outside of Belfry and Sheldon Clark last year will play us. We offered plenty of people, too. And we needed a tenth game, badly. And when you're breaking in a whole new backfield, playing somebody like Highlands or Boyle County in week zero probably is not a great idea. The schedule needed a SERIOUS downgrade from last year's constant brutality. With a whole lot of graduated seniors and thin numbers to begin with, getting your team destroyed early and often is a real good way to ruin a season (and potentially a program) in a fragile rebuilding period. No mountain team is going to compete with Highlands on a regular basis, ever. Is just is not possible. The population base does not produce that many athletes that consistently. There'll be good years, sure, where an upset win under the right circumstances might be possible - but most years, no, they'll be playing for a district championship at best and to advance for the privilege of being a Bluebird road bump on the way to their umpteenth state championship (just like everybody else in whatever class HHS is in). That's just the way it is. I personally am glad to see more winnable and fun games to watch on the schedule myself as a fan. That's my two cents, since everybody else has felt free to offer theirs on a scheduling situation they don't know much about.

It's on there nearly complete now. You can add St. Thomas More (Ontario, Canada) on there for the Sept 9th weekend, as I understand it, as a home game, but not sure yet if that's Fri or Sat. The other nine games are confirmed.

They were the best team on our schedule, I thought. I'd put HHS 2nd, and Boyle 3rd. Actually, I'd have a hard time deciding between Boyle and Knox Central on a neutral field, given the games we played with each. I will say I'd make Bell a two touchdown favorite on Log Mountain in next Friday's game based on what I saw from each team. Just one JC fan's thoughts. It is what it is.

...it was also one play from being tied. Or a Golden Eagle win, with a two point conversion. You can look at it either way.

They're gonna need to come out like the Guns of the Navarone to get back in this one.

That's probably your ballgame. Central ball coming out of the half. Not the last gasp, but pretty close.

It very well may be played again. Y'all come back now, ya hear? We'll try to keep the shoes on the young'uns with y'all comin' to visit, but you'ns gotta watch out for them kids playin' in the creek in back of them visitor bleachers, they like to spit in your soda pop when you ain't lookin'. In all seriousness, I think the JC fans echo the sentiment of noted scholar Ric "Nature Boy" Flair, who once opined, "To be The Man, you've got to BEAT The Man." Which is why we welcome the opportunity to play HHS in our beloved Nest. We look forward to trying to match the state championship-level effort and skill we know HHS will bring. Obviously I can't speak for every single local who may show up for this game (every school's got a couple of fans they don't want the world to meet), but the great majority of Eagle Nation will treat our visitors with courtesy and respect. Been waiting for this game ever since about this time last year. The coaches, staff, and fans know what we're up against, and we're going to be as ready as we can be!

He's not. Former girls basketball coach Phillip Wireman is principal at JCHS. Backup QB B.J. Hamilton has a father who serves as principal of the alternative school in Johnson County.

Saw Bradley play at Johnson Central. He's good, have no doubt. And in Cooper's multiple-set offense, he's a weapon. But, Jude, I think, is marginally faster, and runs as hard as any back you'll see. If you haven't seen him, wait until you do. You can hit him in the backfield. That doesn't mean he's going down. And he's shifty. If you miss him, he's going to run a very long way.

WSIP stats have him at 2,082 for the season after nine games. I think the school season record was 2,600-something by Shawn Grim. (Don't quote me on that number.)

I wish we had these problems in Johnson County.

Wasn't just an individual record. They also set a team single-game rushing record with 775 ground yards (previous best was 710 by Henderson County). And for all you people who live outside Johnson County, I can assure you that nobody outside Johnson County is really concerned if you view this accomplishment negatively. This is a part of the world where there's not always a lot to be happy about, and this is certainly something to celebrate when something outstanding happens, especially for a great kid and his family.

http://dailyindependent.com/localsports/x921680863/Central-jumps-out-early-holds-off-Ashland-charge-to-win-42-26 From the ADI.

Big win at Putnam. You win by 16 at Putnam, means you really won by 26, or more. Some odd calls tonight. More penalty yards against JC, true, but several came against Ashland at very crucial times. The officials totally disrupted any rhythm this game this game might've developed. Anyhow, good job, Black. We ran all over the field with Jude and Hall and Bratton and Ousley and overcame any influence the officials might've had. Forced three picks by Hunter and a turnover on kickoff returns, and won it fair and square in enemy territory for what should the fifth consecutive district title for the black and gold. Makes an old alumnus happy inside.