strongopenyon

Cardinals (Laurel County) versus Cardinals (Scott County). The KHSAA brackets might be the only thing preventing an all-CARDINAL final.

Lafayette is not strong enough across the front-line, Henry Clay looks like a M*A*S*H unit, and Bryan Station will not win it.

It is bigger than a slight lead, IMO.

"Top Gun" announces on November 18th that the new Whitley County coach is a "done deal". Nearly two hundred posts and 30+days later, I haven't heard anything yet. Are you all going to hire a football coach?

Yes it is. Allen Edwards was Florida's Mr. Basketball in 1994 and followed fellow Miami Senior High's Gimel Martinez to Kentucky to play for Ricky P.

I also hear that another Lexington future tight end has orally commited to Louisville. Pete Nochta, who was Tates Creek's quarterback, has given Louisville his honor. Pete is 6'6"/220 and has a world of growth potential. Looks like a redshirt, hit the weights hard, and learn a new position situation. Congratulations to Pete!

Oral commitment by big Sam Gardner to Michigan State this weekend on his official visit. I personally look for big Sam to outgrow the tight end position and be moved inside. I know that is not what he wants to hear, but if you are 6'6"/255 and 17 years old, how big an ole boy are you going to grow up to be? Congratulations to Sam!

That story will make you stop and count your blessings.

I agree and I'll up you one. Get rid of the open week and play the championships (for four classes....don't need any more) during Thanksgiving weekend. Also, play some of the championship games (maybe two of them) at Commonwealth Stadium. Their precious grass will have the whole winter and summer months to heal.

Chris Hawkins was #75 at Henry Clay. 6'3"/285 offensive tackle who played some defensive tackle late in the year. #55 was Jermaine Birch and a load is a good way to describe him. He played center, noseguard, and defensive tackle throughout the year.

The Stadium of Champions is a wonderful facility worthy of hosting a bowl game. What a wonderful bermuda playing surface!

Thanks to BGP and all the posters. I feel BGP is a great place to gather information.......some that I don't necessarily agree with, but any prudent person's opinion is one to be respected. Through BGP, we got a good thing going on in Kentucky. I look forward to watching it grow in the future!

Booty's situation was unprecidented in that he did not play his senior year of high school. Will Fidler enrolling second semester at UK is not unusual in this day. There are a number of quarterbacks who have gone this route. I saw where another poster mentioned Eric Zeier. I think he was the first. Eric Ainge at Tennessee was an early enroller. I feel like Fidler will gain a significant advantage over Hartline who appears to be coming to school in August.

Ditto!

Actually, there is no dirt involved. A sand base under a carpet made up of a plastic liner and the blades of artificial grass. The rubber pellets allow the artificial blades of grass to stand up.

Henry Clay has some excellent playmakers coming back. Their outstanding 2005 team's run deep into the playoffs provided great experience for the 2006 team........but, they must replace a three year starter at quarterback and the entire offensive line. They have some promising players in these positions who must grow up quickly to enable the team to build on the successes of the 2005 club. They have not scrimmaged Lexington Catholic of late nor played them in JV or freshman and I understand are unable to due to Fayette County's ridiculous boycott of Lexington Catholic. I think Coach Simpson would and maybe someone in our reading audience has the political clout to get this accomplished.

I personally love a beautiful natural grass field. A natural grass field does not hold up through the fall football and soccer season for most schools. There are girls and boys soccer and football games, and even practices that, by October, leaves the field which no grass. The newly developed turf solves many of these issues. Personally, I would love to see UK use the field turf at Commonwealth Stadium. And then the city of Lexington make an effort to get some of the high school playoffs at Commonwealth Stadium. Maybe two classes games played in Lexington and two in Louisville. Would boost UK's recruiting as well! A needed boost!

With no disrespect for Trinity who dominated the contest, I felt Henry Clay had better "raw" talent than the Rocks!

Johnson play sparingly at defensive tackle early in the year. Minnifield began playing a little offense beginning in the middle of the year. Simpson only played safety beginning in the South Laurel game. Gardner played defensive end in the last two games. Chris Hawkins (OT) and Matt Breen (OT) played defense in the last two games. Jermaine Birch (C/NG) and Case Allin (OG/LB) were the only two-way performers the entire year. Coach Simpson wanted to two-platoon, but as they advanced deep into the playoffs, he realized his only chance of winning it all would be if he let the horses play.

If I was the quarterback next year at Lexington Catholic, I would be licking my chops at the thought of directing spirals towards one, Wes Caldwell......a quarterback's dream........a defense's nightmare.

The Lexington Catholic boycott is one that is not embraced by at least one Lexington football coach. Not to speak for him, but I feel certain Sam Simpson would love to play Lexington Catholic. I think 90%+ of the students, fans, coaches, players, etc. in Lexington would like to see the publics play Lexington Catholic and Lexington Christian in football. Only a select few are fueling this ridiculous boycott. As far as Henry Clay's lack of parlaying their outstanding talent into a state championship, I am going to blame it on experience. Henry Clay had not been in that position of the state semi-finals in over ten years. Trinity and St. X are there every year and I truly believe their players and coaches have developed a comfort level with the competition at championship time. It looked to me the Trinity players and coaches knew they were going to win that ballgame. Just like what Coach K has instilled in the Duke basketball players. That is the result of Pride, Loyalty, Discipline, and Achievement over many years. It doesn't happen overnight. Henry Clay's football program needs to continue to strive to achieve this level of excellence. This year's talented team making it to the semi-finals versus Trinity was a long stride in the right direction towards establishing itself as a "year-in, year-out" contender in 4A football.

The last time Coach Sphire had to find a new quarterback to replace a successful three year starter, he found a pretty nice replacement (Mr. Justin Burke). Justin competed with and won the job from a junior (Tanner Doss) heir-apparent to the position. A similar situation presents itself this year. Justin Burke's backup was a junior, Tyler Hancock. Does he run the offense for one year, or does Bob continue in his tradition of starting and developing a sophomore quarterback in an effort to get three quality years of production from him?

I admire what Bowling Green's coach did after the multiple personal foul penalties......had the entire team huddle and indicated this type of representation of their school and community would not be tolerated. They showed class after that (except the thug who threw his headgear about 40 yards to the endzone after the game).

I personally do not think Lexington Catholic could play with the 4A big shots, but Justin Burke gives them the potential to beat anybody on any given day. I feel LC would be dominated at the line of scrimmage against a big team although Bowling Green looked mighty big to me and took a trashing. Lexington Catholic's defense was very small, but very quick.

How right you are! Bowling Green's offense was awful maybe as a result of Catholic's great defense. Very small but quick.