AverageJoesGym

This is a surprise to me. I thought PSW would win by two or three touchdowns.

 

Is Somerset going to give Danville a game in a couple of weeks?

I don't think Somerset will be much of a threat to Danville. I don't think they will get totally blown out but I don't think they can push them too much. Except for one corner route throw for a touchdown and a tight end dump that gained quite a few yards Southwestern mainly moved the ball on the ground against Somerset. Somerset just does not tackle well. That being said when their offensive line gave Deaton time to set and throw he and Cole just shredded SW's secondary. Both ints came as a result of Deaton getting flushed out of the pocket and making a poor decision to throw back across his body on the run to the middle of the field rather than good coverage from SW. That being said if Danville puts their corners on an island and puts 8-9 people in the box like they have the first couple of games it should stay relatively close something in the neighborhood of 40-21. From what I saw last night Somerset's biggest problem is poor tackling and SW's is their secondary--they were okay on screens and slants but just about every time Somerset had time to go up top it resulted in a big play, and their kicking game will hurt them if it doesn't improve.

This isn't really related to tonight's game but I though some PC supporters would know the answer to this. I have heard that Pulaski is going to have an alumni game with players who graduated in odd numbered years playing against players who graduated in even number years and that the game would be full contact. Has anyone else heard this? I could see a flag football game but not full contact--unless its sponsered by LC Regional Hospital and several local chiropractors!

^^^^^^

I'm having a party at my apartment after the SHS-SW game. PM me for info--or you can go to backyard burger.......

UPDATE: I'm not going to get out of Atlanta until after noon so I won't be having the after party this year--but I should make it by gametime of the first game. Hope everyone has a safe trip!

Average,

 

I don't know when you played or even if you played, but when I played, when there was only one football team in the county, we didn't duck anyone. As a matter of fact, we, a A school playing up in AA, beat several schools that were in AAA and AAAA. We didn't care who it was or where it was being played - a game was one to be won. We had a job to do and we did it.

 

Our coach never went into a game just looking at it as a game to be played. He prepared us to win, just not play the game. I don't know how Cobb can look at it as just another game - "it means more to them than us." :confused: Is he just sending mixed messages or what?

 

When it comes time to lace up the shoes and snap the chinstrap on, I still get goosebumps. Do you?

 

As I said before, I hope SW wins this one and the Jumpers win the rest of them. Play hard and play long.:ylsuper:

I played at Somerset from 84-87. I've been in Atlanta all week so I haven't read anything previewing the game so I don't really know what Coach Cobb has said about the game. Whatever was in the paper none of us has any idea what he's been saying to his team in practice--I'm sure he'll have them emotionally ready. I'd say his primary concern this week hasn't even been SW, as much fun as these games are for the players and fans, I'd say he's more interested in fixing that defense (and I use that term loosely) before district play. Anyway, I hope everyone has a safe, fun game and the Jumpers come out on top. Realistically though I can't see it happening--that's too far to come on defense in one week--I'll stick with SW somewhere around 35-21.

 

And why play only 1 county school? It only makes sense gate wise. Somerset doesn't draw the crowds like they used to. But, being a 1A school, I guess that explains it.

 

I've said several times that I wish Somerset would get to play both county schools each year. With 6 district games, the Correll Bowl, a regular game with Danville 8 games have been locked up each year. Most years Somerset and Southwestern (and sometimes Pulaski) play in one of the opening weekend bowl games which takes up the 9th game leaving only one slot. Most of the time that last slot is filled by a team not quite on the level of the first 3 weeks before going into district play--I guess that is just Coach Cobb's preference. However, with the reclassification in effect next year Somerset will only have 5 district games and the county schools 4, hopefully that will mean that all 3 teams get to play each other each year. Somerset still draws a pretty good crowd most weeks, it does drop off when they play some of the weaker teams in their district but so does most teams. Of course they aren't going to draw like they did 20 years ago--there were only 2 local teams back then and Pulaski was just getting started and wasn't very good so they were pretty much the only game in town.

As I said before the research/records don't have any bearing on tonight's game, I just thought it was pretty remarkable what Somerset had done as the smallest team in town against the county schools. I also wasn't trying to "cover" myself by saying I thought SW will win--they should, IMO they're the better team this year. Anyway, good luck to both teams hopefully it will be a fun and safe game that will help both teams prepare for their district schedules.

With all Due Respect to SHS, your post, and you. With the Record against SW, and all the stats you threw out. Whatever the reason was why SHS wouldn’t play us in 1999. I mean all the rumors and talk ( I know you didnt say anything about that, but I have heard talk for 6 years now) about Coach a not wanting to play SHS... Well that’s a load of crap. SW plays the toughest SCH of any school in the county year in and year out. He has never turned down a chance to play a top notch team. (Danville, Boyle (Non-district years), Trinity, Highlands, Glasgow etc....) No one will know the true reason why the bash in 1999 didn’t go down oh well I am over it. We got our game that same year although in Basketball. We stomped SHS twice by 20 + including the District title game but lets compare apples to apples here.... Yeah SHS made it to Semi-state, and we lost to BE in the 1st round (heard it a 1000 times I know I played I was there) However SHS came home to Somerset with the same thing we left SW with the night we lost to BE. A LOSS. Just b/c you made it farther doesn’t mean squat. Just delayed the Inevitable….

 

Somerset is/has been a great program for many years.

SW has been a great program for about 12 years now. # Of D1 players or size of the school really means nothing to me. If a team is ready to play a team is ready to play regardless of size.

 

That being said hope tonight is a great game and good luck to both teams.

 

GO WARRIORS!!!

I will agree with you on one thing about the 99 situation, I don't think it had anything to do with Coach Anderson not wanting to play Somerset. Southwestern always plays quality opponents and I've said on BGP several times that I hope with the reduction in the number of district games starting next year that Somerset will schedule both county schools each year, the excitement and gates from those gains are good for all of the programs. As for how things would have went in 99 I guess we'll never know. Somerset didn't bring home a 1A title that year but I wouldn't say that a regional title doesn't mean squat, its something neither of the county schools has ever won.

Somerset is 6-3 against SW all time. That is a 2-1 margin 19-7 in county games, they aren't paper champions--they have been dominant against the bigger county schools. I assure you they were not afraid of SW in 99. That year they added a district game so they had one less game to schedule non-district. They were in a district with Danville, Campbellsville, Harrodsburg and Metcalfe Co. Of those 4, 3 were ranked in the preseason top 5 of 1A. Somerset was coming off of a 4-7 season and except for 1 team played all 2 or 3A teams in their pre-district schedule. As I said SW and PC should beat Somerset 3/4 or better of the time according to their numbers and the number of D-1 players produced--it just hasn't worked out that way. Just like all those college players haven't been able to get SW past the 2nd round of the playoffs. Do I think Somerset will win tonight, no really I don't but then again they shouldn't have a chance most years but they've managed to more than hold their own over the years.

^^^^^^

I'm having a party at my apartment after the SHS-SW game. PM me for info--or you can go to backyard burger.......

:sssh:

In 99 Somerset started playing only one county team each year. That year both Somerset's and SW's scores against Danville and PC were very similar. That year Somerset advanced to the state semifinals while SW lost as a #1 seed in the first round of the playoffs to a #4 seed. If you look at their record overall Somerset has no apologies to make to either one of the county schools as their record dominates the two series even though they are the smallest team. If you look at numbers Somerset should almost never beat either of the county teams.

In 99 Somerset started playing only one county team each year. That year both Somerset's and SW's scores against Danville and PC were very similar. That year Somerset advanced to the state semifinals while SW lost as a #1 seed in the first round of the playoffs to a #4 seed. If you look at their record overall Somerset has no apologies to make to either one of the county schools as their record dominates the two series even though they are the smallest team. If you look at numbers Somerset should almost never beat either of the county teams.

I think McCreary either just quit the PCYFL or started their own league. Last year the Bucs from the LCYFL beat the Titans from MC in their own bowl game 48-0. Either way, I hope they keep improving and put a decent team on the field the next few years.

This has no bearing on tonight's game which SW should win by a couple of scores. However, I did some research and the people that are picking a blowout, regardless of what happened at Male, should maybe look at this:

Overall records since 1998 (that's all that's on KHSAA)

Somerset Southwestern Pulaski Co.

64-33 .660 57-35 .620 44-44 .500

9-2 in co. 6-6 in co. 4-11 in co.

3-1 vs. SW 1-3 vs. SHS 1-6 vs. SHS

6-1 vs. PC 5-3 vs. PC 3-5 vs. SW

9-8 playoffs 4-8 playoffs 3-5 playoffs

2 dist. champs. 2 district champs. 0 district champs

2 reg. champs 0 region champs. 0 region champs

28.9 pts scrd. 30.8 pts. scrd 27.9 pts. scrd.

20.1 allowed 19.9 allowed 25.6 allowed

Overall Somerset is 13-4 against Pulaski and 6-3 against Southwestern. Pretty impressive for the smallest team in the county.

Southwestern has a really nice team. However Jones, no matter what the hype is not nearly as good as Ammons. SW was lit up by a traditional running team in Danville, Deaton to Cole produced 300 yards in their game. Like I said I think SW wins but it won't be a cake walk. If you struggled against Danville's passing attack you better improve in a hurry. Somerset scores at least 21 in this game and keeps it close.

Pulaski will not score unless Danville needs work on their JV defense. Danville 56-0. Pulaski is easily the worst 3A team playing for a district title this year.

Mercer 42 against a very generous SL defense 24. The passing game of SL plays right into Mercer's hands.

It sounds as though both teams struggled with pass defense in their openers. Lost in the lopsided score with Franklin Co. was the fact that Somerset put up some impressive offensive numbers. This is a rivalry game which usually makes the underdog more dangerous. I'd say after a rough week of practice Somerset's defense comes out better prepared but it won't be enough: Southwestern 34- Somerset 20. Hopefully with the redistricting this will be an annual matchup, there should be enough room on the schedule for Somerset to play both county schools each year now.

Using scores from last season's games to compare this year's teams is not much of a system. Even using scores from common opponents in the same year can be deceiving. At this point, only one game, Rockcastle probably deserves to be ranked ahead of SW. They beat a ranked 2A school while SW lost to a ranked 1A school. Both were close games but with only one game to go on 1-0 trumps 0-1. As for who is truly better, that may well be a different story altogether, give it a few more games.

Very good post! :thumb: . I've tried to be conservative with my post on this subject just for the reason that Somerset has been somewhat of the scapegoat for the P/P debate. I'm still curious though for the official reason that Somerset petitioned for the class move up.

From what I heard it put them in a district with 6 teams instead of 5 so there was one less game to schedule plus all of the teams in that district are located within an hour's drive instead of the longer drives to Middlesboro, Knott, and Leslie. I would have liked to have seen the Corbin-Middlesboro games each year but maybe we can get at least one of them on the schedule each year as a non-district game.

Looks like Somerset is dodging another district that doesn't suit them.

That rings kind of hollow when they're playing up a class and none of their district opponents is more than an hour drive from home. Even in the proposed 2A district Somerset should have been in the top 2 most years and in the top 3 every year. You're actually going to down a team for playing up a class when they would have been one of the smaller 2A teams--is it just jealousy or are you going to continue to make Somerset the scapegoat for the whole public/private thing?

 

I do not believe that all time records hold much snuff these days. Until the 1990's most of the Big County Schools (Bell County included) had terrible football programs.

Only 2 of those 26 games were played before 1990. As far as feeder programs go Somerset's 7th grade team last year defeated Corbin (twice), Rockcastle, North Laurel, South Laurel, Pulaski, and Clay Co. while starting 5 6th graders. Both their 7th and 8th grade teams should be very good this year too. Say what you want and it may be true that several of the smaller mountain schools would have a hard time competing annually with the larger mountain schools but programs such as Corbin, Middlesboro, Somerset, Hazard and Pikeville give the larger mountain schools all they want year in and year out--and I don't see that changing.

Somerset too high!

Pulaski too high!

Sheldon Clark too high!

I'm a Somerset fan but I'll agree with you on them, they've got a good nucleus returning but I think they'll have to prove themselves before they should be ranked above Bell Co (among others). Pulaski Co. should be no where near the top 10 and I can't really say about Sheldon Clark as I really don't know much about them.

I can't speak for Somerset and Middlesboro because I am not familiar with their schedules but Corbin has more than held their own against the big boys. I am in full agreement with you AJG all can hold their own. I'm sure Somerset and Middlesboro can too. Laurel County has beaten Corbin 3 in a row but that should end this year and things should go back to Corbin having the upper hand on them. A couple years ago, Corbin beat Henry Clay and Bryan Station in consecutive years. The following year, they were a bad punt from beating Lexington Catholic. Year before last Corbin beat 3A rockcastle 42-22.

 

Corbin has gotten the overrated rep the past few years due to their district that they play in. It's not up to Corbin to play sometimes district games 2hours away and against teams who with all due respect just aren't on the same level. To my understanding Somerset, Middlesboro, and Leslie lose a lot after this year but Corbin will be in a much better district next season and the years beyond.

I'd really like to see the proposed district with Corbin, Middlesboro, Leslie Co., Knott Co. and Somerset but the word I'm getting is that Somerset will play up and play 3A. That was a fun district back in the 80's with Someret, Middlesboro, Corbin and Wayne Co. It would be even more fun now that more than one of the teams would make the playoffs, it was pretty rough some years when 3 of the 4 teams were rated in the top 10 and one loss could mean you didn't even make the playoffs.

I would also expect Pulaski County to beat Middlesboro and Somerset.

 

Somerset, Middlesboro and Corbin should all be big dogs in their districts and compete for their regional championship. This does not mean that they would fare well against the larger 3A and 4A schools in the mountains.

 

You didn't mean Southwestern instead of Pulaski did you? Pulaski is coming off of a 2-8 season in which they were drilled by Somerset and they were beaten soundly in a scrimmage with Lincoln Co last week. As far as Somerset, Middlesboro and Corbin not faring well against the larger 3A and 4A schools in the mountains you better think again. Those 3 schools more than hold their own with anyone in the mountains. In fact Somerset is 19-7 all time against both Pulaski and Southwestern.

My son played in an All-Star tounament in Cookeville, Tn last weekend (12 and under) and one of the teams did the most annoying chant. Half the team when in the field would yell Hey and the rest would answer with Yep. They sounded like the Budweiser Frogs or something. That being said as long as the chatter isn't personal or obscene its just part of the game, its not like yelling when a golfer is putting or something. The kids are playing for fun if they like it so be it...However the umps are being paid, if it isn't personal or obscene to the other team or directed at the umps they should just deal with it. What if the pitcher uttered a gutteral grunt that annoyed the umps everytime he threw the ball, should he get the boot. Live with it.

I always liked Corbin's uniforms. They pretty much stay with tradition and I love how it says Redhounds on the back instead of the player names. Danville's are good too, I like Somerset's since they went back to "old gold" instead of the Green Bay Packer Yellow they used to use.