Diogenes

Hey, hey, watch it-you are thinking out of the box. It is that permitted in Kentucky high school football?

I had forgotten about that game. I am not certain that this was the very same game, but your point is, I believe, the dominance of the Jefferson County schools over the out in the state schools. In this,you are correct. Also, RowdyRedRam's post bears comment. He is also correct that Manual is often competitive with X, Trinity, and Male. Observers of Jefferson County football can attest to any number of games these three have played with Manual that came down to an interception, a missed field goal, or a botched play that prevented the Rams from triumph. It also bears mention that Pleasure Ridge Park has a young coach, an enthusiastic following, and is gradually creeping into contention among the elite in Jefferson County high school football. As to the nut of the issue, "When will Lexington compete with Louisville schools in 6A? Do you think it will ever happen? Do they have a chance this year with either Lafayette or Henry Clay?" I do not think they will be competitive this upcoming season. I have wondered before why they are not regularly competitive. Sure, there is the occasional odd year that they compete with the Louisville schools (1999 when Henry Clay played Trinity close before bowing and Bryan Station lost to X in overtime) but generally most astute observers of Kentucky high school football would not claim that year in and year out the elite Lexington football schools could match up with the elite Louisville football schools. I personally believe that if they were more competitive it would be better for high school football in Kentucky because it would foment regional rivalries and add excitement to the playoffs.

To objectively refute The Golfers position, Louisville schools, spearheaded by Trinity, have dominated 4A football throughout its existence. Remove Trinity from the mixture, and Male and X would be dominant. Examine the record since 2000: Male 2006-At a minimum, 2nd best team in the state. Highest computer rankings. One loss-Trinity-in a game that went down to the last play. The only non-Jefferson County opponent was an excellent Hopkinsville squad. Final score: Male, 56-7. 2002-14-1 record. Only loss: Trinity, 59-56, in a state championship game many feel is the greatest ever played in Kentucky. Non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents: Hopkinsville, Highlands, Lex. Cath, Owensboro, Nelson County, Henderson County. No game closer than 11 points. 2001-Runnerup to Trinity. Record v. non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents: 5-1. Hopkinsville, Highlands (Male by 30), Lex Cath, Meade County, Owensboro (twice). 2000-State champion. Record v. Non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents: 4-0. Beat Hoptown, Oldham County, and Nelson County (twice). Closest game v. Non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents: 20 points. X 2000- Lost only to Male and Trinity. Record v. Non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents: 4-0. Beat Madison Central, Bullitt East and Meade County by 32 or more. Also beat North Hardin. 2003-State runnerup to Trinity. Record v. Non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents:3-1. Loss was by 5 points. 2004- State champion. Record v. Non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents:7-0. Beat Scott County(twice), Lex Cath, Meade County, Nelson County, North Hardin and Henderson County. North Hardin lost to X by 14: all others by 25 or more. X won two by 50+. 2005- State runner up to Trinity. Record v. Non-Jefferson County Kentucky opponents: 6-0. Overall records against top out in state squads:36-2. The two losses were close (5 points). Many wins were by 40 or more. Since 2000, 12 of 14 teams in the 4A finals were T, X, or Male.

As I understand it, there are 10 KHSAA state championships for boys each year. I could be slightly off, but as I recall, from 1997 through 2001 (1997-1998; 1998-1999; 1999-2000; 2000-2001) X won 5 of the 10 boys state team titles two times, four one time and three one year. I am not aware of such dominance by any school at any time in Kentucky high school athletic history.. .Are you? That is why, I think, Sports Illustrated ranked X 14TH nationally in athletics (and the only Kentucky school in the top 100). BTW, this was in addition to X being first or second (with Manual) in National Merit winners. Some years X has more National Merit winners than all the Catholic schools in Kentucky combined.

I remember that recent article very well. X was the only Kentucky school to rank in the top 100. It was an honor for X to be so recognized nationally by an authoritative, objective source.

Well, as to state, X won in 2001, 2002, and 2003. BTW, tuition is not 10k yet, although expenses for books, meals, etc. push it to that level. Cost is the concern many have for private, religious based education. There will always be families that can afford almost any expense. The danger is that private, religious based education would become the sole province of the wealthy. Historically, Catholic schools were priced within reach of most families. Jefferson County residents can confirm that many financially middle class and poor Catholic school students of the 50's, 60's, and 70's received excellent educations that enabled them to do well at universities and professional schools, and then come back to Louisville and become productive citizens. The rising cost of these schools threatens to limit access to this socio economic group.

Classmate of Larry or Vince?

True that. And I think we could also agree that Larry's son, Vince, could play a little football for Trinity.

Good memory. Another interesting aspect of the pre-1968 rivalry was that T had tied H 0-0, and lost 4 games by a seven points or less. BTW, was that the Hennessey/Riddle team?

Billy was just recounting that very game to me a couple of months ago. Ox, that must have been quite a Valley team to keep the score close against a very good X team that had lost only to Cincy Elder in a close game. Who were some of the players on that Valley team?

What is the greatest game you ever seen at Manual Stadium? It may be a final minute game changer, a tight game where the lead see-sawed, a historic game, a game that affected the playoffs, or a game that just had some special memory for you. Who played, what was at stake, who won, crowd size- and any other pertinent details you may wish to add.

Saw that one too. Another Manual Stadium memory.

BuddyBW's analysis is spot on. There are a lot of memories involved. I attended my first high school game at Manual Stadium in the fall of 1959. That game featured the 1959 Manual Rams, considered by some the greatest team to ever play high school football in Kentucky, battling a powerful Flaget Brave squad. Over the years I have attended so many games there, and the memories blend and run together. I remember watching my first St. X-Trinity game with my best buddy in 1964. He was a sophomore at Trinity, and a typical high school student-absolutely certain that his school was going to prevail, despite this being the game that the Dicky Lyons returned from probation. Another great game was the 1967 Flaget-Owensboro game. Owensboro was 7-0 and unscored upon. Flaget would go on that year to win the state 3A title. Another game played there, in the late 90s or early 2000's (these memories blend as they fade) had Manual leading X handily going into the fourth quarter but inexplicably continuing to pass rather than run out the clock. X intercepted a couple and won. A number of wars between X and Male that I have witnessed surely left scars on the hearts of fans of both teams. I was at Manual Stadium on a Friday night in 1965 when Flaget snapped Male's 25 game win streak. Guru, objectively you are correct. If the head and always ruled us, who would care? Often, though, we are controlled by the heart.

Nice piece. What a memory for GRC. Did any of them play college ball?

Watch out, Shamrock69. We'll have fanatics who miss the "just kidding" disclaimer or fanatics with an ax to grind, PMing us, frothing at the mouth that when they read stuff like our latest post they remember how glad they are that when they had the choice between St X and Trinity, they went to the school they attended. (Insert X or T). Thanks for the laugh.

Excellent game by both squads. As to the playoffs later in the season, it is so difficult to get out of Jefferson County in any sport.

He scored too high on the entrance test and could not get into Trinity. (Just kidding).

For 3 mil, I would hope so. Hope to see you out there!

Thats ok, the school would still accept your donation. Perhaps the entry to the school could be christened "Danza Drive." Thanks...for the donation!

No, I'm a lot older than the portrait.

You are right. When you get my age the memory neurons no longer fire as cleanly. Thanks.

Interesting topic. Any time a team that beats Trinity and St. Xavier back to back for the state championship must be given consideration for the title of "most impressive title run in 4A history". Tigertalker, as I recall a kid named Chester Ford individually devastated a good Southern offensive line and held first-team all-state running back Jimmy Maddox and the Southern Trojans in check to bring home the 4A title to Christian County. CentreRocks, the 2001 Trinity run through state was as impressive as any I have ever witnessed by a Trinity team. That team, by the way, was one game from an undefeated season. I attended several Trinity games that season, including their only loss, which I felt was to an inferior team. While not the most impressive title run, I have said before that a book could be written, or a movie made, of the 1999 St. X march to the state 4A title, which perhaps could be considered "the most exciting title run to the state 4A title". At one time that '99 X team was behind in every game of that playoff run. In the quarterfinals, the Tigers trailed a very good Male team on a rain soaked field at Manual Stadium going into the 4th quarter, then rallied to win. In the semifinal X trailed Hopkinsville 21-0 near the end of the first half. Saint X rallied, and on a third down and game from the 25 yard line with 14 seconds left, St. X completed a post pattern to a receiver who had not caught a pass all year. The state championship was also dramatic, with X trailing on the final play of overtime, then scoring on the last play of the game to win 34-31 over an Eric Shelton led Lexington Bryan Station. What a run!

Yes, but what a team it was. They slapped Trinity and X back to back, 28-20 over T in the semi's and 28-21 over X for state. The X game ended with X at goal line but short.

I will concur with the old southern coach who liked his linemen mobile, agile and hostile. (He pronounced the adjectives with a long i).

True. And Newton's Third Law of Motion applies here:For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Just as St. Xavier and Trinity gained mightily with the inception of busing, they may suffer mightily with the demise of busing. What do BGPers think? Will the privates be negatively affected? Will some privates feel the effects more than others? If so, why?