UKCATSFAN

No such thing as uncatchable pass rule in high school football.

The 1st flag is thrown as a warning with no yardage maked off. The 2nd flag is thrown with 5 yards marked off. The 3rd is thrown with 15 yards marked off for unsprtsmanlike. Should be 4th and 15 from thw 25 ydl.

This is a common misunderstanding. There is no "chuck" rule in NFHS. The defense does not have 3 or 5 yards to chuck the receiver as he goes up field. As soon as he establishes a route, he can not be hit. It would be considered a defensive hold if restricted before the pass or pass interference if restricted after the pass is released. Most people also don't realized that a P.I. can be intentional and penalized an additional 15 yrds for an intentional pass interference.

Highlands is ranked in the top 25 in the nation by some polls.

Congrats to Ashland!! This was a long time coming. I'm sure all the Tomcats of young and old are enjoying this one. To answer your question though, I've had a chance to watch Highlands practice and watch one of there games and I've seen Ashland play as well on the tube. Highlands is an incredible football team. They looked even better than they were last year, IMO. Anything is possible in HS football, Ashland needs to keep getting better every week. Ashland is for real though!!

Fair enough!

Officiating is the only job in which you are EXPECTED to be PERFECT!! Everybody thinks they can do the job better than you. Everyone is an expert, everyone knows the rules, and everyone is a critic and it's not a "little complaining". I'm not exactly sure what region or association of umpires for which you speak of, nor do I know what level you speak whether it be varsity, JV, or middle school but I know for a fact that the assigner in our region is very very dedicated to the betterment of the umpires in both baseball and softball. He works hundreds of hours before the season even starts for their betterment. Of course you're going to have newer and lower rated umpires at lower levels but there are many very good umpires in our region. Many good upcoming umpires also. I'm sorry that you don't find the job they perform as satisfactory but again I say, come on out and make them better since you seem to know about the sport and umpiring. I'm sure the asigner can always use another good umpire. Good day!!

GREAT POST!!

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: People love to complain but they don't get involved. Be proactive!! Go out and join your local association and join the state, you will have a new perspective on officiating.

I agree!! You stated a great point that would bring out more people to umpire and officiate, not only in baseball. More people= better officials! Oh, it is his call on the bases but he can ask for help on that. Usually the basecoach or playing will ask for an appeal and in that case he will asked the plate for help. The plate umpire has the first-base line and should be watching for a pulled foot.

Congrats on a great season Rams!! It won't be forgotten by the Raceland faithful, I'm sure of that. I was really pulling for ya but it's just so difficult to just get to the carpet. So many things have to go right and you have to have a bit of luck. I'm heartbroken for the kids, especially the seniors on this team. I've seen the look on a kid's face after they lose the biggest game of their life. After some time you will be able to look back with fondness on this season but I know it's difficult now. You have left this program in even better shape then before you got here and not many kids can say that, you should be proud. Good luck to you all!!

I'm not trying to stir the pot at all but the season before that was played at a levelthat they should have dominated, being twice the size of everyone else.

Yeah, Kasey Clark was the Roy Kidd 2A POTY in 2005.

Congrats to the Rams! This will be my last post for the season. Some people don't agree with me posting on here and perceive it as something that it is not. But like a wise man told me tonight, PERCEPTION is everything is our business. Good luck to all area teams come playoff time. I really like to see all the area schools do well in representing our "neck of the woods". Goodbye all!!

Yeah, you're right. The playoff success isn't there at Raceland, you definately have to say that. But not many schools would have much success either if they always had to play Beechwood in the very first round. That's a extremely tough start to the playoffs. A three hour trip and then playing the usual state title favorite. You tend to see that in all championship programs from Russell to UK. Once you win it all, you're expcted to win it all every year. People tend to forget how hard it was just to get there, let alone win it. As I watched Russell 2005 playoffs from the sidelines, I tried to just take it all in and realize that I may never see this again. That was good as it gets. So many things has to go your way just to get there and if even 1 of those things goes against you, you're ging home. It's over! So yeah, Raceland should relish and enjoy every second of this season because they may just get there and trst me when I say that you want to remember every single second of the journey.

:thumb: I agree!

From what I've been hearing the Devils are having a great week of practice. I thought that this would be very important in their chances to win tonight. Russell can win this game if the play great and focused. They have a great staff who has faced many big games throughout their career. The brain tells me that Raceland will win from what I've seen of these 2 teams but there are many different factors in this game. You never know what's going to happen in a rivalry game. Sometimes you're so confident that a team will win and because of the rivalry issue both team surprise you and the outcome is different than expected. The 3 losses that Russell has this year are against quality teams and they are still a good team. I think they have to play flawless tonight but they CAN when this game with a good game plan and I think they'll need a couple turnovers. I also think that they must dominate time of possession. That will be key for a Devils win. Anything is possible in a rivalry game. It should be fun and interesting. I wish I could be there.

EVERYONE!!!!!! Please do not assume that this guy speaks for anyone other than himself. You know what they say.... Every school has a couple.

You're not a Russell fan? Your last post just told everyone to stand up and tell everyne that WE ARE RUSSELL. Give me a break kid, you're just trying to stir the pot. Oh, by the way... you're not hurting anyone's feelings. Trust me. Don't flatter yourself.

Now you're just saying absurd things looking to start an argument. I see now that you're one of those fans that people are speaking of when they say........" Every school has few". Well my friend, I bet that shoe fits you quite well. Let me ask you this and I'd like an honest answer from you, How do you come to this conclusion of what you think will happen? What have you seen from this team that makes you think that? The name on the jersey is not going to win this game. Ive cheered for Russell for many years but I like to speak from my brain rather than from my heart. I call it as I see it What makes you think that Raceland will wear down? I know that you haven't seen Raceland very much with the things you say. But what makes you say these things?

I couldn't agree with you more. The way to take Gary Morris out of the game is to just run the ball straight down there throat. If the other team is stronger up front there is not much a DC can do. Russell HAS to get those 2 players the ball in space and that will open up the run more with Drew. You're exactly right. Since Raceland is so strong up front the Devils will have to diversify from their straight Wing T. I know they have it in their arsenal, I've seen them practice it. I've even seen them run a shotgun. LOL!! How great would that be to see Cordle drop back to take snaps. I doubt very seriously it will happen but seems as though spread teams put up some point on Raceland. But anyway, I agree with you. Raceland needs to run right at them and Russell needs to diversify. They really should just trade playbooks!! I think they both need to do what the other is known for. HA HA!!

Knowing Vanderhoof and Maynard and how strong Raceland is up front, I do think they will take it straight to Russell Friday night. I think they're going to try and show them just how strong they are and try to cram it right down the Devils throat. If successful, that has the potential to end the game quickly against a team who seems to be searching for an identity. I'm sure you will see the usual spread formations at some point from the Rams but I do believe we'll see them bring it straight to Russell with those 2 RBs who just run so freakin hard. I would say that the Rams will just flat pound Russell into the ground but they do have Gary Morris walking the sidelines. I have seen that man work miracles on the defensive side of the ball. I do agree with you that it would benefit the Devils for Raceland to come out in all those spread formations. That would give Russell a great chance cause I've seen Coach Morris work wonders against those types of offenses. Remember Owensboro Catholic? You're right, they definately need some turnovers and special teams needs to play great and maybe steal some points from Raceland or put some up themselves. If Russell can stop Raceland 1st couple of drives and gain a bit of confidence, that could be huge for the Devils. That's why I think Vanderhoof will want to come out strong up front and demoralize them early. Make them think that they have no chance. That's what I think their strategy will be. Russell needs to come out FIRED up. You know what they're going to do but I think they need to diverse the playcalling just a bit to keep the Rams off balance because I feel like Raceland is so much strongr up front on both sides of the ball. Russell does not want the Rams to load the box. Cordle needs to play a perfect game. He needs to lead his team and make the plays when they ask him to throw. If not, it could be a long night for the Devils. I think Raceland wins by 2 or 3 TD's because of the strength of Raceland up front. They are just so strong and those 3 RBs run so hard and hit the hole fast. That's just my opinion but sometimes these rivalry games can go completely different than expected. You just never know in these games.

Man, what Russell team are you watching? The 6th grade team? Because they have all the qualities that you've mentioned but the varsity surely does not. First off, I have ties to Russell so I'm speaking from my brain and not my heart. I don't know how you can say the things that you're saying about Russell unless you're looking through maroon and gold glasses. When has Russell's line dominated anyone this year? I saw them play Lewis County and they didn't even handle them at all!!! You say that Raceland's line is just OK? Are you kidding me? That is one of their biggest strengths this year. That is what I believe gives them a shot at winning the state title. Every challenge that has been placed before them, they have met head on and succeeded every single time. This is a very tough Raceland line. I see probably 4 times as many football games as the average fan every year and let me tell you that Raceland's line is one of the best I've seen this year. As far as Russell's secondary being so great.....what makes them so great? What have they done this year that makes you think that? In case you didn't notice, the Rams have 2 of the best RBs in the area. Definately the hardest RBs in the area and I'd say the state. I'm not bashing Russell at all, like I said, I have some great ties to Russell and some really great memories. Ijust don't think this team has what it takes to beat the Rams and I don't see how anyone who has seen them play this year could say the things you've said and actually believe them. If you were saying this at the start of the year, I'd agree whole-heartedly. There doesn't seem to be any leadership on this team. Nobody to get in someone's face when they get out of line or gets lazy as this team definately seems to do quite often. They don't seem to have any heart and that's the most disappointing thing of it all. They have talent but without heart, you have the year like their having right now. I hope they can turn it around before the playoffs start. I really hope so. From what Ive seen of the Devils and Rams this year, both teams are headed in opposite directions and it may get ugly in Russell friday night. I really hope I'm wrong. I just don't see how you could say those things if you'd seen either team play more than once. It just doesn't make any sense to me at all.