Canescat

"It's just the numbers" is such a lame and lazy argument that it's not even worth responding to anymore. The commitment level of everyone involved in the T and X programs is the difference. Kids start preparing for T and X in 3rd grade. If people would simply give the kids and coaches the credit they deserve and just accept that T and X have it figured out, emulate the programs, learn from the programs and implement the plan for success at their programs, more teams would start to compete. Just throwing up your hands and blaming "numbers" will never be enough. Just wishing for "more numbers" will not solve the problem if your program doesn't know what to do with the numbers or how to create a powerhouse program with the numbers. Look deeper into these programs for the formula and then go copy it at your school, work the plan and see the results.

All of the 6A schools should gear up for the 2009 season as it looks to be a year that both Trinity and St. X will be retooling more than usual at many positions. Life at Trinity without Tim Phillips and most of the defense will be interesting and I believe a huge challenge for the coaches. At St. X replacing the best RB ever in their program and most of the rest of their team will also prove to be a big challenge. Not that these coaching staffs aren't up to the challenge, just that young and inexperienced players all over the field will be interesting to watch and hard to count on. If the public powers don't win next year then they never will.

Im sure the freshman and JV Rocks would love to play SK's and other NKy's freshman and JVs. Start there to get a taste of what its like.

Trinity will win but I believe it will be a close game. SK runs very well and that means ball control and controlling the clock, which means a short game. Kicking game and field position will be very important and whoever wins in those departments has the inside edge. Trinity's win last week was due, in large part, to the kicking game (opening kickoff return, Radclif's punt return and Robertson's kickoffs and punts) and great field position in the first half. Rocks don't want to get behind in these departments. How is SK's kicking game?

This guy must have a crystal ball.

Hard to believe that the best running back ever at Trinity, last years State Finals MVP who is having another outstanding season on another great Trinity team in his 3rd championship game is not even 2nd team AP All State. I know Tim doesn't care about individual awards but come on, to leave him out cheapens it for those who are listed, in my opinion.

Trinity and St. X were winning titles long ago when their enrollments were not anywhere near where they are today. In addition, the programs have the same number of boys participate now as they did 30+ years ago. More boys in the school does not mean more football players. Both schools always have and always will have a lot of boys come out for football. These other schools singing the blues about numbers obviously have plenty of boys to choose from the school population to match Trinity and St. X's numbers on the field, but for whatever reason the boys choose not to participate. That's not T and X's problem.

I believe Trinity will win the game and I don't care by how much. This is a milestone game for the program. Rarely, in Trinity's program, does a team get an opportunity to do something no other Trinity team has. This team has already made its mark by just being in the final for the fourth straight season. But at Trinity a team's legacy is based upon WINNING the State title. Lot's of great teams at Trinity failed to win and are not ever part of the conversation about Trinity's best teams. This year's team's legacy is to WIN the fourth in a row for the first time in school history. Also, this team will not let down the previous three who share in this incredible and unprecedented run. GO ROCKS!

:dancingpa Great win!!!! 4 peat here we come!!

Watching the video at the Courier Journal website linked by CentreRock it seems obvious to me how much Coach Beatty loves his players. I know for a fact that the players love him and the other coaches for COACHING them hard, preparing them to win and fostering that "never give up" attitude. Trinity players aren't looking for a father figure or a best friend, they want to win and be coached accordingly. Awesome video! GO ROCKS.

Trinity had too many starters out and too many mistakes the first go around. I believe both of these issues will be eliminated this Friday and Trinity will win by 3 points in another classic. Cam and Timmy will play their best games and show everyone who the best QB/RB tandem in town is.

Ballard will have to play its best game, without any mistakes to keep it close and have a chance. Trinity should win by 21 points.

I know nothing about Graves County but I guarantee that Trinity's freshman team would beat them by 3 touchdowns and be the second best team Graves County plays all year, after Trinity's varsity club.

Trinity's freshman team would have beaten Lafayette by 3 touchdowns.

Trinity 77 Graves County 0. Trinity is playing very well and nobody has a chance except St. X.

Trinity better fix the defense if it wants to win #19. I thought at times the defensive schemes were unsound. I mean I have never even seen the worst grade school coaching come up with some of the things Trinity does, like leaving the entire middle of the field without a LB or taking the OLB 25 yards from the ball to cover a WR. If Trinity can't stop the run then it will not win in the rematch. Combination of poor schemes and poor tackling made for a bad defensive performance. I thought Cam Smyth played very well with what he had to work with. Too many penalties and mistakes on the OL, all of which will be corrected. The defense just left me wondering if #19 is possible.

I thought Brohm gave the Tigers their best chance to win with his ability to run. Without him their offense was more predictable. Trinity's defense did not appear to make meaningful adjustments to the very basic offense St. X ran. I don't think this game was a preview of coming attractions simply because the coaching on both sides will be much better Friday night.

I think that what Trinity learned about St. X's new defense last year, scheme-wise, it's returning and emerging talent, and Smyth's playmaking ability will give Trinity an edge against a very talented and physical St.X defense. On the other side of the matchup, if Trinity's defense continues to play as it has (and I don't see any reason that it won't) I'm not sure if St. X will be able to score more than 10 points. Trinity's defensive personnel is as good, if not better, than it has ever been and they play very physical and fast. I see Trinity winning 21 to 10 in a very hard hitting game.

I heard that Highlands was or is very close to scheduling Trinity for the next two years. What is the word in NKY?

Of course Ohio is going to have more teams of the T and X caliber since Ohio has 10-12 million people to Kentucky's 3 million. However, no single program in Ohio is better or stronger or more capable of competing with the best from anywhere than T and X.

From my perspective the Bombers got their rear ends handed to them all night and were glassy eyed with bloody noses when leaving the field (on their own and with assistance). Trinity had one "jacked up" after another. Those injuries were not fake.

BG is very well coached, has worked some kinks out by playing a game and should give Trinity all they want. The home field is an advantage and BG has athletes. I believe Trinity will come from behind to win by 14 points after the Rocks' OL settles in. Nobody makes better in-game adjustments than Trinity.

In order to play with T and X you have to compete every second of every play. Any let down or mistake will be seized upon by both of these great teams. T and X do not miss tackles, blocks, drop passes or turn the ball over enough for their opponent to gain an advantage. Teams that expect to compete against them have to play at a high level mentally. Anything less and you find yourself down by 21 points wondering what happened.

St. X won't change because of the success it has with the style it plays. It's hard to argue for a different approach with the number of wins, state titles and points they put up against very good competition. The philosophy of run the football and stop the run is a cornerstone of highly successful programs from grade school to the pros. The team that can control the line of scrimmage, run the football and stop the run will win almost every time. It sounds as if the Tigers are loaded for bear and sent a message to everybody else by pummeling Henry Clay.

Robert Melillo injured his lower leg on the first play after making a very nice run after catch. Not sure of the extent. Will Leach also hobbled but not sure of the injury. Defense was impressive at times and out of position on others against the wing T. No real concern since Trinity won't see the wing T this year and probably had not practiced against it. Physically I thought Trinity was impressive. The line play on both sides appears solid and the running game will be very good. Cam Smyth was terrific as was Kragthorpe. Lots of talent at all positions and excellent coaching will make it difficult to beat the Rocks this year. Scott Co. played very physical, especially in the third quarter. I liked their team and they should win a lot of games. Their running game is very good and with more practice their passing game will be very effective.