SouthernSportsFan

I'm not saying that you're wrong in your rankings. Do whatever you please. Last season, McCreary beat West Jessamine in the regular season, but lost at home and at Wayne County, before thrashing them in the tournament. I guess I was looking more big-picture, not an actual game by game ranking. At this point, with the few games that have been played, I don't have much argument, except West Jessamine hasn't played with the the unknown at coach and graduating a few seniors, a lot has yet to be determined about them.

After one game? Ok... :idunno:

I'm not surprised at this game. Why? Mercer came to McCreary last year and took the Raiders into overtime before falling. They probably should have won last year. I'm not surprised at all. I don't think this means Mercer is better than McCreary, or vice versa. Mercer lost last year by four in overtime, and one team went to the regional finals and one team bowed out in the first round of the districts, with a record right around .500.

I'm not sure. It being early in the season and all. I'm going to stay mum on this one.

I don't know much about Trinity, so I have a couple of questions. I know Scott County is highly regarded, so how big of an upset is this? And did Scott County have their full compliment of players?

I don't know, and I wondered the same. I haven't spoken to anyone about it.

I just look at it in the basis of who each team HAS to play, and who each team schedules to be better. Perhaps I am wrong.

I mean playing games outside of their own region. Lex Cath has to play Scott twice and so on... But from every other region that is not REQUIRED to play against Scott, LexCath, Anderson, Corbin, then no, I'm not being sarcastic.

I was incorrect. They do play Scott County, Kentucky twice. And if they end up playing Blanche Ely, they will be playing the 6A State Champions of 2007 and going against a coach who has won 3 State Championships in Florida. They may have the toughest schedule in the entire state.

I'm not doubting that those aren't good players. They probably are, and McCreary probably has more good players outside of those two. The point being is that they don't have the explosive offensive players that they had with Roark and Watts. They'll be like a Kentucky team after losing Woodson/Burton/Tamme/Little - content. They'll try to manage the game and not make mistakes knowing that they don't have the "big play potential" they had with Watts and Roark. And another thing, is Tyson that big? I knew he was a big boy, but I didn't know he was quite 6'5 yet...

The opening game to the season for both the McCreary Central Raiders and Mercer County Titans. McCreary returns 4 starters and a bench full off of players. The lone starter not returning is also the only senior from last seasons team that went 21-12 and barely missed the State Tournament. Led by CatsPause #1 Player in the 12th, Aaron Watts, the Raiders return a team that averaged 64 points per game, the lowest in three years at McCreary Central. The Raiders won 8 of their last 10, including six straight before losing to West Jessamine. Mercer County returns Jamel Taylor and a Titans team that went 15-14 that lost in the first round of the district tournament. The Titans averaged 66 points per game and went 3-4 over their final seven games. This season, Jamel Taylor will likely challenge Watts and Polson (WJ) for Player of the Year in the 12th. What score have you?

Jones and the boys have stepped up in the scheduling department again this season. I guess after improving it last season and seeing how far they made it in the tournament, it finally hit them that playing good opponents make you better. Better teams for this year: Dunbar - Home - WIN last season at Dunbar Corbin - Home - 13th Region Champion last season Anderson County - Home - lost last season @ Anderson Lexington Catholic - Away - Played in Christmas tournament last season (L) **Scott County is listed twice, but I think it will end up being Scott County, TN - not KY. Blanche Ely, Florida is also in McCreary's ARBYS/KFC Tournament. They had a player graduate last season and receive a scholarship to Houston of the CUSA. Battle of the Bluegrass Republic Bank Classic How will the boys in Maroon and Gold fare?

Thought Watts and Roark are huge for the basketball program, it will be much easier to replace them in basketball, compared to football. The style McCreary runs in basically can make for a good team. They have always been good shooters, and that comes with practice. The football team was very reliant on Watts and Roark because they had a hand in 99% of the offensive scores, and some on defense as well. It might be a different situation if Watts was a WR and Roark was the 2nd string back or another less amplified position. I hope nothing but the best for the football program. They can be "consistent" the next few years, but they don't (that we know of) have big play potential players like they had in Watts and Roark. However, that doesn't mean that some won't come out.

I actually believed that McCreary would be in place of West Jessamine, with the change in coaches and the seniors that left West Jessamine. I think by the end of the year, it will be swapped around, and perhaps, McCreary will be higher. What is weird is the following: West Jessamine was higher in top 25, and Polson higher in player ratings. But when you go to the 12th region, McCreary and Watts are both #1, and W. Jess. and Polson #2.

Whoever gets the job will have a first tough season. That's the only high school in the county, so if the administration put forth some money, that could be a good to great program. Bell County has about thirty thousand people in the county, compared to McCreary's twenty thousand. Additionally, you're splitting Bell's into three separate school districts, to only one for McCreary. McCreary has the ability to have a good team.

Probably more of a retirement, but it is stated as a resignation. I think it was obvious that he would get out while the program was on it's high. Watts and Roark are gone after this year, so it was imminent.

No surprise. McCreary Central's Clinton Gay has resigned as head coach of the Raiders after the most successful year in school history going 7-4. After taking over four years ago, the Raiders matched their best year going 5-5 in Gays return. The next two years the record wasn't as good, but they qualified for postseason both years, though being 3-8. This past season, the Raiders went 7-4 with a postseason loss to Lawrence County. The administration plans to have someone in place by spring football.

Looks more like a basketball score.

Lawrence County's opponents have a combined 40-58 record. McCreary Central's opponents have a combined 43-57 record. I'm not saying McCreary will "suddenly figure out how to play defense." I think they're capable of playing it. I think they will play it.

That's right. Games are won on paper. Pardon me.

Lawrence is a good team, probably better than McCreary. But I have this gut feeling that McCreary will run, and run, and run and win this game with some stout defense that they really haven't shown this season. McCreary Central 20-12

If it was between SW Pulaski and McCreary for the mountains, you have to give that one to McCreary.

I will say this: If the game is a touchdown or less either way to start the fourth quarter, Raiders win.

One thing you can say about McCreary is that if they fall behind early against a team equal or better than them, it starts to snowball. That doesn't mean they can't come back, but it seems to snowball. Once they fell behind Knox, it started snow balling. McCreary needs to be stout in the defense and get a few big plays off. They need to run some play action with Roark because he is such a dangerous running back.

I thought this game might be closer, but I did expect the Raiders to win. This is a very special year for the Raiders. They have the chance to add another win or two as well.