Trimmer308

Ashland football banquet, Although I don’t have a son on the team this year I went to the banquet as a member of the press, I don’t usually cover high school sports, I find I only have time to watch two teams all year, Ashland Football, and UK basketball. I felt compelled to say something about the Ashland football program, I can’t say enough about how much effort is poured into the program from so many people that I wouldn’t even try to list them. Coach Hart is a complete class act, when I seen this guy take a running slide in the mud face down just like the kids, I knew this guy truly bonded with his players, he may be all business when he needs to be, I could tell they were something special about this guy. Old Dickey said this guy is going to get us to a state championship before to much longer And I tell ya, I don’t always agree with Dickey but he is right about Coach Hart.. I hate to name all the coaches because I’m sure I leave out someone so I’m not going to try, some of the guys that work in the back ground make a real difference but I will say that coach Bentine, Love, Hale, Dowdy seem to share the love for this program and it shows. Till next season I wish them all the best and I’m looking forward to next year. Thanks guys for all your work and all the extra hours that you pour into making these young men real football players Trimmer:thumb:

I guess it’s all been said, there’s not much you can add to what been posted. I would like to say that I thought the coaching staff did a great job on both sides of the ball, and I think our kids played their hearts out.. I’m very proud of them..(Coaches and players) To the seniors, we love you and we are proud of you, your class will be remembered Trimmer

When you start getting close to the field keep an eye on the billboards We Believe! Trimmer theres a party over here:dancingpa keep hope alive:dancingpa

I understand that the High School Football Association has already sent Ashland the Second Place Trophy, Think it was in bad taste, and I hope that Coach Hart gets to give the dang thing back. I also hope that JC is as over confident as the people that sent the trophy. We are not going to lay down for anyone. I’m looking for an upset in the second half. Ashland 35 JC 28

That the spirit Tiny, I'm not ready to give up on this team and I don't think they are ready to give up either.. we need good O sets keeping them guessing and D playing their best game we can do this thing! Trimmer

JC/ Ashland Prediction; I’m afraid I’m not bound by superstition but what happens in this game is really up to how we hit the ground running. I felt we got off on a bad foot the last time we played this team, I really don’t think we got into the game till it was to late, we must come out knowing we can not play a conservative game, we have to play like every play is our last. We have the tools to win this game. Keys to winning this game; Defense, defense, defense, that’s right we must keep this team from scoring big, that’s no little feat, keying on Grim, getting good “help defense”, not giving up on plays till they are over. I have great faith in how much Ashland wants to win this game, I know they are the underdog and I’m not taking anything away from JC, these guys are for real. I don’t think we played anything like we are capable of the last time we met Ashland by a field goal Trimmer

To start off with I like to just say that by some of the reply post on this forum it appears some feel I was taking a cheap shot at the coaching staff, I want to be very clear that was not my aim, I was just saying what I felt were the facts. If I hurt anyone’s feelings I am truly sorry, I am a Tomcat fan and I will be till they put my feet in a box for the last time, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to say what I think even if some don’t agree with me. But please accept my apologies if I offended anyone. Review of the Ashland/Mason Game; We have to start with saying what great job our defense did, they played inspired! Even with their back to the wall they held their ground and didn’t let Mason score What more can you say, they did everything well. I would also like to say something about a kid that I’m afraid that some may have felt I was down on. Andrew Dillon # 58 nothing could be father from the truth, I happen to like this young man a lot and the defensive corner is his natural position and he did a bang up job. I know that Mason didn’t have their first string QB but we still were playing great. Now for Offence, Starting the second quarter I think we seen some of the best offensive coaching of the year, we ran a good mix of plays, throwing and running to keep Mason guessing This was apparent as they starting changing the defense as we moved the ball at will. The second half I think we played very conservative I don’t think we threw the ball in the second half, but I’m not saying that was a bad thing, we did protect the ball and the Big 5 was handing out some punishment to the defense, by the last period their defense looked tired and we started moving the ball even when they knew what we were going to do. All in all.. A well played and well coached game. I would like to say one more thing, I never single out a coach but I feel that I need to say something about a coach that joined the Ashland coaching staff this year, a former Tomcat his self “Coach Hale” Before this game started Coach Hale gave a motivating passionate speech, he told these young men how much it meant to part of this team and how much he thought of each one of them, in other words how much he loved them, by the time he was done they wasn’t a dry eye wearing a Tomcat uniform, It was clear that these young men felt the same way about him, what ever anger, frustration, or baggage any of them had, they laid it down And let it go, this coach put these kids in a place where they was playing for love the most powerful emotion we all have, we will lay our life down for love and it touched these kids.. What a great coach to have on our team, we are blessed that’s for sure. If we can keep this feeling going and get pumped for JC I think we can go all the way! Till the last second of the last quarter I will carry the torch of hope Trimmer

Maybe I already have one:D and for the record I don't have a kid on this team.. I made a prediction thats all.. friday just around the corner and your right film doesn't lie..

The stuff we post here are just opinions seen from a far, but I do know all of the big 5 personally, and from where I stand it looks like the coaching staff felt that they needed to do something before the JC game... not sure why!! but they did. So they singled out one guy. They replaced him with a kid that was faster but that about it. (Not bigger, not stronger, not a better blocker) In my opinion they upset the whole line... these guys felt like they were a unit... then going into the most important game of the year they felt broken and they play like it. (11 yards in 24 minutes of football) . They put them back together in the BC game, they won, but they were still shaken At this point in the season a lot of how well you do is all in your head and some guys respond better with praise than criticism The real problem is the offence needs to be able to adjust to a blitzing defense, Calling plays that make the linebackers stay home. I loved the little play that BC ran twice in the last game, a little dump pass just in the flat... or a sideline pass that we did finely use some. What ever happens Friday, Ashland has played hard and I’m proud of how they have never given up... they were still holding their ground in the JC game, giving Mahan plenty of time to try to pass their way out of the hole they were in. (although I did hear one of the kids say that the coach told them that pass blocking doesn’t count) I don’t want the players to think I’m down on them I’m not, I think this group has a chance to go all the way; they need a pat on the back not a smack on the head. They needed pumped up as a unit, instead of divided and beat down, grading everyone low and then breaking up the group by adding someone new. This team needs to feel strong! Instead of broken.!! Guess we’ll see I still hope they can pull it off. I know they can do it !! If they just play as a unit Trimmer

Ashland started the JC game with a different line-up they went back to the orginal line in the second half..your making my point Trimmer

Ashland prediction, It saddens me to write this but from what I’ve been told Ashland will be going to the line that they played against JC, it was a bad move then and its still a bad move, anyone that watched the Boyd Country game knows the problem wasn’t one lineman as matter of fact most of the break downs were on the left side of the line..(But we did win the game) Ashland real problem is they are not adjusting for a blitzing defense and every team that has made Ashland look bad has blitz and blitz some more... 5 lineman are not going to stop 7 or 8 guys blitzing, you have to throw just into the secondary and you have to adjust your backs to block.. Instead we are just blaming a line that is doing what they are told. To say nothing of upsetting the chemistry these five guys have built together all season We have already beaten this team on the road using the players that have got us to this point If they play the line they used in the JC game, I predict Mason County by 7 I hope I wrong Trimmer

Ashland should win the game hands down, but you never know what surprises one might see I have a soft spot for Boyd County, My nephew was a three year starter there, he was killed in an auto accident two years ago and today would have been his 27 th birthday.. good luck Ashland... little Tim if your looking down don't hate me to much Trimmer

I would like to say congrads to JC on a well played game this team is for real and the played like it tonight. They deserved the win and you can’t take anything away from them That said I have to say I was completely dumb founded that the Ashland coaches would try to fix an OL line that wasn’t broke.. The whole first half they played a line missing a 300 lb linemen replacing him with a player that hasn’t started but one game all year.. The OL line timing was off and they couldn’t execute the whole first half .. I heard it all my life don’t fix something that isn’t broken and it bit Ashland bad tonight. In the second half they went back to the line that had got them to this point and you could see the difference right away, Ashland marched it down the field and scored but it was too little to late.. Over 20 points down in the third quarter all Ashland could do was throw the football.. The line gave him plenty of time but Mahan was less than accurate and it just couldn’t be saved.. I say 100 up downs for the coaching staff  Trimmer

I have to agree with Graybeard on the prediction of this game, this will be Ashland biggest test since Russell, and I don’t think you can judge Mason by the Boyd C game. I have seen both of the teams play and I think it will boil down to defense; Ashland has come a long way in this department... when Ashland Played Belfry they didn’t do so well on defense, but since then, the defensive coaching has gone to a 6 man tackle rotation that has proved to be very effective. This seems to keep the big guys from tiring, along with the defense line (Ashland) must have good pass coverage. If Mason can move the ball well it’s going to be a tuff game for Ashland, on the other hand if Ashland can control the football offensively then it may prove to be a long night for Mason My prediction Ashland 35, Mason 28 Trimmer

I’m looking forward to watching the game tonight although I don’t agree with much that was in the local paper. Not taking away anything from Travis Gallaher he has play well all year and has done it on both sides of the ball, but looking at both teams I have to say that the real match-up on the line will be between Michael Walters and the 315 lb nose guard form Greenup, I’ve also noticed that this kid takes an odd first step at times, I’m looking forward to watching this match up. This is also Ashland’s Home Coming so I don’t see them looking pass this team it should be a good game between to good teams you can’t ask for a better Friday night than that. Trimmer

Ashland vs. Greenup Greenup has a good football team this year and like all teams that come here to play they will be ready to give Ashland their best game. Ashland must not look pass this team and I don’t think they will, I do feel it will be a good game but if Ashland plays to their ability I think they will win this game Ashland by 2 touchdowns Trimmer

Well I wasn’t trying to say that Ashland didn’t need to improve because it’s very clear they are plenty of room to improve, but as a fan watching the game, I never seen Ashland in trouble. In all sports there is a thing call momentum you can’t see it on the radio and as much as I like Dickie he calls a game from his own perspective. Point is, I never seen Prestonsburg have the momentum. Most teams that are playing at home are going to give you their best game early while they are fresh. This team did the same thing that W/Portsmouth did, their defensive line backers were standing in the gaps on the line. This type of gambling makes the OL line look bad, but like Portsmouth the physical toll it takes starts to show in the second half, along with that coaches need to see the field, as they did the Portsmouth game, and make adjustments in the blocking assignments to exploit the uncovered areas. Ashland needs to develop a quick pass, just pass the secondary, maybe an in-turned button hook something like that will quickly stop the blitzing “gap standing” line backers. Hey, I’m just a fan that loves to watch Ashland, I did my share of coaching many years ago, my son is 36 so it’s been a lot of years since I stood on a field But I still get a thrill out of watching a good game.. Trimmer BTW I know you were at the game but many that posted here wasn’t

JC by a lot Sorry B C wish it wasn't so Trimmer

Prestonsburg Vs Ashland, I guess I must have been watching a different game than some of the posters here, because from the 40 yard line where I was, I never saw Ashland in trouble, this game was never close even in the first half. How did Ashland start the game? They recovered a fumble and promptly marched it down the field and scored. Ashland “Ground Game” was on target but the passing game wasn’t, with Ashland throwing two nice passes on target, and the rest was strong armed way pass receivers Some here has posted that Walters was hit in the back while not even in the play this was true, but it wasn’t the infraction that had the coaching staff raving on the sidelines. Aaron Erwin 77 was in a pile up with his knees pinned between players while a Blackcat player stood over him after the play shoving down on his chest which appeared to look like the kid was trying to blow out his knees... this is just not acceptable behavior. I agree with Hart this series needs to end. The second half proved to be all Tomcats, with about 6 minutes or so to play Ashland put in the JV defense and the Blackcats took advantage of it marching down the field and scoring. Ashland then drove the ball back into the red zone and took a knee to end the game instead of risking any more injuries. Ashland passing game was lacking accurate passing but the OL gave him time to throw and the ground game was solid. Ashland won a game in what has proved to be hostile country, say what you will, but I call this a good win for Ashland Trimmer

:thumb: May god bless you in your time of need Trimmer

Looks pretty close to me:thumb: Trimmer

Bell=34 Corbin=7 Bell should walk to easy victory here but sometimes crap happen I'll guess we'll see Trimmer

Russell=42 Morgan=12 Russell should win this game without to much trouble Trimmer

JC= 42 LC=7 I would like to see LC pull this one out but I just don't think its possible Trimmer

Raceland 28 LCA 21 good luck Raceland Trimmer