TomLandry

Monte Merrick of Bell Co 15-0 4-a state champ team. Kicked a fifty-two yard punt against Bullitt East to eight yd line. Bell defense scored a safety two plays later. Margin if victory in title game. 2 pts !!!

Anyone who was at the game will tell you that Boyle was very lucky to leave with a victory. Bell County shot themselves in the foot several times. They served this one up to Boyle on silver platter. That is what makes it such a touch loss for these Seniors. Instead of stepping up and making key plays....several times kicks were muffed.....passes dropped wide-open in endzone.....self-inflicted turnovers. Yes, Boyle played a great game and put some pressure on the QB.....but any other night he makes those throws when he has that kind of time...and does not put the ball on the ground like he did tonight. Those were drops and not due to strips or hits. Great, close game, but Bell kept digging out of the holes they dug for themselves...just ran out of time. Had Bell thrown the ball in the first half like they did in the second half.....outcome probably would have been different as well Congratulations to the Rebels. They should bring home the title, but need to beware of the AllenCounty-Scottsville passing game!!

This group of Bobcats are on a mission. One more notch on the belt tonight. Destination Western Kentucky University to finish the quest next week. Bell 28-Boyle 6.

I looked it up and Merrick's attempt was from 63 yards. He used the kickoff tee which is legal for this kick. It was long enough, but just wide left. Part of the problem as I remember there was the prolonged delay as the officials tried to figure out if they were going to let him do it. Coach Hilton had been made aware of this rule by Merrick's Dad and they were looking for opportunity to use it. Finally after several minutes they let him set up for kick and unfortunately the PA announcer said...."now if he makes this kick it will be a new state record....." probably did not help! LOL! Sure caused some excitement anyway!

Saw in a nice half-page color spread in the Pineville Sun that Al Merrick, younger brother of our kicker Monte from Bell and WKU, had signed with U of Cumberlands. Congratulations!!

It was my understanding after an email response to me by the Commissioner that the Appellate Court ruled....on Monday following the Bell game and prior to the weekend championship game....Mitchell ineligible and could not play. The timing was always suspect by the Bobcat faithful....it secured a win at the semi level and putting Highlands in the Championship game....which they could probably...and would win...without Mitchell. I know there are those on here who have said that someone would have stepped up in his place...but he was a special player as his NFL credentials note. His theft from the Bell running back at the end of the game....ran back for a touchdown was an unbelievable play for a high school player. Followed by his last minute score to pull out the victory. Mitchell does not play...Bell wins on the field. Too bad this whole situation happened. I have since watched as several Southeastern Kentucky kids have tried to move in much the same manner....but were denied eligibility.

For those who said we should have run the ball more.....Dudley Hilton of Bell County (Hilton and Greer coached defense, I believe this year) will be the head coach next year. Should solve the run problem!

I believe there are restrictions put on by the NCAA as to what recruits can receive, etc. This also applies to All-Star games. There are limits as to how much they can receive. I think that paying for the warmups, rings, etc. let's the Border Bowl provide a classy environment for the players, but stay within guidelines. Perhaps someone can clarify who has firsthand knowledge.

I honestly think that some of the Bell players were overlooked last year, especially the OL and DL line. Perhaps that body of work, including a championship and another great year made them more noticed this year.

Congratulations to Alcoa. Wow, only 21-0 there goes Bell's strength of schedule!!:deadhorse:

That was my point. Had they not tried the fake and go for two....and kicked the two pat's where they went for two....this game is over in regulation.

The two failed 2-pt. attempts would have had BC kicker ending the game with a win for the second straight week. Got a good kicker. Kick the PAT's!

Good point. I noticed that Boyle's pressbox was four sections...absolutely double the size of the Bell County pressbox. Bell's administration needs to fix this! But Bell has bleachers nearly the same size as the home and just as nice on the visitor's side. Boyle's was equivalent of a lot of 1-A schools in our area.

Bell played a nearly error free game...no turnovers...one penalty....and still lost to this Boyle team. Lone Oak better have a bigger, tougher, defense than Bell's if they are going to stop McShara. Bell could not.

I heard the cheerleaders taking down the signs at Bell last Friday night and saying they would just use them again next week, due to short school week. I don't think they even thought about the fact that sign only fit Bell's field.

WYMT pregame show tonight mentioned that Boyle County has not lost a home playoff game since the late nineties!?? Is that right!?? They also noted that the loss was to Bourbon County.....head Coach Dudley Hilton! Interesting!

:banana:GOTCHA BACK!!!:banana:

OMG already called Dudley and he is calling all the assistants and then they are calling all the boosters to see who did this without authorization.....cancelled the rally and bonfire to deal with it!!! What a distraction at a time like this! This is NOT Bell Co. football.......:ohbrother:

Field goal attempt was 37 yds. and wind was blowing hard. Had plenty of distance, but hooked left. The major factor was the snap was behind the holder..he brought it in , but threw off timing. Add to that the fact that Merrick was out of school nearly all week with flu and just barely cleared to even play; the first string long snapper was hauled off the field by ambulance last week..and did not play. That was a lot of pressure to put on a player snapping for a game the first time ever! As Middlesboro paper said, "just wasn't meant to be. Tough one.....the Senior kicker would probably trade all of his seven field goals this season for that one Senior Night kick!! every kicker's dream or nightmare.....depending on the outcome to hit/miss a game winning field goal. Hope he gets another chance next week.

HEY!! That's OUR "rural myth" at the Bobcat Hilton on Log Mountain!!! :sssh::ohbrother::deadhorse:

Hopefully the field does not take the kickers out of the game. Merrick had only one attempt at Harlan in the mud last year. Harlan won 7-0, but a controversial penalty thrown clear across the field.....brought back the lone Pineville touchdown. Merrick missed his only attempt in terrible field conditions. Pineville's field is hurting with the rain still coming down.

The holder can come off the ground and run the ball. He is not considered down until he comes up and goes back down. It looks like he was on the ground picks up the ball....and then advances it. Nothing wrong with that. He is exempt for the first contact with the ground because he is already down when play starts....."fire drill" happens when a bad snap occurs and holder can get up and run! You see that all the time!

#1 Al Merrick, Senior. Younger brother of our Bobcat All-State Kicker Monte Merrick, now at WKU. 9/9 PAT's and 10/10 kickoff touchbacks against Jenkins... according to today's Pineville Sun....last Friday night in the mud!! All in the first half! 6/8 FG's on the year. Also was named by the paper as the Defensive Player of the Week for forcing Jenkins to start every drive on the twenty.

Bell 70-0

JC fans have maligned the Bobcat faithful for two years using scrimmages as their basis for comparison to Bell County. Dudley approaches scrimmages differently than JC and their fans. Looks like they have to play Bell and their opponents on the field this season. I wonder if they will have to buy out of a second contract if they lose to Bell this year?