[Single Wing 77]

You honestly think that taking a knee on offense for 16 straight minutes (an entire half) wouldn't embarrass an opponent more than a 56 point loss? Your last comment explains all of it. Our scout team got some nice reps to end the game and did well. Here's a key point. A lot of our back-ups for 8th are 7th graders. I don't remember any 7th graders who even played in the 8th grade game to save up for the 7th battle against Ashland. Two players may have played 1 or 2 plays in the 8th grade game. SL saw 3rd & 4th string deep on offense for the most part.

Listen, last year Northern drilled Corbin 44-0 in the regular season. They took it in, went home, worked, and got better. A lot better actually. It took a nice play and some luck to beat them again in the playoffs. If Northern hadn't won that game, Corbin would have another ring on their finger. Some teams, the elite teams, take their beatings and use them to their advantage. I'd be shocked if that group doesn't win a 3A KHSAA state title when they get to high school.

Another example from back in 2010, Northern got drilled by Southern 35-12 (it wasn't near as close as the score indicated). Maroons got throttled from start to finish. Lost again 3 weeks later 23-12. Lost for a third time in the playoffs 7-0. Chipped away all year and improved. Didn't win, but that improvement was what mattered. Another week of improvement and who knows how the season would have finished. Southern went on and won the KYMSFA state championship that year. Those Maroons ended up doing pretty well their senior year by adding a KHSAA championship. To me, it paid off in the end. Got better and showed significant improvement in high school.

Unfortunately for South Laurel, they won't get another chance this year. Hopefully their players will take it in and get better for high school.

I know that as a coach, you can call plays to help the clock run out in that situation. If you can't, then you flat out don't need to be coaching. Run it in the 2 and 3 hole where you'll gain 4-5 yards a carry and take your time getting plays in. You notice I wasn't on here complaining about northern putting a running clock on my hounds earlier this year, or last year for that matter. ALL that being said, even though I don't particularly like some of the things they do. I do have respect for all three of those teams, if they make it to the finals I'll be rooting for them to win it all. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather the hounds be playing for the D-2 and 7th grade state titles. Whoever makes it out of region 4 will have my support though.