[jetpilot]

https://twitter.com/MelissaSayers76/stat...1356931072

[PHSForever]

https://twitter.com/MelissaSayers76/stat...1356931072

There’s a couple parts of that video that especially make me proud.

[killbilly usmc]

Don't sleep on Crittenden County.

Return everyone and their cousin from a Regional finals team. Noone in 1A returns more experience and key players than Crittenden. Even though they lose their QB they still have another kid who played a ton himself.

The question is how much ground does that gain them? I don't think they were within 3-4 TD's of Paintsville or Raceland, let alone Pikeville. That's a big gap to make up.

This. Crittenden will have probably the best team they have had in a long time. Pretty much everyone returning. The qb that played from mid season on is back. Don't think they will have enough for Pikeville, but this should be the best team the rockets have had. Should be a fun season for rocket fans if we have a season.

[bball_fan]

Just my opinion at this point, but the east is where the power lies once again. I know Paintsville returns a lot and Pikeville is a factory that will always reload. I have been told by friends of the program that Williamsburg is probably a year or two away from competing with those two again. Raceland will always be strong and had a pretty decent size graduating class, could hurt them but people closer to their program will know that answer. Hazard has new coaches and new systems, so that will take some time to develop and get rolling if it is a far stretch from last season. KCD only graduated four kids, but I still think the gap was pretty big. Newport Central Catholic graduated 17 or 18, double check my count on KHSAA, so they are rebuilding massively. So here is my pre-season top ten...

1. Pikeville
2. Paintsville
3. Hazard
4. Raceland
5. Williamsburg
6. Kentucky Country Day
7. Crittenden County
8. Newport Central Catholic
9. Nicholas County
10. Frankfort

Growing up around the mountains, between Pikeville and Paintsville, I keep up with mountain football a lot. Now living in Berea and being very involved with their football program, I get to see some of the teams out west a lot because of Berea's schedule. The gap out between east and west is really big, and KCD is not built to play from behind. They run the ball 99% of the time, and its mostly misdirection. If they get behind early, they are not going to have the fire power to come back and their style will work against them in the end. NCC, Bethlehem, Holy Cross, and Campbellsville all graduated a large percentage of their players. If seeding works out, I think same two teams go back to Kroger this year. Hazard and Raceland being the only two others that could change that.

[2000PHS]

Just my opinion at this point, but the east is where the power lies once again. I know Paintsville returns a lot and Pikeville is a factory that will always reload. I have been told by friends of the program that Williamsburg is probably a year or two away from competing with those two again. Raceland will always be strong and had a pretty decent size graduating class, could hurt them but people closer to their program will know that answer. Hazard has new coaches and new systems, so that will take some time to develop and get rolling if it is a far stretch from last season. KCD only graduated four kids, but I still think the gap was pretty big. Newport Central Catholic graduated 17 or 18, double check my count on KHSAA, so they are rebuilding massively. So here is my pre-season top ten...

1. Pikeville
2. Paintsville
3. Hazard
4. Raceland
5. Williamsburg
6. Kentucky Country Day
7. Crittenden County
8. Newport Central Catholic
9. Nicholas County
10. Frankfort

Growing up around the mountains, between Pikeville and Paintsville, I keep up with mountain football a lot. Now living in Berea and being very involved with their football program, I get to see some of the teams out west a lot because of Berea's schedule. The gap out between east and west is really big, and KCD is not built to play from behind. They run the ball 99% of the time, and its mostly misdirection. If they get behind early, they are not going to have the fire power to come back and their style will work against them in the end. NCC, Bethlehem, Holy Cross, and Campbellsville all graduated a large percentage of their players. If seeding works out, I think same two teams go back to Kroger this year. Hazard and Raceland being the only two others that could change that.

Most accurate list I have seen. For my money, Paintsville is the only team that has a remote shot at Pikeville.

[bball_fan]

Just my opinion at this point, but the east is where the power lies once again. I know Paintsville returns a lot and Pikeville is a factory that will always reload. I have been told by friends of the program that Williamsburg is probably a year or two away from competing with those two again. Raceland will always be strong and had a pretty decent size graduating class, could hurt them but people closer to their program will know that answer. Hazard has new coaches and new systems, so that will take some time to develop and get rolling if it is a far stretch from last season. KCD only graduated four kids, but I still think the gap was pretty big. Newport Central Catholic graduated 17 or 18, double check my count on KHSAA, so they are rebuilding massively. So here is my pre-season top ten...

1. Pikeville
2. Paintsville
3. Hazard
4. Raceland
5. Williamsburg
6. Kentucky Country Day
7. Crittenden County
8. Newport Central Catholic
9. Nicholas County
10. Frankfort

Growing up around the mountains, between Pikeville and Paintsville, I keep up with mountain football a lot. Now living in Berea and being very involved with their football program, I get to see some of the teams out west a lot because of Berea's schedule. The gap out between east and west is really big, and KCD is not built to play from behind. They run the ball 99% of the time, and its mostly misdirection. If they get behind early, they are not going to have the fire power to come back and their style will work against them in the end. NCC, Bethlehem, Holy Cross, and Campbellsville all graduated a large percentage of their players. If seeding works out, I think same two teams go back to Kroger this year. Hazard and Raceland being the only two others that could change that.

Most accurate list I have seen. For my money, Paintsville is the only team that has a remote shot at Pikeville.

Do not sleep on Hazard. Spoke to someone close to program yesterday that I am friends with who thinks they should be better this year than they were last year when they beat Paintsville. If I remember right, Paintsville was not full strength in that game? Either way, makes them a tough team. However, he told me he does not think anyone in Single or Double A could beat Pikeville this year as long as the receivers catch the ball. That is one person's opinion, but it is an opinion I trust a lot.

[Panthers Dominate]

Think we need to tap the brakes on no one in 1A or 2A being able to beat Pikeville. They have a lot of moving parts to gel especially early in the season. It probably hurts them as much as any team in the state with the limited practices before the first game. With that being said I think they will be a tough out by playoff time. Also future looks bright with word that they have over 40 kids out for Middle School this year. That’s unbelievable numbers for a class A school and Branaham does a great job preparing those kids for high school. Now let’s just hope that dandy Andy doesn’t shut us down tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

[2000PHS]

Think we need to tap the brakes on no one in 1A or 2A being able to beat Pikeville. They have a lot of moving parts to gel especially early in the season. It probably hurts them as much as any team in the state with the limited practices before the first game. With that being said I think they will be a tough out by playoff time. Also future looks bright with word that they have over 40 kids out for Middle School this year. That’s unbelievable numbers for a class A school and Branaham does a great job preparing those kids for high school. Now let’s just hope that dandy Andy doesn’t shut us down tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

That’s awesome numbers for middle school!

[PHS DYNASTY]

Think we need to tap the brakes on no one in 1A or 2A being able to beat Pikeville. They have a lot of moving parts to gel especially early in the season. It probably hurts them as much as any team in the state with the limited practices before the first game. With that being said I think they will be a tough out by playoff time. Also future looks bright with word that they have over 40 kids out for Middle School this year. That’s unbelievable numbers for a class A school and Branaham does a great job preparing those kids for high school. Now let’s just hope that dandy Andy doesn’t shut us down tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

i can remember a time when the varsity was doing good to have 40 players on the roster. This really shows us just how this program has grown with interest and attracting good and dedicated coaches, not to mention an excellent fan base.

[Gus McCrae]

Think we need to tap the brakes on no one in 1A or 2A being able to beat Pikeville. They have a lot of moving parts to gel especially early in the season. It probably hurts them as much as any team in the state with the limited practices before the first game. With that being said I think they will be a tough out by playoff time. Also future looks bright with word that they have over 40 kids out for Middle School this year. That’s unbelievable numbers for a class A school and Branaham does a great job preparing those kids for high school. Now let’s just hope that dandy Andy doesn’t shut us down tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

i can remember a time when the varsity was doing good to have 40 players on the roster. This really shows us just how this program has grown with interest and attracting good and dedicated coaches, not to mention an excellent fan base.

Anyone have any numbers on the varsity? Last count i had was around 62 or 63. This program has really taken off the past few yrs., especially since the 2015 championship year.

[Go Blazers Go]

crittenden has over 60 on their roster. really hope that game against paintsville can happen early in the year.

[Buffs19]

Pikeville has picked up games against Campbell County (6A) and Knox Central (4A), both games on the road.  Should be two very interesting games for a young Panther team looking to defend its title while replacing a lot of starters on both sides of the ball.

[Sportsdadof2]

NCC had Campbell county on schedule and they dropped it for Pikeville ?. Campbell county didn’t wanna take another L two years in a row from NCC. Wouldn’t sit well with CC fan base. So they would rather take the L from Pikeville. Long road trip for Pikeville for a game that will be a running clock in Pikeville favor.....lol.