This is not the top 10 best teams, but the top 10 teams with the best chance of winning state. No team is a lock to win a title, including Trinity last year, who had to survive close calls against Lou. St.X and Scott County. For example, Highlands in #1 on this list, but in a regular top 10, I'd put St. Xavier, Trinity, and Bowling Green ahead of them.
1. Highlands - 4A
2. Bowling Green - 5A
3. Caldwell County - 2A
4. St. Xavier - 6A
5. Trinity - 6A
6. Mayfield - 1A
7. Lou. Central - 3A
8. Beechwood - 1A
9. Belfry - 3A
10. NewCath - 2A
What do you think?
I have a lot of respect for Belfry and they will have a very good team but I would replace them with Harlan County. HC will be IMO the best team in eastern Kentucky this year.
Harlan County may indeed be better than Belfry this year, but he is asking which team has a better chance at winning a state title and I agree with toussaints that the Pirate's chances are better at winning state than HC, but HC should have a great year and are No. 1 in the mountains to start the season.
I might be tempted to put Russellville ahead of Beechwood. I say that because Russellville gave the Cards a better game last year than did Beechwood. They also return more from that team.
1. Mayfield- Noone in 1A will come close
2. Highlands- Birds have been three steps ahead of everyone aside CovCath for years
3. Bowling Green- Maybe the best team in the State..but 5A has some very god teams this year.
4. Central- Reigning Kings of 3A with a stupid good defense returning.
5. Caldwell County- 2A should be ery competitive but CC is the best of the bunch it seems
6. St.X- Them and Trinity
7. Trinity- See above
8. CovCath- The clear #2 team in 4A
9. Belfry- Path lays out nice to get to BG, have been the #2 team in 3A almost every year
10. Beechwood- Big gap to Mayfield..but definitely the #2 team in 1A
If you are going to add anyone to 4A with highlands, it should be Collins.
6A Trinity and X
5A BG
4A Highlands
3A Central and Belfry
2A Caldwell and NewCath
1A Mayfield and Beechwood
That is a pretty good list you came up with. If I was a beting man, I would say that the list has 4 champs listed on it. Not sure which group is missing the champ
Highlands and Mayfield are 1 and 1A. They have both dominated their classes in recent years and have excellent teams coming back. BG is probably next. Central has put together a remarkable string of seasons. They do not blow out their opposition like the other teams mentioned. They just keep winning. Trinity has X to contend with and they graduated a bunch of outstanding players. But for X I would put them with Highlands and Mayfield. 2A is the most wide open class year in and year out. Caldwell appears to be the favorite but there are several teams pushing them. New Cath is always a tough out.
William, who? Oh, I see how you could be optimistic, they did make it to the 3rd round last year before getting shut out by a team that got blown out the next week, by again a team that got blown out the following week.
mysonis55 Wrote:I might be tempted to put Russellville ahead of Beechwood. I say that because Russellville gave the Cards a better game last year than did Beechwood. They also return more from that team.
I thought about that, which is why i put Mayfield at #6. I thought last year's team was a lock, but Russellville, KCD, Lou. Holy Cross, and Beechwood gave them some tough games. Beechwood returns a lot and what makes them dangerous is how balanced they'll be than years past. I still think Mayfield has the best chance, just not as good as last year.
Russellville returns almost everything. They have a solid coach and will be ready for us this year. I personally like there chances more than a mostly soph impacted Beechwood. The wood also will have to travel almost 5 hrs over here for a shot. They would then get a warm welcome into the friendly confines of War Memorial.
Except for 2A and 3A, the rest of the state is already decided.
I would give the next best shot to a 6A team to knock off the number 2 team in the country because quite frankly there not the number 2 team in the country.
BUT, 1A, 4A, and 5A is done.
St.X returns to glory, Glaser goes out on top.