Bluegrassrivals

Good Job Tom cats

Good game Ashland....It is still early and there is time to improve///

well, aint gonna bs, we got beat, congrats tomcats

Congrats Tomcats on your big win. If Russell doesn't improve a whole lot this will be one of those 7-5 seasons instead of a 10 win.

congrats ashland

Congratulations to the Ashland Tomcat players and Coaches. Ashland virtually controlled every aspect of the game. Ashland spent most of the night in the Russell backfield. This score could have been much worse if not for the four Ashland turnovers.

Russell will regroup lick their wounds and be ready for next week.

Ashland won this game in every way possible. I was afraid of it.

Ashland won physically, mentally, emotionally. The Tomcats played with speed and emotion. They capitalized on every Russell mistake. And there were many. They prevented Russell from capitalizing on there mistakes. Basically they smacked this Russell team in the mouth and the Devils never responded.

Good job Tomcat players and coaching staff. You earned it.

The score could have also been much closer. It was an ebarrasing performance. It was much like the game at Boyd County in 2005. To many mistakes to even get into. We know how that group responded.

Can this group bounce back and respond?

We will see what kind of heart this team has. Talent does not gaurentee victory. You can't just show up.

Excellent Game Tomcats!! You all had the game in the first series of downs. The freshman QB didn't look like a freshman QB. See you all next year!!

I see losses to Raceland,Mason County ,Lawrence County,Simon Kenton if we play like we did tonight against any of these teams.

This was as complete a domination as one could imagine at the line of scrimmage. It's been awhile since I've seen a Russell team get beat like this. Russell did have numerous penalties and mistakes, but I don't think that was the key factor in determining the outcome. Ashland fumbled a few times as well giving Russell plenty of chances to do something.

When Russell tried to run, the backs were seemingly met with 3 to 4 tacklers almost immediately. Some Ashland defenders were whipping blockers and some were just in the right places at the right times. It appeared Ashland had the entire D very close to the line of scrimmage on any given play but Russell couldn't make them pay. The only way Russell was going to make big yards running was by the backs breaking numerous tackles...not just one. Abrams did this once in the second half...but it just wasn't enough. Russell tried to pass a few times with little success other than a halfback pass trick play that went for big yards.

Ashland ran the ball very consistently and very well with Carter and Albers. Huge holes were being opened and their backs made the Russell defenders miss on a consistent basis, much like Wilson of Boyd County did a couple weeks ago. Ashland didn't need to pass. Their line and running backs were so dominant that it wasn't needed.

To summarize, Russell stepped it up in competition this week and didn't appear to be ready for how good Ashland was. Ashland has been talked down a lot with their poor performance last year and losses to Raceland and Ironton this year. Quite honestly, without having seen them play I expected a close Russell win. Boy was I wrong! It is clear that Ashland is an excellent team who just happens to face a very difficult schedule. I wish them luck the rest of the year as they move on to play the Johnson Central's of the world.

I really hope Russell's players come back from this, practice harder, and want it more the rest of the season. They put out a good effort tonight, but it wasn't anywhere near the fire that Ashland played with!

I really do want to give Ashland alot of credit. They are much improved. They played tonight the way the game of football is supposed to be played. They have a tough district but they have a chance. Anyone who takes this team lightly will lose. They really come to play.

Wow..wasn't expecting an outcome like this..Big Congrats Ashland!

WOW!!! Congrats Tomcats! I knew they had a shot, but didn't expect this margin. Good luck against the JC Eagles!!

EKY Sportster Wrote:WOW!!! Congrats Tomcats! I knew they had a shot, but didn't expect this margin. Good luck against the JC Eagles!!

Things snowballed in the second half. Ashland is a much better team than alot of people give them cedit for. They proved that tonight. I knew after the way they played Ironton this would be tough game. Johnson Central, Woodford County and Bryan Station need to really watch out for them.


Russell did not have the heart tonight to respond to a team that played more physical than they did. If that changes Russell has enough talent. What they have to prove now is their toughness and heart.

Also mistakes. Russell jumped offsides I think six times. These were drive killers. It would go from managable yardarge on 2nd or 3rd down to long yardage and really took Russell out of what they needed to do. Ashlands defense is much too good to put yourself in 3rd and long against. This kept Russell's defense on the field for most of the game where Ashland just wore them down.

Also the most dominating part of the game for Ashland may have been special teams. This is something Russell has struggled with and must improve.

Is heart and toughness something a team can develop or something they either have or don't? I ask this because it sure didn't appear to be there in the 2nd half this evening fro Russell. It almost looked as if they threw in the towel in the 4th quarter....or maybe Ashland was just that much better. I don't know. I'm sure they must have been trying.

Another question...is Raceland really this good?

ryanparker Wrote:Is heart and toughness something a team can develop or something they either have or don't? I ask this because it sure didn't appear to be there in the 2nd half this evening fro Russell. It almost looked as if they threw in the towel in the 4th quarter....or maybe Ashland was just that much better. I don't know. I'm sure they must have been trying.

Another question...is Raceland really this good?

Nope heart and toughness are something I think you have to have. We will find in the weeks to come if this team has it or not. Right now I don't think they do. They do have the talent to compete for a championship. But so do a few other teams in 3A. Right now this team needs to realize they cannot just walk onto a field and win.

Looked as if they threw in the towell. They threw towells, sheets, tablecloths, pretty much any piece of linen you can think of. Honestly it one of the worst performances I have seen from a Russell team.

Ashland is good. Make no mistake about it.

Another Answer. Yes, Raceland is that good.

And to top it off...this was a rare televised game now showing on Time Warner Cable channel 24 in the Russell area...they replay these things all of the time...we'll get to watch this one numerous times.

ryanparker Wrote:And to top it off...this was a rare televised game now showing on Time Warner Cable channel 24 in the Russell area...they replay these things all of the time...we'll get to watch this one numerous times.

You can watch it if you want. Personally I would steal the tape and burn it.

Ha!! I'm sure they are watching it in Ashland!!

FBALL Wrote:You can watch it if you want. Personally I would steal the tape and burn it.

I'll second that.

ryanparker Wrote:And to top it off...this was a rare televised game now showing on Time Warner Cable channel 24 in the Russell area...they replay these things all of the time...we'll get to watch this one numerous times.

That may not be a bad thing. I'm sure the players will see a lot of it come Monday afternoon.

Wow! I sure didn't expect this. Keep your heads up Red Devils.We all know how hard it is to win em all. Congrats to the Tomcats

By the way guys, Did anybody bother to check on Devilologist before you left the stadium?

Wow. I expected it to be a better game

Congrats Ashland

i feel sorry for Lewis when Russell come to town. I feel sorry for the Russell players all next week.

When handicapping horse racing it is important to look at a horse's past results and know which races should be "thrown out" because of uncontrollable events and just not having the goods when the opposition runs the race of their life. Conversely you have to know which races give the true account of that horse.

As of right now I am throwing this race out for Russell. Now if history repeats itself later in the season against Simon Kenton or Mason County, well, that's a different story. But I find it very ahrd to believe that the Russell team who laid an egg tonight will be anywhere close to resembling the Russell team taking the field in November.

I hope you make a lot of money at the horse track! :-)

I agree in that I think we will learn more about this team in the Simon Kenton, Mason County, and possibly even Lawrence County games. It looks like they are playing some teams tough this year!

Speaking of handicapping, though, I would have never guessed that Russell would be the prohibitive underdog going into the Raceland game this year. If Raceland manages to beat Lexington Christian this week, though, I look for them to run the table and come into the Russell game undefeated. Interesting stuff.

This is another shocker game for me. Is Ashland that much better of a team than Russell.

I am alright, I had to leave and drive to WV for a family issue... I saw alot of Russell players walking around, not blocking. I saw Drew Abrams try to run back a kickoff and the entire front lne was standing there watching him get hit..... Our line sucked tonight.... please let me say that either our line sucked or Ashland was that much better than us...... If that is the case Raceland will kill us and Russell fans alike willnever hear the end of it after week 10..... Sometimes the pass opens the run,, but when no one blocks the pas gets your QB killed and you loose 1-15 yards a pop......
We stunk up the field.. I told my son tonight,,, Thats what you guys looked like last week against the Lewis County 6th grade team. You got behind and you quit... It definitely reminded me of the Boyd game in 2005... I just hope the final result will be the same.........
Better talk to Mark Cole about erasing that tape before it hits the airwaves.... oh yea to late,,,,, Ashland has just busted the all time record for copy write enfringements tonight when it re-played at 11.....
Get ready to claw your way to the top.... It just gets worse from here on out.....