If you were to sample the state right now and ask who they feel will represent the East in Louisville the consensus most definately would be either Belfry or Russell. These two met in last years semi-finals with the Pirates putting a hurting on the Devils in the last game at Vipperman Stadium. The Devils have hovered at the top of 2A all year and were widely accepted to be a better team than the Pirates at the season's on-set despite graduating their do everythign running back Josh Gross.
Note: All Rankings are From the Massey Ratings
2A #6 RUSSELL (6-1)
Quality Wins: vs. 3A #13(5-2)Ashland 21-13, vs. 2A #26 (5-2) Morgan County 35-14
Other Wins: vs. 3A #42(1-6) Greenup 25-6, vs. 2A #45(3-4) Powell County 42-12, vs. 2A #34(4-4) West Carter 54-20, vs. 2A #35(4-4) Lewis County 55-7
Loss: vs. 3A #22(4-4) Boyd County 14-33
246 Points Scored (35 per avg)
105 Allowed (15 per avg)
Remaining Games: vs. 2A #49(0-7) Estill County, vs. 2A #21(5-2) East Carter, vs. 2A #12(6-1) Fleming County
2A #4 BELFRY (6-1)
Quality Wins: vs. 3A #25 (3-4) Lawrence County 14-13. (NOTE: LC defeated Boyd County, Russell's lone loss), vs. 1A #9(6-2) Pikeville 36-16
Other Wins: vs. 2A #48(1-5) East Ridge 41-0, vs. 2A #53(1-6) Magoffin County (48-15), vs. 2A #44(3-4) Pike Central 49-0, vs. 2A #32(1-6) Prestonsburg 49-7
Loss: vs. #2 4A (8-0) Henry Clay 14-43
Points Scored: 251 (36 per avg)
Points Allowed: 91 (13 per avg)
Remaining Games: vs. 2A #24 (5-2) Sheldon Clark, vs. Div. IV #14 (6-1) Ironton OH, vs. 2A #40 (4-3) Shelby Valley
Right now these teams appear to be as even as you can get...the Devil's have played an apparent more difficult schedule,,, but their lone loss came to a team who share's a common opponent who Belfry defeated.
Good breakdown...I also believe that these two teams will meet up later in the season on Thanksgiving weekend. Both teams are very good and it should be a great game. If the game is played it will be played at Russell which will be in their favor.
well i would love to see it played between them and would love to Russell do what they can actually do and not the mistakes they made last year.. belfry or russell, you will see me there to watch it!! lol
Hard to compare two teams by looking at quality wins and one team beat a team that beat that team. What you gotta look at is matchups and break it down that way and well you got to beat the pirates. They are the New England Patriots of high school. As Rick Flair says "To be the best you have to beat the best" we will see as the season goes on.
Yes , thats true.. and the best should play the best lol
If Russell would be on their toes this year, not literally of course, and do what they are capable of doin, it should be a good game if they end up where they was last year.. I have NOT a clue what happened to them last year, but they wasnt the Russell team that had played all year and that played while I was in school..
According to the Massey Ratings it also lists Russell's loss to Boyd County as a "Least Likely Result" therefore meaning it was a true upset that occurred becuase the school's are rivals. The loss came from a number of factors. For instance, Russell was coming off a huge emotional victory against Ashland. Also, at the time, Boyd was playing much much much better ball. Since the Russell game Boyd has lost 4 consecutive games including their most recent loss to Lawrence County which was a 2 point loss after Lawrence converted on a field goal at the very end of the game.
"Least Likely Results" are a quarter of a page up from the very bottom of the site.
http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=hsf&sub=KY
Belfry was a better team than Russell last year, hands down.
How it plays out this year remains to be seen. Both teams lost key players and are playing new guys in those positions, but if by chance these two teams meet 13 games will have passed and there will be no excuse for "rookie" mistakes.
One thing that played out last year, that will play out again, IMO. We will have the best backfield of the two.
rums02:
HappyGilmore Wrote:Belfry was a better team than Russell last year, hands down.
How it plays out this year remains to be seen. Both teams lost key players and are playing new guys in those positions, but if by chance these two teams meet 13 games will have passed and there will be no excuse for "rookie" mistakes.
One thing that played out last year, that will play out again, IMO. We will have the best backfield of the two.rums02:
No doubt. Both of these teams are always well oiled come playoff time.
Well Russell would have played a decent game last year if they could have actually held onto the ball.. They made a lot of mistakes through the game that could have been avoided.. but in all reality, they was both ranked the same goin into it, or they wouldnt have played the final game.. Russell just didnt live up the potential of the rest of the season against Belfry... Hope that changes this year cause they sure are a good team!
tomcat68 Wrote:According to the Massey Ratings it also lists Russell's loss to Boyd County as a "Least Likely Result" therefore meaning it was a true upset that occurred becuase the school's are rivals. The loss came from a number of factors. For instance, Russell was coming off a huge emotional victory against Ashland. Also, at the time, Boyd was playing much much much better ball. Since the Russell game Boyd has lost 4 consecutive games including their most recent loss to Lawrence County which was a 2 point loss after Lawrence converted on a field goal at the very end of the game.
"Least Likely Results" are a quarter of a page up from the very bottom of the site.
http://www.mratings.com/rate.php?lg=hsf&sub=KY
Also note that they list Russell beating Ashland as a leats likely result as well..... so I guess that offsets that arguement.
Red Devilette Wrote:Well Russell would have played a decent game last year if they could have actually held onto the ball.. They made a lot of mistakes through the game that could have been avoided.. but in all reality, they was both ranked the same goin into it, or they wouldnt have played the final game.. Russell just didnt live up the potential of the rest of the season against Belfry... Hope that changes this year cause they sure are a good team!
Russell committed two turnovers vs. Belfry last year.... although both of those turnovers were huge, in order for the arguement that turnovers were the downfall of Russell can be used then you must then assume that Russell had to play a perfect game in order to beat Belfry. Those in attendance last year would know that the difference between Russell and Belfry was the 4th quarter when Belfry's line pushed the Devils all across the field.
In order for Russell to beat Belfry last year they would have had to play turnover free football, be in better shape, and have a better defense. The Pirates moved the ball at will vs. Russell.
orisonspi Wrote:Also note that they list Russell beating Ashland as a leats likely result as well..... so I guess that offsets that arguement.
Actually, I think that perfectly sums up my point. You can't compare wins and losses against rival teams because no matter how good or poor each team is there is a chance for an upset which has occurred twice already in this part of the area (4 times if you count Rowan beating Greenup and Greenup beating East Carter).
Sorry I just misunderstood what you were saying... I thought you were making an arguement on Russell's behalf to account for their lone loss. I completely see what you are getting at and agree with you.... for example last season on paper Russell appeared to be the better team coming into the Belfry game but when the dust settled they really were a notch below Belfry. Prestonsburg last season was IMO the 2nd best 2A team in the state but on paper and based on W-L they would have never stacked up against the other teams.
This season I honestly think it is by far too close to call... Belfry is completely unproven and their first true test will be against Ironton, who on all accounts are a step below normal. Russell does have a quality win vs. Ashland to hang their hat on..but as you said upsets do happen.
I think the "home field advantage" does make a big difference.. But I know how Russell is and they probably came THE DAY of the game, which in turn would make the players tired.. But oh well, that was last year and now we get to look forward to who is gonna play together this year
