[RunItUpTheGut]

Collins

1. 2013 (13-2)
2. 2012 (11-4)
3. 2011 (11-3)
4. 2010 (11-2)

They haven't even had 5 seasons yet!

I would take a 46-11 start as a newly consolidated school any day!

[birdman44]

[quote=sstack]

82 team was very, very good.

Birdman, I'd reverse your top 2 and put 2009 at the top. Lorenzen and Smith were obviously studs, but when you look at the complete team and consider all the units (D, O and Specials), the 09 team was better in my opinion. Even after that team lost its starting QB (Bardo, whom has gone on to do really big things on University of Dayton's football team) and lost its starting RB for 5 games during the season (Collinsworth), the Birds O continued to dominate opponents. Defense was stellar throughout the season. Birds had an exceptional kicker (Weinel) and great return game too lead by Collinsworth. The 09 team was the complete package. 98 team had the O, no doubt about that. But the D and Specials weren't as good as they were on the 09 team.

If a tie braker was to be needed, I go with the 09 win over Cincy X as the tie braker. That was a very good X team. They lost to Elder during the playoffs by a point or two (after beating Elder in the regular season) and then Elder went on to lose in the D1 Ohio championship game by a narrow margin. X was one of the top 3 or 4 teams in Ohio that year (which is saying a lot) and if you watched that game, Highlands dominated X everywhere but on the scoreboard (only winning by 5, but even then the only points put on the board by X were in the last minute and a result of Highlands playing prevent defense to stop X from scoring quickly).

The '98 Defense wasn't good?

D Smith - Kentucky
B Grover - Perdue
B Scott - Kentucky
B Hamblen - Kentucky
J Meloche - Kentucky *second best player on D
R Smith - Tennessee
B Ulbricht - Cornell *best player on D
N Gibson - Kentucky / Gtown - 11 ints

B Jones, Kicker broke a national record that year.
N Gibson / B Ulbricht probably returned a kick or punt for a TD per game

common misconception is the scoring allowed due to putting up 70 points in the first half and putting in the JV/fresh.
In the Male game, 51-41 win (they won 4A) Male returned 2 ko for TDs (we had no starters on kickoff) this was changed mid game.

2009 did beat St X. 98 didn't get a shot at a GCL team. '98 was the undisputed best team in KY (won 3A beat the 4A champ)...09 cant claim that....

[Jarons]

I would take a 46-11 start as a newly consolidated school any day!

Collins actually was not a product of consolidation, it was formed by splitting Shelby Co in half.

[blue1424]

I would take a 46-11 start as a newly consolidated school any day!

The thing is they weren't consolidated but split in half from Shelby County. That's what makes it even more impressive.

[RunItUpTheGut]

My mistake.
Consolidation is just the first word that popped in my head.

[Santa Monica]

Pulaski County Maroons (Only had 30 years of history)

2013 - 14-1 - 5A State Runner Up (to nationally ranked Bowlin Green). District, Region, and Semi-State Champs.

2009 - 9 - 4 - District Champs, first Regional Championship. Lost in Semi-State round at Highlands. (Highlands was undefeated 5A State Champs)

2003 - 11 - 2 - Region and District Runner-Up. Both losses to 3A State Champion (Undefeated) Boyle County.

2010 - 11 - 2 - District Champs. (Was upset in Regional Title Game at Harlan County. Had beaten Harlan County 40-7 earlier in the season.). Only other loss was in double OT to 6A Henry Clay.

Tie 2007 & 2012 - 2007 team was 10-2. Both losses to District and Region Champion Lincoln County. (Lincoln lost in semi-state round at Highlands. Highlands was undefeated 5A Champs). 2012 team surprised by going 9-4, won District Crown, and lost in the Region Title Game.

Note - In 1993-94, Pulaski lost every game. They were the worst program in the state. What a climb!

[Wise one]

Highlands Post 1980:

1. 1998 Lorenzen Smith
2. 2009 Collinsworth Roller
3. 2000 Guidugli Hamblen
4. 2011 Towles Sheehan
5. 1982 Kramer or Abner? Ulbricht?

honorable mention
1996 Frisk Lickert

you kind of have to go undefeated/one loss to a GCL and win state to be considered to be on this list.
It kindof breaks down to the hot years of the 96-00 era and the 07-12 era.
I know there are a lot of ole timey squads that were great too... don't know much earlier than 80

There were many great teams at Highlands before 1980. The old guys in the crowd, like me, remember them.

Here is my list of the top 5 Highlands teams from the 1960-1979 era.

1. 1968 13-0 Class AA Champion. Outscored their opponents 608-43. Registered seven (7) shutouts. Won the state semi-finals 48-0 AT Belfry and the state championship over Elizabethtown by 32-7. Head Coach was Mike Murphy. Team members included Clem Fennell, Jim Waite, Rick Hoffman and Tim Rocke. Rocke later played for the Chicago Bears.

2. 1960 12-0 Class AA Champion. Outscored their opponents 432-65. Registered seven (7) shutouts. Defeated the 1960 AAA champion Louisville Male during the regular season 26-20. Beat Lexington Lafayette 21-13 in the state finals where they won Highlands first “Official” Championship. Head Coach was Homer Rice. Senior team members included Joe Ross and Bob Steinhauser.

3. 1961 12-0 Class AA Champion. Outscored their opponents 497-64. Registered five (5) shutouts. In the state playoffs, they won the semi-finals 34-0 vs Hazard and in the finals defeated Richmond Madison 12-0 for Highlands first repeat state championship. Head Coach was Homer Rice. Senior team members included Roger Walz, Jim Burt, John Burt, Doug Moore and Mike McGraw. John Burt later played with the LA Rams.

4. 1964 12-0 Class AA Champion. Outscored their opponents 423-63. Registered seven (7) shutouts. In the state finals they beat Richmond Madison 36-0. Head Coach was Owen Hauck. Team members included Chuck Kyle, Jim “Effie” Vorhees, Harold White and Mike Roth. Later Chuck Kyle played with the Jets and Cowboys.

5. 1970 14-0 Class AA Champion. Outscored their opponents 402-62. Registered eight (8) shutouts. Handed Madisonville with Alfred “Sonny” Collins their only two losses, in the first game of the season in the Recreation Bowl at Mt. Sterling (27-14) and in the state championship (30-13). Head coach was Mike Murphy. Team members included Rick Glover, Bill Roller and Duke Schneider.

Honorable mention to:

1975 13-1 Class AAA Champion. Outscored their opponents 491-68. Registered eight (8) shutouts. Won the state championship by defeating Franklin-Simpson 21-0 at WKU in Bowling Green. Head coach was Roger Walz. Team members included Jeff Schloser, Bard Waddel, Rick Pendery and Ron Malone.

[Jack Lambert]

Will go with these 5 and hope more Rebel fans contribute.

1. 2000 Boyle County. Most talented team in Rebel history with only 2 close games. (Both vs. Lex Cath and were the only Knights losses of the season) Jeff Duggins (Mr. Football next year), Matt Quinn at RB, Matt Miller at WR and KR, Travis Leffew at Tackle both ways, a young Brodie Overstreet, a sophomore name Jacob Tamme who would be hurt 2/3 of the season. Taylor Begley kicking.

2. 2001 Boyle County. Did not miss a beat. Defense put up even better stats and utterly destroyed an unbeaten Rockastle in the State Final.

3. 2003 Rebels. 15-0. Swept HHS in two games. Most impressive win was vs. Paducah Tighlman in the Western Corner of the state in the AAA semi-finals. PT had Hunter Cantwell and Joe Casey and a host of other talented kids but Boyle dominated the 2nd half to win going away 35-21. Not sure this team was as individually talented as the other two but as a unit they were awesome to watch play together.

4. 2009 Boyle. 15-0. Defense was awesome that season. Two toughest tests came in the semi-finals and state to unbeatens Bell and Lone Oak. RB Rees Mcshara, other backs in Cook and Hester, Lamar Dawson (enough said) and a really good line.

5. 1976 Boyle. ???? Sounds odd. But they went 10-2 and lost a 1 point game to Class A semi-finalist Frankfort (on a late KO return) and by a TD to 10-1 Danville (on a late punt return). Rebels upset powerhouse Harrodsburg (Henry Parks, Gus Parks, Venus Meaux among others) and laid the wood to everyone else. They had 5 shutouts but missed the playoffs on the points system to Somerset. If memory serves, if Boyle had beaten either Danville or Frankfort they would have had enough points to make the playoffs.

I would make cases for any other state title team and I hope some of you will. I would add in the discussion the following:

1963 9-0
1965 6-2-2 (Won their first District and lost to State runnerup by a TD)
1969 9-1-1 (John Buchanan's first team I think)
1975 9-2 (Set a state record for passing yards allowed in a season with a tough line anchored by future Maryland Terp Kyle Lorton)
1979 9-1
1982 8-3 (Won District and lost in the Regionals to State Champ Corbin)

A lot of people don't know, but Ed Rall had some very good teams at Boyle county if the playoffs then were like they are today Boyle might have more state titles.

[Jack Lambert]

Since there are no Danville fans on here that I can discern, here's a shot at them. I will only rank the teams from the playoff era on.

1. 1992. Undefeated AA champs that mopped the floor with everyone they played. They were a machine. Blew Mayfield out in the title game from late in the 3rd quarter on.

2. 1984. Unbeaten AAA champs. I rank them just below the above team. Awesome defense and underrated offense. Had 27 players on the roster if memory serves. Duffy's first title team. Decimated a highly ranked Cov Cath team in the Regional final, 28-0. Beat Hoptown in the finals 24-6 with the Tigers only score coming late in the game.

3. 1993. Lost in the State Semi-finals by one to Prestonsburg. Probably the best of all the Admiral teams but had a bad night vs. a very good Blackcat squad. Danville beat the AAAA runner-up (Shelby County) by 14 and throttled the AAA runner-up (Lincoln County) in the regular season. One of the best rushing attacks from any school. Might add they finished the regular season ranked #1 by Litkenhouse regardless of class.

4. 2003. Lost only one game, to AAA State Champ Boyle. Beat HHS, and Manual. Penix and Turner were a strong backfield combo. Throttled a 13-2 Beechwood team in the final, 42-7.

5. 1994. 15-0 again. Not really challenged by anyone that season. Finished 3rd in the state regardless of class in the Lit ratings.

Honorable Mention to:

1962 AA State Champs.
1980 Tom Duffy's first Danville Squad.
1987 AA State Champs
2000 A State Champs

Danville has had some of the best teams I've ever seen not sure what year it was but Ben kinley and Kentae Bess were seniors IMO that's one of the best Danville teams I've ever seen.

[EKUAlum05]

Danville has had some of the best teams I've ever seen not sure what year it was but Ben kinley and Kentae Bess were seniors IMO that's one of the best Danville teams I've ever seen.

That 1993 Danville team was unreal.

I remember watching them in the Pike County Bowl against Belfry and that is one of the very few games that I ever saw a pretty talented Belfry team be completely outclassed at every single position.

Danville beat the snot out of Belfry that game and I literally saw Danville defenders getting to the QB before he could even make his first handoff. It was truly men vs. boys.

The funny thing is Belfry nearly beat Pburg that year losing I think 10-7 to the Blackcats...then Pburg turns around and shocked the Ads in the playoffs.

[Hatz]

That 1993 Danville team was unreal.

I remember watching them in the Pike County Bowl against Belfry and that is one of the very few games that I ever saw a pretty talented Belfry team be completely outclassed at every single position.

Danville beat the snot out of Belfry that game and I literally saw Danville defenders getting to the QB before he could even make his first handoff. It was truly men vs. boys.

The funny thing is Belfry nearly beat Pburg that year losing I think 10-7 to the Blackcats...then Pburg turns around and shocked the Ads in the playoffs.

Prestonsburg deserves credit but it was a perfect storm vs the Ads. Not slighting them but it's like IU losing in '75 or UNLV in '91.

[AtlPirateFan]

I like all the Belfry lists I have seen and almost all of the contenders have been mentioned. Except 08. Yes they were shocked by Breathitt in the Semis but I think the D was better in 08 while the O may not have been as explosive as 07. 07 always gets the nod because they made the dance and I am sure 08 gets a Top 10 nod in everyones lists but I think the 5 spot on EKU's list could be a tossup between 91, 07 and 08.

[Jack Lambert]

That 1993 Danville team was unreal.

I remember watching them in the Pike County Bowl against Belfry and that is one of the very few games that I ever saw a pretty talented Belfry team be completely outclassed at every single position.

Danville beat the snot out of Belfry that game and I literally saw Danville defenders getting to the QB before he could even make his first handoff. It was truly men vs. boys.

The funny thing is Belfry nearly beat Pburg that year losing I think 10-7 to the Blackcats...then Pburg turns around and shocked the Ads in the playoffs.

I think I was wrong about Ben and Kentae being seniors my wife was a trainer for the ADS in 94 and 95 she says they were juniors on the 94 title team. I remember watching The Danville P-burg game in 93 Danville dominated the game P-burg had less than a 100 YDS total offense but managed to get a score and keep the ADS out of the end zone I believe Danville had 6 turnovers in the game, and I think most of them were in the red zone.IMO Danville had the best team by far, if those two teams played 20 games Danville would have won 19 of them, it was one of the biggest upsets I've ever seen in high school football.