[The Private]

1 Belfry
2 Johnson Central
3 Bell Co.
4 Prestonsburg
5 Hazard
6 South Laurel
7 Corbin
8 Harlan Co.
9 Clay Co.
10 Letcher Co.

[Poseidon]

I dont think i would count Breathitt out just yet.

The players Breathitt lost were replaceable and they have better athletes this year. They are easily a Mountain Top 10 team. They have better size and are faster than last years team.

[Poseidon]

1. Belfry
2. Bell County
3. Hazard
4. Prestonsburg
5. Letcher Central
6. Corbin
7. Pulaski County
8. Johnson Central
9. Harlan County
10. Pikeville


I don't have Breathitt County in their because they lose a lot of players from last years team.

Rockcastle will have a new coach.

Clay they only have a QB.

The team to look out for is Williamsburg!

Have you seen Breathitt this year? I have and they will be better than last years team. They may lose a game or two, but they have the size and speed to challenge for another title, last year, they really overachieved in my opinion.

[BelfryPirates]

1. Belfry
2. Bell
3. Johnson Central
4. Prestonsburg
5. Hazard
6. Letcher Central
7. Corbin
8. Pulaski
9. Pikeville
10. Breathitt

[bac2369]

I reviewed the last mountain top 10 before all the mountain teams lost besides belfry going to the state and i have come up with a new top 10

1 Belfry
2 Bell
3 Hazard
4 Pulaski Co
5 Letcher Central
6 Johnson Central
7 Prestonsburg
8 Breathitt Co
9 Clay Co
10 Pikeville

[Poseidon]

I reviewed the last mountain top 10 before all the mountain teams lost besides belfry going to the state and i have come up with a new top 10

1 Belfry
2 Bell
3 Hazard
4 Pulaski Co
5 Letcher Central
6 Johnson Central
7 Prestonsburg
8 Breathitt Co
9 Clay Co
10 Pikeville

Pulaski is improved, but they are still not as good as Breathitt, Johnson Central, or Prestonsburg.

[BellCoBobcat]

Bell Co #1 i doubt it. Belfry and Prestonsburg has had there number for years everytime they play Bell Co. Last year out of 11 teams 2 had winning records that Bell Co played. Very Very weak scheduling by Bell Co no wonder Dudley gets 300 victories. Just think if Bells almighty at football play a great schedule and show that you are instead of playing 2-8 teams every week and beat them 70-0 with Varsity in the whole game.

This sure sounds annoyingly similar to a poster of similar name on another board. Seems the same old theme....Middlesboro would not play...Corbin has withdrawn....reorganization left Bell searching into Ohio and Tennessee to try and even get ten games last year. District opponents strengths are out of Bell's hands. They tried very hard to schedule some tough opponents. If you remember....City/Co bowl had Bell against Morristown Tn..very good team and that was cancelled due to the change of KHSAA beginning game schedule. Bell's schedule was set for two years. They cannot do anything about it. They are the only team in 4-A playoffs that gave Lex Cath any kind of game. As for Dudley....he could have had the new Harlan Co. situation....and turned it down to stay at Bell. He took another school to state championship and then returned to Bell. He has given some of the KY powerhouses battles for some time. Bell has had several players who would have had records...etc...but they DID NOT get to play much second half football. Bell rarely left their varsity in the whole game last year....and many of their blowout games.....it was the JV and Freshman playing second half. Bell proved on the field last year that they are a very good team. They are going to do the same this year. Bell's tough road schedule last year....could see them with a possible NINE game home stretch down to the finals! That sounds like pretty good schedule to me!

[BellCoBobcat]

Also Middlesboro leads the series against Bell by 25 games, so it would take 25 years for Bell Co to even get even with Middlesboro.

Good reason to quit playing Bell since all those wins were primarily in the "older years." What was the record of Middlesboro to Bell in the Hilton coached years??? You have said that Middlesboro gets no respect. I personally like Middlesboro and pull for them every week. I think they have a great program and strong teams every year. Middlesboro....NOT PLAYING Bell sure helps Bell's schedule come under fire! Get Kenny to play Dudley...and then you cannot criticize Bell's strength of schedule as much.....and since you have their number.....even though in smaller class..would help everyone when you beat Bell.

[Mama Bear]

This sure sounds annoyingly similar to a poster of similar name on another board. Seems the same old theme....Middlesboro would not play...Corbin has withdrawn....reorganization left Bell searching into Ohio and Tennessee to try and even get ten games last year. District opponents strengths are out of Bell's hands. They tried very hard to schedule some tough opponents. If you remember....City/Co bowl had Bell against Morristown Tn..very good team and that was cancelled due to the change of KHSAA beginning game schedule. Bell's schedule was set for two years. They cannot do anything about it. They are the only team in 4-A playoffs that gave Lex Cath any kind of game. As for Dudley....he could have had the new Harlan Co. situation....and turned it down to stay at Bell. He took another school to state championship and then returned to Bell. He has given some of the KY powerhouses battles for some time. Bell has had several players who would have had records...etc...but they DID NOT get to play much second half football. Bell rarely left their varsity in the whole game last year....and many of their blowout games.....it was the JV and Freshman playing second half. Bell proved on the field last year that they are a very good team. They are going to do the same this year. Bell's tough road schedule last year....could see them with a possible NINE game home stretch down to the finals! That sounds like pretty good schedule to me!

New Harlan Patriots is the name of one of the middle school football teams in Harlan County.

Our high school is called Harlan County High School.

[BellCoBobcat]

New Harlan Patriots is the name of one of the middle school football teams in Harlan County.

Our high school is called Harlan County High School.

I am well aware of that Mama Bear. If you read the quote I referred to the "new" Harlan Co. situation...NOT Harlan (City)....which is OLD situation or as you inferred....the middle school!!!. "new"was a descriptive word NOT part of the name....I referred to the whole reorganization of the three high schools into one as a....."situation!" not as the name of the school. I do believe that it is the "newest" high school in the county is it not? LOL!!

[Mama Bear]

There's been alot of confusion with the name of the newest high school in Harlan County. With the middles school's football team being called "New Harlan" and the independent school's name being "Harlan" and the new high school's name being "Harlan County High School", it can be very confusing for someone who does not live around here. You seem offended that I corrected you. My apologies. LOL

[Jackets08]

Good reason to quit playing Bell since all those wins were primarily in the "older years." What was the record of Middlesboro to Bell in the Hilton coached years??? You have said that Middlesboro gets no respect. I personally like Middlesboro and pull for them every week. I think they have a great program and strong teams every year. Middlesboro....NOT PLAYING Bell sure helps Bell's schedule come under fire! Get Kenny to play Dudley...and then you cannot criticize Bell's strength of schedule as much.....and since you have their number.....even though in smaller class..would help everyone when you beat Bell.

Middlesboro is not the only school in the State Bell Co can play. Why not the Danville's, Belfry's, Ft Campbell, Beechwood, Ashland, and so on. Also Bell Co fans better enjoy Bell Co football while Dudley is there because once hes gone back to the old days of everybody beating them. Dudleys first year gone in 97 they went 0-4 starting out the season, with Middlesboro beating them also that year. Bottom line Dudley outcoaches Roark and he knows it.

[BellCoBobcat]

There's been alot of confusion with the name of the newest high school in Harlan County. With the middles school's football team being called "New Harlan" and the independent school's name being "Harlan" and the new high school's name being "Harlan County High School", it can be very confusing for someone who does not live around here. You seem offended that I corrected you. My apologies. LOL

Mama...I was not offended that you corrected me....PLEASE read my post....the word new was not attached in any form to the school's name it was in LOWER case. You took it as NEW and never was....nor was it intended. There was no need for correction. You misread my first post!

[BellCoBobcat]

Middlesboro is not the only school in the State Bell Co can play. Why not the Danville's, Belfry's, Ft Campbell, Beechwood, Ashland, and so on. Also Bell Co fans better enjoy Bell Co football while Dudley is there because once hes gone back to the old days of everybody beating them. Dudleys first year gone in 97 they went 0-4 starting out the season, with Middlesboro beating them also that year. Bottom line Dudley outcoaches Roark and he knows it.

You certainly are right about the coaching situation. However, I know that Bell has tried to schedule many of these teams....and circumstances for scheduling can be difficult on both ends. Dudley wants a tough schedule. Leslie Co.; Sheldon Clark; Tates Creek; Lincoln Co. were all normally strong teams going into last year's schedule. Some were down last year....schedule for this year was locked last year. I think they have already worked on adding Harlan Co. Bears next year. Henry Clay and Knoxville Central were strong opponents in the two years before. Many of these teams would play Bell but do not want to come down this far for the reciprocal game in a two year deal. Hard for Bell to agree to go without getting the gate or expense back the next year.

[Mama Bear]

Hard for Bell to agree to go without getting the gate or expense back the next year.

This is a good point.


I apologize for the second time for my meager attempt at correcting what I inaccurately percieved as a mistake. Perhaps through my mistake, others will be as informed as you are about the difference in the football teams who do not live near Harlan or Bell Co.

In any case, I think the Black Bears of Harlan County will be making some noise in the mountains once the season gets started. I think it's an honor to be on any top 10 list and have never taken the field before together. 19 more days until we cross that mountain to visit LCC! They'll be thunder in the mountain that night for sure!

[Patriot]

Mama...I was not offended that you corrected me....PLEASE read my post....the word new was not attached in any form to the school's name it was in LOWER case. You took it as NEW and never was....nor was it intended. There was no need for correction. You misread my first post!

Seems to me that you were upset that Mama corrected you! All she was trying to do was correct a common mistake that a lot of people are making. The New Harlan Patriots (County Middle School) the Harlan County High School (Black Bears) and Harlan Independent (City-Green Dragons). A lot of people on these sites think the patriots are Harlan City.

Back to the subject. We understand how you feel, neither Bell or Middlesboro middle schools will play the New Harlan Patriots. But the High School will be playing Middlesboro this year and Bell next year. I hope it is the first of many great games between the two.

[OldDawg]

WHOO Harlan county vs. Bell co. rivalry already lmao....who peed in your wheaties bellbobcat??? hahahaha

PRESEASON TOP 10 PLEASE!!!!! Not the time to debate the english usage of the word new...haha

[DaBears]

WHOO Harlan county vs. Bell co. rivalry already lmao....who peed in your wheaties bellbobcat??? hahahaha

PRESEASON TOP 10 PLEASE!!!!! Not the time to debate the english usage of the word new...haha

:popcorn: :thatsfunn

[BlackcatAlum]

Lets not get off-topic here now.

[timbo64]

1. Belfry
2. Bell
3. Hazard
4. P-burg
5. Breathitt
6. Letcher Central
7. Johnson Central
8. Corbin
9. Rockcastle
10. South Laurel

I would put Clay County around 11, they will be a team to watch with Zack in good health this year.