[toussaints]

What's the best football program without an official state title recognized by the KHSAA? Poll championships don't count.

Some notable programs without state titles include:
Somerset
Boone County
Owensboro Catholic
Frankfort

[GetChili]

Yeah, Somerset has made it to the State Finals five times and have lost all five chances.

[CADEREECE]

Hazard, been to the finals or semi finals like 5 years in row, over last 20 years been ranked in top 5 five of A P poll several times.

92 team was ranked #1 in poll for like 9 straight weeks before being upset by Pikeville, think it was 1997 team was also ranked #1 for several weeks and could not get it done.

Maybe 2011 is the year???

[bigboy26]

Some off the top of my head that may have won one, but it's been a while:

John Hardin
O'cath
Owensboro (Last one was 86)
Bowling Green (Hasn't won one since 95)
Rockcastle
Hopkinsville
Glasgow
Lone Oak-as of recently.

[ROCKSOLID69]

Rockastle County had some really good teams from 2000-2006. Made in to the championship in 01 & 02 but was beat by Boyle co. in 2000 and 2005 lost in the state semi finals to Highlands and Lexington Catholic who both ended up winning state those years.

[LWC]

Rockastle County had some really good teams from 2000-2006. Made in to the championship in 01 & 02 but was beat by Boyle co. in 2000 and 2005 lost in the state semi finals to Highlands and Lexington Catholic who both ended up winning state those years.

3wishes, Rocksolid69 or former might know this, didn't Rock have a team in the early 90's with J.D. Harris and Scott Parkey that was a favorite/contender to win state, but got beat by Corbin? Maybe I am dreaming?.

[Iam4thecats]

Rock had a really good team, but by no means favorite to win the title. They lost in the regional final to Danville by 5, who won the championship game by 14.

[Bolt]

Whitley Co. has had a really solid program for most of the past 20 years but have struggled with the competetion they have faced.
They were in Bell and Rocks district in the 90s and seemed to always beat one but not the other. Always finishing up runner up in the district and then losing in the second or third round of playoffs.
Then they moved to 4A in 2001 where they won district their first year but fell to Scott Co. in the first round. Playing against Lex competetion in the first round every year was enough to knock the much smaller Whitley out every year and wouldnt have had a shot against lville teams later on had they beaten the lex teams so that never worked out.
And since the transistion to 6A they did make it to the state semis in 2009 before losing to Highlands so everyone knows its been the highlands show in 5A ever since until next year.
So theyve always had a good program, just to big to compete with smaller school and not big enough to compete with the bigger ones.
FYI, since 1990, Whitley has only had 3 losing seasons all coming since 2005.

[Jarons]

Wow! I never realized that Somerset and Rockcastle Co. has never won a state title.

[beasy_bo]

Gotta put sheldon clark on there too

[3wishes]

3wishes, Rocksolid69 or former might know this, didn't Rock have a team in the early 90's with J.D. Harris and Scott Parkey that was a favorite/contender to win state, but got beat by Corbin? Maybe I am dreaming?.

It was 1991, they weren't favored. That was the year that really put Rockcastle County on the map as a football power. They beat Corbin twice that year and Corbin had beat the 3A Champs Bell County that same year. Rock fumbled the ball inside their 30 yard line and Danville ran it back for the go ahead score late in the 4th. Rock got inside the 10 yard line to score with about 2 minutes left and on 2nd down got a HOLDING call that backed them up and ultimately lost the game AT DANVILLE.

1995, had the leading rusher in the state and demolished their competition and was headed for a STATE but the RB fell during the 6th game of the season to a near fatal head injury and couldn't play again. They still made it far but losing him hurt.

Since that 1991 game Rock has been very close losing in the semis, region or state each year.

Here was their roadblocks.

1991-1994 Danville
1995-1997 Boyle County
1998 Lexington Catholic
1999 Lawrence County
2000 Highlands
2001-2002 Boyle County
2003 Mason County
2004 Ashland
2005 Lexington Catholic
2006 Johnson Central
2007 Bell County
2008 Bell County

[toussaints]

Hazard, been to the finals or semi finals like 5 years in row, over last 20 years been ranked in top 5 five of A P poll several times.

hazard is definitley up there, i kept thinking they won a state, but just checked and they didnt. they had a pretty good chance not too long ago when they played beechwood in louisville

[EKUAlum05]

The four at the very top of the list:


Owensboro Catholic- State Runner-Ups in 2010, 2005, 2004, and 1997.

Somerset- Runner-Ups in 2009, 1988, 1983, 1981, and 1978

Glasgow- Runner-Ups in 2000, 1999, and 1982

Boone County- Runner-Ups in 1994, 1992, 1987, and 1986


Other candidates: Rockcastle County (2 Runner-Ups), Prestonsburg (2 runner-ups), Hazard (2 runner-ups),

[Coachdad]

Louisville Ballard

[Pigskinman53]

I thinking glasgow may have won a championship a LONG time ago back in the 1930 or 1940's. Somerset seemed to have a golden chance in 2009 When Tilgman beat them. You could also put Harrodsburg, even though school is closed now, they have a couple runner up too I believe.

[Stardust]

Ryle - their winning percentage for a school that does not even have 15 years on the books.

[MayfieldCardinal]

Somerset with 5 runner up's gets my vote, the span with wich they got those 5 I think is also a sign that they have consistantly been one of the better programs

[Gocolts13]

Somerset, Lou. Ballard, Rockcastle Co.

[Intimidator]

Hazard, been to the finals or semi finals like 5 years in row, over last 20 years been ranked in top 5 five of A P poll several times.

92 team was ranked #1 in poll for like 9 straight weeks before being upset by Pikeville, think it was 1997 team was also ranked #1 for several weeks and could not get it done.

In 1997 Class A Beechwood was #1 and Middlesboro was #2 for most if not all of the season they might have flip flopped later on in the season , In 1997 Hazard and Middlesboro was on a collision course for the Regional Finals but that game never happened cause Hazard was beat by a Quentin Henson lead Lynn Camp team that we beat twice.

[LWC]

I thinking glasgow may have won a championship a LONG time ago back in the 1930 or 1940's. Somerset seemed to have a golden chance in 2009 When Tilgman beat them. You could also put Harrodsburg, even though school is closed now, they have a couple runner up too I believe.

I might be wrong, but I believe they consolidated to make the new Mercer County High School, and they won a State Championship. So technically, that would give them a State Championship. As I said, I could be wrong.

[LWC]

I am shocked and amazed to learn that Prestonsburg has never won a title!

[T1up]

Whitley Co. has had a really solid program for most of the past 20 years but have struggled with the competetion they have faced.
They were in Bell and Rocks district in the 90s and seemed to always beat one but not the other. Always finishing up runner up in the district and then losing in the second or third round of playoffs.
Then they moved to 4A in 2001 where they won district their first year but fell to Scott Co. in the first round. Playing against Lex competetion in the first round every year was enough to knock the much smaller Whitley out every year and wouldnt have had a shot against lville teams later on had they beaten the lex teams so that never worked out.
And since the transistion to 6A they did make it to the state semis in 2009 before losing to Highlands so everyone knows its been the highlands show in 5A ever since until next year.
So theyve always had a good program, just to big to compete with smaller school and not big enough to compete with the bigger ones.
FYI, since 1990, Whitley has only had 3 losing seasons all coming since 2005.

:please:

[birdman44]

Ryle has a impressive young history. 1 or 2 state runner ups in the highest A class.

[Pigskinman53]

I might be wrong, but I believe they consolidated to make the new Mercer County High School, and they won a State Championship. So technically, that would give them a State Championship. As I said, I could be wrong.

Yes you are correct Mercer won the first year after consolidation as they got to play in 2A with a 5A enrollment. Although they had a very good team so they might have been able to win even if moved up a class or 2!!!

Somerset would get my vote seems every year they always put a good team on the field and I can remember when they were in Green Co district in 2001-2002 they were ranked #1 that season also. But Somerset faced the same fate we did at Green Co. Sam Harp and Danville they had some very good teams their as well.

[toussaints]

I am shocked and amazed to learn that Prestonsburg has never won a title!

that is a shocker. i thought they won back in the early 90's before i just checked.

[Bolt]

:please:

what?
Compared to other schools that have been mentioned i believe there right up there.

[MayfieldCardinal]

what?
Compared to other schools that have been mentioned i believe there right up there.

I side with t1up, Whitley is nowhere near the best program without a title but that is just my opinion. For me it's hard to compare them along side say Somerset and not pick the Briar Bunnies

[T1up]

I side with t1up, Whitley is nowhere near the best program without a title but that is just my opinion. For me it's hard to compare them along side say Somerset and not pick the Briar Bunnies

Whitley has never played in a championship game according to the KHSAA, I think they have one regional title and their current coach is below 500% at Whitley. As compared to Hazard, Somerset, Rockcastle etc. these teams have made it to the championship game and never won. So again I say :please:

[tvtimeout]

In my opinion, Whitley Co. has came along way! At one time the program was everyone's homecoming, but now they are not. They still struggle with the lack of numbers even though they have a huge school. I blame that area for that, not the school. I still don't know if Whitley's overall record is over 500, but most of that was due from the 60's to the 80's when Mike Campbell took over.

Also, I think that bolt was fair to point out, it has always been one or two teams, no matter in which division Whitley has been in.

Saying all of that if we look at recent history as bolt was there is a good case, but overall program, as pointed out by basically everyone else is correct.

[LClion4life]

Raceland. Has Johnson Central ever won a state title? Maybe they have but it's slipping my mind right now if they have or not.