[SEKYFAN]

[quote=Do-double-gg]1. Pulaski County
2. Belfry
3. Johnson Central
4. Bell County
5. Williamsburg
6. Corbin
7. Prestonsburg
8. Harlan County
9. Hazard
10. Pikeville

Honorable Mentions-Paintsville, Knox Central, Pike Central, Lawrence County


I think this list is better, although I think both Middlesboro and Southwestern could be in the top 10, or at least in the honorable mentions.

[Pirate1991#8]

Yes I'm Biased, and yes I don't put much into the MOUNTIAN Top Ten because there is no trophy or Ring for that...But let's be honest the only reason Pulaski County is ranked higher than Belfry is because they are 5A and we are 3A...The only comparison you can use is the Southwestern game and it was virtually the same score with 3 points either way..You can argue that We played them away and PC had them at home, ours was in the beginning of the year, they played at the end...And no Pulaski is not on a different level than us..I don't see it, I think we can pull out the win, but again that's my opinion...Yes they are good but we are just as good..

[Pirate1991#8]

And I don't put much into the Computer matchup from Calpreps, but I have found that they are close most of the time...but last year it was 26 to 24 in favor of PC....but if you do it this year it's 21 to 20 us..so again computers don't score touchdowns, but PC is not on a different level, we are on the same level..IMO

[RunItUpTheGut]

Glad to see nothing has changed here! Haha ... Just had to check in and see what everyone was talking about!!!

Good luck to all the teams in Eastern Kentucky this year!

- Derek Forrest

Guest appearances on late Friday nights shouldn't be that hard :eyeroll:

[pjdoug]

And I don't put much into the Computer matchup from Calpreps, but I have found that they are close most of the time...but last year it was 26 to 24 in favor of PC....but if you do it this year it's 21 to 20 us..so again computers don't score touchdowns, but PC is not on a different level, we are on the same level..IMO

:dontthink

[zaga_fan]

Yes I'm Biased, and yes I don't put much into the MOUNTIAN Top Ten because there is no trophy or Ring for that...But let's be honest the only reason Pulaski County is ranked higher than Belfry is because they are 5A and we are 3A...The only comparison you can use is the Southwestern game and it was virtually the same score with 3 points either way..You can argue that We played them away and PC had them at home, ours was in the beginning of the year, they played at the end...And no Pulaski is not on a different level than us..I don't see it, I think we can pull out the win, but again that's my opinion...Yes they are good but we are just as good..

I'll tell you the reason why Belfry is #2 in the mountains.
It's got nothing to do with class.
It's got nothing to do with Southwestern.
It's got everything to do with the loss that Johnson Central put on Belfry at home last year.
Belfry lost to a mountain team last year while Pulaski pretty much blew everyone out from around here.

Johnson Central was a tough out last year and could have played with anyone from around here - that loss is nothing to be upset about.
But if you wanna be the best you gotta beat the rest.

[rock19701]

Guest appearances on late Friday nights shouldn't be that hard :eyeroll:

If only my friend!!

[TigerBlues]

If only my friend!!

Rock in Paintsville we miss the $ Kash money and with Damion Belcher they could be good again ? We hope so ! Keep doing great things and best to you

[bucslover68]

I'll tell you the reason why Belfry is #2 in the mountains.
It's got nothing to do with class.
It's got nothing to do with Southwestern.
It's got everything to do with the loss that Johnson Central put on Belfry at home last year.
Belfry lost to a mountain team last year while Pulaski pretty much blew everyone out from around here.

Johnson Central was a tough out last year and could have played with anyone from around here - that loss is nothing to be upset about.
But if you wanna be the best you gotta beat the rest.

A couple of observations.
All-time Belfry is like 28-4 against JC. I many be off a game or two on the Belfry side because I don't have the stats in front of me but, give JC credit, the 4 wins have come in the last 7 years since the series has been renewed. Belfry won like the first 25 or so before JC won in 2009. Belfry won the first 2 and JC 4 out of 5. Interesting note...Each team has only won once at home during this renewed series.
The way Belfry's schedule goes, the JC game represents 2/3 of the total season. Point being, you never judge a Belfry team just how they fared against JC... Belfry used the JC game last year as a huge learning experience and made necessary adjustments needed to win a championship...Belfry has fared very well against "the best"...they have beat "the best" many times.
Furthermore, Belfry...the team and coaches...could care less about the "mythical" championship of a Mountain Top Ten...There may be better teams occasionally in the mountains, but there is ZERO question right now who has the best PROGRAM.
Belfry will gladly take championships and title game appearances over any top ten ranking.
To be honest, PC and Belfry would be a really good game most years. Two very good teams battling each other. BHS might not win them all, but they would get their share and that is more than 95% of all mountain teams can say.

[Do-double-gg]

A couple of observations.
All-time Belfry is like 28-4 against JC. I many be off a game or two on the Belfry side because I don't have the stats in front of me but, give JC credit, the 4 wins have come in the last 7 years since the series has been renewed. Belfry won like the first 25 or so before JC won in 2009. Belfry won the first 2 and JC 4 out of 5. Interesting note...Each team has only won once at home during this renewed series.
The way Belfry's schedule goes, the JC game represents 2/3 of the total season. Point being, you never judge a Belfry team just how they fared against JC... Belfry used the JC game last year as a huge learning experience and made necessary adjustments needed to win a championship...Belfry has fared very well against "the best"...they have beat "the best" many times.
Furthermore, Belfry...the team and coaches...could care less about the "mythical" championship of a Mountain Top Ten...There may be better teams occasionally in the mountains, but there is ZERO question right now who has the best PROGRAM.Belfry will gladly take championships and title game appearances over any top ten ranking.
To be honest, PC and Belfry would be a really good game most years. Two very good teams battling each other. BHS might not win them all, but they would get their share and that is more than 95% of all mountain teams can say.

A couple of observations of my own.
Not trying to start anything, but...............stuff like the 2nd bolded I think is part of the problem why some people say that Belfry fans are arrogant. Are you the 3a state champs.........yes. Do you have a good program.........yes but to say you have the best program lol, all I can say is what proof do you have. I just want to ask you an honest question, how do you think Belfry would fare playing against teams like Highlands and Covington Catholic every year in 4a. I know that Belfry got a little better after the Johnson central game but If Belfry and Johnson central were to play again in the playoffs I would still take JC by a couple touchdowns. IMO if you move Johnson Central to 3a in the last 5 years they would probably have a few championships. I would take Highlands by 3 scores over every team to win the 3a title for the last 10 years. Yes I think Highlands has been that good and I don't think a 3a team in this state could stop the Highlands pass game or even be able to score quick enough to keep it close. Highlands scores so quick that a run game (I don't care whose it is will not keep up). Their is no program in the state of Kentucky in 3a that comes even close to Highlands. Take away the last 2 seasons because of a coaching change and I would give the crown of the best program in the Mountains in the last 10 years over both Belfry and Johnson Central and give it to Bell County. As for the 1st bolded, you are probably right, the coaches probably don't care about the Mountain rankings but I know for a fact that the fans do and they are fun to talk and argue about on BGR and if you didn't care you would never make this post so just have fun with it because the rankings are what they are.

[bucslover68]

A couple of observations of my own.
Not trying to start anything, but...............stuff like the 2nd bolded I think is part of the problem why some people say that Belfry fans are arrogant. Are you the 3a state champs.........yes. Do you have a good program.........yes but to say you have the best program lol, all I can say is what proof do you have. I just want to ask you an honest question, how do you think Belfry would fare playing against teams like Highlands and Covington Catholic every year in 4a. I know that Belfry got a little better after the Johnson central game but If Belfry and Johnson central were to play again in the playoffs I would still take JC by a couple touchdowns. IMO if you move Johnson Central to 3a in the last 5 years they would probably have a few championships. I would take Highlands by 3 scores over every team to win the 3a title for the last 10 years. Yes I think Highlands has been that good and I don't think a 3a team in this state could stop the Highlands pass game or even be able to score quick enough to keep it close. Highlands scores so quick that a run game (I don't care whose it is will not keep up). Their is no program in the state of Kentucky in 3a that comes even close to Highlands. Take away the last 2 seasons because of a coaching change and I would give the crown of the best program in the Mountains in the last 10 years over both Belfry and Johnson Central and give it to Bell County. As for the 1st bolded, you are probably right, the coaches probably don't care about the Mountain rankings but I know for a fact that the fans do and they are fun to talk and argue about on BGR and if you didn't care you would never make this post so just have fun with it because the rankings are what they are.

Make sure dogg that you understand I am talking about the best program in the mountains, and dogg that is why you have "class" football. JC has never stepped up in their class to beat the best. They have come very close and should be commended for that. Belfry went through that a lot over the decades having been in the old 3A...Try Highlands and Bell and Leslie County in their prime and Franklin Simpson when they went back to back and Russell, when only one team out of the district went to the playoffs. The old 3a was obviously much tougher than the current one, but you play where you are. (Just as an example,) Belfry could say to Pikeville,"well if we were in Class A, we would have a bunch of titles"...makes zero sense because it is not what is real... Reality is, is that Belfry is in class 3A and JC is class 4A...No one is gonna argue that JC's road isn't tougher, but when the 4 or 5 best teams in your school's history cannot get it done, and some not even past the second round, then yes Belfry, by far, has the best program in the mountains RIGHT NOW...It is not measured by opinion, it is measured by results. This is the PROOF I have...Years 11, State championships 3, State Finals 7, Regional champs 10. To argue that is insane and really not giving credit to something so obvious. BTW, it is not arrogant to state what is determined in facts alone and not by opinion.

[Do-double-gg]

:popcorn:

Make sure dogg that you understand I am talking about the best program in the mountains, and dogg that is why you have "class" football. JC has never stepped up in their class to beat the best. They have come very close and should be commended for that. Belfry went through that a lot over the decades having been in the old 3A...Try Highlands and Bell and Leslie County in their prime and Franklin Simpson when they went back to back and Russell, when only one team out of the district went to the playoffs. The old 3a was obviously much tougher than the current one, but you play where you are. (Just as an example,) Belfry could say to Pikeville,"well if we were in Class A, we would have a bunch of titles"...makes zero sense because it is not what is real... Reality is, is that Belfry is in class 3A and JC is class 4A...No one is gonna argue that JC's road isn't tougher, but when the 4 or 5 best teams in your school's history cannot get it done, and some not even past the second round, then yes Belfry, by far, has the best program in the mountains RIGHT NOW...It is not measured by opinion, it is measured by results. This is the PROOF I have...Years 11, State championships 3, State Finals 7, Regional champs 10. To argue that is insane and really not giving credit to something so obvious. BTW, it is not arrogant to state what is determined in facts alone and not by opinion.

I understand bucs that you are talking about the best program in the Mountains. I also understand that in reality Johnson Central is 4a and Belfry is in 3a, but that is just it. How can you say that Belfry has the best program, but then turn around and admit that teams in other classes have a tougher road then you. IMO 3a has been watered down for quite a few years now but things are looking way up for 2015 and the new alignment. IMO it is very hard to say who has the best program when the schools are all different sizes and in different classes and playing different levels of competition. I think saying that you would win a 1a championship when you are in 3a is just a little more silly then saying that a 4a team would win 3a. I would bet anything that Belfry had just as much depth as Johnson Central did last year so the 4a v 3a thing just don't hold as much water for me. Belfry has an awsome program from little league on up and you do things right down there but your not the only ones. I would still give the best Mountain program crown in the last 10 years to Bell County if I had to choose one. I would say that Belfry may have had the best team in the Mountains a few times in the last 10 years but when you say the best program you are talking about more then wins.

In the last 10 years
1 Bell Co.
2 Belfry
3Johnson Central
4 Somerset
5 Hazard
6 Prestonsburg IMO if I had to vote :popcorn:

[irishcard16]

Dogg in the end of that you say there is more to it than just wins and losses, please elaborate on that, what factors could you be referring to that Bell Co has been better at? Because speaking factually I don't think any mountain school over the past 10-12 years really even comes close to the statistical dominance Belfry has shown.

[bucslover68]

I understand some of your points dogg, but I am going strictly by numbers and state impact. If I start throwing in passion, fan support, intangibles, etc., the gap widens even further IMO...BTW dogg why did you put JC behind Belfry if you argue they are better? Just askin...and another question why Bell County? How do they stack up in trophies and wins etc...gimme some numbers, convince me...they were very good in 4a and have dropped a bit since going to 3A and it looks like they are back on the rise which is a good thing...Bell and Belfry potentially the next few years looks enticing.

[Do-double-gg]

I understand some of your points dogg, but I am going strictly by numbers and state impact. If I start throwing in passion, fan support, intangibles, etc., the gap widens even further IMO...BTW dogg why did you put JC behind Belfry if you argue they are better? Just askin...and another question why Bell County? How do they stack up in trophies and wins etc...gimme some numbers, convince me...they were very good in 4a and have dropped a bit since going to 3A and it looks like they are back on the rise which is a good thing...Bell and Belfry potentially the next few years looks enticing.

Because going at it toe to toe I think Johnson Central has the Better team right now, but in the last 10 years Belfry has had a little better program all in all. I haven't done the numbers to compare Bell and Belfry in the last 10 years because I'm to lazy, but they both have a championship and I would say that they are very very close in district and region championships and I would also say that both schools have close numbers all time. Didn't coach Hilton have the Kentucky record for wins before coach Haywood. I think they both even have the same amount of championships. Bell went down a little because coach Hilton went to Pikeville College and this new coach is pretty good and I could be wrong, but I don't see Bell being as dominant again without coach Hilton. In the last 10 years Bell did what they did in a stronger class going against better competition from round 1 all the way to the championship round IMO.:popcorn:

[EKUAlum05]

:popcorn:

I understand bucs that you are talking about the best program in the Mountains. I also understand that in reality Johnson Central is 4a and Belfry is in 3a, but that is just it. How can you say that Belfry has the best program, but then turn around and admit that teams in other classes have a tougher road then you. IMO 3a has been watered down for quite a few years now but things are looking way up for 2015 and the new alignment. IMO it is very hard to say who has the best program when the schools are all different sizes and in different classes and playing different levels of competition. I think saying that you would win a 1a championship when you are in 3a is just a little more silly then saying that a 4a team would win 3a. I would bet anything that Belfry had just as much depth as Johnson Central did last year so the 4a v 3a thing just don't hold as much water for me. Belfry has an awsome program from little league on up and you do things right down there but your not the only ones. I would still give the best Mountain program crown in the last 10 years to Bell County if I had to choose one. I would say that Belfry may have had the best team in the Mountains a few times in the last 10 years but when you say the best program you are talking about more then wins.

In the last 10 years
1 Bell Co.
2 Belfry
3Johnson Central
4 Somerset
5 Hazard
6 Prestonsburg IMO if I had to vote :popcorn:

I'll call you to task on this one...what is your reasoning?

[Pulp Fiction]

As one of the biggest JC "homer's" in the world...

Until JC brings home a state football championship... there is no way anybody can say JC is the best program in the mountains.


But the way things are looking....we may be able to make that claim within the next few seasons.

[zaga_fan]

A couple of observations.
All-time Belfry is like 28-4 against JC. I many be off a game or two on the Belfry side because I don't have the stats in front of me but, give JC credit, the 4 wins have come in the last 7 years since the series has been renewed. Belfry won like the first 25 or so before JC won in 2009. Belfry won the first 2 and JC 4 out of 5. Interesting note...Each team has only won once at home during this renewed series.
The way Belfry's schedule goes, the JC game represents 2/3 of the total season. Point being, you never judge a Belfry team just how they fared against JC... Belfry used the JC game last year as a huge learning experience and made necessary adjustments needed to win a championship...Belfry has fared very well against "the best"...they have beat "the best" many times.
Furthermore, Belfry...the team and coaches...could care less about the "mythical" championship of a Mountain Top Ten...There may be better teams occasionally in the mountains, but there is ZERO question right now who has the best PROGRAM.
Belfry will gladly take championships and title game appearances over any top ten ranking.
To be honest, PC and Belfry would be a really good game most years. Two very good teams battling each other. BHS might not win them all, but they would get their share and that is more than 95% of all mountain teams can say.

It must be nice to lose a game around here and simply say...
"you never judge a Belfry team just how they fared against JC".

I understand the Haywood "Get a little better each week" mentality, but c'mon now...
Don't most teams get a little better each week?
Did Johnson Central just plateau at the Belfry game?

Believe me - I don't think there's much difference between the top 3 or 4 teams in the mountains - but if you have a team that beats everyone and one team that beats almost everyone... who would you put at the top?

If Belfry beats Johnson Central they get the #1 ranking... hands down... no one can argue about it.
You drop a game and you open it up for conversation.

[EKUAlum05]

FWIW, I agree with having Pulaski County #1. They are a veteran team laden with Upperclassmen who only lost to the best team in the entire State last season.

With that said, anyone who doesn't see that Belfry was step for step as good as Pulaski last year come the end of November is missing the big picture. Bourbon County and Wayne County both had offenses as good as Pulaski... with Bourbon maybe even being a little better. Belfry shut down both teams. Pulaski was also the beneficiary of a much more lenient regular season schedule. Wasn't a bad schedule by any means...but there wa snot a single game Pulaski didn't enter as a fairly heavy favorite. Until Anderson County in Game 14 Pulaski didn't face anyone that should have been able to match up with them

[pjdoug]

FWIW, I agree with having Pulaski County #1. They are a veteran team laden with Upperclassmen who only lost to the best team in the entire State last season.

With that said, anyone who doesn't see that Belfry was step for step as good as Pulaski last year come the end of November is missing the big picture. Bourbon County and Wayne County both had offenses as good as Pulaski... with Bourbon maybe even being a little better. Belfry shut down both teams. Pulaski was also the beneficiary of a much more lenient regular season schedule. Wasn't a bad schedule by any means...but there wa snot a single game Pulaski didn't enter as a fairly heavy favorite. Until Anderson County in Game 14 Pulaski didn't face anyone that should have been able to match up with them

Pulaski beat Damien Harris twice and were the only team to beat him last year. nicker:

[EKUAlum05]

Pulaski beat Damien Harris twice and were the only team to beat him last year. nicker:

You are correct...they beat Damien Harris twice....because Madison Southern was not a very good football team aside from him. Southern also played a cakewalk of a schedule.

[pjdoug]

You are correct...they beat Damien Harris twice....because Madison Southern was not a very good football team aside from him. Southern also played a cakewalk of a schedule.

they are not as bad as you might think but I agree that Harris does carry them lol. I thought he was over-hyped until I watched him in person. he is the real deal.

[zaga_fan]

FWIW, I agree with having Pulaski County #1. They are a veteran team laden with Upperclassmen who only lost to the best team in the entire State last season.

With that said, anyone who doesn't see that Belfry was step for step as good as Pulaski last year come the end of November is missing the big picture. Bourbon County and Wayne County both had offenses as good as Pulaski... with Bourbon maybe even being a little better. Belfry shut down both teams. Pulaski was also the beneficiary of a much more lenient regular season schedule. Wasn't a bad schedule by any means...but there wa snot a single game Pulaski didn't enter as a fairly heavy favorite. Until Anderson County in Game 14 Pulaski didn't face anyone that should have been able to match up with them

I don't disagree with you at all.
I think Pulaski was a great team with a weak schedule.
I think Belfry was a great team with a much better schedule.
There were just a lot of posts on here mentioning Belfry and how they won a championship and they were as good as Pulaski (which I don't have a problem with).
It just needed to be mentioned that the lone loss on Belfry's schedule last year is what cost them the #1 spot on this poll.
I'm sure Pulaski would love to be in Belfry's position (#2 in the mountains but the reigning state champion in their class).

[EKUAlum05]

I don't disagree with you at all.
I think Pulaski was a great team with a weak schedule.
I think Belfry was a great team with a much better schedule.
There were just a lot of posts on here mentioning Belfry and how they won a championship and they were as good as Pulaski (which I don't have a problem with).
It just needed to be mentioned that the lone loss on Belfry's schedule last year is what cost them the #1 spot on this poll.
I'm sure Pulaski would love to be in Belfry's position (#2 in the mountains but the reigning state champion in their class).

Totally agree.... and truth be told...as talented as Belfry's roster is to start the year I have no reservation saying that as both teams take the field right now I think Pulaski is the better team and possibly by more than a couple scores.

With that said, Belfry's potential this year I think gives them a bit of a higher ceiling... but if the two were opening against each other on a neutral field in Week 1 I would have to handicap Pulaski by at least 14-17 points.

[RunItUpTheGut]

There is a perfectly valid reason why Pulaski is ranked ahead of Belfry....


Pulaski is better and Belfry. And, im not sure it would be close.

[Cat Daddy]

There is a perfectly valid reason why Pulaski is ranked ahead of Belfry....


Pulaski is better and Belfry. And, im not sure it would be close.

You are trying to compare apples to oranges. Belfry is a 3A school and Pulaski is a 5A school. A 5A school should have an advantage over a 3A school, so what is the big deal? Belfry may not be the better team, but their program is head and shoulders above everyone else in Eastern Kentucky. Good luck to both teams this upcoming season.

[RunItUpTheGut]

You are trying to compare apples to oranges. Belfry is a 3A school and Pulaski is a 5A school. A 5A school should have an advantage over a 3A school, so what is the big deal? Belfry may not be the better team, but their program is head and shoulders above everyone else in Eastern Kentucky. Good luck to both teams this upcoming season.

That is true. However, that is not the logic WYMT uses. If we decided the top ten like that, you would rarely see 1A and 2A teams in the rankings. Its a beauty contest.
If I felt Belfry was the best team in the WYMT coverage area, I would say it. But you all need to watch Pulaski throttle some teams this year and see what im talking about. I will be shocked if they aren't playing for a title again.
In other words you cant have your cake and eat it to. Either rank them they way they are doing it, or rank them by who you think would win head to head. North Laurel had a pretty rough season last year, and nobody ever had them in there rankings. BUT, they had very little trouble with Wburg who was in everybodys rankings all year last year.

[Do-double-gg]

Pulaski County
Aug 23, 13 Somerset away (W) 41 - 13 Click
Aug 30, 13 Montgomery County away (W) 38 - 7 Click
Sep 6, 13 North Hardin at Southwestern (W) 57 - 35 Click
Sep 13, 13 Russell County home (W) 49 - 21 Click
Sep 20, 13 Rockcastle County away (W) 54 - 14 Click
Sep 27, 13 Lincoln County home (W) 61 - 35 Click
Oct 4, 13 North Laurel home (W) 42 - 26 Click
Oct 11, 13 Madison Southern away (W) 21 - 18 Click
Oct 18, 13 South Laurel away (W) 39 - 0 Click
Oct 25, 13 Southwestern

Belfry
Aug 30, 13 Somerset home (W) 37 - 12 Click
Sep 6, 13 Harlan County away (W) 21 - 12 Click
Sep 13, 13 Southwestern away (W) 38 - 27 Click
Sep 20, 13 Pikeville home (W) 56 - 20 Click
Sep 27, 13 Sheldon Clark away (W) 49 - 6 Click
Oct 4, 13 Gallia Academy, OH home (W) 41 - 19 Click
Oct 11, 13 Christian Academy of Knoxville, TN away (W) 27 - 21 Click
Oct 18, 13 Lawrence County home (W) 35 - 12 Click
Oct 25, 13 Pike County Central away (W) 56 - 34 Click
Nov 1, 13 Johnson Central home (L) 56-34

Belfry's opponents had a combined record of 54-46 last year and Pulaski had 50-50 in the regular season. Not a lot of difference and the big reason Belfry has a little advantage is because of one team Johnson Central with their perfect regular season record but you got to take into consideration that Belfry lost to JC in a big way and Pulaski was perfect. Also Pulaski played bigger schools. Some act like Belfry had a hard schedule and much harder then Pulaski's but I just don't see it. Show me some numbers.:popcorn:

[Do-double-gg]

nicker:

[irishcard16]

Still waiting for that Bell Co evidence Dogg, you won't have much argument from us "sensible" Belfry fans on the Pulaski Co argument, but I would like to see something to back up your Bell Co stance.