[RunItUpTheGut]

Final

[bo67]

Congrats Birds. But my God. Why have to scratch your way back to a win? Make defense adjustments prior to half time. And they don't have 42 points. Use some common sense

[RunItUpTheGut]

Owensboro was just gassed at the end and Highlands wasn't. That was the difference. Owensboro played good enough to win. Wasn't the blow out many were predicting.

[KyRock]

Got to watch the 4th in this one. Goes to show you can't count out Highlands!!

[Blau Vogel]

Owensboro was just gassed at the end and Highlands wasn't. That was the difference. Owensboro played good enough to win. Wasn't the blow out many were predicting.

Both teams played well enough to win and poor enough to lose. Blowouts are overrated.

:1:

[E's Army]

Congrats to Highlands. Congrats to Owensboro on a great season.

[bac2369]

Congrads Highlands.

[samson81]

Congrats Bluebirds on regaining the 4A state championship....or is it your birth right?....I'm not sure.:biggrin: You're 23 titles stands alone, at least for a little while. Too much depth, speed, toughness, and experience in big games. It was clear from watching the game that the Birds never panicked when down 3td's to another great team. The fact that you guys continue to persevere and stay on top despite always getting everyone's best shot says a lot about the Highlands coaches and players.

Congrats also to Owensboro on a great season. Not many people gave the Devils much of a shot, but they played their hearts out and deserve much respect.

Beau Hoge is a special player and BYU is getting a great one, but equal credit should be given to the Highlands defense. Giving up 42 points in the 1st half was very un-Highlands like, but they held the Devils scoreless in the 2nd half after some halftime adjustments. The secondary especially played well after halftime and the interior line helped take away some of the effectiveness of the fullback dive that gave the Birds fits in the first half.

Good luck to both teams next year in 5A. Is it too early to predict Highlands vs. Bowling Green for next years 5A final?

[baseball1974]

This year was as competitive across the board as any I remember. Highlands showed why they're highlands and Beau shut down his critics. Some of the best adjustments defensively that I've seen in a high school game, and to get high school teenagers to execute those adjustments flawlessly is just as remarkable. Kentucky is moving up more and more each year in regards to talent and level of play.

[Panther Thunder]

I had a great time rooting for the underdog in this one. Owensboro looked awesome in the first half, but the clock struck midnight and the ball ended. Congrats to Highlands. Tons of respect for that program. The atmosphere was electric in the stadium.

[Westside]

Nice game Owensboro. Congrats to the Bluebirds.

[birdman44]

I knew Owensboro wasn't going to roll over... I was really impressed with the red devils in the firs half, their option running game looked unstoppable... I think they were averaging like 5 yds a pop. The Owensboro QB also looked great when he did throw it. Beau and the Birds O also looked pretty good... But with the fumbles and the random out of no where penalties and Owensboro doing a good job the Birds weren't firing on all cylinders. The overall performance of the Highlands D and the half time score had me convinced that a comeback was not likely. I was really worried when Beau ran to sidelines with a dead salami arm, tough kid.

Give it up to the Highlands D players and coaches in the second half. They put together a plan and execution to hold that same O to nothing in the second half. Austin Beal and Heck came up with some big plays to turn the tables on the red devils. And on the other side of the ball Beau must have ice water in his water bottle because he and his crew sucked it up and made it happen. The O line did a great job opening holes for Hoge and Urlange and their pass blocking was great. Urlage scrapped for those extra few yards and held on to the ball. Beau gets the game ball though his running and short quick passes are what made those second half drives happen.

Congrats to Owensboro and Highlands for fighting to the finish and playing like a state championship was on the line. Great game.

[birdman44]

Congrats Birds. But my God. Why have to scratch your way back to a win? Make defense adjustments prior to half time. And they don't have 42 points. Use some common sense

Im going to guess that Coach W. put down his offensive play chart and met with the defensive front 8 for a while at half time. Back when I played Weinrich was the defensive front 8 coach, and he dominated option teams. Everyone on each side had a responsibility for one of the option players and nothing got outside.... during the first half the full back was getting 4 yds a pop AND the outside was open?.... deadly option defense mistakes. They fixed it though... and all that all year running and conditioning came through.

[kybred]

Congrats to the Birds for the win and to Owensboro for a great effort. Owensboro was not intimidated and clearly did not get the message that they were suppose to be on the losing side of a "running clock". Personally I find the term offensive and wish it were used less often if not at all. Any/all teams making the championship games deserve more respect then the "running clock" nonsense. Leave the running clocks at home.

[mantax]

Im going to guess that Coach W. put down his offensive play chart and met with the defensive front 8 for a while at half time. Back when I played Weinrich was the defensive front 8 coach, and he dominated option teams. Everyone on each side had a responsibility for one of the option players and nothing got outside.... during the first half the full back was getting 4 yds a pop AND the outside was open?.... deadly option defense mistakes. They fixed it though... and all that all year running and conditioning came through.

If you were at the game or watched closely you would see that they did not have a front 8 in the first half. They made that adjustment at halftime which is why they got the results they did.

[birdman44]

If you were at the game or watched closely you would see that they did not have a front 8 in the first half. They made that adjustment at halftime which is why they got the results they did.

Did watch online... I knew now they normally play that defense based off the steelers or something? and did not play a front 8. Sadly did not notice that it the formation changed to a front 8 after half time... That just confirms my beliefs that Weinrich ran it back to 3A days when we played an option team every other week. Bear D. the only time an option team really worked against that was if their FB was 6-20" 300 lbs and could drag a few birds for 3 yds every play.

[bo67]

Bird man. I agree it was fixed. But I would have fixed it way before they got 42 points. Owensboro was gassed. They fix it earlier. They win by 4 TDs

[whackem'n'stackem']

42 points in the 1st half. 0 in the second half.

[Playboy5]

What was the halftime score?

[Sweet Cake]

Bird man. I agree it was fixed. But I would have fixed it way before they got 42 points. Owensboro was gassed. They fix it earlier. They win by 4 TDs

What adustments would bo67 have made?

[Can you dig it?]

What was the halftime score?

42-21 Owensboro.

[bo67]

The same adjustments they made at half. But when they hit 21 points. I would have made the adjustments. Move up the line backers. Take the fullback out of the option. Take their space away. Can't run option offense when you slam the FB. They won't give him the ball. Then it is has to be a pitch or a keeper. And that's what the D did. Took their option game away. Then just have to play good solid pass defense So really not that hard

[Mountaineer Man]

Well I thought this would be a blow out, boy was I wrong. Highlands made the right adjustments at halftime and Owensboro never made any adjustments. 7-8 in the box and Owensboro didn't adjust to it. In other words, Highlands, out coached O'boro.