[T-CATS]

Ashland 9-0 looking to finish off a perfect season heads down 23. Thoughts? Predictions?

[Hoot Gibson]

My prediction is that the top team in 4A will not be upset at home by the #3 team. Ashlands' very weak schedule is about to catch up with them.

[Slic Ric]

Central by two scores in a hard-fought game.

[Bama-Cat]

Jc by 40

[16th_Region_Fan]

I haven’t seen JC play this year but have heard they are the real deal. With it being at JC I would have to take JC by two TDs. Wish I could be there but I will be keeping up with the game. Good luck to both teams.

[FoSho]

Central - 42
Ashland - 13

[RAM-A-DEVIL]

I think this will be like last years regional final. Ashland keeps it close for a while and then JC physically abuses them.

[nekysportsfan]

Let's look at the two teams out-of-district schedules:

Johnson Central lost 28-21 to Capital (WV), who is a good team this year at 6-1. They beat Henry Clay 33-21, a good 5-3 6A team, and also beat Moore 49-21, a decent 7-1 4A team. They beat South Charleston (WV), a not-so-great 2-5 team, by a score of 43-13. Johnson Central played all of their out-of-district games at home.

Ashland beat a bad 2-5 5A Harlan County team 49-6, a good 1A Raceland team 21-14, and a mediocre 5-3 3A Russell team 41-0. Those games were played at Putnam. They went on the road to beat an average 3-4 George Washington (WV) team 50-28 and to beat a rising 6-2 Ironton (OH) team 14-7.

Both Johnson Central and Ashland completely clobbered their district competition, so not much can be gathered from those games.

From the stats, Johnson Central puts the load squarely on the shoulders of senior Joe Jackson, who carries the ball 17 times a game for 159 yards a game. Juniors Devin Johnson and QB Riley Preece are the other 2 main offensive weapons on the ground. Johnson Central's passing attack hasn't been much to speak of this year as they've only thrown it 9 times a game. The QB Preece has thrown 3 TD's and 4 INT's.

Ashland has a more balanced attack by utilizing senior QB Braxton Ratliff, junior RB Blake Hester, and sophomore RB Keontae Pittman about equally. Each player gets about 7 carries per game. All 3 have breakaway speed. Ratliff throws the ball 14 times per game. He's thrown for 14 TD's and thrown 4 INT's on the season. He should get his big play receiving threat back this week in senior Cade Brandt who was very explosive in the 3 games he played. Ratliff also throws a lot to senior TE Russell Rogers and junior WR Andy Layne.

I think Johnson Central's defense is physically stronger than Ashland's defense. Johnson Central's defense is led by senior LB brothers Alex and Matt Horn. Ashland's 2 leading tacklers are smallish LB sophomore Caleb Tackett and junior Steele Workman. The LB corps is probably the biggest weakness on the Ashland team and since Johnson Central is going to run the ball all evening, this doesn't look like a good matchup for Ashland. At the same time, I don't think Johnson Central's defense has faced a QB as good as Ratliff this season.

The players each team can't do without are seniors Jackson and Ratliff. They are the 2 game changing players in this one.

I initially thought Johnson Central would likely clobber Ashland like usual largely based on the past, but after looking at all the matchups, I think it will be a closer game than I thought. These are clearly the top 2 teams in the east in 4A. Both have a lot of strengths and a few weaknesses. As usual, these 2 teams should be playing again a few weeks from now in the playoffs. The winner of this one will determine where that game is played. This should be a great game to watch.

[Mister D]

This matchup has worried me all season for JC. Ashland has a lot of really good athletes to spread around the field this year. We always struggle against quick explosive offenses. This is always a hard game to pick as neither team has played any real competition or a full 4 quarters in over a month. Both teams look like they are going to score a lot of points it’s just down to which defense makes a few stops. JCs Horn brothers lead the charge along with Devin Johnson and Evan Adkins. They will be coming after Ratliff all game.

JC- 35
Ashland- 27

[Friday Night]

Ashland got lucky last year and beat JC at Putnam with many of JCs players out, no kicker, no Joe Jackson. Ashland has a great team this year but no way they get past JC in paintsville. Matney stays on the field the entire night coaching like its JFL and chummies up to the refs to get great calls and spots (not that they need help, just insurance). If Ashland wins, I’ll eat crow but after seeing both teams in action personally, I’m going with JC on this one. Maybe even a running clock by 4th.

[T-CATS]

Game is always a challenge for Ashland. JC is a huge physical team with some speed. Ashland is more finesse lots of speed with some physicality sprinkled in. Ashland will have to play a lot closer to perfect game to get the W then JC will. How the game plays out will determine the Winner. Can Ashlands D get off the field on 3rd downs? Can Ashlands offense sustain drives eat clock and put up points to boot? Can JCs D contain Ashlands high powered offense? Can JC hang on to the ball? All of these questions and a few more will decide who wins. I’m a homer Ashland can win and if they play great they will. If both teams play great slight edge goes to JC. Go Tomcats!!!!

[Warriorhawk17]

Johnson central-42
Ashland-36

[THOMCAT]

Best week of the regular season. Here kitty, kitty, kitty. Come get your ASHland kicked.

[sidelinedoc]

We (Raceland) played Ashland and I have watched Johnson Central in person. I think Ashland has to throw the ball to win and Johnson Central needs to control the clock to win. I personally think this is a game JC wins handily but it is at Putnam Stadium and you’re already down 10 points before the ball is kicked......

[Tomcat Pride]

This matchup has worried me all season for JC. Ashland has a lot of really good athletes to spread around the field this year. We always struggle against quick explosive offenses. This is always a hard game to pick as neither team has played any real competition or a full 4 quarters in over a month. Both teams look like they are going to score a lot of points it’s just down to which defense makes a few stops. JCs Horn brothers lead the charge along with Devin Johnson and Evan Adkins. They will be coming after Ratliff all game.

JC- 35
Ashland- 27

Braxton has been the focus of the other team’s defensive game plans for the last three years so this is nothing new to him and there’s nothing that JC can throw at Ashland that they haven’t seen before, so with that being said tell them to bring it.

Ashland 35
JC 21

[Tomcat Pride]

Johnson central-42
Ashland-36

There’s no way that Johnson Central’s offense will score that many points against Ashland’s defense. This will be the quickest defense that they’ve faced all year and Junior will have a field day against the offensive line of JC.

[ram-97]

We (Raceland) played Ashland and I have watched Johnson Central in person. I think Ashland has to throw the ball to win and Johnson Central needs to control the clock to win. I personally think this is a game JC wins handily but it is at Putnam Stadium and you’re already down 10 points before the ball is kicked......

The game is at JC..

[MountainSports]

Jc 42
Ashland 28

Ashland has a really good team but Jc is the real number 1 in 4A and this game will prove that. Good luck to both teams and hope for an injury free game.

[Mister D]

Braxton has been the focus of the other team’s defensive game plans for the last three years so this is nothing new to him and there’s nothing that JC can throw at Ashland that they haven’t seen before, so with that being said tell them to bring it.

Ashland 35
JC 21

I agree Ratliff is one heck of an athlete probably the best athlete on the field honestly. But He has basically been running for his life trying to make something out of nothing (which he has done many times) or been flat on his back for the past 3 years against JC. That pressure from JCs d-line really makes the margin of error low for Braxton.

[Mister D]

There’s no way that Johnson Central’s offense will score that many points against Ashland’s defense. This will be the quickest defense that they’ve faced all year and Junior will have a field day against the offensive line of JC.

I remember JC putting up 54 points on Ashland at Putnam in a playoff game last year without Joe Jackson playing a snap. So I don’t think 42 is completely out of the question. A lot of JCs offensive success is going to come down to whether they can hold on to the football. If they have a few fumbles it will be a long night.

[T-CATS]

Field position is a huge key also Ashland has to keep JC pinned deep and make them earn First downs and scores. On the flip side JC will want the same thing keep Ashland from having the short fields.

[ram-97]

Braxton has been the focus of the other team’s defensive game plans for the last three years so this is nothing new to him and there’s nothing that JC can throw at Ashland that they haven’t seen before, so with that being said tell them to bring it.

Ashland
JC 21

You must be joking 🙃 right🤪🤪

[Tomcat Pride]

You must be joking 🙃 right🤪🤪

No I’m not joking and you’ll see this Friday.

[ram-97]

Hope you make the trip to Johnsville because I think My return trip home will be easier than yours . Best of luck to both teams . I am going out on a limb here and say the # 1 4A gets taken down in a stunner by JCHS !!!

[Pulp Fiction]

JC is 7-1 overall & 4-0 in the district.
Ashland is 9-0 & 4-0 in the district.



Non-District games.

JC
Capital, WV. (6-1)
Henry Clay (5-3)
South Charleston, WV. (2-5)
Lou. Moore (7-1)
Belfry (7-1)

Ashland
Harlan County (2-5)
Raceland (7-1)
George Washington, WV. (3-4)
Russell (5-3)
Ironton, OH. (6-2)




JC leads the All-Time series 14-7.
1975: Ashland Blazer 47-14
1986: Johnson Central 18-14
1998: Ashland Blazer 26-20
2001: Ashland Blazer 38-14
2002: Ashland Blazer 43-0
2005: Ashland Blazer 13-10
2006: Johnson Central 35-7
2006: Johnson Central 28-21 (Playoffs; 2nd Round)
2007: Johnson Central 67-33
2008: Johnson Central 41-6
2009: Johnson Central 29-28
2010: Johnson Central 42-26
2011: Ashland Blazer 22-6
2012: Johnson Central 22-21 (Overtime)
2013: Johnson Central 42-7
2014: Johnson Central 42-7
2015: Johnson Central 8-7
2016: Johnson Central 43-6
2016: Johnson Central 51-0 (Playoffs; Regional Championship)
2017: Ashland Blazer 21-18
2017: Johnson Central 54-27 (Playoffs; Regional Championship)

[Hoot Gibson]

No I’m not joking and you’ll see this Friday.

When Ashland upset Johnson Central last season at Putnam, Joe Jackson was not on the field.

The last time that Joe Jackson faced the Tomcats at home, he rushed 12 times for 181 yards and 3 touchdowns, but now Jackson is bigger, stronger, faster - and most importantly, he is back! The best team that Ashland has faced this season was 1A Raceland, which has a great small school program - but shouldn't the Tomcats be playing teams with great big school programs to prepare for the post-season? Like Belfry or Capital?

It is awfully late in the season for Ashland to be facing its first stiff challenge and they are only playing JC because they are unfortunate enough to find themselves in the same district.

If the Tomcats were serious about getting past Johnson Central in the playoffs, they should have put together a tougher schedule.

[4everUK]

Central - 42
Ashland - 13

I like that score. JC may put a running clock on them, Ashland scores late in this one

[4everUK]

We’ll see how those “individual stats” fair against good competition. Easy to build stats against lesser competition all year. JC did pretty decent against a very athletic and speedy Henry Clay team who beat Scott County this year.

[Bigdog54]

Golden Eagles by 2-3 scores! Central is the real deal

[sidelinedoc]

The game is at JC..

Oops. My bad. Thanks for the correction.