[KYHSFBFan]

Not all that long ago (90's thru early 00's), Prestonsburg was a 2a force to be reckoned with and nearly always represented the East in the Regional or Semi-finals of the playoffs, even making it to the state finals. What has happened over there these past few years?

Coaching Change(s)? Economy change? Loss of enrollment? Little League program? Something else?

Just curious as to what's happened to this once proud, tradition rich program that's caused this decline in competitiveness?

[Spud6]

Athletes have disappeared in Floyd County. Plain and simple.

Also didn’t help that a lot of Prestonsburg talent dipped out to paintsville because of controversy that has been lingering around the program for the past couple years.

[KYHSFBFan]

Athletes have disappeared in Floyd County. Plain and simple.

Also didn’t help that a lot of Prestonsburg talent dipped out to paintsville because of controversy that has been lingering around the program for the past couple years.

Well, that explains the uptick in Paintsville the past few years.

[HighViz]

I was gonna ask the same thing, there has to be talent in Floyd tho. Do they have youth football program there?

[Craze JACKET man]

When an athletic program falls apart, it is internal and the adults, not the kids! This season is a reflection of old coaches not new coach.. Two years from now will be a true reflection of new staff.

[Big Chief]

Everything posted here is spot on. Coach Brewer and his staff are rebuilding and they are rebuilding the right way. In a couple of seasons, they will be back competing at a high level.

[bball_fan]

Floyd County as a whole has went down hill. Prestonsburg's football team, Betsy Layne's basketball team... two years in a row, Prestonsburg and Belfry played in the regional finals to see who would go on to win the State Championship and Betsy Layne was a former All A State Champion. Now all of your talent runs to neighboring counties. A kid that started on Pikeville's regional championship team (both football and basketball) last year lives between Betsy Layne and Prestonsburg. The kids who won the state championship in middle school at Adams left like the Jewish crossing the Red Sea. Everything is wrong with these schools, even below the high school levels. Betsy Layne ran a middle school basketball coach off who won four straight county titles, went to a KBA final four and finished county runner up in five seasons because he was animated and tough on the kids but he got results. He should have been who replaced Jr. when he stepped down if they was hiring within. What has the county's answer been to all of this? No county school is allowed to schedule games with Paintsville, Pikeville and Johnson Central anymore in any sport because they are supposedly recruiting the kids. That's total bull crap too, the kids are jumping off a sinking ship and swimming to a greener pastor. It is a crying shame when you look at the talent that leaves that county. There is a lot more wrong than people realize, a lot more. Hopefully they are working to fix it already.

[Spud6]

Floyd County as a whole has went down hill. Prestonsburg's football team, Betsy Layne's basketball team... two years in a row, Prestonsburg and Belfry played in the regional finals to see who would go on to win the State Championship and Betsy Layne was a former All A State Champion. Now all of your talent runs to neighboring counties. A kid that started on Pikeville's regional championship team (both football and basketball) last year lives between Betsy Layne and Prestonsburg. The kids who won the state championship in middle school at Adams left like the Jewish crossing the Red Sea. Everything is wrong with these schools, even below the high school levels. Betsy Layne ran a middle school basketball coach off who won four straight county titles, went to a KBA final four and finished county runner up in five seasons because he was animated and tough on the kids but he got results. He should have been who replaced Jr. when he stepped down if they was hiring within. What has the county's answer been to all of this? No county school is allowed to schedule games with Paintsville, Pikeville and Johnson Central anymore in any sport because they are supposedly recruiting the kids. That's total bull crap too, the kids are jumping off a sinking ship and swimming to a greener pastor. It is a crying shame when you look at the talent that leaves that county. There is a lot more wrong than people realize, a lot more. Hopefully they are working to fix it already.

Great post!

I hate when people say we are having our players stolen from us and recruited. I don’t buy into that crap. We are giving our kids away to these schools. Why would a kid want to stay at a school and feel like no one cares about them and it’s perfectly fine to lose as long as you show up? When you can go 20 minutes down the road in any direction and be treated like rockstars? The culture has to change for these kids to stay and I don’t know how that’s going to happen.

[Hound05]

Great post!

I hate when people say we are having our players stolen from us and recruited. I don’t buy into that crap. We are giving our kids away to these schools. Why would a kid want to stay at a school and feel like no one cares about them and it’s perfectly fine to lose as long as you show up? When you can go 20 minutes down the road in any direction and be treated like rockstars? The culture has to change for these kids to stay and I don’t know how that’s going to happen.

I commend you- even though you probably don’t care what I think- for that statement. In all reality that’s the way it is across the state. Most schools don’t have to recruit when their neighbors are gifting them to them. People are quick to blame and look for excuses instead of standing in the mirror and looking at the true problem.

[KYHSFBFan]

Has the consolidation of Floyd Central made any difference?

[THINBLUELINE411]

I remember in the 90s playing the Blackats coming to Russell for playoff games. The games between the Devils and Blackats were hard hitting dandies. It would be great if prestonsburg could get back to that point again for everyone who enjoys eastern ky brand of football.

[Spud6]

I commend you- even though you probably don’t care what I think- for that statement. In all reality that’s the way it is across the state. Most schools don’t have to recruit when their neighbors are gifting them to them. People are quick to blame and look for excuses instead of standing in the mirror and looking at the true problem.

I’m Betsy Layne through and through and I’d be hard pressed to find someone that cares about the program more than me. But the truths the truth. We are not very good and Pikeville is always competitive in 1A.

[E's Army]

Prestonsburg is a traditional football school. Hope to see them bounce back

[#55PirateFan]

Prestonsburg is a traditional football school. Hope to see them bounce back

I agree. I to hope to see Prestonsburg get back on track. Mountain football is better when P-Burg is relevant, IMO.

[smoke1015]

I’m Betsy Layne through and through and I’d be hard pressed to find someone that cares about the program more than me. But the truths the truth. We are not very good and Pikeville is always competitive in 1A.

I don't understand Betsy Lane football...We are down there, you have a kid that looks like the best lineman we ever had at Casey. OK this dude has thighs as big as oak trees, huge rear, not that big a belly at all, arms, chest, huge...He goes against my son who is playing at tackle, 152 pounds, soaking wet. The Betsy Lane kid doesn't even throw his hands into him, he doesn't really even engage. He doesn't gap control, doesn't bullrush, doesn't dip and rip, doesn't club and rip, doesn't spin, NOTHING. He kind of tries to skirt down the offensive line, and just avoid contact. This dude is 285 pounds if he's an ounce, and fit...I don't see unathletic when I look at that kid, I saw a MONSTER and feared for my own kids ability to even block for a second that game...Either that kid has never played football before, or his coaching is a complete joke. Betsy Lane had decent size across the board. They should be more competitive, right now, than what they are. Just my opinion.

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

From an outsiders point of view. Three things have got P-Burg to this point. John Derossetts ego, the previous administrations unwillingness to act and the community’s indifference to it all...am I warm?

[Bigdog54]

Give it a couple years, Brewer and his staff will have the Blackcats back in action!

[Rebel 7]

Simply ran out of talent.

[Explorer]

From an outsiders point of view. Three things have got P-Burg to this point. John Derossetts ego, the previous administrations unwillingness to act and the community’s indifference to it all...am I warm?

This ^

[EKUAlum05]

From an outsiders point of view. Three things have got P-Burg to this point. John Derossetts ego, the previous administrations unwillingness to act and the community’s indifference to it all...am I warm?

The only thing I would add is that school's within a short drive all have taken their programs to the next level at the exact same time to coincide.

Pikeville, Johnson Central, and to an extent Paintsville.

Pikeville and JC specifically both offer a better "fit" in terms of quality of school, facilities, and the ability to play at a more meaningful level of the playoffs.

When your own back yard is a mess and politics abound, you can bet it makes it very alluring for these parents and kids to make a short move when the grass truly is greener on the other side of US 23.

[EKUAlum05]

For the record I would love to see Pburg back in the hunt.

It seems the mountains just keeps losing these programs that were traditional powers and there really isn't another team stepping in to replace them.

I always admired the Pburg program and fanbase.

Seeing both them and Breathitt County down kind of sucks to be honest.

[RAMDAD50]

Lots of things go into a program deteriorating! It’s different thing in different places but all I know is this.If it can happen to Pburg it can happen anywhere.Thats why it very important to show your local sports programs support! All programs everywhere need help and we all can keep this kind of things from happening by being supportive and standing up for the kids! Unfortunately these kind of things are happening more and more and it’s very sad to see

[MayfieldCardinal]

Back in 1993 the Blackcats had one heck of a team that could have been the state champion.

[RAMDAD50]

Back in 1993 the Blackcats had one heck of a team that could have been the state champion.

Yeah...tell us who beat them??

[NutterButter]

Add Henry Webb.

[MayfieldCardinal]

Yeah...tell us who beat them??

We all know my Mayfield Cardinals won it. That is the one title game that I always felt we were lucky to have won. It was that day that I concluded God must be a Mayfield Cardinals fan. Pburg was better for 3.5 quarters but our young defense managed to bend alot without breaking and it was just enough to let that Mayfield Magic bring us home. They ended the long Danville winning streak the week before. That 93 team was outstanding!

[RAMDAD50]

We all know my Mayfield Cardinals won it. That is the one title game that I always felt we were lucky to have won. It was that day that I concluded God must be a Mayfield Cardinals fan. Pburg was better for 3.5 quarters but our young defense managed to bend alot without breaking and it was just enough to let that Mayfield Magic bring us home. They ended the long Danville winning streak the week before. That 93 team was outstanding!

I was at that game.Didnt Pburge score only to have it called back for holding? I might be wrong but I know they had the ball at the end of the game inside Mayfields 10

[badbunton]

I was at that game.Didnt Pburge score only to have it called back for holding? I might be wrong but I know they had the ball at the end of the game inside Mayfields 10

you are correct

[Explorer]

Anything can happen and things can change. Not too long ago, all of this was true.

Sheldon Clark used to be good.
Lawrence would wreck people.
Pburg was dominant.
Johnson Central was terrible.
Rockcastle was a force.

[BlackcatAlum]

Prestonsburg has a good coach in Brewer and if they can keep this current team together then they’ll be back to being competitive in two years.

No point in pointing fingers and focusing on the past. Time to move forward and do things the right way.