[pirateforlife]

Does Belfry end their 4 game losing streak to the Eagles?

[BelfryPride]

Belfry goes into this one with essentially 2 weeks off. The bye week and the rout of Pike Central last night and the Pirates sat their starters the entire second half. They will have fresh legs. Johnson Central was in a battle the entire game with Letcher Central and escaping with a 1 point Win.

Hopefully Belfry can pull off an upset against the Eagles and go into the Playoffs with a big surge of momentum. The Pirates cannot beat themselves, if they do it will be a long night. Just hope no one is injured after this one with both teams heading into the Playoffs.

[lcgrad2002]

How will they have had two weeks off? They played last night and played Lawrence County last week and lost with their starters playing the full game. Their bye week was the week before Lawrence County.

[Running wild 14]

I line Johnson Central big in this one.

JC 42
Belfry 20

[bucslover68]

How will they have had two weeks off? They played last night and played Lawrence County last week and lost with their starters playing the full game. Their bye week was the week before Lawrence County.

He is saying PC did not put up any effort so it was like a bye week.

[Bull got out!]

Johnson Central 35
Belfry 21

[Old guy]

This is the only game during the season that I cheer against the Pirates. I think JC wins, 35-20.

[Jack Lambert]

JC by 10.

[Patriot1]

I don’t know if Belfry can win this one but I would like to see them win now after saying that Johnson Central may put a running clock on Belfry if they can’t hang on to the football

[Hound05]

A month ago I would have said JC would put a clock on them. I’m second guessing myself now. I think JC might have a fire lit under them this week after the LCC game. Still think JC wins, around 14-21 points. But if belfry stops or slows the running game down on the eagles, it could get hairy. Either way. A good game for both teams going into the playoffs.

[Old guy]

I do know that you never, EVER count out a Haywood coached team. :-)

[Hoot Gibson]

Belfry will not slow down JC's running game. This game used to be unpredictable and upsets were as likely as not but that has not been the case in recent years. If neither team plays conservatively to minimize the risk of injuries to key players for the playoffs, JC will win big. JC has a big edge in experienced running backs this season. McCoart rushed for 196 yards against Belfry last season. If Belfry keys on McCoart, then Price and/or Lawson will have a huge game. Both teams need to win this game to regain some momentum heading into the playoffs but I think that JC's defense and running backs will be too much for the Pirates.

[OutlawJoseyWales]

Been a struggle all season for the Pirates as they’ve trudged they a full rebuild year. They have struggled mightily in the road all season…..and there is nothing to suggest those struggles won’t continue. Just hoping for an injury free game both ways.

[Ole-glory]

Johnson central by 3 scores

[TheStickyBandit]

Johnson Central by a few scores.

JC-35
Pirates- 14

[Tomcat Pride]

So how many players are out for Belfry due to injuries for this game? Normally for this week they are a mash unit according to their fans .

[Warriorhawk17]

Belfry-27
Johnson Central-20

[BelfryPride]

How will they have had two weeks off? They played last night and played Lawrence County last week and lost with their starters playing the full game. Their bye week was the week before Lawrence County.

We had a bye week and sat our starters the entire second half of the Pike Central game.

[bucslover68]

So how many players are out for Belfry due to injuries for this game? Normally for this week they are a mash unit according to their fans .

That has never been said.  If Belfry players are out, then they are injured and cannot play.  Just like any other game.

[pirateforlife]

How will they have had two weeks off? They played last night and played Lawrence County last week and lost with their starters playing the full game. Their bye week was the week before Lawrence County.

We had a bye week and sat our starters the entire second half of the Pike Central game.

The bye week was the week before the Lawrence County game.

[bucslover68]

Head 34-14 JC
Heart 21-13 JC repeat of 2008 game.

[jetpilot]

Johnson Central will win. They have more students.

[Old School Hound]

Johnson Central will win. They have more students.

#downwithclasssnobbery

[pirateforlife]

Head 34-14 JC
Heart 21-13 JC repeat of 2008 game.

Belfry won that game in 08. That may be my favorite Belfry-Johnson Central game of the series. That one or the 16 game.

[bucslover68]

Head 34-14 JC
Heart 21-13 JC repeat of 2008 game.

Belfry won that game in 08. That may be my favorite Belfry-Johnson Central game of the series. That one or the 16 game.

Yep I meant to put 21-13 BHS.  That was an unreal game.  Matney goes for two to take the lead late and doesn't get it then BHS puts together a long TD drive to seal it.  2016 was awesome.  JC dominated TOP, but Belfry put together a couple of TD drives and Taveon took the second half kickoff back for a score.

[Hoot Gibson]

Head 34-14 JC
Heart 21-13 JC repeat of 2008 game.

That's right. More students with good coaching staff translates to less cyclical talent levels. Unlike Pikeville, Belfry has a large enough enrollment to compete consistently with JC but the Pirates are in a rebuilding phase. An upset is possible this season, but not likely, and this is a season in which JC had to replace its entire starting OL and a starting running back with a broken leg. A school with a small enrollment and less talent enrolled would not have coped with such heavy losses without heavy reliance on transfers.

[Hound05]

If the enrollment holds true consistently, JC has on avg more than 230 boys than belfry. So it shouldn’t have never been close. Both were well coached. The only variable in this that was different is class size. I agree that it might help some. But not as much as one might think. JC is one of the biggest in class 4A. Averaging well over 100 more boys than Corbin, boyle, Lex cath. Pikeville avg 185
Boys. But they are still competing, regularly with bigger schools. Mayfield, beechwood, CAL, all have small numbers. But they compete with larger schools.

I think the geography plays more into it than numbers. Why can’t Harlan, or Whitley, or another county school compete with say a
Boyle or Corbin or beechwood? Way more enrollment, and a coach wouldn’t matter much. County schools should have a total advantage over independent or city schools if the number game were true. But they don’t. I’m not going to get in a Social-economics debate. But there is correlation there. Why is it a 1A school like Pikeville or 2A beechwood have such an advantage over a pineville or a Lynn camp? Or even a small city school over a large county school? Now there’s anomalies sure, I’ve seen some of the poorest kids that some wouldn’t believe beat the heck out of a “higher income” school like catholic. But most of the time, it’s where your school is located, not how big it is.

[Spud6]

If the enrollment holds true consistently, JC has on avg more than 230 boys than belfry. So it shouldn’t have never been close. Both were well coached.  The only variable in this that was different is class size. I agree that it might help some. But not as much as one might think. JC is one of the biggest in class 4A. Averaging well over 100 more boys than Corbin, boyle, Lex cath. Pikeville avg 185
Boys. But they are still competing, regularly with bigger schools. Mayfield, beechwood, CAL, all have small numbers. But they compete with larger schools.

I think the geography plays more into it than numbers. Why can’t Harlan, or Whitley, or another county school compete with say a
Boyle or Corbin or beechwood? Way more enrollment, and a coach wouldn’t matter much. County schools should have a total advantage over independent or city schools if the number game were true. But they don’t. I’m not going to get in a Social-economics debate. But there is correlation there. Why is it a 1A school like Pikeville or 2A beechwood have such an advantage over a pineville or a Lynn camp? Or even a small city school over a large county school? Now there’s anomalies sure, I’ve seen some of the poorest kids that some wouldn’t believe beat the heck out of a “higher income” school like catholic. But most of the time, it’s where your school is located, not how big it is.

Great line at the bottom “it’s where your kid is located, not how big it is” This is dead on. Belfry has reaped benefits from their location for years being around WV. Then now you’ve seen it be more prevalent with Pikeville. It’s not far to go to school at Pikeville if you are a kid from Prestonsburg, Betsy Layne, Shelby Valley, Pike Central, or even East Ridge. And this isn’t me saying these two schools recruit. Cause they don’t have to recruit kids just want to go there.  

Also private schools and independents can control their enrollment. If you live outside their district they don’t have to accept you to their school whether it be because of grades, low attendance or behavioral issues at their previous school.

[Micro-Brew]

Excellent points Spud.

[Hound05]

If the enrollment holds true consistently, JC has on avg more than 230 boys than belfry. So it shouldn’t have never been close. Both were well coached.  The only variable in this that was different is class size. I agree that it might help some. But not as much as one might think. JC is one of the biggest in class 4A. Averaging well over 100 more boys than Corbin, boyle, Lex cath. Pikeville avg 185
Boys. But they are still competing, regularly with bigger schools. Mayfield, beechwood, CAL, all have small numbers. But they compete with larger schools.

I think the geography plays more into it than numbers. Why can’t Harlan, or Whitley, or another county school compete with say a
Boyle or Corbin or beechwood? Way more enrollment, and a coach wouldn’t matter much. County schools should have a total advantage over independent or city schools if the number game were true. But they don’t. I’m not going to get in a Social-economics debate. But there is correlation there. Why is it a 1A school like Pikeville or 2A beechwood have such an advantage over a pineville or a Lynn camp? Or even a small city school over a large county school? Now there’s anomalies sure, I’ve seen some of the poorest kids that some wouldn’t believe beat the heck out of a “higher income” school like catholic. But most of the time, it’s where your school is located, not how big it is.

Great line at the bottom “it’s where your kid is located, not how big it is” This is dead on. Belfry has reaped benefits from their location for years being around WV. Then now you’ve seen it be more prevalent with Pikeville. It’s not far to go to school at Pikeville if you are a kid from Prestonsburg, Betsy Layne, Shelby Valley, Pike Central, or even East Ridge. And this isn’t me saying these two schools recruit. Cause they don’t have to recruit kids just want to go there.  

Also private schools and independents can control their enrollment. If you live outside their district they don’t have to accept you to their school whether it be because of grades, low attendance or behavioral issues at their previous school.

100%. I don’t think a lot realize just “where you are” makes a difference. Culture, education, the mission, of where ever makes a difference either knowingly or subconsciously. There a several 1A schools around my area. One maybe two are pretty good every year. The others, horrible about every year. Why? Same enrollment size. Population in their given area. Like pikeville and some other towns their size. Why is their talent there, but not as much in Glasgow? Glasgow is probably bigger, even the economy is almost the same with that one. It’s the area!