[T-CATS]

Scrimmages are set

Aug.  5th Jackson Ohio (H)
Aug. 11th Huntington Wv (A)

[Scotty_Bronson]

Should be much better this year. They peaked late last year with a young team and improved a lot. I look for Strader and Jennings to be a major handful.

[T-CATS]

Yeah I expect Ashland will be loaded up and in the hunt even going back to 4A. Raceland game is always a indicator of how good the Tomcats are. 3 years ago Ashland manhandled the Rams 49-0 41-0 something like that and went on to win a Title. They have lost 2 straight since.

[Sportscritic79]

I think they will have a solid year

[RAMDAD50]

Yeah I expect Ashland will be loaded up and in the hunt even going back to 4A. Raceland game is always a indicator of how good the Tomcats are. 3 years ago Ashland manhandled the Rams 49-0 41-0 something like that and went on to win a Title. They have lost 2 straight since.

So if the beat Raceland they are good but if the lose to the Rams they are bad? Hahaha I’m pretty sure that’s not what you meant but I’m sure some will read it that way. Or….I’m just messing with you hahaha

[Scotty_Bronson]

Lmao. Usually that’s how we have always judged how we will be lol

[T-CATS]

Yeah I expect Ashland will be loaded up and in the hunt even going back to 4A. Raceland game is always a indicator of how good the Tomcats are. 3 years ago Ashland manhandled the Rams 49-0 41-0 something like that and went on to win a Title. They have lost 2 straight since.

So if the beat Raceland they are good but if the lose to the Rams they are bad? Hahaha I’m pretty sure that’s not what you meant but I’m sure some will read it that way. Or….I’m just messing with you hahaha

Raceland always has a very good team one of the top football teams in the area year in and out so that game is a good indicator to how good Ashland is.

[TD Hounds]

I would think a better indicator for Ashlands season would be their new district game with Johnson Central…

[T-CATS]

I would think a better indicator for Ashlands season would be their new district game with Johnson Central…

Yes for sure Ashland Johnson Central the next couple of years will most likely battle it out for 1st and 2nd place in the district but that game will be near if not the last game of the season. Raceland game is almost always the 1st of the season.

[Orange Blaze]

Yeah I expect Ashland will be loaded up and in the hunt even going back to 4A. Raceland game is always a indicator of how good the Tomcats are. 3 years ago Ashland manhandled the Rams 49-0 41-0 something like that and went on to win a Title. They have lost 2 straight since.

These last 2 seasons have felt a lot like when Raceland beat Ashland 3 years in a row between 06-08.  Raceland had 2 of its best teams during that stretch while Ashland was in a rebuild like they are now.  I would have liked to have seen Raceland play Ashland at the end of the season last year after Ashland found their identity.  I think Raceland would have still beaten them but I don’t think it would have been a dominating effort like it was in the opening week.

[Hoot Gibson]

I would think a better indicator for Ashlands season would be their new district game with Johnson Central…

Yes for sure Ashland Johnson Central the next couple of years will most likely battle it out for 1st and 2nd place in the district but that game will be near if not the last game of the season. Raceland game is almost always the 1st of the season.

There most likely will be no battle for 1st place during the next couple of seasons. Since the 2005 season, Ashland's record against Johnson Central is 3-15 and JC returns nearly all of its starters from last season.

[T-CATS]

[attachment=480




Tomcats achedule

[Scotty_Bronson]

Ashland will be better. Raceland on paper is still probably 2 scores better. But at Putnam, Ashland may likely be the pregame favorite by -3.5 or so. That being said, neither team likely has anything enough to beat Johnson Central. I do think the Ashland/JC game ends up being closer than some may think.

[Scotty_Bronson]

I see a lot of variables with the Tomcats this season lol. Could be as good as 9-1 only losing to JC. Could be 6-4 with losses to JC, GW, Raceland, and SK. Hell depending on what Boys is capable of, they could be 5-5. All that being said, my prediction for Ashland…

Losses to
JC by 2+ scores
Loss to Raceland by less than 10
Loss to GW by a score

Wins over everyone else big. 7-3 regular season Then I see them making a run and surprising some people in the playoffs with how far they go. They will be more experienced with almost everyone back.

[i82much]

I see a lot of variables with the Tomcats this season lol. Could be as good as 9-1 only losing to JC. Could be 6-4 with losses to JC, GW, Raceland, and SK. Hell depending on what Boys is capable of, they could be 5-5. All that being said, my prediction for Ashland…

Losses to
JC by 2+ scores
Loss to Raceland by less than 10
Loss to GW by a score

Wins over everyone else big. 7-3 regular season Then I see them making a run and surprising some people in the playoffs with how far they go. They will be more experienced with almost everyone back.

I think you're pretty close Mr. Bronson.  I don't know anything about GW so a score sounds good to me.  Ashland will still be young but with the experience gained last year they will have a steep learning curve. I think Raceland by 10 at the beginning of the season is accurate, at the end of the season I would probably consider that one a toss up. JC will just be better regardless of when they play.

[RAMDAD50]

I was told last year that Assland was going turf this year…..was that just a rumer?

[i82much]

I was told last year that Assland was going turf this year…..was that just a rumer?

That rumor has been around for decades. It's just a grass vs turf thing. I was watching an NFL game being played on grass a while back and the commentators said 8 out of 10 NFL players prefer grass. In middle and high school I think the players would prefer turf because of the "novelty" of it. From a fan perspective I like it because it looks great all year. From a cost perspective I've seen a lot of "fuzzy" math on both sides so I'm not sure.....

[Orange Blaze]

I was told last year that Assland was going turf this year…..was that just a rumer?

That rumor has been around for decades. It's just a grass vs turf thing. I was watching an NFL game being played on grass a while back and the commentators said 8 out of 10 NFL players prefer grass. In middle and high school I think the players would prefer turf because of the "novelty" of it. From a fan perspective I like it because it looks great all year. From a cost perspective I've seen a lot of "fuzzy" math on both sides so I'm not sure.....

If taken care of right, I like grass better as a playing surface in games because it is usually softer than turf, you don’t get carpet burn, and it doesn’t absorb heat like turf does.  Playing on grass also just feels more natural and on turf you lose those moments of getting dirty in the mud.  As a performance coach working on speed development, I prefer training on turf because allows you to stick and plant better than grass surfaces and you don’t have to worry about stepping in holes like you do in grass.  I can see the pros and cons of both sides but when it comes down to it, turf looks “sexier” than grass and at the youth and developmental levels it makes it look like programs are more serious when they have turf.  It’s all about perception and having turf imo is more of a marketing tool to bring athletes to a program/school than anything else.

[Bull got out!]

I would think a better indicator for Ashlands season would be their new district game with Johnson Central…

Yes for sure Ashland Johnson Central the next couple of years will most likely battle it out for 1st and 2nd place in the district but that game will be near if not the last game of the season. Raceland game is almost always the 1st of the season.

There most likely will be no battle for 1st place during the next couple of seasons. Since the 2005 season, Ashland's record against Johnson Central is 3-15 and JC returns nearly all of its starters from last season.

Hmmmm. JC no doubt probably during that span with the teams they have had wouldn’t lose many games. I guess the games they did lose was to a team who probably won a title. After the rebuild of last season, does JC steam roll Ashland or does Ashland make it a game. I thought Ashland had a good season last year.

[Hoot Gibson]

I would think a better indicator for Ashlands season would be their new district game with Johnson Central…

Yes for sure Ashland Johnson Central the next couple of years will most likely battle it out for 1st and 2nd place in the district but that game will be near if not the last game of the season. Raceland game is almost always the 1st of the season.

There most likely will be no battle for 1st place during the next couple of seasons. Since the 2005 season, Ashland's record against Johnson Central is 3-15 and JC returns nearly all of its starters from last season.

Hmmmm. JC no doubt probably during that span with the teams they have had wouldn’t lose many games. I guess the games they did lose was to a team who probably won a title. After the rebuild of last season, does JC steam roll Ashland or does Ashland make it a game. I thought Ashland had a good season last year.

My understanding is that Ashland returns a lot of talent and is expected to be better than last season. Ashland plays at Johnson Central and is capable of an upset if JC turns the ball over more than the Tomcats. If Johnson Central plays up to its capabilities against the best teams on its schedule, including Ashland, Pikeville, and Corbin, then the Golden Eagles have a great shot at an undefeated regular season. They will not be unbeatable but they will be very good.

From what I understand, some of the other teams in the district are also expected to be much better than last season, including Greenup County and Rowan County. JC and Ashland may not have the early running clocks that they had the last time that they were in the same district but I expect that the district title will be a two-team battle decided in the last regular season game.

[16thregioner]

Ashland returns junior QB LaBryant Strader who threw for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while only throwing 5 interceptions. Strader even ran for nearly 700 yards and scored 6 more touchdowns on the ground.

The Tomcats return junior RB Braxton Jennings who ran for over 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns and senior WR Brandon Houston who had nearly 1,000 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns.

Sophomore Atayveon Thomas returns as the number 2 RB option and senior Asher Adkins returns as the number 2 WR option.

Other offensive skill contributors could be senior TE Nate Frieze and incoming freshman RB Maverick Ashby.

Ashland also returns their top tackler in senior LB Sawyer Edens and number 3 tackler in sophomore DB Cameron Davis.

As you can see, Ashland looks to be pretty strong at the skill positions. The biggest question mark is their line on both sides of the ball. If they've succeeded in the off season weight room or managed to get some BIG transfers, then Ashland has a team that could compete for state. If not, then if Johnson Central has anything like their lines of old, I would expect them to physically steamroll the Tomcats.

[RAMDAD50]

Assland will be real fun to watch the next two years. They will win a lot of games

[T-CATS]

Ashland returns junior QB LaBryant Strader who threw for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while only throwing 5 interceptions.  Strader even ran for nearly 700 yards and scored 6 more touchdowns on the ground.

The Tomcats return junior RB Braxton Jennings who ran for over 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns and senior WR Brandon Houston who had nearly 1,000 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns.

Sophomore Atayveon Thomas returns as the number 2 RB option and senior Asher Adkins returns as the number 2 WR option. 

Other offensive skill contributors could be senior TE Nate Frieze and incoming freshman RB Maverick Ashby.

Ashland also returns their top tackler in senior LB Sawyer Edens and number 3 tackler in sophomore DB Cameron Davis.

As you can see, Ashland looks to be pretty strong at the skill positions.  The biggest question mark is their line on both sides of the ball.  If they've succeeded in the off season weight room or managed to get some BIG transfers, then Ashland has a team that could compete for state.  If not, then if Johnson Central has anything like their lines of old, I would expect them to physically steamroll the Tomcats.


Tomcats were very young last season, they took their lumps but finished strong and really found their groove. If they can build off their run to end last season look out. Tomcats can and should be in the hunt. They will be wearing new uniforms as well.

[GOREDDEVILS]

Ashland returns junior QB LaBryant Strader who threw for over 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while only throwing 5 interceptions.  Strader even ran for nearly 700 yards and scored 6 more touchdowns on the ground.

The Tomcats return junior RB Braxton Jennings who ran for over 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns and senior WR Brandon Houston who had nearly 1,000 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns.

Sophomore Atayveon Thomas returns as the number 2 RB option and senior Asher Adkins returns as the number 2 WR option. 

Other offensive skill contributors could be senior TE Nate Frieze and incoming freshman RB Maverick Ashby.

Ashland also returns their top tackler in senior LB Sawyer Edens and number 3 tackler in sophomore DB Cameron Davis.

As you can see, Ashland looks to be pretty strong at the skill positions.  The biggest question mark is their line on both sides of the ball.  If they've succeeded in the off season weight room or managed to get some BIG transfers, then Ashland has a team that could compete for state.  If not, then if Johnson Central has anything like their lines of old, I would expect them to physically steamroll the Tomcats.


Tomcats were very young last season, they took their lumps but finished strong and really found their groove. If they can build off their run to end last season look out. Tomcats can and should be in the hunt. They will be wearing new uniforms as well.

Thanks for the photos of Ashland's uniforms . I look forward to Russell playing Ashland to see what Russell needs to work on and where they can improve.

[RAMDAD50]

I like the big block throw back number look. Those look sweet

[T-CATS]

Promising