[EKUAlum05]

I think Breathitt has closed the gap on Belfry. Belfry lost their two best players IMO.
Breathitt returns thier best.

Also that game really snowballed on Breathitt County last year. Yes Belfry had everything to do with that but it was not a game in which the ball ever bounced Breathitts way.

Besides May who was #2? Charlie Dotson was the best defensive player I saw East of I-75, he was IMO, and in alot of Belfry fans' opinion the second ebst player the Pirates had last season. Also Colbey Fugate isn't no small task to replace, I personally didnt see anyone else aside from Channing Fugate on the same level as Colbey.

[DevilsWin]

Besides May who was #2? Charlie Dotson was the best defensive player I saw East of I-75, he was IMO, and in alot of Belfry fans' opinion the second ebst player the Pirates had last season. Also Colbey Fugate isn't no small task to replace, I personally didnt see anyone else aside from Channing Fugate on the same level as Colbey.

I don't want to get off topic here but I had to respond to this post.

I'd put Russell's Jones or Foster up against Dotson anyday of the week. Both of those guys ate May and Dotson's lunches as Sophs and Juniors.

[FBALL]

Besides May who was #2? Charlie Dotson was the best defensive player I saw East of I-75, he was IMO, and in alot of Belfry fans' opinion the second ebst player the Pirates had last season. Also Colbey Fugate isn't no small task to replace, I personally didnt see anyone else aside from Channing Fugate on the same level as Colbey.

Dotson is very good and May may have been the best overall player but on defense Hickman was "The Man" IMO. His speed and toughness on the defense line created alot of havoc and opened up alot of gaps for others to make plays. I think he may be the most sorely missed.

You're right about replacing fugate. But he was far from the best player on Breathitt County's team last year. That designation would go to the younger Fugate as a RB and LB. Also I think they return all of their WRs and most of their line.

I still don't think they will be better than Belfry but I think they will be closer. IMO the score in that playoff game was a little misleading. And I don't mean to take anything away from Belfry by saying that.

[Breathitt Bobcat]

I think Breathitt has closed the gap on Belfry. Belfry lost their two best players IMO.
Breathitt returns thier best.

Also that game really snowballed on Breathitt County last year. Yes Belfry had everything to do with that but it was not a game in which the ball ever bounced Breathitts way.

AMEN.We didn't catch one break in that game.Just picked the wrong time to have a bad game.Saved us being embarassed by Central though.LOL.Watch out Pirates.This year we're at home.No PONDCREEK NATION.

[kybaseball]

Breathitt got all the breaks against Russell.

[EKUAlum05]

AMEN.We didn't catch one break in that game.Just picked the wrong time to have a bad game.Saved us being embarassed by Central though.LOL.Watch out Pirates.This year we're at home.No PONDCREEK NATION.

Get your seat early or there will be HAHA

[Breathitt Bobcat]

Breathitt got all the breaks against Russell.

That was a heck of a game.Our Defense came up big.

[Breathitt Bobcat]

Get your seat early or there will be HAHA

I'm alrady there.LOL

[highschoolfootballfan]

I honestly think Rusell will be one of the best in the 3A this year, if not the best. I know alot of people are having louisvile central, belfry, and breathitt infront of us. I think Russell will be better this year than the 07' season. They were really young and inexperienced that year, even with losing tyler jones, toby hicks adam foster and some others, everybody starting will have more experience and wont be as timid playing this year.

[Jeepman]

Another Mercer Co.

I sure hope history does not repeat itself. Anytime you take two teams and pick the talent to make one they should be good. Russell had every opportunity to put Mercer away and failed. Of couse the Phantum TD that Mercer had did not help maters.

[DevilsWin]

I sure hope history does not repeat itself. Anytime you take two teams and pick the talent to make one they should be good. Russell had every opportunity to put Mercer away and failed. Of couse the Phantum TD that Mercer had did not help maters.

Harlan Co is 3 schools in 1. Anyone who underestimates them will get throttled! I gurantee!

[kybaseball]

3 schools in 1 and still allowed to play 3a? Your right if you under estimate them you will get hammered.

[blitz43]

Harlan Co is 3 schools in 1. Anyone who underestimates them will get throttled! I gurantee!

They still got to put their shoes on the same way everyone else does. You still have 11 on "O" & 11 on "D" & 11 on Special Teams. They will have to play as a team just like everyone else. Cawood & Everts were only descent. Cumberland will be represented with the most talent on the team. So basically, Cumberland will be who everyone else will be playing. They will just have alot of depth. They will be a solid football team but don't look for them to run over many teams.....Just my opinion. Don't be hatin'!irateSho

[EkyLb]

They still got to put their shoes on the same way everyone else does. You still have 11 on "O" & 11 on "D" & 11 on Special Teams. They will have to play as a team just like everyone else. Cawood & Everts were only descent. Cumberland will be represented with the most talent on the team. So basically, Cumberland will be who everyone else will be playing. They will just have alot of depth. They will be a solid football team but don't look for them to run over many teams.....Just my opinion. Don't be hatin'!irateSho

Here we go again. Just 11 on 11. Doesn't matter if one team only has 300 boys to pick from and the other has 800. Just 11 playing. Lets let Russell, Raceland, and Fairview form an All-star team, since it doesn't matter. Why even have classes? Lets bring Trinity to Russell. They only have about 2000 boys. Only 11 get to play though.

Although I would like to see the Ashland area team, which would be Ashland, Boyd, Russell, Raceland, Fairview and Greenup. Which would probably equal close to 2000 boys, play one of the big Louisville schools with equal numbers. BTW think the KHSAA would let them play 3A?

[blitz43]

Here we go again. Just 11 on 11. Doesn't matter if one team only has 300 boys to pick from and the other has 800. Just 11 playing. Lets let Russell, Raceland, and Fairview form an All-star team, since it doesn't matter. Why even have classes? Lets bring Trinity to Russell. They only have about 2000 boys. Only 11 get to play though.

Although I would like to see the Ashland area team, which would be Ashland, Boyd, Russell, Raceland, Fairview and Greenup. Which would probably equal close to 2000 boys, play one of the big Louisville schools with equal numbers. BTW think the KHSAA would let them play 3A?

Read my whole post. I was only saying...you still got to play. Cumberland is the only school out of the 3 that is consistantly good. Harlan is just Cumberland with a little more depth. You don't become great just cause you combine.

[NIECE]

Here we go again. Just 11 on 11. Doesn't matter if one team only has 300 boys to pick from and the other has 800. Just 11 playing. Lets let Russell, Raceland, and Fairview form an All-star team, since it doesn't matter. Why even have classes? Lets bring Trinity to Russell. They only have about 2000 boys. Only 11 get to play though.

Although I would like to see the Ashland area team, which would be Ashland, Boyd, Russell, Raceland, Fairview and Greenup. Which would probably equal close to 2000 boys, play one of the big Louisville schools with equal numbers. BTW think the KHSAA would let them play 3A?

Russell should be able to play with a Trinity. Russell is year in, year out one of the best in 3A. The years Boyle Co were untouchable, NOBODY 1,2,3,4A in the state could stay within 2 touchdowns of them. Danville when single A beat St. X 4A. Beechwood 1A has beaten Cov Cath and Highlands. It is 11 on 11, however, the talent part and coaching does come into play when you play up. When Pikeville was ranked in the top 20 of the COUNTRY and had a write up in sports illustrated, they were 1A and destroyed everyone including the best 4A school in the state that year. And yes, Pikeville was loaded at every position and were well coached. If you have 5000 boys to choose from and only 30 come out or less have talent, that could put you in a bad position. I have to agree with blitz, they put their pants on the same way, lace their shoes, and pad up. There are plenty of 1 and 2 A schools playing 5 and 6A schools on their schedule to help them prepare for the playoffs.

[Journeyman]

I sure hope history does not repeat itself. Anytime you take two teams and pick the talent to make one they should be good. Russell had every opportunity to put Mercer away and failed. Of couse the Phantum TD that Mercer had did not help maters.

Mercer had an easy way to state. They came out of the west and it was not close to as strong as the east. Had they had went the Russell route, IMO they would not have made it. Russell played the better teams throughout the season and post season. Russell gave the game away, they were the better team. Don't look for a repeat, the east is far superior this year. Three teams better than Harlan County- Belfry, Breathitt, and Russell, that is not considering northern ky schools.

[DevilsWin]

Russell should be able to play with a Trinity. Russell is year in, year out one of the best in 3A. The years Boyle Co were untouchable, NOBODY 1,2,3,4A in the state could stay within 2 touchdowns of them. Danville when single A beat St. X 4A. Beechwood 1A has beaten Cov Cath and Highlands. It is 11 on 11, however, the talent part and coaching does come into play when you play up. When Pikeville was ranked in the top 20 of the COUNTRY and had a write up in sports illustrated, they were 1A and destroyed everyone including the best 4A school in the state that year. And yes, Pikeville was loaded at every position and were well coached. If you have 5000 boys to choose from and only 30 come out or less have talent, that could put you in a bad position. I have to agree with blitz, they put their pants on the same way, lace their shoes, and pad up. There are plenty of 1 and 2 A schools playing 5 and 6A schools on their schedule to help them prepare for the playoffs.

Are you saying it's even playing field?

[DaBears]

Mercer had an easy way to state. They came out of the west and it was not close to as strong as the east. Had they had went the Russell route, IMO they would not have made it. Russell played the better teams throughout the season and post season. Russell gave the game away, they were the better team. Don't look for a repeat, the east is far superior this year. Three teams better than Harlan County- Belfry, Breathitt, and Russell, that is not considering northern ky schools.

I agree.. They have to prove themself to be consider a mountain power.But just dont count them out just yet.

[NIECE]

Are you saying it's even playing field?

I am trying to say, the best can play the best in any class. It is not even in 3A if we want to get into that. Estill and Powell usually field around 30-35 kids. Last year, Breathitt fielded 36 and Fleming probably had the most out of the whole district, not sure. I don't know how many Russell fields but Belfry usually runs around 80. My point, it doesn't matter how many are in the school if they don't play. So in that case, you must take your best 11-14 football players, get them in the best shape possible, mentally tough, physically tough and play the game. Hopefully some of the other kids will come along throughout the season and help as well. Breathitt was a good example of that last year, IMO.

[DevilsWin]

I am trying to say, the best can play the best in any class. It is not even in 3A if we want to get into that. Estill and Powell usually field around 30-35 kids. Last year, Breathitt fielded 36 and Fleming probably had the most out of the whole district, not sure. I don't know how many Russell fields but Belfry usually runs around 80. My point, it doesn't matter how many are in the school if they don't play. So in that case, you must take your best 11-14 football players, get them in the best shape possible, mentally tough, physically tough and play the game. Hopefully some of the other kids will come along throughout the season and help as well. Breathitt was a good example of that last year, IMO.

Ok man, let me put this out there. The deal is that it's not your best 11 vs 11. It's your best 11 vs 22 and if you count special teams it's your best 11 vs your best 44.
5A Schools have the ability to go deep in their bench. I had a 4A coach tell me the other day that he could go 2 deep at any position right now and not have any drop off. That makes a difference. Numbers.

[NIECE]

Ok man, let me put this out there. The deal is that it's not your best 11 vs 11. It's your best 11 vs 22 and if you count special teams it's your best 11 vs your best 44.
5A Schools have the ability to go deep in their bench. I had a 4A coach tell me the other day that he could go 2 deep at any position right now and not have any drop off. That makes a difference. Numbers.

I agree if they have the numbers to be able to do that. Not everyone is that fortunate, can you agree with that? I tried to explain my point in the above thread, that when you don't have that kind of numbers, you have to do the extra's that others don't. You have to take your best and play the game, sometimes you win and sometimes you don't. Whoever you are talking about in 4A needs to go ahead and get rooms scheduled in Louisville because they have a huge advantage over anyone else, at least in Eastern Ky.

[RedDevil_TE]

That was a heck of a game.Our Defense came up big.

Whatever, i played in this game and if we would have kept running 8-28 and kicking it out we would have done much better. I didnt think breathitt was the best team we played. In my personal opinion mason co. or Ashland with Matt Thomas at running back was the best teams we played. But oh well, you win some and you lose some and we happened to lose that one. Good luck breathittt.

[Poseidon]

Breathitt, Belfry or Russell are the top 3 from the east......The central and Western parts of the state are more wide-open. Injuries will play a big part in who wins the title because there are several teams that are even as far as talent and tradition. Good luck to all teams.....

[Devil09]

Russell has a great JFL program. Thats why Russell has great H.S. teams. IMO.

[EKUAlum05]

Breathitt, Belfry or Russell are the top 3 from the east......The central and Western parts of the state are more wide-open. Injuries will play a big part in who wins the title because there are several teams that are even as far as talent and tradition. Good luck to all teams.....

Central and West= Lou. Central and Paducah Tilghman.... not very wide open at all.

[Devil09]

Another Mercer Co.

Should not be allowed.

[Jeepman]

Mercer had an easy way to state. They came out of the west and it was not close to as strong as the east. Had they had went the Russell route, IMO they would not have made it. Russell played the better teams throughout the season and post season. Russell gave the game away, they were the better team. Don't look for a repeat, the east is far superior this year. Three teams better than Harlan County- Belfry, Breathitt, and Russell, that is not considering northern ky schools.

I just hate to see KHSAA allow this to happen once again. The 11 on 11 deal is a bunch of nonsense. If you take the best players from three schools and put them on one team it is and unfair advantage to play in 3-A. Put them in the division that they belong in!! Granted Russell should have been able to handle Mercer. They did not. See what happened to Mercer when they put them in 5-A 5-wins. The east may be far superior in 3-A but I'm concerned about Central.

[Poseidon]

Looking at the alignments, the east will be where the strong team are for years to come. Any wins out of the central/west teams will be few and far between IMO. There are 3-4 strong 3A teams in part of the state. Most of our strong teams are on other divisions.

[Yogibear]

Central has to be the favorite.