Holy Cross (Cov) @ Pikeville Aug. 29

**Panther Thunder** · 08-22-2009, 02:12 PM

The Pike County Bowl will wrap up with the Pikeville Panthers playing host to the Indians of Covington Holy Cross. Pikeville came away victorious in their lone scrimmage versus Estill County, and Holy Cross defeated Bellevue in their first regular season game.

Pikeville is led by Sr. QB Blake Branham. He is helped by a host of playmakers; including Clark Keene, Taylor Ratliff, and Randy Maynard. The Indians are led by QB Markel Walker and RB Andy Roenker- fresh off a 2 TD performance.

The game is slated to start at 8:35 PM. Can Anyone confirm that this game will be televised?

Good luck to both, and HAIL PIKEVILLE!

**Panther Thunder** · 08-22-2009, 04:03 PM

I really like the attitude of this Pikeville team. They may or may not be better than last year's team, but there is a better feeling inside the program than in the past couple of seasons. Pikeville must be sure to limit turnovers, capitalize on turnovers, and sustain drives and not have many 3 and outs. The defense needs to sure up on the runs up the middle and be ready to contain Walker on the outside. The secondary will have to be on and not fall for a run then get burnt over the top. If they can do these things well I have a lot of confidence in this team. I admittedly do not knnow a whole lot about Holy Cross other than from what I have read on here, but they seem to be a very solid football team. Pikeville can win this game, but it won't be easy. I gotta go with my heart and say that the outcome will be:

Pikeville 28
Cov. Holy Cross 21

**kywldcat01** · 08-22-2009, 04:28 PM

Holy Cross is legit this year in nky. They will compete with Newcath for the 2A crown up here and have some very good athletes. Walker is the key to the Indians offense. They go as far as he takes them with his legs and arm. He will be the most athletic player on the field for either team. Out of the backfield, Roenker is a big, bruising back and will be tough for ANY defense to stop.

My take.... I think the Indians make the trip down to the mountains and come away with a W. I just think their athletes will be too tough for Pikeville to stop. P'ville will put some points up on the board against the Indians D though:

Holy Cross 35
Pikeville 21

**BlackcatAlum** · 08-22-2009, 04:45 PM

Should be a good game, but I'll take Holy Cross by a touchdown.

Best of luck to both!

**Stardust** · 08-22-2009, 05:53 PM

It will be hard for HC to travel to Pikeville and play at their best. I''l take HC in a tight game though, 24-20

**Panther Thunder** · 08-22-2009, 06:01 PM

Stardust Wrote:How is Pikevilles experience? HS is loaded with senior experience and this may be Bruce Kozerski's best team ever.

Senior QB- 2.5 five years starting. Very experienced Line, looked good pass blocking against Estill. The skill positions are very young, lots of sophomores and juniors. The skill positions don't have much game experience because this is the first year in the spread and last year no one besides Tyler Baker at WR and Daniel Harmon at RB were used frequently.

Defensively, there are a lot of question marks right now. It may take 2-3 games to find a rotation that works well. Against Estill they contained the outside very well, but struggled when the bigger back ran up the gut. The D-line and Linebackers will have to be extremely active and fill the holes and force them to try to cut it outside, where Clark Keene and Taylor Ratliff made a bunch of big plays. Holy Cross will be much more athletic and speedy I would assume, so we will have to wait and see how that changes things. It is a big task, I hope we are ready come Saturday.

**Stardust** · 08-22-2009, 06:06 PM

^ Nice breakdown :Thumbs:

**nky** · 08-22-2009, 06:52 PM

Holy Cross will do NKY football proud in this one. Another NKY team winning in the mountains

Big Five-0- · 08-22-2009, 10:01 PM

According to WYMT, both Fri. & Sat. 2nd games will be live, while the 1st games of both nights will be tape delay for the next day. Hope this makes sense . This is the way i understand it. Go Panthers!!!

**Panther Thunder** · 08-22-2009, 10:08 PM

Big Five-0- Wrote:According to WYMT, both Fri. & Sat. 2nd games will be live, while the 1st games of both nights will be tape delay for the next day. Hope this makes sense . This is the way i understand it. Go Panthers!!!

Yea, that's how they usually do it. I just wanted to be sure. Thanks.

**EKUAlum05** · 08-22-2009, 10:17 PM

Think Holy Cross may have a little too much for the Panthers.

HC 33
Pikeville 20

**jetpilot** · 08-22-2009, 10:35 PM

nky Wrote:Holy Cross will do NKY football proud in this one. Another NKY team winning in the mountains

Holy Cross came to the mountains twice last year and got spanked both times. Confused

hh:

**EKUAlum05** · 08-22-2009, 10:42 PM

jetpilot Wrote:Holy Cross came to the mountains twice last year and got spanked both times.hh:

With all due respect taking on 5A South Laurel and a pretty good 4A Knox Central, and playing both competitively, really doesn't bode too well when you compare them to a 1A Pikeville team who lost a couple of their key weapons.

qryche11 · 08-22-2009, 10:43 PM

I got reports from a buddy whose son is a Bellevue Tiger and he said HC is huge and extremely athletic. The QB can zigzag with the best of them and he can sling it atleast 50 yds in the air while scrambling. Roenker is a bruiser on both sides of the ball. I like tge Indians in a high scoring game 42 - 24

**outdoorsman43** · 08-22-2009, 10:54 PM

Holy Cross has a great team this season and is a potential top ten 2A team IMO. I believe it will be fairly close, but Holy Cross leaves Pikeville with a victory.

Good luck to both!

**ComfortEagle** · 08-22-2009, 11:24 PM

I have to go with Holy Cross in this one. I hope I'm proven wrong, but I doubt it.

**jetpilot** · 08-23-2009, 12:38 AM

EKUAlum05 Wrote:With all due respect taking on 5A South Laurel and a pretty good 4A Knox Central, and playing both competitively, really doesn't bode too well when you compare them to a 1A Pikeville team who lost a couple of their key weapons.

I was addressing the "another NKy team wins in the mtns" thing. Having said that, I'm not ready to consider HC a good team yet. They had 4 wins last year vs. bad teams. The truth is, when Pikeville is Pikeville they eat teams like this for lunch. Pikeville hasn't been Pikeville in a few years, but they will be soon enough. Go Panthers! :flame:

**EKUAlum05** · 08-23-2009, 12:46 AM

jetpilot Wrote:I was addressing the "another NKy team wins in the mtns" thing. Having said that, I'm not ready to consider HC a good team yet. They had 4 wins last year vs. bad teams. The truth is, when Pikeville is Pikeville they eat teams like this for lunch. Pikeville hasn't been Pikeville in a few years, but they will be soon enough. Go Panthers! :flame:

This I agree with... it may take a couple years but I think Pikeville finally has the staff they need to right the ship.

qryche11 · 08-24-2009, 01:20 AM

Wait til you boys see the Indians get off the bus and you see Markel and Mr. Roenker and then tell us they arnt a good team.

HAIL PIKEVILLE! · 08-24-2009, 03:10 AM

qryche11 Wrote:Wait til you boys see the Indians get off the bus and you see Markel and Mr. Roenker and then tell us they arnt a good team.

Who said they werent a good team? Certainly not me! Wait til you see some of our boys and you might change your mind about this easy win you guys think youre gonna come down here and get. IMO neither team can be judged off last years record.

Cougar80 · 08-24-2009, 09:31 AM

I hope Holy Cross takes it easy on Pikeville Smile

**kywldcat01** · 08-24-2009, 11:36 AM

jetpilot Wrote:Holy Cross came to the mountains twice last year and got spanked both times.hh:

You also failed to mention that Holy Cross team was young and inexperienced and was without several players for those games due to injuries.

This year's HC team may be one of the best in their program's history. They will be better than you think when you see them.

nkypete · 08-24-2009, 02:54 PM

In Friday's game against Bellevue, Holy Cross led 36-0 before Coach Koz put in the JV early in the 3rd quarter. This team is heavy with seniors. As freshman three years ago, this team went undefeated beating Newport twice, NewCath, and Beechwood. QB Markel Walker will remind you of a certain former Atlanta QB without all the trouble with the law! RB Andy Roenker provides power through the middle and the other RB Brayson Smith will run wild around the ends. Both scored two touchdowns against Bellevue on Friday. Oh yeah, did I say that HC now runs the spread and goes four wide in a one back set? Most know about WRs Jordan Norris and Robert Ziegler, but watch out for Markel's little brother Eric who may be the fastest guy on the team as a sophmore. That is a lot for any team to prepare for. The O-line is ALL seniors (including my son). Defensively, look for Roenker, M Walker, and Smith to lay the wood in the secondary and at linebacker. Markel is getting Div I looks at safety from the University of Cincinnati and others. This is the year to catch "lightning in a bottle" for Holy Cross and hopefully catch other teams on down years. I wouldn't pay attention to last years record with only 4 wins. Holy Cross lately has played up in class to fill its schedule. HC looks forward to these road trips and is honored to have the opportunity to play some of the southern powers in the state in bowl games such as the Pike County Bowl and Cumberland Valley Bowl. The Indians will be ready for Saturday night!

**jetpilot** · 08-26-2009, 02:06 PM

nkypete Wrote:In Friday's game against Bellevue, Holy Cross led 36-0 before Coach Koz put in the JV early in the 3rd quarter. This team is heavy with seniors. As freshman three years ago, this team went undefeated beating Newport twice, NewCath, and Beechwood. QB Markel Walker will remind you of a certain former Atlanta QB without all the trouble with the law! RB Andy Roenker provides power through the middle and the other RB Brayson Smith will run wild around the ends. Both scored two touchdowns against Bellevue on Friday. Oh yeah, did I say that HC now runs the spread and goes four wide in a one back set? Most know about WRs Jordan Norris and Robert Ziegler, but watch out for Markel's little brother Eric who may be the fastest guy on the team as a sophmore. That is a lot for any team to prepare for. The O-line is ALL seniors (including my son). Defensively, look for Roenker, M Walker, and Smith to lay the wood in the secondary and at linebacker. Markel is getting Div I looks at safety from the University of Cincinnati and others. This is the year to catch "lightning in a bottle" for Holy Cross and hopefully catch other teams on down years. I wouldn't pay attention to last years record with only 4 wins. Holy Cross lately has played up in class to fill its schedule. HC looks forward to these road trips and is honored to have the opportunity to play some of the southern powers in the state in bowl games such as the Pike County Bowl and Cumberland Valley Bowl. The Indians will be ready for Saturday night!

Nice post and thanks for the info. This is shaping up to be a very good one on Saturday night!