[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

My neighbor tells the story of going to the semi final game @ Beechwood in '87. After Pikeville wins the game he gets in his car and is headed to Lexington to watch The Cats take on UT the next day. He tunes the radio to a N.KY sports call in show. None other than NFL Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz calls in to the show and says "Guys I just got back from the Pikeville-Beechwood game and Pikeville is one of the best high school football teams Ive ever seen! Id put them up against Boone County or anyone else in the state". That means alot coming from one of the greatest O-Lineman who ever walked the earth.
The truth is. While there have been some great teams come out of the mountains in the years since. No team has ever hit the heights that team did. And I dont think any team ever will. The 87-88 teams are still, to this day, the only teams from the mountains to be ranked in the USA Today Top 25 poll.

One must also take into consideration that, back at that time, high school football in the mountains was an afterthought at most schools with a few exceptions (Pikeville, Belfry, P-Burg, Corbin to name a few). After Pikeville went on that run you saw football being taken more serious in the mountains. Now, friday nights in the fall in this area isnt just a place where folks gather to pass time till the gym lights come on anymore. The impact on ALL mountain schools by what that Panther team was able to do statewide still resonates to this day. I really wish someone would make documentary about those teams( Im looking at you Panther Thunder! LOL!)