[charlie22]

You obviously missed my point badly.

Of course if a key player goes out of the Highlands game early you will read the "what if" posts. All I am saying is that I want to see JC beat a healthy Highlands team so that we do not need to read such posts. If Jude or Hall go out early with an injury, it is unlikely JC will win the game because they are so integral to the JC offense and defense.

In 2006, Blake Johnson was eating up 5, 6 or more yards on every carry and JC was driving deep in CovCath territory down by one score. His injury hurt the Golden Eagles on both sides of the line. I think that CovCath would have won that game anyway but the margin would probably have been much closer with him in the lineup for four quarters. Johnson Central lost a playoff game in similar fashion to Bell County back in the Musick era when its stud fullback/linebacker was injured very late in the game (I believe it was Bowling). Without him, the JC defense could no longer slow down the Bobcats' ground game and Bell came from behind to win the game.

Injuries are part of the game and they do have a big impact on outcomes. I want to see a healthy Johnson Central team beat a healthy Highlands team and leave no doubt which was the better team this season. If the better team turns out to be Highlands, then I will wish them well with the rest of their season. I never like to see a game determined by injuries or blown calls.

Fair enough. I must have misinterpreted your post. I thought this part of your post that I quoted "and listen to the excuses for the loss" seemed to be implying that if Highlands lost and if Towles doesn't play and if a Highlands poster pointed that the outcome could have been different if Towles had played, you were going to say we were only making excuses.