[Hoot Gibson]

JCHS was just lucky it was the first game of the season. Otherwise, the score wouldn't had been so close. Also, the game wasn't as close as the score said. As for the Boyle County defense last year, it has absolutely nothing to do with this year's defense. Imo, two totally defense's. Last year has nothing to do with this year.

If I recall correctly, it was the first game for Johnson Central's offense as well as for Boyle County's defense. I also recall a few Boyle County fans boasting before that game that there was no way that Jude would rush for 100 yards in that game yet he averaged just over 6 yards a carry in piling up 127 yards in the game.

And yes, the game was as close as the final score indicated. JC led 8-7 after the first quarter, trailed by 7 at the end of the half, trailed by 7 at the end of 3 quarters, and lost by 7. I doubt that many people who watched the game would agree with you that the game was not as close as the score indicated. Nobody knows how a game between Johnson Central and Boyle County would have ended had the two teams played later in the season. JC appeared to match up better with Boyle than it did with Bell County and Highlands did not put the Golden Eagles away until the closing seconds of the regional finals game.

Obviously Boyle County improved as the season progressed but it is just as obvious that Johnson Central was a much better team at the end of the season than at its start. To say that JC was lucky that it got to play Boyle the first game of the season is ridiculous.