[Panther Thunder]

Putting the bias aside there really is a very cut and dry answer.

As it stands right now...as a sum of all the parts... it is Belfry and by a good bit.

Prior to the past decade it would have been Pikeville by and it wouldn't even be close. But you simply can't omit a decade from essentially a 50 year history since it is 20% of the time, and in that 20% increment Belfry has not only closed the gap but maintained an consistency of elite play the likes of which Pikeville had never enjoyed .

Pikeville gets bonus points for the fact that 40 years they went head to head with belfry being the smaller 1A school. In that case a tie has to favor the Panthers being as though they were a smaller school accustomed to playing smaller schools.

On the flip side, this also works against Pikeville in the fact their success on reaching the State Finals is almost entirely limited to one decade (despite still competing with 1A schools), whereas Belfry has been able to make runs in several decades.

I like HP's intangible point above to argue in Pikeville's favor..but I see that point and raise him Phillip Haywood, the State's Winningest Coach and a guy who himself has changed the shape of Mountain Football as well. I would also be remiss if I did not point out that the great Pikeville run under Howard was ended by Belfry.

It does bring up another interesting question:
If Coach Howard coached an extra decade where would Pikeville be now? Would they have ever had their lull over the past decade? Would they have another Championship?

So once again...as it stands now where you have to include Belfry's dominant run of the past decade it is Belfry by a solid margin. Yet, anyone who would try to argue it was even a tie prior to the 2000's is clearly not giving Pikeville credit as they were clearly the best PROGRAM overall until then.

Agree with a lot. I just hate to admit it. :biggrin:

Still well within striking range, however, if the Program can start to maintain high quality teams in this six class non-sense. Belfry, IMO, has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the six class system thus far. Hazard is another one that took advantage, but hey, it is what we have and they did what they had to do. Hopefully, PHS can start capitalizing on the watered-down system.

The bolded is huge, IMO. It is crazy to think about that what if, because it would encompass almost 20 years of what if? I think it would have been awesome and Coach Howard would be up there in wins with Haywood. Could of had a Paterno/Bowden type rivalry right here in Pike County.