[EKUAlum05]

For the Greenville fans:


This is the season opener between Harlan County and a 6A school.

Harlan County has been a bit of an enigma. The Black Bears had sky high expectations but ran into a pair of buzzsaws in Belfry and Johnson Central. Prior to the Belfry game Harlan Co had allowed something like -30 yards and Belfry roughed them up pretty good. Harlan County rebounded and destroyed a Knox Central team who entered undefeated and ranked in 4A.. then they matched up with a very, very good Johnson Central team who capitalized on several early turnovers and beat the Black Bears soundly.

The common denominator in their two losses were to two fundamentally sound teams who beat HC at their own game, running the football. Both Belfry and Johnson Central have very fast defenses that were able to out-quick HC up front and create penetration.

For your frame of reference the Mercer County teams you faced were in 2007 (you lost 14-9) and 2008 (you won 42-35).

Mercer County won a controversial State Title in 2006. The Titans squeeked by Russell in the AA Championship Game in their first year of existence after consolidating Harrodsburg High and Mercer County HS to form the new Mercer County HS. Due to the KY alignment the new HS was allowed to compete in 2A despite having almost double the students as the other team. It just so happened the schools consolidated when both had unbelievable Senior classes coming up. Even without the new school built or a new stadium they forced the consolidation and fielded an All-Time level team for that area.

Mercer rolled everyone going undefeated in the regular season and playoffs. They played Russell in the Finals and were finally pushed. For a frame of reference the Bellfry team that beat Harlan County was AA and was an equal to Russell that year and probably a TD less difference from Mercer County... the 2006 Pirates were not nearly as good as the team who beat HC this year.

In 2007 when Greeneville first played Mercer, KY went to the 6 Class System and Mercer was rightfully placed in 5A, they finished that year 5-6.

In 2008 when Greenville won by a TD Mercer finished 6-6.

The Titans have been a middle of the pack 5A team since their 2006 dream season in 2A.. some years they were a Top 15 team in their class..some years they were a bottom 15 team.

The other useful bit of info is that HC opened last season with a loss to Morristown West 35-25. They improved leaps and bounds by season's end though so not sure what you can take from that.. I know Motown West beat Greeneville the next week 31-28.