[dawg fan]

A lot of talk has been made about how much the Dogs have improved from last season. Maybe a few skill positions are better, maybe they are a little bigger, a little faster. This however has only translated into 1 more win (Equal if you want to make the Fairview adjustment) than they had coming into this game than they did last year.

The improvement however hasn't shown in the actual production. Last year LC came into this game having scored 330 points, that's 45 points more than they have scored this season. They also find themselves giving up 15 more points compared to last season. Last year at this point LC was +148 Net points compared to +88 this year. That's -60 point swing from last years net.

A very, very poor schedule is why they currently sit at 7 - 1.

To be fair in the analysis Belfry has also scored fewer points this year than they did last, to the tune of 33 fewer (2014 - 236 points for, 2013 - 269 points for). It's no secret to anyone that the offense is still working out kinks.

However Defensively Belfry is much improved. At this point last year Belfry had allowed 117 points, shutout no one, and held only Sheldon Clark to fewer than 12 points. Allowing 47 fewer points this season (70 total) the Pirate D is much improved, with 2 shutouts on the year. They've also held 5 of their opponents to 7 points or less (this includes a 5 - 2 Henry Clay team that averages 42 ppg).

Unlike LC, Belfry has increased their Net points on the year by +74 (2013 Net 92 pts, 2014 net 166 pts)

I see overall improvement from Belfry over last year while I don't seen any from LC. Only Pikeville has played Belfry competitively. Harlan Co did put 20 points on the board but that was mostly against 2nd and 3rd string defenders. If Belfry losses this game it will be because Belfry beats Belfry.

Belfry 31
LC 12

You make some valid points, but one thing you have to remember is that lc was up big by the end of the third quarter in 4 of those games and the jv generally played the 4th quarter of those games. Lc has better athletes this year than last, but they hade better football players last year. For a lot of these kids it is their 1st year of high school football and they are still learning but they are getting better game by game. Belfry is a very good team but they are not close to the team they had last year, last years team thumped pikeville, I don't see pikeville improving that much I think it is a combination of pikeville getting a little better and belfry backing up a little. But belfry is pretty young this year and have the young talent to be good for years to come.