[Hoot Gibson]

[/COLOR]

I agree with you on this, a lot of people give JC crap for not playing tougher teams, but as HHS knows it is hard when people are not willing to play you. Highlands was willing to play teams far away and lucky in most cases those teams where willing to come to their place following year. I think with HHS history, it makes it easier to get teams to come play them than it is for JC. HHS traveled because they had too, but as you will see next year, now that local teams are willing to play them (that is another story) they will gladly stay home rather than traveling even if competition is not as good. I think all HHS fans would love to play JC every year, but if the choice is a local away game or 4 hour drive, it is a no brainer to stay home.

I agree, and from what I understand the playoffs systems of Ohio and West Virginia make good teams in those states, which are also within a reasonable distance of Paintsville, reluctant to risk a loss to Johnson Central. I also do not think that there are many schools as large as Johnson Central in SE Ohio, although there are some great smaller programs like Ironton and Wheelersburg that would be good match-ups in some seasons.