[School Admin.]

Wow! Congrats Valley! I really thought Prestonsburg would pull this one out. Playoffs are all about one thing, survive and advance. Coach Ratliff does deserve to be in the discussion if not the front runner for coach of the year. Big time win against a big time opponent.

I realize there has been a few heated posts regarding the losing team being "out-coached," and even though I was at another game, I can say the coach should always receive the full weight and responsibility of a loss. Regardless, if were talking about fundamentals, game plans, penalties, mental mistakes, and even execution, it all falls onto the head coach to make sure these variables, that will win or lose a game for you, are covered and gone over thoroughly. If your a head coach and a team comes out and wins convincingly, it is because you made sure all of those things were covered before the game. In the professional atmosphere it may be a tad more on the players. However, a head coach sets a designed program and identity they want players to "buy-in" to from little league on up. That includes, fundamentals, game plans, mental game, and everything else involved, and that "program/identity" is what will carry you to success or failure. To say that you lost a game because of something a teenage boy did or didn't do is completely unethical in coaching standards. Like I said, you're responsible for teenage boys, and the grown men surrounding them should always take responsibility. Great coaches always have their players celebrate and put them out in front of big wins. Great coaches also ALWAYS takes responsibility and will be out in front of all losses. Sometimes you'll come across coaches with tremendous egoes and that may not be the case, but Any great coach throughout history will tell you the same thing.

Both teams played an excellent game, both coaches called an outstanding game. Valley was just a little better last night. People can get on here and coach a perfect game, but it's a little different when you are out there doing it. I don't hold anyone at fault for Prestonsburg on the loss, as I said, I just though Valley was a little better last night.