[THOMCAT]

This game was much more competitive than the score would indicate. I was very proud of the battle the young HC team showed. HC's secondary hopefully learned some valuable lessons for the future, but overall the Black Bears competed very well. Up 35-0 with just a little over 3 minutes left JC still throwing the ball? IMO that last LONG td pass was not cool? Bad enough they still had all their starters in on offense, but have them throw a 50 yd bomb that late in a 35-0 game? Then after the kickoff with less than 3 minutes left Matney calls timeout and comes out in the middle of the field to take most of his starters out? I didn't know you had to come out to the middle of the field to take your players out of the game?

What I saw was a young Harlan County team that will only improve. Yes, they threw the ball. Good teams have to work on different aspects of the game when they have the lead. Central has always been critized for not passing so now when they work on that aspect, they get critized. Yes Matney went out on the field during a time out. Totally legal. He had freely substituted many players during the game. He was getting some kids in so that everyone would have a chance to play. Sometimes when you sub late in the game some kids get confused as to where to line up. Harlan a County had to use a time out to get the proper players in earlier in the game on one of their main formations because some kids were not aware of what to do. Their coach went on the field but you are not bitching about him. What was NOT COOL was the assistant coach from Harlan County yelling at his players and telling them if they did not cut our players knees, they would come out and not play. He should prepare his players with proper blocking technique instead of telling his players to do something that has the intent of a knee injury more than a proper block.