[2000PHS]

Pikeville toyed with Paintsville and Raceland the first time they played them.

Just watching the film of how Pikeville game-planned for those two games versus the "emotional" games against Mingo Central, Belfry, and Ridgeview made it clear that Pikeville's staff knew they had a couple more gears under the hood. Whether they knew they may see those teams again or they were trying to keep their team grounded, either way, it seemed the playbook completely changed once it was time to get to nut-cutting time.

This was as good of a 1A team as we have seen in a good while. Pikeville was simply next level compared to the rest of the class once the staff chose to unleash them.

I don’t want to argue about it but in 1st matchup #8 was rattled and confused at times. Give Paintsville their due credit in that game. He matured, learned from it, and they rolled everyone going forward.

Plus I think this was one the weaker years for 1A, outside of Pikeville. Hazard wasn’t where they had been, Raceland was slightly below their average, NCC didn’t compete, Paintsville was good and had some strengths but this wasn’t Chirico’s best team.