[Hoot Gibson]

This without a doubt and Pikeville would give JC all they wanted although Belfry got embarrassed..

Johnson Central would have easily beaten the Panthers, which is what should happen when an elite 4A team plays an elite 1A team and Pikeville, Belfry, and Johnson Central are all very well coached. It's nothing to be embarrassed about when a smaller school loses to a larger school, but football becomes a numbers game when all else is equal between two well coached teams. Coach Matney was hired to end the embarrassment of losing to Paintsville way too often and end it he did. When first half running clocks became the rule, Johnson Central's series with Paintsville came to an end.

IMO, as long as Matney is at Johnson Central, the Golden Eagles will win more games against Belfry than they will lose, although JC's enrollment advantage over Belfry is close enough that the Pirates will continue to win their share of games in the series. JC would dominate a series against any 1A school, although one bad hiring decision after Matney retires could change everything, just as it did following Bill Musick's departure.

This is the golden age of mountain football and I hope that Pikeville, Belfry, and Johnson Central all bring back titles next season.