[EKUAlum05]

Win was not awarded to Beechwood, and they declined to finish the game later. When the teams met in the playoffs it was an absolute bloodbath. And to say Pikeville didn't play good teams is preposterous. If you are going to try to take away anything from those great Pikeville teams, you might as well put on a clown suit and a big red nose.irateSho

I never said they didnt play good teams, I said "elite" teams. Big difference. If you remove that Beechwood game that means they played only one team in the regular season in three years to reach the Semi-Finals and they lost.

There is no doubt that Pikeville played a solid schedule for a 1A team, I would even say it was a Championship caliber schedule for a 1A team. Just not a schedule that lent itself to being the best team regardless of class as you had previously inferred.

In 1987's final AP Poll Pikeville played three teams who all finished Top 5 in their respective classes (Belfry and Beechwood). Henry Clay finished tied for #5, but that was the last year when they separated Jefferson County AAAA and the rest of the state, so they were probably more in the 9-12 range for the entire class Lit Ratings had them at #13 overall and Cantrall had them at #21 overall in AAAA).

1988 and 1989, supporting your claim that 1987 was superior, played no teams who finished in their respective Top 5 in the AP Poll. FWIW, none of their wins also finished in the Top 5 of their respective classes in the Lit or Cantrall as well.

Bottom line is 1987 may not have impressed the CPU's but that was a great team and probably the best of the lot. I do think the tall tales of their legacy have turned into a bit of a fish story over the years though.




The 2019 Pikeville team might actually have the best claim statistically of all of them to be the GOAT if we are being honest.

- They were undefeated and unblemished. Only 1988 can really boast that.

- They beat two teams in the regular season who went on to the State Finals Perhaps the biggest thing none of those 80's team can boast

- One of which being a win over a State Champion from a higher class. Once again, 80's teams didn't touch that.

- They beat two Out of State Teams who entered the game ranked in the Top 5. An improvement over the non-district wins over teams like Western Hills or the 1A teams not in their district.

- The CPU's loved them and had them end up very high. Calpreps had them at #7 overall and as the #1 small school in the State. None of those 80's teams can boast a finish as the top small school team.

- They defeated two teams who finished in the Top 5 in the final AP Poll in the regular season. Ridgeview, VA also was a Top 5 finisher in the most universally accepted ranking for Virginia.

- They had the dominating margin of victory in the playoffs to match what those 80's teams did as well. No 1A team was within 3-4 TD's of them realistically once November came.

- They also had D1 talent. As good as those teams of the 80's were, none can boast having two guys who will eventually suit up at the Power 5 level, and with Pugh accepting his PWO to Louisville and Tinsley going to EKU, that is a high water mark for the great Panther program.


Now that we have separated urban legend from reality, in terms of the best of the best give me:

1. 2019
2. 1987

3. 1988

4. 2015
5. 1989