[Gus McCrae]

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

Jmo, and really has no bearing on anything, but i think 2019 and 1987 could interchange. A toss up.