[cougarmom54]

LCC - ladies and Gents,
Our Junior High team (8th grade team) has a really solid line that has held up pretty well this year. When coach goes with his ground/pound offense it's real big, mean and violent. Willie Smith 6'2-230, Corey Neace 6'4-225, Blake Knight 6'1-230, Charlie Stanley 6'3-240, Clayton "Fuzz" Johnson 6'2-245 and the two runts of the bunch but possibly the best of the crop is Grant Horn and Trevor Napier, boy these two are small and don't have much lead in their britches but boy can they get down on the backers and clear the lanes for the boys with the ball. Our backs realize and appreciate the hosses up front and give credit daily to their protectors up front. All the credit has to go to Coach Howard's linemen coach Mr. Chad Bates, in my opinion the best line coach in the mountains at the Junior High level. Kids love him and give him their hearts daily, he's a great role model and we are lucky to have him with our program. Just hope we can keep him, the high school program came calling this year and he turned them down.

I too will give props to Coach Bates. He has done a fantastic job with these young men.If I am not mistaken this o- line consist of kids from every school that was consolidated-whitesburg,west Letcher and East Letcher.Some of these kids had to learn a completely different system and they have all stepped up to the plate.Every one knows that the line is a hard place to be. I personally think we have the best o-line in the mountains. With these kids there are no big I's and little U's they play as a team.Chad Bates could not be a better role model, He cares about all of these kids and they think the world of him.Keep up the good work coach Bates! GO COUGARS!!!!!