[watcher]

I agree with you. Pikeville does have great tradition. Breathitt does too. The thread was mainly talking about Belfry and Bell. Pikeville hasn't made a trip to the finals in a while. Belfry has the best tradition as a whole in the mountains, but Brethitt and and Pikeville should be in the conversation. I give a bunch of respect to both of these programs (Breathitt and Pikeville). Good point brought up!

[watcher]

I apologize to the Corbin folks too. Corbin like Pikeville has not been dominate in recent years. Corbin is for sure a great football tradition as a whole through the years. When I think of great Football tradition through many years not the last 15 or 20 I think of Belfry, Pikeville, and Corbin. If I think of good football tradition for the last 20 years I would throw Bell in there too. Bell has been better than Corbin the last several years but not overall tradition.

[bulldog42]

After facing both I think there are a couple of differences. Bell Co has been a couple of scores better IMO the last few years. Belfry is 1st class from the coaches, to the players, to the fans to the facilities. Bell Co across the board was bush league. Zero doubt in my mind I'd rather have my kid in Belfry's program!

[WideRight05]

Doesn't matter. Highlands would kill them both.

[jbhatfield]

if you make it to the state championship your a contender.. winning the state championship makes you the best in the state.. losing your still one of the best in the state.. but having the experience from winning those big playoff games and fighting your way through the district, region, and state makes you the team to beat the next year.. thats tradition, belfrys tradition..
me being from belfry makes my opinion biast, and not knocking bell county, much respect for their program and coach.. but belfry is a powerhouse and will always have that tradition..

[watcher]

Doesn't matter. Highlands would kill them both.

We all know Belfry is not in the same league with Highlands. Just about every team would get beat by them except for maybe Trinity. So I agree with this but it has nothing to do with the discussing.

[watcher]

Am I right to say, next year is suppose to be Belfry's year? I may be wrong about this. Does Belfry return most of their team?

[Crossbones]

Am I right to say, next year is suppose to be Belfry's year? I may be wrong about this. Does Belfry return most of their team?

Yes they do. In all honesty, I felt they have overachieved this season. They do return most of their core players.

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

Pikeville has not been dominate in recent years.

So what? Belfry (1986-2003) went 17 years without a state title appearance and went the entire decade of the '90s without even a trip the semi finals. Bell also went 17 years without a trip to state. Its been 20 years for Pikeville since our last trip. Thats not that big of a difference. Every great program has dry spells. By the looks of this year and what Pikeville has coming up it looks like were back on the upswing.

[DSRfan]

Must have missed my earlier post on Boyle.

The Rebels had three District titles in the old school points system and went to the playoffs three times in the 60's, 70's and early 80's.

Posted seasons of 9-0, 9-1, 9-2, 10-2, 9-1-1 among other winnings seasons during those years. Boyle posted wins over such programs as Danville, Harrodsburg, Henry Clay, Bardstown, Somerset, among others. Tradition was there but from '84 to '91 the Rebs had only one winning season. That's what leads so many to think Boyle just appeared on the scene with Chuck Smith. :Thumbs:

1 playoff appearance per decade doesn't sound like much of a
tradition to me. Sorry but Boyle was never looked upon as a
"traditional" figure in Ky. h.s. football until the Smith years.
They have a tremendous program now, and looks like will
for long in the future, but they just don't compare to
other programs in historical accomplihment. And THAT is
what "tradition" is. Look at Breathitt Co. They only started
football in '74-75. They have 3 titles, own one of the longest
win streaks in Ky. hs history, but it would be silly for me to
try to paint them as one of the tradional football powers
in the state. They don't have the history.

[Hatz]

1 playoff appearance per decade doesn't sound like much of a
tradition to me. Sorry but Boyle was never looked upon as a
"traditional" figure in Ky. h.s. football until the Smith years.
They have a tremendous program now, and looks like will
for long in the future, but they just don't compare to
other programs in historical accomplihment. And THAT is
what "tradition" is. Look at Breathitt Co. They only started
football in '74-75. They have 3 titles, own one of the longest
win streaks in Ky. hs history, but it would be silly for me to
try to paint them as one of the tradional football powers
in the state. They don't have the history.

Didn't intend to imply that they did have the history.

Hard to judge District titles in a different era when only District champs (many times decided by a point system) were only invited.

Boyle's "tradition" was much more locally based in Central Kentucky. Ask anyone from those eras and from that region and they would have agreed.

That's why this thread is regionalized to "mountains." Beyond the mountains, none of the teams mentioned have a "Top 10 Statewide resume."

Just my take. :Thumbs:

[EKUAlum05]

Am I right to say, next year is suppose to be Belfry's year? I may be wrong about this. Does Belfry return most of their team?

It's all about perspective...if you asked a Belfry fan prior (or even in the middle) of the 2010 season then 2012 was supposed to be the year that Belfry would be back in State Title contention.

2010 State Finals Appearance in what was supposed to be re-loading year. Most thought a Regional Finals birth was the extent of the Pirates potential. Definite over achievement.


2011 State Finals Appearance in what was supposed to be a "bridge" year. Everyone knew Belfry would be loaded with young talent with several experienced pieces. Following last year the expectations were higher, but even so..I didn't expect Belfry to be 13-1...11-3 or even 10-4 seemed possible with their schedule entering the season. Slight over achievement.

Next year will begin the Sani Warren era at QB as you will have nearly the entire OL back with several VERY talented pieces at the skill positions in Justin Johnson, Josh Robinson, and Tony Messer. There will be a learning curve as Sani adjusts to the offense, especially with the clockwork precision that WIlliams runs it... but Sani presents a skillset that makes the Pirates even more diverse and dangerous and Johnson will assume the roll of "feature back". The overwhelming question mark will be the Fullback position as Willis seems to be the only position where the Pirates will see a substantial and noticeable dropoff. Does Trenity Carr move from HB?

Defensively the Pirates return a slew of experience, but they lose some VERY good playmakers on that side of the ball in Runyon, Dotson, and Dixon. Returning Messer, Mullins, Ghormley, and both CB's will automatically make them stout.

The next two years the Pirates should be very stout with 2012 being the sweet spot with the most experience and skill on both sides of he ball and on the lines.

[watcher]

Thanks for the information. I am not from Belfry, but I try to follow their program.

[watcher]

So what? Belfry (1986-2003) went 17 years without a state title appearance and went the entire decade of the '90s without even a trip the semi finals. Bell also went 17 years without a trip to state. Its been 20 years for Pikeville since our last trip. Thats not that big of a difference. Every great program has dry spells. By the looks of this year and what Pikeville has coming up it looks like were back on the upswing.

I am not saying anything negative about Pikeville's program. I was just making a statement. In my opinion Pikeville has more overall tradition than Bell. Bell has only been really good the last twenty years. No one can say Pikeville is not a very well known mountain football program. Sorry if you took it the wrong way. I am surprised it has been that long since Pikeville has made a trip to the finals. Hazard has been dominate lately. I do think Pikeville will be back in the finals again soon. Do they return a lot next year?

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

I am not saying anything negative about Pikeville's program. I was just making a statement. In my opinion Pikeville has more overall tradition than Bell. Bell has only been really good the last twenty years. No one can say Pikeville is not a very well known mountain football program. Sorry if you took it the wrong way. I am surprised it has been that long since Pikeville has made a trip to the finals. Hazard has been dominate lately. I do think Pikeville will be back in the finals again soon. Do they return a lot next year?

I didnt take anything bad from your statement. I was just trying to make the point that all great programs like Pikeville, Belfry, and Bell have down years. I didnt mean to come across as defensive. Pikeville will have some holes to fill on the lines and a BIG one at QB among others. But they will have some young talent coming in next year.

[PondCreekPride]

I want Highlands in the Pike County Bowl. That would be a good game to start the season off with. :redboxer:
As for tradition Belfry has it and has had it a long time. Nobody wanted to play Belfry when Dick Roddy was the coach. Back then Belfry had to look across the river to fill out the schedule. Before him Coach Vipperman was the winningest coach in Pike County year after year. That was an era when Pike County had 7 high schools that played football and Elkhorn City wouldn't play Belfry most years.
Pikeville on the other hand has always strapped em up and played Belfry. Even when they have been down they have always come to play. They haven't always been down either. I think this is the longest run of Belfry wins over Pikeville ever.

[Ballistic]

was browsing this thread.. lots has changed

[#55PirateFan]

was browsing this thread.. lots has changed

Lol

[TheHotSnakes]

Yeah, I saw this and thought it was recent.

Both schools took very different paths over the last 6 years.

This thread wouldn't even have existed if it were started in recent seasons.

[oldschool77]

We all know Belfry is not in the same league with Highlands. Just about every team would get beat by them except for maybe Trinity. So I agree with this but it has nothing to do with the discussing.

I guess we are talking tradition not current teams performance. Highlands might not be in top 5 of 3A currently. Belfry would beat this years Highlands team by two touchdowns.

[oldschool77]

Sorry, didn't see this was initially an old thread. Like someone else said a lot has changed.

[Ballistic]

last years teams i believe belfry couldve running clocked highlands