[livewire220]

Well, when the chain gang is walking down the field in a slow deliberate walk, the ref has to take control. Come on, spotting the ball was questionable??? Must have been listening to the video announcers too much. The refs didn't lose the game. The better team, with long storied history, went on the road and got the BIG W. I venture to say, next year it won't be close. The offseason starts in the morning.

You obviously didn't read my post, I said that better clock and TO management would have made the stripes actions moot. Obviously the better team won tonight, being from the mountains I just like to see mountain schools do well. Have a nice trip to Harlan. You better count on 4 - 5 hours travel.:rockon::BigLaugh::BigLaugh::BigLaugh:

[WildDawg]

How about the kicker from Ft Thomas? That kid could absolutely kill the ball.

[Mr. Postman]

great game by both teams, it's just some of the adults that look bad! it's sad when people say things about kid's mistakes and shortcomings on a public forum, but i guess that's the way some are. by the way the wr that dropped the pass in the end zone, i haven't heard anyone talk about all the great passes he caught tonite, must have slipped ur mind. you should be ashamed, by the way next time u feel perfect, try walking on water! great game both teams, good luck in semi's blue bird's.

[sstack]

How about the kicker from Ft Thomas? That kid could absolutely kill the ball.

special teams have always been an advantage for HHS in the JC games.

[tradition]

Johnson Central couldn't have scripted a better game plan against them. [B]Do what you do best and run the ball and chew up as much clock as possible and give your defense plenty of time to rest. [/B]They limited Highlands offensive possessions and never allowed them to get into rhythm as such.

JC had the perfect gameplan but Highlands thwarts them again.

I felt this was the downfall for JC. Highlands showed right off the bat that they can score quickly. They went up first. Then JC chews up all kinds of time just to get a score. Again just before half Highlands comes back quickly to go into the half ahead. Third quarter was all JC with the tying touch. JC gets the ball in the fourth and chews up 8 minutes and comes away with no score and not only that use up their last TO at the beginning of the fourth that they really could have used at the end. You have to be able to score quickly when you need to. If Jude is held to 95 yards, you better have another plan.

Had to be the fastest game I could ever remember.

[whackem'n'stackem']

Congratulations to Highlands getting the job done on the road. The best team won.....

[Bob Seger]

I have been saying all year, you beat HHS with the pass. JC actually looked good passing the ball, but he refused to go to it more. JC wasted TO's, poor clock management at end, and took to long to get plays called in from the sidelines (QB had to run to the sidelines each time to get the play). If JC scores at the end, I think they would have won by going for 2, Thankfully they didn't.

From what I envisioned, I dont think Matney intended on calling that last TO. What it looked to me like was when JC lined back up on the 1st and 10 play, the ref behind JC's QB made some kind of a jesture just prior to the QB going under center, and threw things into an instant of uncertainty. With JC obviously out of sync, after whatever it was he did, caused Matney to call the TO. That's just the way it looked to me anyway.

[sstack]

great game by both teams, it's just some of the adults that look bad! it's sad when people say things about kid's mistakes and shortcomings on a public forum, but i guess that's the way some are. by the way the wr that dropped the pass in the end zone, i haven't heard anyone talk about all the great passes he caught tonite, must have slipped ur mind. you should be ashamed, by the way next time u feel perfect, try walking on water! great game both teams, good luck in semi's blue bird's.

Look at post #15, I was quick to point out how good the passing game was looking for JC!

[Hoot Gibson]

great game by both teams, it's just some of the adults that look bad! it's sad when people say things about kid's mistakes and shortcomings on a public forum, but i guess that's the way some are. by the way the wr that dropped the pass in the end zone, i haven't heard anyone talk about all the great passes he caught tonite, must have slipped ur mind. you should be ashamed, by the way next time u feel perfect, try walking on water! great game both teams, good luck in semi's blue bird's.

My comment about the pass going through the receivers hands was not any any way a criticism of the player. He was not wide open and the ball may have even been tipped. My point was that Matney's game plan was very sound and his players executed that plan almost to perfection. Obviously, had it not been for some clutch catches earlier in the game, the Golden Eagles would not have been in position to have tied or won the game in the final seconds.

What has really impressed me most about this JC team has been how hard they play and how great their endurance has been. That has been the Golden Eagles' downfall in past regional title games but JC has not looked tired at any point in this year's playoffs. I don't believe that their is a better conditioned team in the state and that is a great credit to both the coaches and players.

Also, tonight a team that played most of its starters both ways held the likely 5A state champion to its fewest points of the season. It was not quite enough but it was certainly not a performance that would suggest that JC cannot win a state title with its current system.

[Bob Seger]

If the kid had more tries during the year, maybe he would have felt more comfortable out there and caught the ball. He was wide open!

Poppycock. He simply missed the ball SS, just like a Highlands player dropped a pass tonight too. Just like an apparent uncomfortable Highlands QB made a poor pass that was intercepted. Just like some unconfortable Highlands player made a fumble. It happens.By the way, this same uncomfortable kid made a few really nice catches under pressure tonight as well.

[Blau Vogel]

By all accounts, JC had the perfect O game plan. What hasn't been mentioned is that Highlands had a perfect-ER D game plan. JJ runs for a couple thousand last week but can't get a hundo tonight. JC scores 30+ per game, tonight 7. Were it not for the only two turnovers in the game, 28 - 7 or 35 - 7 would have been the likely outcome.

I know turnovers are a part of the game but so are dropped passes and poor clock management.

INMVHO, JC played as well as they could, leaving in all on the field, on both sides of the ball. The Birds offense played good enough to win. Their defense played like champions.

[Pulp Fiction]

Good game by both teams......

[whackem'n'stackem']

This one shouldn't have been close. Streeter fumbled inside the 40 and way too many dropped passes. McCoy should have been in with Towles tonight and the game would have been a blowout. Highlands showed JC what defense is.......JC holding Highlands to 21. Come on......Birds need to step it up if they want to win State!

[sstack]

Poppycock. He simply missed the ball SS, just like a Highlands player dropped a pass tonight too. Just like an apparent uncomfortable Highlands QB made a poor pass that was intercepted. Just like some unconfortable Highlands player made a fumble. It happens.By the way, this same uncomfortable kid made a few really nice catches under pressure tonight as well.

You are right, It does happen. He could have had 100 receptions this year and still had a drop. But, the more you practice the more muscle memory you have, and I do think it leads to high % of catches versus drops. Same in any sport, more practice increases muscle memory.

[kywldcat01]

Another trip to the mountains...another region title brought home by the Birds.

Next!

[Bob Seger]

You are right, It does happen. He could have had 100 receptions this year and still had a drop. But, the more you practice the more muscle memory you have, and I do think it leads to high % of catches versus drops. Same in any sport, more practice increases muscle memory.

The more your QB throws passes over the season the less chance he has top throw an interception. The more times your RB runs the ball , the less chance he has to make a fumble. Guess they should have gotten more reps during the regular season to solidify that muscle memory, huh!!! Nice attempt to recover from a goofy statement.

[Blau Vogel]

Heck.Of.A.Game...

I sat on Higlands side because it was less crowded and it amazed me how quiet they were. They barely cheered when their team scored and didnt do much of anything really if they made a good play or got a first down. Its like they just expect them to do it and if they dont play good then they start whinin and moanin. LOL

Awesome game to watch though.

Cant wait til the state finals!

This drives me nuts too. I am a little ashamed that to a degree I am guilty of high expectations. When you grow up watching a team that for 50 years makes a state championship appearance every other year and wins a championship every third year on average, it is likely you expect a lot.

Since this year's senior class started kindergarten, they have seen the Birds travel to 8 state championship games, winning 7 with this year to be determined.

Can you imagine JC not being able to sell out ONE student bus traveling to Ft Thomas to play the Birds? It happens here. Sometimes success breeds apathy. However, what ever the downside, success is grand!

[OutsideLogic]

And what about the announcers comments about #17 Bowden? I think they said something like, "he lives alone in the dorms up there". Was that humor that I didn't get? Why say something like that? No basis to say anything derogatory about the player.

I don't see Highlands ever losing to Johnson Central in the forseeable future since they survived tonight. This was the year. I'd hate if my team kept losing to the same team year after year, but I would make comments like that.

Well, my suggestion for you would be quit hiding behind your little screen name and call the announcer if you don't like what was said or you could just hide behide your little screen name and complain like you are.

[whackem'n'stackem']

I just want to hear from the JC fans about JJ Jude. What happened tonight? Was he hurt? I know the announcers kept hoping he'd break one on the Birds. Even if hurt, he still managed to almost get 100...

[eagle]

If Johnson Central ever wants to win a state title, they must devote some time to their pass offense and the development of a 2-minute drill. It cost them big time tonight when it counted the most.

Yes you are correct in your post. However I think that if you play a team that has to play most of their players both ways, dresses out only a third of what Highlands did, and that team still manages to hold HHS to 3 touchdowns against their best QB and then only looses by 7 points its really not a lot to feel superior about. Yes it was a a victory but I just don’t think that it gives you alot to brag about. Maybe this is a game big numbers won not big talent. IMO, But congrats anyway and good luck.

[BlackcatAlum]

I just want to hear from the JC fans about JJ Jude. What happened tonight? Was he hurt? I know the announcers kept hoping he'd break one on the Birds. Even if hurt, he still managed to almost get 100...

Stop trying to cause problems.

It's your obvious intention with this post.

[Pupaw]

First off, this was one heck of a football game. One of the best I've seen in a long time. Hats off the both teams on an extremely well played game on both sides. The effort was absolutely amazing. Highlands keyed on Jude all night, and I must say that the Bluebirds defense swarmed extremely well on him and any other person that ran the ball. Nobody for Johnson Central could turn a corner on Highlands OLB and Cornerbacks. Their team speed was very impressive. Johnson Central had the perfect game plan using their offense as the best defense. They controlled the clock and the defense really played well after the first 2 Highlands possessions. I agree that if Johnson Central would focus on their passing game more, their 2 minute offense would be more efficient. However, burning a timeout on an extra point following the fumble return really hurt them. Had they had one timeout left during that last possession, things may have turned out differently. Great effort all around by both teams. Best of luck to Highlands on their way to another state championship. Congrats to Coach Matney and his team on an outstanding season. Best of luck next year.

[offside]

Great game to watch. The if's, could'ves and would'ves are part of the game. Being from neither team I couldn't help but notice that the ball did seem to be spotted forward giving the bounce for the birds but seemed to be the other way for the eagles. Might have affected some of those 1st downs on both sides. I believe jc did turn over on downs in the red zone by a few inches early in the game. I also noticed that the white hat changed the tempo of the game very late when time was precious for the eagles. All night he had not started the clock until the chains were completely set but last few minutes he started the clock quick. Anyway the white hat wouldn't matter if JC had managed the clock and TO's better. Still the right stripes crew can affect the outcome of the game and most with the untrained eye won't even catch it. Everybody knows JC is on the KHSAA and Tackett's crap list.

Can you elaborate on Mr. Tackett's crap list? I apologize if this is common knowledge, but I haven't heard of this before...

[Blau Vogel]

Can you elaborate on Mr. Tackett's crap list? I apologize if this is common knowledge, but I haven't heard of this before...

I was thinking the same thing.

[LeeCoUKFan]

I heard that JJ Jude got injured in this game, what happened?

[sstack]

I heard that JJ Jude got injured in this game, what happened?

He played the whole game.

[Can you dig it?]

Great game to watch. The if's, could'ves and would'ves are part of the game. Being from neither team I couldn't help but notice that the ball did seem to be spotted forward giving the bounce for the birds but seemed to be the other way for the eagles. Might have affected some of those 1st downs on both sides. I believe jc did turn over on downs in the red zone by a few inches early in the game. I also noticed that the white hat changed the tempo of the game very late when time was precious for the eagles. All night he had not started the clock until the chains were completely set but last few minutes he started the clock quick. Anyway the white hat wouldn't matter if JC had managed the clock and TO's better. Still the right stripes crew can affect the outcome of the game and most with the untrained eye won't even catch it. Everybody knows JC is on the KHSAA and Tackett's crap list.

Oh, THAT'S it! I was wondering how long it would take before someone told us exactly how JC lost, and who orchestrated it.:please: And to think we owe it all to your highly trained eye.:notworthy:eyeroll:

[NCC41]

Towles hit on some huge third down conversions.

[#1 Blackcat Fan]

Congrats to Highlands. Great season JC. Look forward to seeing Jude again next year. Didnt get to see this one, but seen some highlights. Looked like a great game by both teams.

[Westside]

Congrats to Highlands on the victory. They were once again the better team. Championship programs win close games. That's why they have won so many state titles.