[Redneck]

Paintsville's best teams were coached by Walter Brugh and David Lemaster. Lemaster was a very underrated coach, IMO. When Matney took over at Johnson Central, it no longer mattered who coached Paintsville, the Tigers were not going to be competitive with the Golden Eagles.

Paintsville's football program may have been saved when the Apple Bowl series was canceled. A good football team from a small 1A school should never be competitive with a good team from a large 4A school. Unfortunately, a small number of Paintsville fans could not understand that fact and Lemaster's coaching career ended way too soon, IMO. The Tigers' football program fell on hard times when Lemaster stepped aside. I am glad to see it finally recover.

I think if Chuke would have gotten the job after Coach LeMaster stepped down, it would have been a different story. But that's just my opinion.

[Hoot Gibson]

I think if Chuke would have gotten the job after Coach LeMaster stepped down, it would have been a different story. But that's just my opinion.

At least Chuke had previous head coaching experience with a winning program, and football was the only head coaching job that he was interested in filling. However, as long as Johnson Central has a good head football coach like Matney, Paintsville needs to keep them off the schedule.

I think many Paintsville fans had been spoiled by schools domination of Johnson Central in the years before Bill Musick and the three years between Musick and Matney. Coach Lemaster (or Chuke Williams) would have kept Paintsville competitive with the top 1A teams in eastern Kentucky, but nobody is going to make them competitive with Johnson Central as long as Matney is there - the enrollment disparity is just too large.

[Redneck]

At least Chuke had previous head coaching experience with a winning program, and football was the only head coaching job that he was interested in filling.

You're right. Chuke is one of the best coaches not to win a Championship. Should have won at Lawrence. Not saying he would have won one at Paintsville, but I don't think the program would have had the decline it had.

[Hoot Gibson]

You're right. Chuke is one of the best coaches not to win a Championship. Should have won at Lawrence. Not saying he would have won one at Paintsville, but I don't think the program would have had the decline it had.

I agree but the criticism of Coach Lemaster was unfounded, IMO. I would have loved to have seen Johnson Central hire Lemaster away from Paintsville after Musick resigned.

Lemaster would have kept the JC program headed in the right direction. Coach Matney restored the program three years later, but those were three very long seasons before he finally accepted the job.

[Redneck]

At least Chuke had previous head coaching experience with a winning program, and football was the only head coaching job that he was interested in filling. However, as long as Johnson Central has a good head football coach like Matney, Paintsville needs to keep them off the schedule.

I think many Paintsville fans had been spoiled by schools domination of Johnson Central in the years before Bill Musick and the three years between Musick and Matney. Coach Lemaster (or Chuke Williams) would have kept Paintsville competitive with the top 1A teams in eastern Kentucky, but nobody is going to make them competitive with Johnson Central as long as Matney is there - the enrollment disparity is just too large.

I don't agree with the enrollment disparity. Class A teams like Mayfield and Beechwood who have 60+ players on their rosters and guys only playing on one side of the ball compete and beat bigger schools every year. Beechwood beat Cov Cath this year, beat 2A State Champion NCC, and they gave 6A Dixie Heights a decent game. Mayfield beat 5A Runner-Up Graves County. If you have the numbers and athletes, I don't think enrollment matters.

[Redneck]

I agree but the criticism of Coach Lemaster was unfounded, IMO. I would have loved to have seen Johnson Central hire Lemaster away from Paintsville after Musick resigned.

Lemaster would have kept the JC program headed in the right direction. Coach Matney restored the program three years later, but those were three very long seasons before he finally accepted the job.

Dont get me wrong, I wish Coach LeMaster wouldn't have stepped down. I was saying that after he did, Chuke should have got the job.

[nky]

A list like this would no dare I say could not be complete with out the incredible PIoneers of The Simon Kenton High School. Just look at all they accomplished or what their fanatic fan likes to believe they've accomplished. So it's with spender bliss I would nominate The Simon Kenton Pioneers.

[Hoot Gibson]

I don't agree with the enrollment disparity. Class A teams like Mayfield and Beechwood who have 60+ players on their rosters and guys only playing on one side of the ball compete and beat bigger schools every year. Beechwood beat Cov Cath this year, beat 2A State Champion NCC, and they gave 6A Dixie Heights a decent game. Mayfield beat 5A Runner-Up Graves County. If you have the numbers and athletes, I don't think enrollment matters.

Mayfield and Beechwood are two of the largest 1A schools in the state and Mayfield will be moving up to 2A next season. NCC's enrollment is not much larger than either Beechwood's or Mayfield's.

Paintsville is and will remain a very small 1A team. Johnson Central has about a 528 to 103 edge in boys' enrollment. Paintsville has the sixth smallest boys' enrollment in the state. Even if Paintsville managed to get every male student to play football, it would not negate the enrollment advantage because top athletes tend to play sports. The students at Johnson Central are drawn from the same gene pool, so there are about five times as many potentially great male athletes at Johnson Central as there is at Paintsville.

Historically, Paintsville has managed to have a much better participation rate than JC has and there are fewer hurdles to playing football at Paintsville, such as transportation issues. Coach Brugh was great at persuading boys to play football. So, the 5 to 1 edge is a little misleading, but JC still enjoys a large advantage in the number of available athletes in each class.

I am not saying that Paintsville will never again have a team capable of beating a well-coached Johnson Central team, but it will be an extremely rare season when it happens. If Coach Matney retires and the Johnson Central administration fumbles the selection of his successor (as they fumbled hiring Musick's successor), then Paintsville may once again become consistently competitive with JC. A 5 to 1 enrollment advantage is huge, all else being equal.

IMO, one of the main reasons that Paintsville has never won a state title is its relatively small enrollment compared to other 1A schools. Back in the days when Kentucky had only three or four classes, that was an even greater disadvantage than it is today.

I know that Walter Brugh did not win any state titles at Paintsville, but he fielded teams that were competitive with teams from much larger schools and is near the top of the list in career wins. For that reason, I would put Paintsville on the list and I would put Brugh on the list of great coaches who have never won a state title.

[wiznut]

I wonder how somerset faithful are enjoying pulaski bringing home the county's first title in 1/4 the amount of time as the storied 120 year old bunny football program and still the rabbits never won one they should consolidate with SW . Briar days are over

[JumperPride1]

I wonder how somerset faithful are enjoying pulaski bringing home the county's first title in 1/4 the amount of time as the storied 120 year old bunny football program and still the rabbits never won one they should consolidate with SW . Briar days are over

In what was statistically the worst year for Shs and statistically the best year for pulaski I will still say you can kiss my ass if you think that will ever happen.

[RoShamBo]

I wonder how somerset faithful are enjoying pulaski bringing home the county's first title in 1/4 the amount of time as the storied 120 year old bunny football program and still the rabbits never won one they should consolidate with SW . Briar days are over

I'm happy for them, I have known many of their players since they first started playing football and they deserve it. With that being said, troll on buddy. Pulaski is no rival of mine I have no reason for bitterness towards their success. Somerset will still be Somerset.

[wiznut]

I'm happy for them, I have known many of their players since they first started playing football and they deserve it. With that being said, troll on buddy. Pulaski is no rival of mine I have no reason for bitterness towards their success. Somerset will still be Somerset.

somerset football is done there brand is over :drooling:

[Cellking]

Somerset.

[Rock007]

Rockcastle County had a heck of a run from 1990 to 2006!!!! 10 seasons with 10 or more wins, 8 district championships, 4 region championships, 4 region runner-ups, 4 trips to the state semi-finals, 2 trips to the state finals (AAA). They've had 15 teams counting this years team (2014) to score 300 plus or more points. They lost only 70 home games since 1975 at their field which was a time an opponent did not want to set foot on. I was on the last two teams that ROCK had 10 or more winning seasons and a volunteer assistant on Coach Larkey's last Rockcastle team in 2007.

[EKUAlum05]

Now that Pulaski is off the board:

Johnson Central assumes the role of the best program in recent years to never have won it.

John Hardin, Somerset, and Frankfort keep them company.

Can JC or John Hardin get over the top in the new 4A?

[foxbatone]

Raceland is probably the best program to have never even reach the state title game. The last two years the Rams have had two great teams to make it to the semi-finals, but in 2008 the 12-1 was in my opinion the most talented class A team I saw to have never made it to the state finals sense Hazard in 1992. It would not surprise me if in the next decade that Raceland will win a state title or two.

1974 9-2
1975 9-4 Quarter finals
1976 6-4
1977 8-3 Quarter finals
1978 7-3
1979 8-3 Quarter finals
1980 8-3 Quarter finals
1981 3-7
1982 8-4 Quarter finals
1983 7-4
1984 9-2 Quarter finals
1985 5-6
1986 9-3 Quarter finals
1987 11-2 Quarter finals
1988 10-3 Quarter finals
1989 6-5
1990 9-3
1991 8-3
1992 8-3
1993 5-6
1994 8-3
1995 7-4
1996 10-1
1997 6-6
1998 7-4
1999 7-4
2000 1-9
2001 5-6
2002 9-3
2003 6-5
2004 5-6
2005 7-4
2006 11-2 Quarter finals
2007 7-5
2008 12-1 Quarter finals
2009 8-5 Quarter finals
2010 7-5
2011 6-6
2012 9-3
2013 11-3 Semi finals
2014 11-3 Semi finals

I could go farther back as far as year to year records, but I wanted to say Raceland has a great football program year in and year out. They all ways field a very competitive team no matter the record. A big thanks to Curtis Crye for the stats.

[hoss403]

Now that Pulaski is off the board:

Johnson Central assumes the role of the best program in recent years to never have won it.

John Hardin, Somerset, and Frankfort keep them company.

Can JC or John Hardin get over the top in the new 4A?

John Hardin should win 4A in both 2016 and 2017 IMO. Anything less will be a disappointment with the talent they have. Of course, I also think they would win 5A both of those years but I am biased.

[EKUAlum05]

John Hardin should win 4A in both 2016 and 2017 IMO. Anything less will be a disappointment with the talent they have. Of course, I also think they would win 5A both of those years but I am biased.

Johnson Central is going to be very strong the next two years. Team is very Sophomore heavy.

[hoss403]

Johnson Central is going to be very strong the next two years. Team is very Sophomore heavy.

That sounds just like JH this year. Their Sophomore class got a ton of varsity experience this year and IMO their Freshman class has the chance to be the best and most talented class to ever come through the school.

[Iam4thecats]

Best program over the last 5 years John Hardin
Best over the last 10 John Hardin
Best all time probably Somerset

[Fly Like a Duck]

EKU and others have said it. When talking about all time programs...Somerset then Glasgow w/out question.

In the last 15 years? O'Cath takes that top spot.

[hoss403]

Best program over the last 5 years John Hardin
Best over the last 10 John Hardin
Best all time probably Somerset

From 2009-2014, absolutely John Hardin. No question about it.

[MayfieldCardinal]

The Briar Patch Bunnies, been losing in title games since the 70's right through til present. In between many really good teams that were just almost there

[LWC]

Rockcastle County is on the list for sure. Two straight state title trips to lose to Boyle county each time. I don't know how many seasons were ended whenever they lost to an eventual champion like Bell County, Highlands or Boyle County. It was a rare thing for an EKY team to send good Covington Catholic and Highlands team home in the playoffs.

[GoHerd_22]

Raceland
Rams should get them one in the next couple years

[Jarons]

Raceland
Rams should get them one in the next couple years

I hope you're right.

[Fly Like a Duck]

Over the years? Somerset and GlasgoGlasgow without question.

[Sportsfanatic2015]

Somerset has had some tremendous teams in past. They have to be #1.

[andy griffith]

Rock Ridge Ridgerunners. I think they have been to like 10 title games, and lost them all. Most of them were nailbitters.

[bac2369]

Somerset and Raceland..

Does Prestonsburg have a title.