[KYHSFBFan]

Who are your Top teams coming out of the west this year, regardless of class. I'll start, but, I admit, going a lot off of last years results and what I've been reading on here and other sites about what they have returning:

1) Bowling Green - I think the obvious choice. Should be loaded once again.
2) McCracken Co - Returns a 2 year starting QB and 2-3 big, talented WRs and a lot of linemen on both sides of the ball.
3) Mayfield - Star RB, 2 yr starting QB, great D returns almost intact.
4) Christian Co - Explosive offense with talent galore, D1 talent at QB. The D will have to improve to remain this high.
5) S.Warren - May be a notch below 15's team, but, still return enough to compete for a repeat 4a title.
6) Hopkinsville - Made great strides last year and returns a solid nucleus.
7) Owensboro - Always athletic and while lost a lot, will still be solid.
8) Caldwell Co - Have gotten program to a level where they reload, not rebuild. Great young QB to keep an eye on.
9) OB Catholic - Same as Caldwell. Should still put up lots of points and if D can play at a high level, could be better than expected.
10) Daviess Co - Solid QB play and building a nice program. Expect them to take a step again this year.
11) F.Simpson - Solid nucleus returns from an above average, but, underachieving 15 team.
12) Greenwood - Lost a lot from 15 team, but, another team developing a solid program and should continue making positive strides.
13) Russellville - Should be improved from 15 team and a decent shot to be in B.Green in December.
14) Tilghman - Some nice talent returns, but, will have to have improved line play to make any noise in 3a. A coaching change also makes them a big ? going in.
15) W.Central - Can they get back to where they were 3-4 years ago or does the decline continue. Still enough talent to make top 15.
16) Graves Co - Plays hard, solid D. The question here is can their O score enough points to beat the better teams. I expect good weeks and bad here.
17) Henderson Co - Should be much higher, but, have left a lot to be desired the last couple of years.
18) Adair Co - Great 2015, but, were they they the benefactors of a couple of nice classes or do they continue to show that the programs on the rise.
19) Murray - Will they have enough skill kids to compete with the Mayfields and OB Catholics. Probably not, but, their D and style of play will keep them in most games.
20) Butler Co - D1 QB and some other nice playmakers, but, D will have to step it up a couple of notches to be a player in a tough AA region.

Other teams to keep an eye on:

Marshall Co, Glasgow, Ft Campbell, Madisonville, Union Co, ACS, Grayson Co

[mysonis55]

Mayfield is going to tame the Stangs from Cracken County this year. Also, the word I'm getting on PT is not good.

[killbilly usmc]

You said the same last year 55. I remember the talk about getting revenge for the previous year. Mayfield was the favorite, and at home, and still lost. This year on the road it will be a talk tasks, but I'm sure Mayfield will be there in the end, will probably come down to the last play again, so it will be whoever comes up with the big play late that wins. I've already got a babysitter lined up, and have talked about 5 people into going with me most of which have never watched Mayfield. Should be fun.

[Packer11]

South has had several new additions may be better than last year.Bigger stronger and faster than last year.Offense will be hard to stop with Litten Hayes and Namvong all back plus 6'5 new kid Graham and 6'4 HaynesTE .Litten Hayes and Haynes all committed to D-1 schools Graham and Namvong getting hard looks already small school offers.Defense will be as good as last year may be the best front four Smith has had quality LB and secondary very good .I would put SW and BG 1 and 1a.

[mysonis55]

The difference last year was they had a couple serious D1 caliber linemen up front. They had a D1 RB and others. I suspect the offensive line will be something we will exploit this year. Besides, when the head coach says this may be the best line backing corps he has had in his time as head coach and the defensive guru says this will probably be the best defense he has coached, that means a lot to me.

[killbilly usmc]

Hope the defense is that good. Linebackers won't be a problem at all. They have some good rbs, but your right I'd rather face them than hughes, he was a problem to contain.

[killbilly usmc]

Might think I'm crazy, but I always felt 2011 was Mayfield best defense so far under the run from 09 till present. I also consider that team in the running for best in that same span. That game verses holy cross always stands out to me when I think of 2011. I'd probably put 10, and 12 ahead of them for sure, but I think they where as good as the rest, only if circumstances would have been better late in the season. Was the defensive guru there coaching the 2011 team? If so and he thinks they are better defensively than that team Then I'm even more excited about this year.

[mysonis55]

The 2011 was better mathematically than the rest on defense. Also Dew was the defensive coordinator then as well. He has been back since 09.

[mysonis55]

However, the best defense I have seen was 02. Teams had to consider it a victory to cross the 50 on them. I remember Danville was in their prime during that stretch and we played them there. They only crossed the 50 once. I would love to see us duplicate that.

[killbilly usmc]

However, the best defense I have seen was 02. Teams had to consider it a victory to cross the 50 on them. I remember Danville was in their prime during that stretch and we played them there. They only crossed the 50 once. I would love to see us duplicate that.

05 is as far back as I've seen mayfield play.

[mysonis55]

02 was a smothering D. You can go to KHSAA scoreboards and pull up the 2002 season schedule and see what I mean. When you do take into consideration that the Ind team is a large school power that was in their prime. They didn't even think we could hang with them let alone beat them. The same with the Tn team. Then you consider Hoptown went to final four in 3a and lost 7-0 to Boyle Co, state champs. This was during the 4 class days.

[mysonis55]

I think Crittendon Co was undefeated when we played them as well.

[killbilly usmc]

I really like crittenden county, but they have had a lot of teams with great records, but its usually against a fairly weak schedule. They usually end up getting seal clubbed when they play a good team. As a matter of fact I think the first playoff game I ever attended at war memorial was when crittenden came there in 05. TK guess was the superstar from crittenden, but things didn't go well for the rockets that night.

[mysonis55]

They had 1 year where they got us. That was in the dark years as we call it. Fulton beat us in 07 and Crittendon Co twice in 08.

[KingsRansom]

South has had several new additions may be better than last year.Bigger stronger and faster than last year.Offense will be hard to stop with Litten Hayes and Namvong all back plus 6'5 new kid Graham and 6'4 HaynesTE .Litten Hayes and Haynes all committed to D-1 schools Graham and Namvong getting hard looks already small school offers.Defense will be as good as last year may be the best front four Smith has had quality LB and secondary very good .I would put SW and BG 1 and 1a.

Did Litten change his commitment? I thought he committed to Jacksonville U, a D2 school in Florida. No doubt that SW will be heavily favored to sweep through their schedule & the remainder of 4A teams in the playoffs. A tough, physical style of play that punishes opponents. It would be great to see them upgrade their schedule to their talent level. They seem to be picking on a schedule full of weaker teams that really can not compete with them.

[mysonis55]

On that note, Mayfield will need 2 teams next year. I understand Marshall Co and Fort Campbell are both dropping us. South Warren would be a great fit. Not too far to travel either.

[Packer11]

Did Litten change his commitment? I thought he committed to Jacksonville U, a D2 school in Florida. No doubt that SW will be heavily favored to sweep through their schedule & the remainder of 4A teams in the playoffs. A tough, physical style of play that punishes opponents. It would be great to see them upgrade their schedule to their talent level. They seem to be picking on a schedule full of weaker teams that really can not compete with them.

Jacksonville is D-1 FCS and wish SW would have bolstered schedule but who seen this happening this quick .I believe Smith will .but this schedule compared to 2 years ago is bump up who thought Warren Central would take such a dip and Smith probably thought JP2 would be better.Central and North Hardin is very good so is FS ,Greenwood will be alot better kthey played Owensboro and BG tough also will see Hoptown and John Hardin in play offs not murders row but no patsys either .

[Ghostofjoey]

'02 was the best Mayfield team ever.

[Jackson Purchase]

We lost two lineman but i really believe the Mustang team will be better. Tice and Woods are very tough to cover at WR. DL Q. Jones will be taking hand-offs unless he's triple teamed. Regardless......OMG what a game to see. Nothing comes close in HS Football for Western Kentucky.

[mysonis55]

I won't say nothing comes close. We have had some great games against PT, Hoptown, Murray and most recently Caldwell County as well. The Caldwell games have had packed houses for about the past 4-5 years as well.

[OutlawJoseyWales]

Who are your Top teams coming out of the west this year, regardless of class. I'll start, but, I admit, going a lot off of last years results and what I've been reading on here and other sites about what they have returning:

1) Bowling Green - I think the obvious choice. Should be loaded once again.
2) McCracken Co - Returns a 2 year starting QB and 2-3 big, talented WRs and a lot of linemen on both sides of the ball.
3) Mayfield - Star RB, 2 yr starting QB, great D returns almost intact.
4) Christian Co - Explosive offense with talent galore, D1 talent at QB. The D will have to improve to remain this high.
5) S.Warren - May be a notch below 15's team, but, still return enough to compete for a repeat 4a title.
6) Hopkinsville - Made great strides last year and returns a solid nucleus.
7) Owensboro - Always athletic and while lost a lot, will still be solid.
8) Caldwell Co - Have gotten program to a level where they reload, not rebuild. Great young QB to keep an eye on.
9) OB Catholic - Same as Caldwell. Should still put up lots of points and if D can play at a high level, could be better than expected.
10) Daviess Co - Solid QB play and building a nice program. Expect them to take a step again this year.
11) F.Simpson - Solid nucleus returns from an above average, but, underachieving 15 team.
12) Greenwood - Lost a lot from 15 team, but, another team developing a solid program and should continue making positive strides.
13) Russellville - Should be improved from 15 team and a decent shot to be in B.Green in December.
14) Tilghman - Some nice talent returns, but, will have to have improved line play to make any noise in 3a. A coaching change also makes them a big ? going in.
15) W.Central - Can they get back to where they were 3-4 years ago or does the decline continue. Still enough talent to make top 15.
16) Graves Co - Plays hard, solid D. The question here is can their O score enough points to beat the better teams. I expect good weeks and bad here.
17) Henderson Co - Should be much higher, but, have left a lot to be desired the last couple of years.
18) Adair Co - Great 2015, but, were they they the benefactors of a couple of nice classes or do they continue to show that the programs on the rise.
19) Murray - Will they have enough skill kids to compete with the Mayfields and OB Catholics. Probably not, but, their D and style of play will keep them in most games.
20) Butler Co - D1 QB and some other nice playmakers, but, D will have to step it up a couple of notches to be a player in a tough AA region.

Other teams to keep an eye on:

Marshall Co, Glasgow, Ft Campbell, Madisonville, Union Co, ACS, Grayson Co

Franklin Simpson is way too low on this list.

[mysonis55]

Who exactly do you think FS should bump? I don't see it.

[DragonFire]

Who exactly do you think FS should bump? I don't see it.

Daviess County and Hopkinsville seem easy choices. I'm not sold they're definitely worse than a couple others, but I easily believe them better than those two. Franklin lost only 10 players off a team that beat the Tigers on the road in last year's playoffs. I understand that Hoptown is improving relative to where they were, but I saw them last year late, and I was utterly unimpressed.

[adopted purple]

Next year South Warren moves up to 5A and will be in the same district as Bowling Green. Should be the start of a great rivalry.

[OutlawJoseyWales]

Daviess County and Hopkinsville seem easy choices. I'm not sold they're definitely worse than a couple others, but I easily believe them better than those two. Franklin lost only 10 players off a team that beat the Tigers on the road in last year's playoffs. I understand that Hoptown is improving relative to where they were, but I saw them last year late, and I was utterly unimpressed.

Definitely agree on Hop-town and Daviess Co. IMO, Franklin will also be better than Caldwell. Preseason ranking more in the 6-7 range.

[killbilly usmc]

I won't say nothing comes close. We have had some great games against PT, Hoptown, Murray and most recently Caldwell County as well. The Caldwell games have had packed houses for about the past 4-5 years as well.

I think the mccracken series has been great. Caldwell has been great game when in princeton when both highly ranked, but it seems like when both highly ranked, and game is in mayfield Caldwell doesn't come to play.

[adopted purple]

I think it's safe to say that Warren Central should not be on this list. This years team probably has the least number of players in school history. It has been rough to watch a storied program like Warren Central bottom out. I believe they can turn it around, but I don't think it will happen this year.

[Jackson Purchase]

But you don't ever lose those games. A true rival can at least compete to win. Regardless of classification. Much respect to the Cards.

[Ghostofjoey]

Caldwell has absolutely pummeled Franklin Simpson the last couple of times they played.

[OutlawJoseyWales]

Caldwell has absolutely pummeled Franklin Simpson the last couple of times they played.

Maybe so.....but not this year......at least not IMO.