[Bigblue#4]

Tradition is word used with some of your high profile teams inthe mountains. In the 80's you had pikeville winning three state titles , 90's you had breathitt win two state titles 45 games in a row. In 00's you had rockcastle, belfry, bell, and breathitt every now again. My question is who is going to dominate the next nine year.Will it be a newcomer or will it be a filmilar face. I would like to hear some prediction.

[LWC]

Great thread! Wonderful idea.

Depending on how long Big Tom is at Harlan County, they will be very tough to beat. He built that program REALLY fast. Also, 5A is MUCH easier than it used to be. He might have 3 great programs to compete against, nobody that is unbeatable on any given year.

Bell County wont lose a step. They are going to be a little down (what is a down year in Log Mountain, a Regional title? lol) They got the perfect hire after Dudley left, again.

The Mountain teams might falter a little bit in the next few years. Lexington Catholic and Boyle County are going to be very good for the next few years. Also the Louisville schools are dominating it seems.

One of the Pulaski County Schools is always very good. Not always all of them, but AT LEAST one of them is always a tough team to mess with.

I want to say Rockcastle is through their rough patch, those two teams had some bad leadership, and I think Tom saw that coming. I wont say they will go to 2-straight state games and at least 4 state semi-finals in 8 years, but they will not be push-overs anymore.

[Hoot Gibson]

As long as Matney remains at Johnson Central, the Golden Eagles will field a contender almost, if not every, season. Every program is one or two bad hires away from a sharp decline in its program, to which anybody who witnessed what happened when Bill Musick left JC can attest.

[RoShamBo]

Somerset Head Coach Robbie Lucas has recorded 27 wins to 2 losses in his short head coaching career at Somerset. At the rate he is going Somerset could be a perennial power, not to mention he has a lot of coaching years ahead of him I would think.

[Thunder Lips]

Somerset Head Coach Robbie Lucas has recorded 27 wins to 2 losses in his short head coaching career at Somerset. At the rate he is going Somerset could be a perennial power, not to mention he has a lot of coaching years ahead of him I would think.

Does that mean Lucas' overall coaching record is now above .500 after his 2 year stint at Lincoln?

[StrayBullet]

Over 100+ wins during the 90's for Lawrence County. They should at least be mentioned.

[Bigblue#4]

Over 100+ wins during the 90's for Lawrence County. They should at least be mentioned.

I will agree with that, they had some really tough teams in the 90's even though they didn't bring home any titles they was really close. I will also like to mention Middlesboro, they had some great teams in the late 90's.

[Bigblue#4]

I really think Johnson central will be newcomer to the list, although I don't think the will win a state championship(but it would be a great thing if they did), they will have mountain braging rights.

[EKUAlum05]

Any list begins with Belfry and Bell. Their track records over the past 25 years are unparalleled in the mountains as both programs are built for sustained success.

[former]

Great thread! Wonderful idea.

Depending on how long Big Tom is at Harlan County, they will be very tough to beat. He built that program REALLY fast. Also, 5A is MUCH easier than it used to be. He might have 3 great programs to compete against, nobody that is unbeatable on any given year.

Bell County wont lose a step. They are going to be a little down (what is a down year in Log Mountain, a Regional title? lol) They got the perfect hire after Dudley left, again.

The Mountain teams might falter a little bit in the next few years. Lexington Catholic and Boyle County are going to be very good for the next few years. Also the Louisville schools are dominating it seems.

One of the Pulaski County Schools is always very good. Not always all of them, but AT LEAST one of them is always a tough team to mess with.

I want to say Rockcastle is through their rough patch, those two teams had some bad leadership, and I think Tom saw that coming. I wont say they will go to 2-straight state games and at least 4 state semi-finals in 8 years, but they will not be push-overs anymore.

Coach Larkey wasnt fortunate to have talent every year at Rock, he was good at what he did by what he did best, I wonder what Rock would have done if he had stayed, Im sure he didnt leave because of lack of talent coming up. The biggest mistake I saw was getting rid of the traditions the team had always had like not going through the spirit line and going down the stands. That really turned a lot of fans against the program. You dont change what worked.

[RoShamBo]

Does that mean Lucas' overall coaching record is now above .500 after his 2 year stint at Lincoln?

Yeah it does.

31-18, that's above .500.

[Bigblue#4]

Any list begins with Belfry and Bell. Their track records over the past 25 years are unparalleled in the mountains as both programs are built for sustained success.

I will have to agree, both of these programs are big rivials of Breathitt and i always cheer against them but you really have to respect them in that their in the hunt for a title every year. I really think mountain football tradition is the three B's,Belfry,Bell Co,Breathitt Co.

[LWC]

Coach Larkey wasnt fortunate to have talent every year at Rock, he was good at what he did by what he did best, I wonder what Rock would have done if he had stayed, Im sure he didnt leave because of lack of talent coming up. The biggest mistake I saw was getting rid of the traditions the team had always had like not going through the spirit line and going down the stands. That really turned a lot of fans against the program. You dont change what worked.

I didn't mean that he left because the team was gonna be down, I just think anyone that thinks it wasn't a factor had to be kidding themselves. I don't believe it was the 1st or even 2nd biggest factor, but it had to be somewhere in the corner of his mind.

Many coaches have left teams in a LOT worse position than what Tom did at Rock. I am not trying to paint him as a bad guy or a Captain leaving a sinking ship. I just honestly don't think anyone could have won 8 or 9 games with either of the Rock teams from the last two year. The leadership and talent were not at the level needed.

[former]

I didn't mean that he left because the team was gonna be down, I just think anyone that thinks it wasn't a factor had to be kidding themselves. I don't believe it was the 1st or even 2nd biggest factor, but it had to be somewhere in the corner of his mind.

Many coaches have left teams in a LOT worse position than what Tom did at Rock. I am not trying to paint him as a bad guy or a Captain leaving a sinking ship. I just honestly don't think anyone could have won 8 or 9 games with either of the Rock teams from the last two year. The leadership and talent were not at the level needed.

The team I remember after Coach Larkey left was loaded, it is also the one who walked down the bleachers that I never heard good stuff about and not having a spirit line for my kids to line up for was my biggest pain. I think Coach Larkey left the program in great shape, How can you even say he left it in bad shape, he never had a losing season since I followed the program.

[former]

I didn't mean that he left because the team was gonna be down, I just think anyone that thinks it wasn't a factor had to be kidding themselves. I don't believe it was the 1st or even 2nd biggest factor, but it had to be somewhere in the corner of his mind.

Many coaches have left teams in a LOT worse position than what Tom did at Rock. I am not trying to paint him as a bad guy or a Captain leaving a sinking ship. I just honestly don't think anyone could have won 8 or 9 games with either of the Rock teams from the last two year. The leadership and talent were not at the level needed.

The team I remember after Coach Larkey left was loaded, it is also the one who walked down the bleachers that I never heard good stuff about and not having a spirit line for my kids to line up for was my biggest pain. I think Coach Larkey left the program in great shape, How can you even say he left it in bad shape, he never had a losing season since I followed the program in the 90s

[LWC]

The team I remember after Coach Larkey left was loaded, it is also the one who walked down the bleachers that I never heard good stuff about and not having a spirit line for my kids to line up for was my biggest pain. I think Coach Larkey left the program in great shape, How can you even say he left it in bad shape, he never had a losing season since I followed the program in the 90s

I think we are mis-communicating. What I am saying is that he saw the bright lights and left. I do not blame him. There was only one thing more he could have possibly done at Rock, and the team was not able to do it. Why not go to the new Harlan County school?

How many games do you think Tom could have won with the last two Rock teams? I doubt he would have won 14 games the last two years. I think he is better than Scott (I still believe Scott can win, but Tom is a KY legend) but he would not have done much better the last two years.

I understand 2 years ago Rock lost some very close games. I will give Tom the Pulaski County and Knox Central games, he might have done something different to pull out those games.

You have to be crazy to think Tom could have beaten Bell County either of the past two seasons, I also think Knox Central was more talented than Rock the past two seasons. Either way, those Rock teams CERTAINLY were not getting past Bell County. Maybe the regular season record would have gotten better but Tom wouldn't have done any better than District runner-up, and maybe not even that. That district was loaded!

[former]

I doubt the bright lights made him go, from what I have heard he wouldnt have left, and some are still angry over the situation, but yes I agree on the (with him we still could not have beaten Bell)

[Bigblue#4]

Some times great coach's get burn out and they need a change of sneery , or they want a challenge and my opinion he want to see if he could build a program up from scratch. I'm sure even though he's a black bear, his heart will always be in rockcastle.

[LWC]

I doubt the bright lights made him go, from what I have heard he wouldnt have left, and some are still angry over the situation, but yes I agree on the (with him we still could not have beaten Bell)

You probably know more about the situation than I, what made him leave? Feel free to PM me if you do not want others to know.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

In the mountains it will be belfry/Pburg, as the power in the mid size schools. With Hazard as the small school power, as for the bigger schools, If Johnson Central can keep it up they could get there. It also seems like Harlan county might be on the way as a newcomer

[Bigblue#4]

I really feel that aprogram that is on the rise is perry central. I have said for years that pcc has all kinds of talent walking the halls if they could get them out on the field. You really have to applaud haddix in job he is doing, not only on the on the field but off the he has kids who love to play for him and the fans are excited. I really how they have things set up on Friday nights. Their tailgating have a blast and it just looks fun. Do I like their field or stand? No their both junk and the board should be ashamed to make such a difference in sports. I'm I a fan of pcc ? No but a fan of haddix and respect what he and the community are doing. Do I think they could win a state title? No, but I think if haddix stays there they can make some noise and win alot of ballgames and no longer be everybody homecoming. I think someday they maybe able to compete for a title but it will take a coach that has no plans on leaving and the board to loosing up their pocket books and give the kids a nice stadium because people can say what they want that attracts kids and fans.

[BlackcatAlum]

Prestonsburg may not have any state championships, but they have two state-final runner-ups ('93-'01), been to the state semi's 5 times since 1990, won region 5 times and won district 11 times.

All since 1990.

[#1 Blackcat Fan]

Prestonsburg may not have any state championships, but they have two state-final runner-ups ('93-'01), been to the state semi's 5 times since 1990, won region 5 times and won district 11 times.

All since 1990.

:rockon::1::Clap::worthy:

[LWC]

Prestonsburg may not have any state championships, but they have two state-final runner-ups ('93-'01), been to the state semi's 5 times since 1990, won region 5 times and won district 11 times.

All since 1990.

That sounds a lot like Rockcastle County. Since 2000:

Rock was 93-26 from 1990-1999 and 98-33 from 2000-2010. Combined, that is 191-59 for a win percentage of 76.4%. That equates to winning at least 7 or 8 games every season for 20 straight years!

Rock made the Final 8 in 2006, State-Semi's in 2005, State Runner-ups in 2002 and 2001, State-Semi's in 2000, Final 8 in 1999.

(What round is the Regional championship? Quarterfinals/final-8, semi-finals/final 4...... )

[#1 Blackcat Fan]

^ final 8

[bubs72]

Cumberland had a pretty good run from the early 80's to the mid 90's. 3 state runner-ups(82,83,86), and five regional championship appearances(87,91,92,93,94), to go along with several district championships.

[LWC]

So 2 state runner-ups, 4 State semi's, and 6 Regional titles. Since 1999. I don't know anything other than regular season before that.

(I may be wrong about 1999)