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12-13-2009, 07:42 PM
http://www.dailyindependent.com/localspo...00101.html
All-Area Large School Football: Lawrence tops selections
By ROCKY STANLEY / The Independent
A remarkable turnaround made Lawrence County football the talk of northeastern Kentucky and beyond.
The Bulldogs pulled off a mind-boggling feat, engineering a perfect regular season and 12 consecutive wins overall after going winless in 2008.
Area 4A and 5A coaches paid tribute to Lawrence Countyâs success story by naming Luke Salmons The Independentâs Large School Coach of the Year.
âIt was tough last year,ââ Salmons recalled. âAny time you donât win, itâs not much fun. But you try to get the players to buy into what you are preaching, and ours did. I feel they worked as hard as anybody.ââ
All-Area Player of the Year voting was the closest in history. Ashlandâs Josh Alber, Rowan Countyâs Darrel Cross and Johnson Centralâs J.K. Hall received two votes apiece, and Lawrence County standout Shane Pack had one.
Salmons, 28, said the Bulldogs learned how to become physical and grow into a team. He knew the desire was there on the heels of Lawrence Countyâs 0-11 finish last year.
âThe kids got right in the weight room,ââ said the former Marshall University offensive lineman. âThey knew what we expected. Last year, a lot of the teams were a little better than us. But we knew we had some good kids and felt like things were going to get better.ââ
Lawrence County scored 54 points in a season-opening victory over Paintsville and followed up by knocking off eventual Class 3A semifinalist Sheldon Clark.
âThe first win got rid of that losing feeling,ââ Salmons said. âAfter that, they expected to win and felt they could beat anybody.ââ
After running the table during the regular season, the Bulldogs beat McCreary Central and Knox Central before losing to Bell County in the 4A quarterfinals. Several Lawrence County players were weakened by a stomach virus in the days leading up to the final game.
âOverall, we improved in a lot of areas,ââ Salmons said. âIt was a great year for us and a great thing for the community. I just hope we can build off it, keep going.ââ
As for his All-Area Coach of the Year award, Salmons deflected the credit.
âItâs not about me, itâs about the kids and everybody else that put in time with the team,ââ he said.
Lawrence County led the Large School All-Area Team with nine selections: running back Pack, offensive linemen Tyler Combs and Ben Preston, tight end Lucas Frasher, receiver Josh Mills, defensive linemen Cody Anderson and Jordan Miller, linebacker Blake Bradley and defensive back Turner OâBrian.
Pack ran for more than 1,600 yards and 27 touchdowns and was named District Player of the Year. Combs and Preston helped clear the way as the Bulldogs cracked the 4,000-yard rushing mark. Mills and Frasher combined for 35 catches, including nine TDs, and 655 receiving yards.
Salmons called Anderson a âgame-changerââ on the Bulldogsâ defensive line. He had 13 tackles for losses. OâBrian led the team in tackles from his safety position and also came up with four fumble recoveries and an interception.
Alber, Cross and Hall enjoyed outstanding seasons for their respective teams.
Alber, a senior running back and linebacker, was a two-way force in triggering Ashland to a 9-2 season. He led the team in rushing (1,150 yards, 15 TDs) and was a punishing tackler.
âJosh has been a tremendous leader for us on both sides of the ball,ââ said Tomcats coach Leon Hart. âHeâs a physical player with a heart that beats pretty strong. Josh deserves every honor he gets because there is nobody that works harder.ââ
Rowan Countyâs Cross rushed for 1,621 yards, averaging 9 per carry, and was a scoring machine. Along with his 19 TDs on the ground, Cross threw three scoring passes and had seven returns for touchdowns.
âDarrel did a lot of great things for us,ââ said coach ShaDon Brown, whose Vikings finished 7-4. âWe tried to put him in a lot of positions where he was in the open field. He had an exceptional year running the football and making big plays.ââ
Hall had a terrific year at quarterback for Johnson Central. He racked up 1,350 yards rushing with 20 TDs for the Class 5A quarterfinalists.
âHeâs our very best athlete, and a pretty special kid,ââ said Johnson Central coach Jim Matney.
The Golden Eagles landed seven All-Area players overall. Others included running back J.J. Jude, offensive lineman Josh Lackey, defensive lineman Ryan Harlow, linebacker Tanner Bratton, strong safety Nathan Dillon and punter Trent Davis. All are repeat selections except Jude, a sophomore who rushed for 1,830 yards and 18 TDs.
Ashland followed with six players chosen. Alber was joined by offensive lineman Trent Hardy, receiver Cody Withrow, defensive end Colt Phelps, linebacker Dom DeMartino and safety Ryan Whetsel.
Withrow, who had 17 receptions for more than 200 yards and three TDs, and Whetsel are both sophomores. Phelps, a senior, excelled in his first season with the Tomcats and DeMartino was part of a strong group of linebackers.
âDom made an unbelievable number of plays and led us in Bad Cats (big hits),ââ Hart said.
Other players on the All-Area offense included running back Rashard Carter and lineman Jon Harr of Greenup County, kicker Matt Langstaff of East Carter and lineman Chris Potter of Boyd County.
In eight games, Carter carried 100 times for 931 yards and eight TDs. East Carterâs Langstaff connected on five field goals.
Also among the All-Area defenders are lineman Cody Wallace, linebacker Brandon Black and defensive back T.J. Chin of Rowan County, linebacker Donnie Bryant and defensive back Lee Smith of Boyd County, and strong safety Terry Waugh of Greenup County.
Bryant, a three-time All-Area selection, was credited with 132 tackles this season. Chin also returns to the All-Area squad while Black had 118 stops, including 12 behind the line of scrimmage.
All-Area Large School Football: Lawrence tops selections
By ROCKY STANLEY / The Independent
A remarkable turnaround made Lawrence County football the talk of northeastern Kentucky and beyond.
The Bulldogs pulled off a mind-boggling feat, engineering a perfect regular season and 12 consecutive wins overall after going winless in 2008.
Area 4A and 5A coaches paid tribute to Lawrence Countyâs success story by naming Luke Salmons The Independentâs Large School Coach of the Year.
âIt was tough last year,ââ Salmons recalled. âAny time you donât win, itâs not much fun. But you try to get the players to buy into what you are preaching, and ours did. I feel they worked as hard as anybody.ââ
All-Area Player of the Year voting was the closest in history. Ashlandâs Josh Alber, Rowan Countyâs Darrel Cross and Johnson Centralâs J.K. Hall received two votes apiece, and Lawrence County standout Shane Pack had one.
Salmons, 28, said the Bulldogs learned how to become physical and grow into a team. He knew the desire was there on the heels of Lawrence Countyâs 0-11 finish last year.
âThe kids got right in the weight room,ââ said the former Marshall University offensive lineman. âThey knew what we expected. Last year, a lot of the teams were a little better than us. But we knew we had some good kids and felt like things were going to get better.ââ
Lawrence County scored 54 points in a season-opening victory over Paintsville and followed up by knocking off eventual Class 3A semifinalist Sheldon Clark.
âThe first win got rid of that losing feeling,ââ Salmons said. âAfter that, they expected to win and felt they could beat anybody.ââ
After running the table during the regular season, the Bulldogs beat McCreary Central and Knox Central before losing to Bell County in the 4A quarterfinals. Several Lawrence County players were weakened by a stomach virus in the days leading up to the final game.
âOverall, we improved in a lot of areas,ââ Salmons said. âIt was a great year for us and a great thing for the community. I just hope we can build off it, keep going.ââ
As for his All-Area Coach of the Year award, Salmons deflected the credit.
âItâs not about me, itâs about the kids and everybody else that put in time with the team,ââ he said.
Lawrence County led the Large School All-Area Team with nine selections: running back Pack, offensive linemen Tyler Combs and Ben Preston, tight end Lucas Frasher, receiver Josh Mills, defensive linemen Cody Anderson and Jordan Miller, linebacker Blake Bradley and defensive back Turner OâBrian.
Pack ran for more than 1,600 yards and 27 touchdowns and was named District Player of the Year. Combs and Preston helped clear the way as the Bulldogs cracked the 4,000-yard rushing mark. Mills and Frasher combined for 35 catches, including nine TDs, and 655 receiving yards.
Salmons called Anderson a âgame-changerââ on the Bulldogsâ defensive line. He had 13 tackles for losses. OâBrian led the team in tackles from his safety position and also came up with four fumble recoveries and an interception.
Alber, Cross and Hall enjoyed outstanding seasons for their respective teams.
Alber, a senior running back and linebacker, was a two-way force in triggering Ashland to a 9-2 season. He led the team in rushing (1,150 yards, 15 TDs) and was a punishing tackler.
âJosh has been a tremendous leader for us on both sides of the ball,ââ said Tomcats coach Leon Hart. âHeâs a physical player with a heart that beats pretty strong. Josh deserves every honor he gets because there is nobody that works harder.ââ
Rowan Countyâs Cross rushed for 1,621 yards, averaging 9 per carry, and was a scoring machine. Along with his 19 TDs on the ground, Cross threw three scoring passes and had seven returns for touchdowns.
âDarrel did a lot of great things for us,ââ said coach ShaDon Brown, whose Vikings finished 7-4. âWe tried to put him in a lot of positions where he was in the open field. He had an exceptional year running the football and making big plays.ââ
Hall had a terrific year at quarterback for Johnson Central. He racked up 1,350 yards rushing with 20 TDs for the Class 5A quarterfinalists.
âHeâs our very best athlete, and a pretty special kid,ââ said Johnson Central coach Jim Matney.
The Golden Eagles landed seven All-Area players overall. Others included running back J.J. Jude, offensive lineman Josh Lackey, defensive lineman Ryan Harlow, linebacker Tanner Bratton, strong safety Nathan Dillon and punter Trent Davis. All are repeat selections except Jude, a sophomore who rushed for 1,830 yards and 18 TDs.
Ashland followed with six players chosen. Alber was joined by offensive lineman Trent Hardy, receiver Cody Withrow, defensive end Colt Phelps, linebacker Dom DeMartino and safety Ryan Whetsel.
Withrow, who had 17 receptions for more than 200 yards and three TDs, and Whetsel are both sophomores. Phelps, a senior, excelled in his first season with the Tomcats and DeMartino was part of a strong group of linebackers.
âDom made an unbelievable number of plays and led us in Bad Cats (big hits),ââ Hart said.
Other players on the All-Area offense included running back Rashard Carter and lineman Jon Harr of Greenup County, kicker Matt Langstaff of East Carter and lineman Chris Potter of Boyd County.
In eight games, Carter carried 100 times for 931 yards and eight TDs. East Carterâs Langstaff connected on five field goals.
Also among the All-Area defenders are lineman Cody Wallace, linebacker Brandon Black and defensive back T.J. Chin of Rowan County, linebacker Donnie Bryant and defensive back Lee Smith of Boyd County, and strong safety Terry Waugh of Greenup County.
Bryant, a three-time All-Area selection, was credited with 132 tackles this season. Chin also returns to the All-Area squad while Black had 118 stops, including 12 behind the line of scrimmage.
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12-13-2009, 07:58 PM
Glad to see a good crew of dawgs back in the highlights again. The whole team deserves it. One thing I don't understand is how Shane Pack wins district player of the year and don't win all area? I'm 100% sure Cross is in LC's district, and if I remember correctly he (Cross) had 28 yds rushing and 10 yds receiving against LC! All area player of the year????? If anyone has any input on how the voting is done or how Pack with more yds and td's (than Cross) didn't win, let me know.
12-14-2009, 01:04 AM
How does Hunter James gain 1000 plus yards and get left off. Also, Hayden Kiser at qb and William Montgomery at center deserved a little love!
12-15-2009, 08:04 AM
[quote=Hotshot]I agree completly. Those boys also deserve the honor. I look for Hayden and Hunter to have a great year next year. The young line is gonna have to step up but I think they will be fine. It's just December and I'm already anxious for camp to begin! what do they have coming back did they pick up any stronger teams to play
12-15-2009, 08:50 PM
It's tough because there are only so many spots and this is the most LC has ever had. Those kids had great years. I've coached in Louisville, Lexington and Eastern Ky. Behind Ben Revere who went in the 1st round of the major league baseball draft and will start CF for Twins.....Travis Mollette is the 2nd best lockdown corner I've been around. Lawrence Co finished number 1 in 4,5 and 6A pass defense yds per game. Mollette was probably the biggest reason why. He should be on the all state at least honorable mention list.
Hunter and Caleb should have huge years next year. Hayden will be going on his 3rd year as a starter. Skaggs was a big pickup too for us. Our while oline had a grat year!
Hunter and Caleb should have huge years next year. Hayden will be going on his 3rd year as a starter. Skaggs was a big pickup too for us. Our while oline had a grat year!
12-16-2009, 10:16 AM
We had a great season.. next years team will have the same results cause once again we will have another good senior class. Everyone is talking of how the line is going to step up but i think they will be just fine cause many of next years starters have been beat on by the old has beens now and they are perfectly prepared for any challenge. Our speed is also coming back but a lack of power with out pack. I think jacob will do fine
12-18-2009, 05:39 PM
[quote=JunkYardDog]We had a great season.. next years team will have the same results cause once again we will have another good senior class. Everyone is talking of how the line is going to step up but i think they will be just fine cause many of next years starters have been beat on by the old has beens now and they are perfectly prepared for any challenge. Our speed is also coming back but a lack of power with out pack. I think jacob will do fine//// from things i have heard some of the coaching staff will not be coming back next year ( sounds like rumors ) but LC would be taking a step backwards if anyone knows anything let us know
12-19-2009, 07:53 PM
Hotshot Wrote:Glad to see a good crew of dawgs back in the highlights again. The whole team deserves it. One thing I don't understand is how Shane Pack wins district player of the year and don't win all area? I'm 100% sure Cross is in LC's district, and if I remember correctly he (Cross) had 28 yds rushing and 10 yds receiving against LC! All area player of the year????? If anyone has any input on how the voting is done or how Pack with more yds and td's (than Cross) didn't win, let me know.
It's not about one game, it's about the entire season. Cross had a statistically better season than Pack.
12-21-2009, 03:20 PM
Cross had 1,621 rushing yards on 171 carries and 19 TD's, 70 passing yards on 4-5 com/att 3 Td's and 0 int's, 148 rec. yds. on 11 receptions, 3 fumble recoveries for a total of 19 yards and a TD, 56 total tkls,and 4 KR/PR touchdowns, which totals to a sum of 156 total points.
Pack had 1,636 rushing yards on 209 carries and 27 TD's, 2 receptions for 22 yards, 3 total tkls, and 2 2 pt conversions, which totals to 166 total points.
An arguement can be made for both b/c Cross did it on both sides of the ball and was an offensive threat in more than one way. While Pack only hurt people in one way.
Pack had 1,636 rushing yards on 209 carries and 27 TD's, 2 receptions for 22 yards, 3 total tkls, and 2 2 pt conversions, which totals to 166 total points.
An arguement can be made for both b/c Cross did it on both sides of the ball and was an offensive threat in more than one way. While Pack only hurt people in one way.
12-22-2009, 12:25 AM
Hotshot Wrote:To my understanding,Pack had better stats than Cross.
Leave it alone dude.. Pack is a great player and so is Cross. Cross had over 100yds rushing in every game except for LC. He averaged 10yds per carry and to correct one of the post he had 7 KR/PR not 4. If you want to judge a player on one game. Where was Pack against Bell? Does that game make him not worthy of awards voted on by other coaches?:flame:
12-28-2009, 08:33 PM
lawrencefan Wrote:How does Hunter James gain 1000 plus yards and get left off. Also, Hayden Kiser at qb and William Montgomery at center deserved a little love!
I have to agree....I have read the comments and for those of you that are trying to figure out the stats, I have come to the conclusion that a lot of the process is policial. There are a lot of great kids out there but I still have a problem understanding how some kids are not elected, even after they have proven themselves, while others are elected yet they didn't play in all the games. How does that happen? James, Skaggs, Bentley, and Kiser will all be back for next season along with Marcum, and Clay. W. Montgomery will go off to collage while his little brother will have some big Bulldog shoes to fill. The Bulldogs that step into open spots of the graduating seniors and fill them with strength and pride. With Coach Salmons' guidance, I'm looking forward to the 2010 Bulldog season. Go Dawgs!
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