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11-23-2010, 09:24 PM
Highlands' Dale Mueller and Harlan County's Tom Larkey have been on opposite sidelines and they are friends within the Kentucky coaching fraternity.
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/201.../11230370/
They also run into each other at state meetings in the capacity of athletic director.
"I've known Dale for some time now. He's an easy guy to like, and I like what he does with his football team," Larkey said.
"They put a lot of athletes on the field with a lot of skill, and they don't make mistakes. They're always well-prepared and they always seem to have a big quarterback with a strong arm."
Larkey received an e-mail from Mueller soon after the coaches found out that they would be meeting again on the field, in Friday's Class 5A 7:30 p.m. state semifinal in Baxter.
"Dale wrote me and congratulated me on our win, and told me I gave him one of the worst beatings in his life," Larkey said. "I wrote him back and told him if he needed directions to Harlan County, just ask. I said I'd make sure to get him lost on his way over here next to the Virginia border."
Highlands (12-1), led by a gang-tackling defense and quarterback Patrick Towles' 152 yards passing and two rushing scores, held off Johnson Central 21-14 on the road last week.
Harlan County (11-2) is coming off a 35-21 victory against Pulaski County in its fifth straight home game. Bruising tailback Dylon Smith (178 yards rushing) and shifty Marcus McMillian (124 yards) both scored a pair of touchdowns.
The Black Bears are a power running team that operates out of multiple sets, including the shotgun, behind a big offensive line that averages 240 pounds per man. Quarterback Jordy Brewer, while dangerous on the run, has completed just 28 passes. He had three pass attempts last week, one that was dropped, one that went for three yards and one that was intercepted.
"We're very conservative. We like to run it, control the clock, and keep the ball away from the other team and keep our defense off the field," Larkey said. "I saw where Highlands gets a lot of interceptions for touchdowns early in the game. Well, that won't happen to us. But, we can't let them jump on top by four touchdowns because we're not built to rally, though we have. We do work on the pass."
Harlan County deploys four- and five-man defensive fronts and plays five starters both ways. The young Black Bears number just eight seniors. Three sophomores and two freshmen start on defense.
"It's been an honor playing all our playoff games at home. We're glad we're not making a five-hour bus trip," said Harlan County senior two-way end Jordan Calton. "We like playing at home and our coach has beaten Highlands, so we're pretty sure he knows what he's doing."
Larkey has gone up against Mueller twice, both times in home games as head coach at Rockcastle County in the Class 3A state semifinals. Mueller beat Larkey in 2000 with a 41-9 Highlands win. Larkey beat Mueller in 2002 when Rockcastle County stunned the Bluebirds 45-6 one week before losing to Boyle County in the title game.
Highlands is shooting for its fourth straight Class 5A crown and 20th overall. Harlan County, a consolidated school that replaced Evarts, Cumberland and James A. Cawood high schools in 2008, has nothing in the trophy case. Larkey has won more than 260 career games but never a state title.
"There's probably been 12 or 13 high schools along the way in the county, but there's been very few schools win a state football title," said Larkey, who counted Lynch East Main as a four-time Class A winner in the 1960s. "Some people don't even know where we are because we're so new."
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/201.../11230370/
They also run into each other at state meetings in the capacity of athletic director.
"I've known Dale for some time now. He's an easy guy to like, and I like what he does with his football team," Larkey said.
"They put a lot of athletes on the field with a lot of skill, and they don't make mistakes. They're always well-prepared and they always seem to have a big quarterback with a strong arm."
Larkey received an e-mail from Mueller soon after the coaches found out that they would be meeting again on the field, in Friday's Class 5A 7:30 p.m. state semifinal in Baxter.
"Dale wrote me and congratulated me on our win, and told me I gave him one of the worst beatings in his life," Larkey said. "I wrote him back and told him if he needed directions to Harlan County, just ask. I said I'd make sure to get him lost on his way over here next to the Virginia border."
Highlands (12-1), led by a gang-tackling defense and quarterback Patrick Towles' 152 yards passing and two rushing scores, held off Johnson Central 21-14 on the road last week.
Harlan County (11-2) is coming off a 35-21 victory against Pulaski County in its fifth straight home game. Bruising tailback Dylon Smith (178 yards rushing) and shifty Marcus McMillian (124 yards) both scored a pair of touchdowns.
The Black Bears are a power running team that operates out of multiple sets, including the shotgun, behind a big offensive line that averages 240 pounds per man. Quarterback Jordy Brewer, while dangerous on the run, has completed just 28 passes. He had three pass attempts last week, one that was dropped, one that went for three yards and one that was intercepted.
"We're very conservative. We like to run it, control the clock, and keep the ball away from the other team and keep our defense off the field," Larkey said. "I saw where Highlands gets a lot of interceptions for touchdowns early in the game. Well, that won't happen to us. But, we can't let them jump on top by four touchdowns because we're not built to rally, though we have. We do work on the pass."
Harlan County deploys four- and five-man defensive fronts and plays five starters both ways. The young Black Bears number just eight seniors. Three sophomores and two freshmen start on defense.
"It's been an honor playing all our playoff games at home. We're glad we're not making a five-hour bus trip," said Harlan County senior two-way end Jordan Calton. "We like playing at home and our coach has beaten Highlands, so we're pretty sure he knows what he's doing."
Larkey has gone up against Mueller twice, both times in home games as head coach at Rockcastle County in the Class 3A state semifinals. Mueller beat Larkey in 2000 with a 41-9 Highlands win. Larkey beat Mueller in 2002 when Rockcastle County stunned the Bluebirds 45-6 one week before losing to Boyle County in the title game.
Highlands is shooting for its fourth straight Class 5A crown and 20th overall. Harlan County, a consolidated school that replaced Evarts, Cumberland and James A. Cawood high schools in 2008, has nothing in the trophy case. Larkey has won more than 260 career games but never a state title.
"There's probably been 12 or 13 high schools along the way in the county, but there's been very few schools win a state football title," said Larkey, who counted Lynch East Main as a four-time Class A winner in the 1960s. "Some people don't even know where we are because we're so new."
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11-23-2010, 11:46 PM
Tom Larkey is a class act. I wish him the best.
11-26-2010, 01:06 PM
You are right! Larkey is a class act and we're so happy to have him as our Black Bears Coach!! Go, Coach Larkey, take your bears all the way!!
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