Team Previews

BELFRY

Nickname: Pirates
Head Coach: Philip Haywood
2011: 13-2
Playoffs: State Runner-Up
Starters lost to graduation: Trey Willis (FB), Tyler Williams (QB), John Duty (OL), Josh Nelson (OL), Keegan Fields (OL), Howie Dotson (WR/DT), Jonathan Aldana (NG), Gary Runyon (DE), Josh Dixon (FS)
2012 Schedule (please list your team's opponents in the correct order)
Harrison County
Henry Clay
Prestonsburg
Pikeville
Sheldon Clark
East Ridge
Ashland
Lawrence County
Pike Central
Johnson Central

Usually, when a 3 year starter at quarterback graduates, chaos sets in. Who's next? Move the star HB to QB to make plays? For Belfry, the question had been answered almost as soon as Tyler Williams took the helm in 2009. After taking Belfry to state in back to back years, Tyler is now gone and the Sani Warren era begins. Hype has surrounded Warren since he first entered the door at BHS and despite Williams' success, some expected Warren to start sooner. Now is his time. He will need to find weapons to throw to, but he will return Tony Messer (6'6, 235 lbs) at TE, whom he has great chemistry. Of course, the Belfry rushing attack will be spearheaded by both returning HBs Josh Robinson (5'11, SR), and Justin Johnson (5'5, JR) .. but the all important fullback spot is up for grabs. Thought to be a two man race between Trenity Carr (5'10, JR), and Austin Hatfield (5'7, SO) the winner of that spot may change how great the 2012 Pirates are. Should the fullback and receiving threats emerge, this could be one of the most balanced offensive attacks the Pirates have fielded. Defensively? That's where things get scary for the competition. Three 100+ tacklers return in Ghormley (SR), Messer (SR), and 4 year starter Mullins (SR), also returning are both corners in Warren (JR) and Thacker (SR) and one of the two safeties. The Pirates played a revolving defensive line and despite graduation two starters, the majority of the rotation comes back. 2012 has been a year circled on Pirate fan calenders for years now, it's time to see what the year has to offer. Should the Pirates win district, as expected, the field gets alot easier bringing the playoff opponents (including possibly Breathitt County) into CAM Stadium to play as the Pirates look to get back to WKU for the third straight year and bring hardware back to Belfry for the first time since 2004

Outlook:

Harrison County - W
Henry Clay - W
Prestonsburg - W
Pikeville - W
Sheldon Clark - W
East Ridge - W
Ashland - Toss-Up
Lawrence County - W
Pike Central - W
Johnson Central - W




BREATHITT COUNTY

Nickname: Bobcats
Head Coach: Mike Holcomb
2011: 12-1
Playoffs: Regional Championship
Players lost to graduation:
2012 Schedule (please list your team's opponents in the correct order)

What to expect from Breathitt County in 2012? The Bobcats will be better in 2012 than 2011. The Bobcats return a lot of skilled players from 2011 in hopes of making a run at Belfry and another Regional Championship. Some believe that this Breathitt team ranks up there with the best Bobcat Teams since the 2002 team that won it all. In 2012 look for it to be Breathitt/Belfry slug fest for the Regional Championship and to see who goes to WKU to play for a State Title.

Outlook:

Estill County - W
Letcher Central - W
TBA (Honey Bowl) - W
Jackson County - W
Somerset - W
Hazard - W
Magoffin County - W
Morgan - W
Knott Central - W
Clay County - W




ESTILL COUNTY

Nickname: Engineers
Head Coach: Mike Jones
2011: 2-8
Playoffs: Didn't make them
Players lost to graduation: 13
2012 Schedule: (All games are at 7:30 PM ET)
Aug 17 Breathitt County
Aug 24 at Wayne County
Aug 31 Morgan County (Location TBD)
Sep 7 at Rockcastle County
Sep 14 Bath County
Sep 21 Powell County
Sep 28 at Bourbon County
Oct 5 Western Hills
Oct 19 at Garrard County
Oct 26 Walton-Verona

What to expect from Estill County in 2012? The Engineers will be a young team, learning a new offense. The Engineers are going with the Shotgun Option Offense. Estill County has never won a district title in Football, there hoping that 2012 is the year they finally win it, in order to accomplish that, the Engineers will have to play better on D, Engineers gave up a total of 428 points last year while only scoring 222, if they can do that then they will be fine but if they don't then it could be another long season for Coach Jones and his Estill County Engineers.

Outlook:
Breathitt County - L
Wayne County - L
Morgan County - W
Rockcastle County - L
Bath County - W
Powell County - W
Bourbon County - L
Western Hills - W
Garrard County - L
Walton-Verona - W



HARLAN


Mascott: Green Dragons


Head Coach: J.B. Donahue


2011 Season Record: 7-4,defeated Berea in 1st rd and then lost to Williamsburg in the 2nd rd of the playoffs.


Starters lost to graduation: Vince Bianchi-WR/DB,Christian Turbyfill-OL/LB,Dylan Chasteen-OL/DL.


2012 Schedule: Aug. 10th-Gridorama vs. Bell Co.
Aug. 17th- vs. Pikeville
Aug. 24th- at Williamsburg
Aug. 31st- Alumni Bowl vs. LCA
Sep. 7th - vs. Middlesboro
Sep. 14th- at Lynn Camp
Sep. 21st- vs. Leslie Co.
Sep. 28th- Open
Oct. 5th- at Hazard
Oct. 12th- Battle of 119 vs. Pineville
Oct. 19th- vs. Jenkins
Oct. 26th- at Corbin


Season Outlook: After a season riddled with injuries the Green Dragons look to make amends in 2012 with high expectations and a team loaded with experienced upper classmen. Senior QB,Ty Saragas,looks to have a stellar season after leading the 1A division in passing percentage and setting school records for most TD passes in a season,29,and most TD passes in a game with 6. He returns all but one of his recieving corps and should be in good position to lead the Dragons into a deep playoff run come November. The Green Dragon defense will have to replace a couple of linemen up front but have had a solid off season in the weight room and look to be ready by the season opener against Pikeville. Okey Boggs,who had a great season at linebacker in 2011,will be joined by Big Dalton Overbey at the linebacker positions and they look to cause havoc for the oppositions running games. A possible bright spot this season could come from defensive end Casey Gambrel who returns from Army basic training in Ft. Benning,GA just before the start of the season. The Dragons will need to fill a couple of spots in the offensive line but should be fine by August. Look for them to be one of the state's top 1A teams in 2012.


Season outlook: The Dragons have several tough teams on the schedule this season and I look for them to go 7-3 or 8-2 in regular season play and make a deep run into the playoffs. The sky's the limit for this team if they play up to expectations.





LETCHER COUNTY CENTRAL

Nickname: Cougars
Head Coach: Paul Raines
2011 Record: 4-7
Playoffs: Lost to Lincoln Co 28-21
Players lost to graduation: 11
2012 Schedule:
Aug 18, 12 Southwestern (At EKU)
Aug 24, 12 Breathitt County
Aug 31, 12 Franklin County
Sep 7, 12 Montgomery County
Sep 14, 12 Lawrence County
Sep 21, 12 Russell County
Oct 5, 12 Harlan County
Oct 12, 12 Perry County Central
Oct 19, 12 Whitley County
Oct 26, 12 Greenup County

Still in talks with game #10

What to expect from the Cougars in 2012? The Cougars coming off of disappointing season has a new coach under the helm in Pail Raines. The former LCA Coach who lead the eagles to a State Champ takes over a Cougars team desperately needing some direction in there program. Raines who's "all in" motto this year will rely on some senior leadership in Keaston Hall, Chris Tyree, and Dalton Taylor.


Outlook
Aug 24, 12 Breathitt County L
Aug 31, 12 Franklin County L
Sep 7, 12 Montgomery County W
Sep 14, 12 Lawrence County W
Sep 21, 12 Russell County W
Oct 5, 12 Harlan County L
Oct 12, 12 Perry County Central W
Oct 19, 12 Whitley County W
Oct 26, 12 Greenup County W



POWELL COUNTY

Nickname: Pirates
Head Coach: Tony Burchette
2011: 8-5
Playoffs: Regional Championship
Players lost to graduation: 15
2012 Schedule:
Aug 25 at Pikeville 8:30 PM Pike County Bowl
Aug 31 at Pike County Central
Sep 7 Lewis County 7:30 PM
Sep 14 at Madison Southern 7:30 PM
Sep 21 at Estill County 7:30 PM
Sep 28 Garrard County 7:30 PM
Oct 5 at Bath County 7:30 PM
Oct 12 at Bourbon County 7:30 PM
Oct 19 Western Hills 7:30 PM
Oct 26 Fairview 7:30 PM

What to expect from Powell County in 2012? The Pirates are coming off the best team in school history. Pirates finished 8-5 last year and Regional Runner-Up. Even tho the Pirates lost there best RB in Derek Taulbee the Pirates do return a lot of good skilled players in hopes of making another run at another Regional Championship.

Outlook:

Pikeville - L
Pike County Central - W
Lewis County - W
Madison Southern - W
Estill County - L
Garrard County - L
Bath County - W
Bourbon County - L
Western Hills - W
Fairview - L



ROCKCASTLE COUNTY
Nickname: Rockcastle Rockets

Head Coach: Scott Parkey

2011: 9-3

Playoffs: Lost in 2nd Round to Boyle County 23-0.

Players lost to graduation:11


2012 Schedule

Aug 18, 12 Grant County Hometown Pharmacy Bowl @ Harrison Co. 5:30 PM
Aug 24, 12 Frankfort home 7:30 PM
Aug 31, 12 Whitley County away 7:30 PM
Sep 7, 12 Estill County home 7:30 PM
Sep 14, 12 Pulaski County away 7:30 PM
Sep 21, 12 Perry County Central home 7:30 PM
Sep 28, 12 Russell County away 8:00 PM
Oct 12, 12 Knox Central home 7:30 PM
Oct 19, 12 Clay County away 7:30 PM
Oct 26, 12 Montgomery County home 7:30 PM


This years version of the Rockcastle County football Rockets is a very large question mark. Last years group of eleven seniors are now long gone and will be remembered as a close knit group who came together after senior running back star Clark Rowe was hurt mid season and how they overachieved most of the time until the end of the year. This years team has the potential to again overachieve, but, it will depend on how the group comes together and how the players are plugged into to each position before their success can be measured. Anchored by a group of eight seniors and a fairly strong supporting cast, Rockcastle will not be as big as they were last year, but, will be as fast or faster. The strengths of this years team will be the offense with three returning linemen, the quarterback and several wide receivers and the tight end. The weakness will be in the losses at defensive positions, especially on the defensive front. The secondary should be, for the first time in recent memory, a veteran group with the loss of a few starting players. Rockcastle, as a team, should have the horses to pull the wagon to a decent end of season record depending on where the replacements are plugged in and how the team as a whole reacts to adverse situations and how tough they WANT to be as a team. The boys had better be ready to play come August because a difficult schedule, especially in district play with the likes of, Knox Central, Russell and Clay Counties, is in their future.