[nky]

Consider me a doubting Thomas at this point concerning the veracity of the bolded statement. But perhaps I can be convinced if you provide some specifics. What private school allegedly did what you claim? What was the name of your best player? Did the player tell his coach what happened and did he give the packet to his coach? Did the coach report it to the KHSAA?

I'ld like to know more specifics as well

[charlie22]

Charlie22. Correction to something you posted.

Belfry is a County School. Along with Shelby Valley, East Ridge, Pike County Central and Phelps High School in Pike County.

Pikeville High School is the only Independent in Pike County.

Ooops. Sorry about that. I knew better but forgot. Thanks for the correction.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Any chance that all of the Pike County schools combine?
It would have to make them a 6A school, far away from the rest of the 6A schools.

What if Belfry, Pike Central, Shelby Valley, Phelps, and East Ridge all combine one day?

[AtlPirateFan]

Any chance that all of the Pike County schools combine?
It would have to make them a 6A school, far away from the rest of the 6A schools.

What if Belfry, Pike Central, Shelby Valley, Phelps, and East Ridge all combine one day?

Doubt it would ever happen. At nearly 800 sq miles the County is just too big to consolidate all the schools together. At 65k population in the County I would have to agree it would make for one massive 6a school with lots of travel to play other 6a schools.

[RunItUpTheGut]

^
Schools like ER isnt even that old is it?

Maybe they would combine 2 of the smaller schools one day, but I agree, land wise, Pike County dwarfs the rest rest of the state. Im sure you would have to find two that are realitverly close in proximity.

[AtlPirateFan]

^
Schools like ER isnt even that old is it?

Maybe they would combine 2 of the smaller schools one day, but I agree, land wise, Pike County dwarfs the rest rest of the state. Im sure you would have to find two that are realitverly close in proximity.

Phelps is the likeliest to consolidate. Belfry is the closest school to them but the problem with Phelps that it's so isolated. The school has been pretty run down in the past and from my understanding they have used a lot of hand me down equipment in athletics and have used Vipperman Stadium for some home games.

East Ridge is new (as of 2002) and is a consolidated school from Millard High School, Elkhorn City High School, and Feds Creek High School.

Shelby Valley is a consolidated school founded in 1990 form Virgie and Dorton High Schools

Pike County Central is a consolidated school from 1993 it merged Johns Creek High School and Mullins High School

Belfry opened in 1924 and moved to it's brand new digs in 2005

[AtlPirateFan]

as a side note the addition of Phelps to Belfry would probably push Belfry into 4a and very likely if the numbers are accurate on the low end of a 5a school

[DollarBill]

I think there is some evidence supporting your position.

However, I think there is contra evidence too. Look at Boyle County's success of a few years back. It beat privates and Indys during that run. Can one attribute 5 straight championships to a fluke? I don't think so. It beat an Indy for a state championship in 09 also (wasn't Lone Oak an Indy?).

.

For the most part agree with your post although to clarify for the record in your post that despite the funny name, Lone Oak (purple flash-classic original name) is a county school--part of the McCracken County school system along with Heath and Reidland that will consolidate into one county school next year. Also, the original poster has a fair point. There are a lot of factors that go into the equation but there is no question that the logistics/transportation issues of getting kids to school from farther away in county schools for workouts and practices as well as, to a lesser extent, farm related or job/work related responsibilities for a few students that is more of a factor for some county school students than it tends to be for most private and independent students. I attended a rural county school with a good football system and now have kids attending an independent school with a great football tradition and the close proximity of the students to the school greatly lessens the transportation/logistics issues.

[HDE]

Pike County had 10 high schools not so long ago. Now, there's six. As was already mentioned, Phelps is the only school that you could make a case for closing because it's so small, but it's very isolated.
Merging those six would be like merging Whitley and Harlan counties. It's a huge area.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Pike County had 10 high schools not so long ago. Now, there's six. As was already mentioned, Phelps is the only school that you could make a case for closing because it's so small, but it's very isolated.
Merging those six would be like merging Whitley and Harlan counties. It's a huge area.

That is true.

I believe Scott County is the biggest public school in the state if im not mistaken.
If you were to combine all Pike County schools, i would assume they would dwarf Scott County.

The area of Pike County is amazing. By far the biggest area of land in KY. Ive been over there for work a couple of times. I feel like it takes a long for me to drive threw Pike County as it does to make it from Hazard to Pike County.

[Buc-a-roo]

as a side note the addition of Phelps to Belfry would probably push Belfry into 4a and very likely if the numbers are accurate on the low end of a 5a school

I think this is our backup plan in case Highlands ever drops to 3A. :eyeroll:

[mysonis55]

I know in the case of Mayfield/Graves County situation, it should be expected that Mayfield would be the more storied tradition. They have been a school for over 100 years and played football at least that long. Graves County did not merge until 1986 and didn't field a varsity team until either 1987 or 1988. Also in the case of the independant schools vs public schools, independants are actually public schools that are basically just taking in city kids, they have no advantage other than the majority of kids tend to live in whatever is the biggest city in the county. I know here Mayfield schools will allow students from anywhere in the county to come to school there for free as long as they meet criteria grades wise. Graves County also allows students from the city to do the same. I don't think the independant schools are doing anything that gives them any advantage over the other public schools other than their geography.

[knighted]

I do think private schools need to play in their own division, I know some will disagree but that's just how I see it.

We played a private school last year and after the game was over they gave our best player a packet trying to get him to enroll in their school, they also made it clear that they had scholarships to cover his tuition.

Thats not an equal playing field.

Was that was a KY private school you are talking about? Cause if it is then you are badly mistaken or making this up. I can assure you that no KY private school is giving full scholarships for athletics. If you score high enough on the entrance exam you may be awarded a $500 academic grant. There have been several extremely talented football, basketball, and baseball students who enrolled here but as soon as they found out that there was no athletic scholarship allowed they immediately withdrew from our school.

Some states like TN, which private and public are separated, are given full scholarships to play sports.....such as Ensworth out of Nashville.

[Iam4thecats]

I do think private schools need to play in their own division, I know some will disagree but that's just how I see it.

We played a private school last year and after the game was over they gave our best player a packet trying to get him to enroll in their school, they also made it clear that they had scholarships to cover his tuition.

Thats not an equal playing field.

I guess you should take that evidence to the KHSAA and make that school play under the rules as written. My guess is that you didn't.

[knighted]

I think the fact is that this person has heard this second hand or is making this up. Show me the proof of stop spreading rumors.

[knighted]

I think the fact is that this person has heard this second hand or is making this up. Show me the proof of stop spreading rumors.

[knighted]

Consider me a doubting Thomas at this point concerning the veracity of the bolded statement. But perhaps I can be convinced if you provide some specifics. What private school allegedly did what you claim? What was the name of your best player? Did the player tell his coach what happened and did he give the packet to his coach? Did the coach report it to the KHSAA?

I agree with you Charley......I can say that I offered 12 football players from Ensworth a quadrillion dollars each after they gave us a nice beat down in September but hat does'nt make it true. If the team that supposedly offered a player in KY a athletic scholarship is from a state other than KY then it could be true. It's legal in some states that divide private and public but if BigBad or whatever is user name is, is stating that it came from a KY private school then I don't believe it unless BigBad.would care to name names but I doubt he will since it never happened

[KyFootballFanatic]

Being an independent school district can put a strangle hold on sports teams in small towns. The limitations of a small, static school district is not an advantage. It is a major disadvantage in small towns. In a metro area it may be another thing, but in a small town with population growth moving out of the small ind school district some independent schools are hurting as they watch their enrollment drop while enrollment in the county school rises. Independent is not an advantage. The advantages that I see are private and metropolitan. Metro simply because of the greater population in the area has a positive impact on the talent pool.