[jackal405]

I have a question for dans of both teams, forecast calls for heavy rain and 40s. How will that affect the game if it happens? If it gets into a run heavy game who does that favor?

[Hound05]

This will be the 4th meeting in the past 5 years between these programs. The 1st was a classic, the second can be summed up as domination by the Eagles, and the last saw the Cardinals wilt on their home field making mistake after mistake.

Wayne County will have to play it's offensive game with Sloan getting plenty of touches. I expect him to move around more and touch the ball in different ways because of the strength of the JC defense. Some players that have showed flashes (Spencer, Ruiz, Simpson) may need to have big nights to take the focus off of Sloan. This will probably be the difference in the game for WC; can other guys come up big. Cards CANNOT get behind the chains and most importantly they can't wipe scores off of the board. I know noone keeps the stat, but WC has to lead the state in tds erased by penalties.
Brody Weaver has to stay consistent and take care of the ball as he has done all season.

Defensively, the Cardinals have had a few good games Corbin 1, Harlan, Pulaski come to mind. This Cardinal defense is quite a bit stronger against the run than the pass. The defense needs to meet the Eagle intensity up front and force the Eagle offense to fight for each first down. Getting off the field on 3rd and long has to happen. JC always has found a way to toast the Cards in the air at crucial point in the game. It will be imperative the Cardinals prohibit those big plays.

Some big breaks would also be helpful in pulling off this upset. Maybe the turnover bug will hit the Eagles instead of the Cards this go around.

Most importantly Wayne Co. has to play like they have nothing to lose, which they don't. The pressure is all on the Eagles in this one. Home team with state championship expectations. Everybody in the state just knows this game is a formality before JC and BC lock horns in Lexington.

Not so fast...[Image: http://www.thecardinalconnect.com/wp-con...Bird-.jpeg]

Pretty good assessment. I don’t tbink the corbin game was as good if a defense by either team than it was a weather factor, as the rematch showed. Neither have much of a D in my opinion.

I agree WC can’t keep getting behind the chains. They need to just keep chipping away for first downs. Sloan is hard to stop period, but I think he can consistently get 3-4 yards a majority of his carries. WC has proved they’ll use all 4 downs if they need to, so to me it’s a good strategy if they can consistently do it and avoid long 3rd downs. But I tbink regardless of what happens on the other side of the ball they need to stick to it. If they get down a couple and go in panic mode, start airing it out, I think they’ve lost the game. JCs defense is good enough to stop their pass game I think. But if Sloan keeps grinding it down by down, well we’ve all seen his ability to take what looks like a 3 yd run and bust one off to the house. The guy don’t get tired either, it blows my mind.

All in all, I still predict around a 42-32 JC win.

[Hound05]

I have a question for dans of both teams, forecast calls for heavy rain and 40s. How will that affect the game if it happens? If it gets into a run heavy game who does that favor?

Well we’ve seen WC in this type of game, and Corbin held them to a low score and an almost loss. I think JC has a style of running that is just generally hard to defend, while WC has a darn good RB, helped by them mixing it up. I think in this type of weather the advantage goes to JC, just going off a past game this season

[Jack Lambert]

Was that the 2017 playoff game Boyle Co vs Western Hills that WanDale kept his team in the game by a score of 62-14 or was it a different game you're thinking about?

Or was it the regular season game that year where Boyle Co won 71-14 and WanDale rushed 11 times for 10 yards?

Or maybe you're referring to the regular season game last season that was a 54-35 win for the Rebels when WanDale played very well in a easy Rebels win?

Sloan is no WanDale and taking him over Smith is a joke.

I totally agree!!!

[Eagleland]

Central will control the clock and possessions theyll win by 3 TDs

[Hound05]

I totally agree!!!

I wouldn’t take any WR over Smith this year. But i would take any RB over Sloan either after seeing him. It’d be hard to say when picking between them both. Two different spots. Like taking a top ranked lineman over a TE.... but that’s neither here nor there. I can’t wait to see how he responds against JCs defense. I could be wrong, but I think a lot of people will be surprised. Good luck to you guys too good sir.

[single shot]

I wouldn’t take any WR over Smith this year. But i would take any RB over Sloan either after seeing him. It’d be hard to say when picking between them both. Two different spots. Like taking a top ranked lineman over a TE.... but that’s neither here nor there. I can’t wait to see how he responds against JCs defense. I could be wrong, but I think a lot of people will be surprised. Good luck to you guys too good sir.

Kinda said the same thing in another post, I don’t know if there’s been a WR that’s runs their routes better than Smith the last 3 years...As a RB Sloan is everything you can ask for hits the hole hard, incredible field vision, uses his blockers effectively...Hard to compare the two because of the different positions they play and don’t think either one would stand out the way they do if they played each other’s position...just my opinion

[Jack Lambert]

Kinda said the same thing in another post, I don’t know if there’s been a WR that’s runs their routes better than Smith the last 3 years...As a RB Sloan is everything you can ask for hits the hole hard, incredible field vision, uses his blockers effectively...Hard to compare the two because of the different positions they play and don’t think either one would stand out the way they do if they played each other’s position...just my opinion

I agree with your post but I will say Reese Smith was the best running back I’ve ever seen at the middle school level, and he was as good a running back as he is a receiver he didn’t start playing receiver until his freshman year.

[STIFFY]

If this game is close JC had no shot against Boyle

[STIFFY]

Has

[Cardfan1]

Winner of this game won’t play Boyle for another two weeks, so let’s pump the brakes.

Maybe start a Boyle thread and sing the praises of this year’s squad there instead of in the Wayne/JC thread.

[Diogenes]

You know every thread here has to involve Boyle County somehow eventually.

[Wolverine]

JC by 3 scores

[Pulp Fiction]

Some factoids about Class 4A....

There are 38 teams in 4A.
32 counties have a 4A team.
Kenton Co. has two teams (Holmes & Scott).
Warren Co. has two teams (Warren East & Warren Central).
Hopkins Co. has two teams (Madisonville-North Hopkins & Hopkins Co. Central).
Jefferson Co. has four teams (Moore, Central, Valley & Waggener).

[Emmit Brown]

Some factoids about Class 4A....

There are 38 teams in 4A.
32 counties have a 4A team.
Kenton Co. has two teams (Holmes & Scott).
Warren Co. has two teams (Warren East & Warren Central).
Hopkins Co. has two teams (Madisonville-North Hopkins & Hopkins Co. Central).
Jefferson Co. has four teams (Moore, Central, Valley & Waggener).

No one really gives two fuzzy berries about this. Has nothing to do with the game so why you do this is beyond me, you're just proving your annoyance. This game will be a good one. Sloan is a stud and they have capable playmakers on the outside. Anyone predicting blowout is just trying to tick someone off because they are really clueless about the challenge Wayne Co presents to JC. Even more now with the nagging injuries lingering from Pond Creek.

[EKUAlum05]

Sloan is the real deal and may pop a couple big plays.

For all the good the Cardinals' do on O, Wayne County's Defense leaves a LOT to be desired, and Ryley Preece is not the QB you want to be seeing if your D is not up to the challenge. Preece may be the most under rated impact player in the State.

I think Sloan and Wayne County have some success, but JC gets stops more times than not. Meanwhile, the Eagle Offense is a buzzsaw.

JC 62
Wayne 26

[FoSho]

If this game is close JC had no shot against Boyle

I totally agree however I fully expect JC to dominate WC this Friday night.

[FoSho]

You know every thread here has to involve Boyle County somehow eventually.

And sometimes it's not even a Boyle Co fan that does it.

[Hound05]

No one really gives two fuzzy berries about this. Has nothing to do with the game so why you do this is beyond me, you're just proving your annoyance. This game will be a good one. Sloan is a stud and they have capable playmakers on the outside. Anyone predicting blowout is just trying to tick someone off because they are really clueless about the challenge Wayne Co presents to JC. Even more now with the nagging injuries lingering from Pond Creek.

Whoa. I guess if you got hate in your heart let it out... haha. I thought it was pretty interesting. What annoyance? I and I’m sure the majority on HERE enjoy pulp. It’s a message board. There gonna be randomness.

I personally don’t think JC will “blow” Wayne out. But if you think that’s not a possibility then you’re clueless as well. This is going to be the best defense Wayne has faced. You all just gave up almost 50 to corbin. So it’s a real possibility. To claim someone’s opinion is clueless when you don’t know either is arrogant and unfounded.

[BlackcatAlum]

Wayne might bust a run or two, but that’s it. JC wins big, 49-14.

[Hound05]

Wayne might bust a run or two, but that’s it. JC wins big, 49-14.

Man there is so many possibilities for this game imo it’s crazy. In the end i think central wins. But your comment about busting a big one or two out is what has me thinking. Specifically with sloans abilities to do so. I think against most teams he’s had the talent to just keep chipping away yardage, 3-4 a carry. I don’t know and don’t really think he can do that consistently against JC. But the kid is probably the best in the state in 2nd effort and busting big ones loose. A 3 yard gain that looks to be all, will all the sudden be gone for 40+ with him. I think he’ll probably score around 3 times himself. If Wayne had just a good defense I think they’d be in the game. But- and no offense to them or their players- they don’t. A team can only make so many big plays, and it’ll help, but they’ll need consistent 1st downs to keep JCs offense off the field. And that I don’t think they can do. At least not enough to win this ball game.

[BlackcatAlum]

Man there is so many possibilities for this game imo it’s crazy. In the end i think central wins. But your comment about busting a big one or two out is what has me thinking. Specifically with sloans abilities to do so. I think against most teams he’s had the talent to just keep chipping away yardage, 3-4 a carry. I don’t know and don’t really think he can do that consistently against JC. But the kid is probably the best in the state in 2nd effort and busting big ones loose. A 3 yard gain that looks to be all, will all the sudden be gone for 40+ with him. I think he’ll probably score around 3 times himself. If Wayne had just a good defense I think they’d be in the game. But- and no offense to them or their players- they don’t. A team can only make so many big plays, and it’ll help, but they’ll need consistent 1st downs to keep JCs offense off the field. And that I don’t think they can do. At least not enough to win this ball game.

Obviously JC is going to key in on Sloan the entirety of the game. JC has shown time and time again this season that they are great at swarming to the ball and making fundamental tackles and that doesn't favor a one dimensional team like Wayne who leans on Sloan as much as they do. Also, this is going to be the best team Wayne Co has seen thus far and this is arguably the 4th or 5th best team JC has seen.

Wayne County is good and has proved so this season, but Johnson Central is just on another level this year, much like Boyle County.

[FoSho]

Obviously JC is going to key in on Sloan the entirety of the game. JC has shown time and time again this season that they are great at swarming to the ball and making fundamental tackles and that doesn't favor a one dimensional team like Wayne who leans on Sloan as much as they do. Also, this is going to be the best team Wayne Co has seen thus far and this is arguably the 4th or 5th best team JC has seen.

Wayne County is good and has proved so this season, but Johnson Central is just on another level this year, much like Boyle County.

Agreed.

Wayne Co will be overwhelmed by size, scheme and coaching this Friday night. JC is a tough team and a lot of you will be shocked at just how easily the Wayne Co offense gets neutered.

[64black&gold]

I'm hoping Wayne has a good game, heck I'll even say I hope Wayne wins. But i'll be shocked if it's close much longer than halftime. Had a guy whose seen them 3 times tell me he thinks JC's Oline is as good as the best Belfy oline of the last several years. That's saying something. Don't know if he's correct or not but to even think that it's a possibility means a long night for Wayne.

[FoSho]

I'm hoping Wayne has a good game, heck I'll even say I hope Wayne wins. But i'll be shocked if it's close much longer than halftime. Had a guy whose seen them 3 times tell me he thinks JC's Oline is as good as the best Belfy oline of the last several years. That's saying something. Don't know if he's correct or not but to even think that it's a possibility means a long night for Wayne.

Johnson Central has a great OL but I hardly think they are as good as those Belfry OL w/the UK and UofL commits.

[Cardfan1]

Obviously JC is going to key in on Sloan the entirety of the game. JC has shown time and time again this season that they are great at swarming to the ball and making fundamental tackles and that doesn't favor a one dimensional team like Wayne who leans on Sloan as much as they do. Also, this is going to be the best team Wayne Co has seen thus far and this is arguably the 4th or 5th best team JC has seen.

Wayne County is good and has proved so this season, but Johnson Central is just on another level this year, much like Boyle County.

Wayne Co. will be the highest rated team Johnson has faced this season. Not sure how you determine which 4-5 are better.

I agree Cards can't be one-dimensional. They do have other playmakers that have had good seasons. The QB has thrown for 1800 yds and has shown the capability to spread the ball around to various receivers including Sloan. Has to happen if the Cardinals have a chance

[pjdoug]

Obviously JC is going to key in on Sloan the entirety of the game. JC has shown time and time again this season that they are great at swarming to the ball and making fundamental tackles and that doesn't favor a one dimensional team like Wayne who leans on Sloan as much as they do. Also, this is going to be the best team Wayne Co has seen thus far and this is arguably the 4th or 5th best team JC has seen.

Wayne County is good and has proved so this season, but Johnson Central is just on another level this year, much like Boyle County.

I haven't watched Wayne County play this year and they must have a different kind of team this year, because I've never seen them with a one dimensional team

[pjdoug]

Whoa. I guess if you got hate in your heart let it out... haha. I thought it was pretty interesting. What annoyance? I and I’m sure the majority on HERE enjoy pulp. It’s a message board. There gonna be randomness.

I personally don’t think JC will “blow” Wayne out. But if you think that’s not a possibility then you’re clueless as well. This is going to be the best defense Wayne has faced. You all just gave up almost 50 to corbin. So it’s a real possibility. To claim someone’s opinion is clueless when you don’t know either is arrogant and unfounded.

if you don't believe he is annoying go to Johnsonville and watch a game nicker:

[Hound05]

if you don't believe he is annoying go to Johnsonville and watch a game nicker:

Hahah well....... I meant on here😉.

I’m starting a petition that if JC goes to state pulp gets to be the DJ at commonwealth.... I mean Kroger. Or as sports DJs in High school call it, “the showwwwww”.

[Hound05]

I'm hoping Wayne has a good game, heck I'll even say I hope Wayne wins. But i'll be shocked if it's close much longer than halftime. Had a guy whose seen them 3 times tell me he thinks JC's Oline is as good as the best Belfy oline of the last several years. That's saying something. Don't know if he's correct or not but to even think that it's a possibility means a long night for Wayne.

I did not know that about the line. If your source is accurate, I renounce my original prediction, and go with 64-21