[zaga_fan]

Not everybody around here in small towns can have a roster of 100+ to pick players from. Just saying.

Hazard can....
they only field so many but they recruit all over the state....

I kid, I kid lol

[Belfry0304]

I know this is BLUEGRASS Rivals, but I do want to give a shout out across the river to the Matewan Tigers... they beat the #2 team in their class 52-16 this past Saturday... Supporting them and especially a few former Belfry Pirates who are Tigers now.

[KyGurl]

go hazard bulldogs !!!!

[blue1424]

I don't care if you want to have a pep rally for your mountain teams, but the childish "we don't get respect" stuff is pretty irritating and pretty old. That card is played more often on here than Al Sharpeton plays the race card. What in effect you are saying when you falsely play the no respect card is that you think your teams aren't good enough to win unless you can get the players all lathered up with the no respect silliness. Is that how you look at your teams? I don't.

Beautiful photo by the way.

That's a lot!

But seriously, it is played too much. I live in the Louisville area, and people here do respect the "mountain teams".

What about having Mt teams in all 1-5a classes.
And who says this Mt teams can't play with the rest of the state.
Lets all Mt teams cheer for each other.
Lets all have one big party for this week! what is your take.

[COLOR="Red"]Go Bobcats
Go Redhounds
Go Pirates
Go Bulldogs
and GO BEARS[/COLOR]
Lets all get behide all Mt teams and support them!

you OP on this thanks, come on fans talk!!!!!!!!

Who does say that mountain teams can't compete with the rest of the state?

[nky]

Not everybody around here in small towns can have a roster of 100+ to pick players from. Just saying.

why not? Highlands has that size roster from a smaller school.

[nky]

I think that Ft. Thomas Highlands sits atop the highest hill in Northern Kentucky. So does that make it a mountain team?

Don't let Pioneers fans hear that because
the highest place in NKY is in Independence:yikes:

[BellCoBobcats09]

why not? Highlands has that size roster from a smaller school.

Kids go their to play footbal and football only. Bell Co dresses like 45.

[Can you dig it?]

Kids go their to play footbal and football only. Bell Co dresses like 45.

No, they go there because they live there and it's an academic jewel. Kids want to play football because they grow up watching it, playing it, and living it. I'm sure Bell football is the same way, just with the disadvantage of being more spread out geographically.

[BIGREDDAWG]

What about having Mt teams in all 1-5a classes.
And who says this Mt teams can't play with the rest of the state.
Lets all Mt teams cheer for each other.
Lets all have one big party for this week! what is your take.

[COLOR="Red"]Go Bobcats
Go Redhounds
Go Pirates
Go Bulldogs
and GO BEARS[/COLOR]
Lets all get behide all Mt teams and support them!

you OP on this thanks, come on fans talk!!!!!!!!

I guess the only one that possibly would not have been considered a Mt team if they had won would have been Pulaski Co. Other than that I don't see how there could not be Mt teams in the playoffs the way they are designed and arranged.

[sstack]

Kids go their to play footbal and football only. Bell Co dresses like 45.

No, you are wrong. People go here for the great academics. The football is just a nice added bonus!

[Benchwarmer]

No, they go there because they live there and it's an academic jewel. Kids want to play football because they grow up watching it, playing it, and living it. I'm sure Bell football is the same way, just with the disadvantage of being more spread out geographically.

No, you are wrong. People go here for the great academics. The football is just a nice added bonus!

See us mountain folks are stupid. We get correct all the time.

[nky]

Kids go their to play footbal and football only. Bell Co dresses like 45.

huh? they go to Highlands for an education one ofthe best in the state

[Benchwarmer]

huh? they go to Highlands for an education one ofthe best in the state

Yes that must be it. hh:

[BellCoBobcats09]

No, you are wrong. People go here for the great academics. The football is just a nice added bonus!

Thats good and for FOOTBALL... How do they have so many to come out? Do they get extra points for playing football. :biggrin:

[nky]

Thats good and for FOOTBALL... How do they have so many to come out? Do they get extra points for playing football. :biggrin:

winning helps:Thumbs:

[nky]

Yes that must be it. hh:

FYI
Ethnicity of public school students: White – 95.3% Other - 4.7% (2009-10 data)

District's per Pupil Spending: $8,727 (2008-09 data)

Length of school year: 188 days
(includes 4 days of professional development; 4 holidays; 2 planning days)

Attendance rate: 96.7% (2008-09 data)

Graduation rate: 98.6% (class of 2009)

Percentage of Graduates to College: 93% (class of 2009)

Number of Merit Finalists/Semi Finalists: 3/5 (class of 2010)

Number of Advanced Placement classes offered during 09-10 school year: 19

Advanced Placement Pass Rate
68% (08-09)

ACT Composite 2008-09
HHS – 22.8, KY – 19.4, National 21.1

SAT V/M/W 08-09
HHS – 606/613/598, KY – 573/573/561, National – 501/515/493

[sstack]

Thats good and for FOOTBALL... How do they have so many to come out? Do they get extra points for playing football. :biggrin:

In Ft Thomas it is just a way of life. I think we had all but about 20 males from my class play football.

[nky]

In Ft Thomas it is just a way of life. I think we had all but about 20 males from my class play football.

and they were probably involved in something at the school

[RunItUpTheGut]

No, they go there because they live there and it's an academic jewel. Kids want to play football because they grow up watching it, playing it, and living it. I'm sure Bell football is the same way, just with the disadvantage of being more spread out geographically.

I'm sure Highlands is a fine academic institution. But, be honest. There are some kids that go to Highlands just for the athletics and im sure it has been some of the better players. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, many of you top tier teams have athletes that go there due only to athletics.
With Highlands being a 4A school in size, there is simply no way they could reload every single year and have that level of competition every year and be successful every year.

I'm not knocking Highlands at all, i think there one of the best programs in the states history.

I understand though that when your in one of these "mountain schools" you are spread out more geographically then you probably would be at Highlands but i dont believe that has to do with the amount of athletes you produce every year. It simply doesn't add up.

As for the mountain schools in the semis I believe Hazard has a great shot along with Somerset and I believe Bell to be the clear favorite in 4A.
As for Corbin, i dont believe they will be able to knock off NCC, however i do think they can compete with them and it's at Corbin. Harlan obviously has the toughest road and will have to battle all night to stay in the game which i hope they do.

Should be one of the more evenly semis ive witnessed.

[BellCoBobcats09]

I'm sure Highlands is a fine academic institution. But, be honest. There are some kids that go to Highlands just for the athletics and im sure it has been some of the better players. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, many of you top tier teams have athletes that go there due only to athletics.
With Highlands being a 4A school in size, there is simply no way they could reload every single year and have that level of competition every year and be successful every year.

I'm not knocking Highlands at all, i think there one of the best programs in the states history.

I understand though that when your in one of these "mountain schools" you are spread out more geographically then you probably would be at Highlands but i dont believe that has to do with the amount of athletes you produce every year. It simply doesn't add up.

As for the mountain schools in the semis I believe Hazard has a great shot along with Somerset and I believe Bell to be the clear favorite in 4A.
As for Corbin, i dont believe they will be able to knock off NCC, however i do think they can compete with them and it's at Corbin. Harlan obviously has the toughest road and will have to battle all night to stay in the game which i hope they do.

Should be one of the more evenly semis ive witnessed.

:Thumbs:

[Benchwarmer]

So at Highlands kids go there for academic reasons? Lets say if football was taken out of Highlands then none of these kids would leave because their there for academics.

[sstack]

I'm sure Highlands is a fine academic institution. But, be honest. There are some kids that go to Highlands just for the athletics and im sure it has been some of the better players. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, many of you top tier teams have athletes that go there due only to athletics.
With Highlands being a 4A school in size, there is simply no way they could reload every single year and have that level of competition every year and be successful every year.

I'm not knocking Highlands at all, i think there one of the best programs in the states history.

I understand though that when your in one of these "mountain schools" you are spread out more geographically then you probably would be at Highlands but i dont believe that has to do with the amount of athletes you produce every year. It simply doesn't add up.

As for the mountain schools in the semis I believe Hazard has a great shot along with Somerset and I believe Bell to be the clear favorite in 4A.
As for Corbin, i dont believe they will be able to knock off NCC, however i do think they can compete with them and it's at Corbin. Harlan obviously has the toughest road and will have to battle all night to stay in the game which i hope they do.

Should be one of the more evenly semis ive witnessed.

You should come visit Highlands(and the elementary schools where it all starts) and take poll of the SR, JR, and Soph classes and see how many have been in the school system since elementary school, and how many have lived in FT Thomas all their lives. Also check out the number of 2nd,and 3rd generation players on the team.We are teased all the time about Ft Thomas having a bubble over it and people who live here never leave.

[sstack]

So at Highlands kids go there for academic reasons? Lets say if football was taken out of Highlands then none of these kids would leave because their there for academics.

I can't say none, but the parents in Ft Thomas send their kids to Highlands for the education. Believe me, we would not be paying the high cost of housing and taxes just for sports. I know it might be hard for you and others to comprehend,but people in NKY really value an education! Sports are great for many reasons, but very few make a living from it; it is an education that is going to make you successful in life.

[Can you dig it?]

So at Highlands kids go there for academic reasons? Lets say if football was taken out of Highlands then none of these kids would leave because their there for academics.

A select few would, but most, mine included, wouldn't.
You're just blowing smoke as usual, right? You don't have any inside info or anything, do you?:yikes::biggrin:

[kypecos]

I can't believe that someone is trying to turn this into a "recruitment" thread. I've seen this topic raised so many times that I already know the answer. Highlands is a PUBLIC school. It does not recruit. It does not have to. It does not offer financial aid (like some of the private schools). It just has a highly successful educational system and a highly successful sports program, especially football. It is the epitome of the adage that "success breeds success." It is also a highly desirable community and many families move there for this and these reasons. It is one of the primary factors that people look at when purchasing a home.

Also, as Dig It pointed out, the kids grow up expecting to win state championships and A LOT of effort and desire is put into trying to achieve that result. Please don't knock Highlands just because it is successful. Celebrate it -- claim it as one of your own from the State of Kentucky.

[Duke45]

So at Highlands kids go there for academic reasons? Lets say if football was taken out of Highlands then none of these kids would leave because their there for academics.

A vast majority of the players on the team take some type of AP class, so I would say that most of them actually care about their education. I can only think of maybe four or five starters who don't participate in the AP curriculum.

To take football from Highlands would be to change our culture. These people have been playing almost of their lives. If you were to take away football, it would just be replaced by our excellence in some other sport since most play football exclusively.

[sstack]

I can't believe that someone is trying to turn this into a "recruitment" thread. I've seen this topic raised so many times that I already know the answer. Highlands is a PUBLIC school. It does not recruit. It does not have to. It does not offer financial aid (like some of the private schools). It just has a highly successful educational system and a highly successful sports program, especially football. It is the epitome of the adage that "success breeds success." It is also a highly desirable community and many families move there for this and these reasons. It is one of the primary factors that people look at when purchasing a home.

Also, as Dig It pointed out, the kids grow up expecting to win state championships and A LOT of effort and desire is put into trying to achieve that result. Please don't knock Highlands just because it is successful. Celebrate it -- claim it as one of your own from the State of Kentucky.

:Thumbs:

[RunItUpTheGut]

You should come visit Highlands(and the elementary schools where it all starts) and take poll of the SR, JR, and Soph classes and see how many have been in the school system since elementary school, and how many have lived in FT Thomas all their lives. Also check out the number of 2nd,and 3rd generation players on the team.We are teased all the time about Ft Thomas having a bubble over it and people who live here never leave.

That may very well be the case. Iv'e never been there, i dont know the people, the culture, or anything of that nature.
What I was stating is how does a 4A school with around 400 boys i assume, could have the extraordinary athletes they have every year. Every team that has ever been assembled unless their a private school, should have down years where they lost to many players to recover. I wish every school could get a pick from the kids they wanted in their school to play football and everything be fine.
I'm sure highlands has a great program when the kids are young to keep them in football throughout there careers. But a lot of other schools do to and yet the numbers still seem to fall off no matter what a school like mine does. When you go from having 60 eighth grade football players to having only 8 of them play as seniors, then you know its time for a change.

I guess what i'm getting at is how does Highlands keep that quality of football player every year? Even if they have 40 seniors, it doesnt mean any of them are any good, it just means you have 40 seniors. I dont know how they get these all star teams every year, it just seems like every now and then there would be a down year and a down fall.

[Can you dig it?]

I'm sure Highlands is a fine academic institution. But, be honest. There are some kids that go to Highlands just for the athletics and im sure it has been some of the better players. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, many of you top tier teams have athletes that go there due only to athletics.
With Highlands being a 4A school in size, there is simply no way they could reload every single year and have that level of competition every year and be successful every year.

Sure, there are some who are drawn to the athletic success, but the overwhelming majority of our kids are home grown and have been a part of the Highlands football future since the third grade when they started playing in the FTJFL. (This league also benefits NewCath, our neighboring parochial high school.) I believe (please note that I said that) Jared Lorenzen came to town after a divorce. One parent lived in the Scott district and the other lived in Ft. Thomas. That's like having a choice between taking Elle McPherson to your prom or Roseanne Barr. Derek Smith lived in a neighboring district that didn't have football, so he paid tuition to go to Highlands. The Bruns twins who currently play do so because their mother moved to town after a divorce.
PM me if you're ever going to be in the area in the August-October time period. I'll take you to a green team practice and you can see the future for yourself. Seriously, I'll even bust out the grill and make dinner in your honor. It's all above board, no matter what has been said in the past.

[Cats02]

Just getting peppy.irateSho

Did you know Harlan Co. Coach L. was the last montain coach to beat highlands:Clap: