[charlie22]

That was a great game by both teams and well coached by both coaches. I came away extremely impressed by Highlands' run defense and JC's passing offense. Ask me before the game if I thought that was going to occur and I'd have said no.

Jude remains to me a simply fantastic RB, but Highlands swarmed to the ball and tackled better than they have the entire year so far. Great job coaches and players.

Parker is a big target and moves well. On several 3rd and longs, Hall threw nice passes and Parker made great receptions.

I think some fans on both sides are wearing their tinted classes.

After stopping JC on the opening drive of the second half, Highlands was in position to really put the pressure on JC. If Highlands had scored and gone up by 21, JC would have had to pass the ball more. I realize I said earlier that JC passed the ball well in this game, but one can wonder (yet never know) if they'd have been as successful if Highlands had been looking for the pass. After the fumble return for a TD, JC was only down one score and Highlands D was forced to play run first D, which dramatically helped JC's passing game. The fumble changed not only momentum but the way Highlands played D in the second half. And it changed the way Highlands played O in the second half also. Up only one TD, Highlands could not afford to just run the ball and milk the clock. They had to pass the ball and we all know that passing the ball slows the clock.

On the other hand, JC very easily could have won this game. I don't understand why some Highlands fans don't see the game the way Mueller did as stated in the newspaper article. Given the fumble return for a TD, JC came roaring back and played extremely well. I was standing in that endzone and I don't know if the ball was tipped or knocked away (I haven't watched the tape yet); all I know is that the ball looked like it could have been caught. If JC had scored, I think Matney would have gone for two. Given how well our run defense had played, converting the 2 was not a sure thing, but .......

I wish both fans would acknowledge the close game that it was. Yes JC did benefit greatly from the fumble returned for a TD, and Highlands benefitted greatly from the dropped ball at the end of the game. Each got a break. I don't see how any one can say the better team lost or that Highlands would have dominated JC but for the fumble returned for a TD.

A tip of the hat to the JC seniors. I've watched Bratton, Hall, Ousley and the other seniors closely over the last several years. Those kids are football players that could play on my football team. I know the loss still stings and will continue to do so for quite some time. But after a while, they will find some comfort in knowing that they did every thing within their abilities to win, and that more than any thing else should be the standard to judge whether they were successful as high school football players.

And a tip of the hat to the Highlands players. I told a JC fan after last year's game that I favored JC to beat Highlands in 2010 if they matched up. The Birds don't have the overall talent of past Highlands teams; they don't always play the disciplined ball the way past Highlands teams have; but they have every bit the heart and desire to win as past Highlands teams. We've had some ugly wins and some tight wins this year, but at the end of the games, they've been wins and I'll take them, ugly or not. Keep it going. Harlan County is not going to be a push over.

To the coaches and players on both teams: thank you for allowing this fan the opportunity to watch one heck of a game. The games are not about the fans; it's about kids participating and playing hard. But I was surely a third party beneficiary of the players' efforts. Thank you.