[Panther Thunder]

Yup... which is why I have been such a proponent of keeping the rivalry alive. For 80% of the series it has been as close as you can imagine..unfortunately for Pikeville a couple of bonehead coaching moves left their program rebuilding just as the Belfry program was elevating.

With stability Pikeville will be back, and I think we are seeing that, and when they are back at the very LEAST they are a financially and logistically a much more viable option than playing a mediocre "bigger" school.

Obviously Coach McNamee is the main reason Pikeville is returning to form.. but you also have to think Belfry's success has played a part as well. Pikeville is elevating their program and has the blueprint for where the standard is..coupled with unbelievable competition at the Feeder Level being provided.

This week and thread have been great. And after it, I want anyone who wants to give the rivalry up to take a jump off Pikeville Medical Center head first.

Pikeville and Belfry, around 2007 starting SCREAMING in the opposite directions. Pikeville bottomed out in 2009 and has been climbing back, showing improvement every year since. Even though 2012 was worse than 2011, it showed the program was strong enough to endure a rebuilding year, rather than having it drag them down.

Pikeville has a great group of 6th graders coming up, IMO with good numbers in the program at the feeder level. Hopefully, we can find the best way to maintain these numbers while remaining competitive at those levels. Numbers are a huge advantage in Class A and Coach Mac has them back up to a respectable level. I would love to see AT LEAST 40-45 per season, ideally 50, dream 55-60.