[PHSForever]

Just watch some film of Pikeville and Raceland this year. After seeing both teams, back to back, these teams really are very different. The only similarity is the fact they both have several play makers.

Offense vs Offense:
Raceland is avg 42 pts/game. Can break a big play at any time but has gotten very good at controlling the clock. Make no mistake though, they can score at any given time. Pikeville has seemingly limittless big play capabilities. They average 48pts/game.
The two RBs Beech and Hall, are different types of runners. Both are district players of the year. Hall is a little bit more of a smash mouth, Stephen Jackson style of an RB. While Beech is more along the lines of Eric Dickerson. Neither of these two are THAT caliber, simply describing styles.

Beech's strength lies in his ability to make "that cut". He can run the stretch well, but really runs well in the trap/counter game. His weakness is sometimes he looks too long, and like most runners who seem to never quit running, will fumble at times. His upper body strength has gotte muc better though and that has not been a problem from Beech like it was last year.

Hall's best strength is well, his strength. He has good speed, but you wont see him running many stretch plays. His bread andbutter seems to be off tackle. His weakness, if he has one, is he isnt quite as ellusive. But, his strength makes up for it.

QB comparison:
The biggest difference in Elkins and Charles lies in arm strength, hehas the stronger arm between the two. Other than that, there aint a whole lot of Difference. Both make good decisions for the most part. Both have the abikty to run. Charles has a lttle more speed bit Adam is a bit stronger, or so it seems.

Messer/Estep...i dont have the time or energy to compare these two. Its very possible these two will be in each others face all night. I would expect to see them both have a big game. Two of the best atheletes in single A.

Defense vs Defense:
Pikevilles quick, hits hard, very smart as far as ball awareness. The first two guys secure the tackle, 3rd guy goes for the ball. Raceland plays very much the same. Raceland dline is a little stronger and more experienced than Pikevilles. Pikevikkes lb are better though. Pikevilles weakest point is between the tackles, their strength lies on the edges. Racelands stregth is its secondary and its dline. The Rams LB play is its defenses weakes point.
Raceland yields about 190 yds and 16pts/game and Pikeville yields about 260 yds and 25 pts/game.

Really like your analysis. I think Special Teams play will be a deciding factor, if not THE deciding factor. People sleep on the Pikeville D all year for giving up rush yards, but the fact is, they've been bend but don't break in philosophy for a while now. It has worked, for the most part, because Thacker is good at the halftime adjustments necessary to finish strong. Prestonsburg rushed well in the 1st half, essentially got meaningless yards in the 2nd. Hazard rushed like MONSTERS in the 1st, the second half was a different story. The only reason that game ended up being close at the end was onside kickoffs being recovered by Hazard, giving them short field. That was a near disaster that has since been well corrected for the most part. Belfry got theirs, like they do against everyone. We were simply outmanned, and outplayed, by a superior team. I could go on, but you don't get to 11-1 against the schedule Pikeville has played, without having a better than decent D. Same for the Rams. Just different D styles.

Out of curiosity, what is the Ram depth like after the starters on the Dline? I read the article about the starters and the huge freshman sub, but didn't see much else about the rest of the rotation. That line is massive for 1A!