[EKUAlum05]

This year was Bell's rebuilding year.

2014 is a bridge year...

2015 I see Bell returning form.

Bell returns a lot of players on offense...but at the same time this was a weak offensive team. Bell did not even have 2000 rushing yards on the season and averaged a minute 13.8 points per game in their 5 losses. Bell did improve this year...the team who lost to Middlesboro was not the same team who lost to Central.

I think you see a quality product take the field in 2014 that will show marked improvement... but at the same time I still don't see Bell having the horses to compete for a State Title.

This Bell team sort of puts me in mind of Belfry in 2010. The Pirates in 2009 were not a very good team and it is the only team in the past 11 years not to reach the Semi-Finals. Belfry was very young on offense in 2010 and were very frustrating because they would show flashes of brilliance, but then make awful mistakes.

They went 6-4 during the regular season and lost to Sheldon Clark. Belfry beat Pike Central to force a 3-way tie but finished second in the tie-breaker due to all their regular season losses thanks to a tough schedule. The young Belfry team meshed in the playoffs though and they upset Mason County on the road (ranked #3 I believe), caught a match-up break when Russell beat Sheldon Clark, and then upset an undefeated Somerset team at home in the Semi's.

Belfry ended up getting crushed in the Finals.. but that team overachieved when it mattered and it set them up for a run of three straight strong teams. I could see a very similar path for this Bell team.. Central will be vulnerable again this year and a 3-way tie for the District is well within reason. Upset Central in Round 2... win the Region...then host the Semi's. with a team who will be even more seasoned.