[EKUAlum05]

Very well said RAD. We have had more letdowns than suprises over the years lol. Pikeville just has to manage to keep things together through this rough season. They haven’t had one in who knows how long. They have huge talent in the jr high. Soph group very talented as well.

This upcoming Jr High bunch is gonna make some big time noise. 16-0 and state champs.

Yep..
Pikeville has a little bit of a lull right now where the talent has dipped a little. You may also have some seeds of entitlement or complacency that comes with sustained winning, but I don't think that is the big problem.

With that said, Pikeville will be back. Just like the year they got upset by Paintsville in the playoffs this will be a wakeup call that helps point out where things need to be tweaked.... and with the talent coming back in.... they will be right back looking like a dominant force in no time. Pikeville may be vulnerable again next season... but by the time this incoming crop are Sophomores mixing with some good upper class talent... look out.

Belfry has experienced the same thing. It is hard to sustain a Championship pedigree every year in essentially a rural area. Pike County has a little more population, talent, and benefits than a lot of places so I say "essentially", but its not like Pikeville is pulling from a major metro area. Smaller school public programs will ebb and flow as the talent flows. You could see Belfry had some leaner talent years coming and it translated at the HS... then you saw Belfry would have a little spike and that has translated as well. Pikeville will be just fine.