[jammin' jamey]

According to a press release from the KHSAA, the Harlan County Black Bears will play the 2008 season as a Class 3A school. The move was necessitated by the fact that the school will open in the middle of a two-year contract cycle. According to the press release, the alternative would have been for HCHS to compete as a non-district school for a year, since it would have been virtually impossible for the school's new 5A or 6A district opponents to find a spot in the schedule. The move is not without precedent. Over the past 25 years, Scott County, Madison Southern and, most recently, Mercer County were permitted to play in a lower class than their first-year numbers would indicate. Harlan County will play Cawood's schedule - minus the Trojans' games against Cumberland and Evarts, obviously. That means the Black Bears will still have to fill two of three open weekends: Week 2, Week 6 and Week 10. In Week 2, there's an opening in the Fort Harrod Bowl; in Week 6, Bell County has an opening; and in Week 10, Pike Central is available.

http://www.harlandaily.com/articles/2007...ts9178.txt