[Blau Vogel]

You obviously are not familiar with the HHS program, where they are UNDERSIZED in every game they play! This is a team that wins with execution of players that are shorter and lighter than their competition week in and week out! The difference is, the 6-5 kid that you are most familiar with (Towles) has been in Ft. Thomas his whole life!

I can't think of his name off the top of my bald head, but if I remember right, this years nose tackle for the Birds doesn't weigh more than 180 and is a sprinter on the track team.

[horst muhlmann]

I can't think of his name off the top of my bald head, but if I remember right, this years nose tackle for the Birds doesn't weigh more than 180 and is a sprinter on the track team.

#42 Devin Bruns is likely closer to 220#, but I think you are correct that he runs track in the spring.

[Thunder 44]

JC's one of the few teams that has been able to keep it respectable the past couple of years.

2010 - Dropped a TD pass in the endzone that could have tied the game with about 1 minute left.

2009 - Was a fairly close game at the half, HHS wins by 21.

2008 - JC driving for a score which also could have tied the game when our FB fumbled the football and the Bluebirds DT picks it up and returns it about 75 yards for a TD.
I as a JC fan I love this game. It's a true measuring stick for our program. Just think, prior to 2004 we were a joke. But now we are playing one of the best programs in the state for the right to play for a state title yearly. I love it. WHEN we do final get that win over the Bluebirds, how much more sweet will it be that we got it over them instead of avoiding them. We will truely be the State Champion when that happens.

I just hope it doesn't take 40 years like the first Belfry win did.....LOL

Defensive Lineman was Cody Rosenhagen, and he also kicked the extra point. After scoring, as he was lining up to kick the XP, the ref asked if he needed a moment to catch his breath, and Cody said no, then nailed the kick.

That play was one of the highlights of the team's highlight tape for the season. Seem to recall something like a slow motion clip, set to the Chariots of Fire theme. Classic!

[Blau Vogel]

you can put lame at the end of your sentence all you want just proves my point TOUCHY, i havent said a bad thing against your school and if we lived north my kid would go to highlands, but come on seriously we got a feeder program here as well but it dont year after year put out 6'6 6'5 6'4 athletes like highlands so i dont think your feeder program makes kids grow heck it might be something in the water,,,:biglmao:

IMVHO...Where I think most feeder programs go wrong is after sixth grade. MOST programs will put together one or two middle school teams that will compete against other middle schools. This forces the coaches of these teams to play their best players to compete with other schools. In the FTJFL, every year, depending on the number of players, there are 4 or 5 teams made up of middle school 7th and 8th graders that play against each other for two years. The everybody plays rule is in effect here too. This keeps the late bloomers (the tall awkward skinny kid or the short heavy kid) that might not reach full potential until high school, interested and on the field until they reach high school. Those kids don't see the field or even quit when they have to join a schools middle school team where winning is paramount. I guess I shouldn't have given away the secret, but I really believe this is the difference.

[Blau Vogel]

#42 Devin Bruns is likely closer to 220#, but I think you are correct that he runs track in the spring.

I didn't think he was the nose guard...Thought he was one of the tackles. Who are the other two down linemen with Devin?

[Keepnitreal]

Defensive Lineman was Cody Rosenhagen, and he also kicked the extra point. After scoring, as he was lining up to kick the XP, the ref asked if he needed a moment to catch his breath, and Cody said no, then nailed the kick.

That play was one of the highlights of the team's highlight tape for the season. Seem to recall something like a slow motion clip, set to the Chariots of Fire theme. Classic!

It should have been! I couldn't beleive how fast he was and probably was 6'3" and 260 lbs.

[rustyankle]

IMVHO...Where I think most feeder programs go wrong is after sixth grade. MOST programs will put together one or two middle school teams that will compete against other middle schools. This forces the coaches of these teams to play their best players to compete with other schools. In the FTJFL, every year, depending on the number of players, there are 4 or 5 teams made up of middle school 7th and 8th graders that play against each other for two years. The everybody plays rule is in effect here too. This keeps the late bloomers (the tall awkward skinny kid or the short heavy kid) that might not reach full potential until high school, interested and on the field until they reach high school. Those kids don't see the field or even quit when they have to join a schools middle school team where winning is paramount. I guess I shouldn't have given away the secret, but I really believe this is the difference.

thats great point so they dont compete against other teams until highschool?

[Blau Vogel]

It should have been! I couldn't beleive how fast he was and probably was 6'3" and 260 lbs.

Cody Rosenhagen Stats
Jersey: 75 Pos: OL, DL Ht/Wt: 6'1"/246

http://www.maxpreps.com/athletes/9mSgQFW...nhagen.htm

[charlie22]

thats great point so they dont compete against other teams until highschool?

Correct. Until their frosh year, the kids in the FT Jr Football League will not have played one game against any team outside FT. There was a short period of time when Tom Duffy was the head coach at Highlands where we moved away from our concept and formed two teams (7th and 8th grade players) and completed against the teams of other schools. While the teams had success, the number of kids in the 7th and 8th grade playing football dropped. When Mueller replaced Duffy, we decided to go back to the original concept: just compete against teams within the FT League and increase the number of kids in the 7th and 8th grade playing football (the number basically doubled because we again had 4 teams as opposed to 2).

[rustyankle]

and every kid in the 7th and 8th grade get equal playing time?

[Stardust]

I can't think of his name off the top of my bald head, but if I remember right, this years nose tackle for the Birds doesn't weigh more than 180 and is a sprinter on the track team.

Isn't he the twin of the cornerback, Bruns? 6-0 190? It's just not fair to have guys this big on your team......

[charlie22]

and every kid in the 7th and 8th grade get equal playing time?

I don't think it's exactly equal playing time (I'm not involved with the League anymore: been there, done that) but there is some amount of guaranteed playing time as I recall and its not insubstantial. Certainly the philosophy of the League is worry more about providing instruction and affording playing time so kids have fun and don't quit playing football. Worrying about winning will hit these kids hard enough when they don the Highlands frosh jerseys.

[Can you dig it?]

Defensive Lineman was Cody Rosenhagen, and he also kicked the extra point. After scoring, as he was lining up to kick the XP, the ref asked if he needed a moment to catch his breath, and Cody said no, then nailed the kick.

That play was one of the highlights of the team's highlight tape for the season. Seem to recall something like a slow motion clip, set to the Chariots of Fire theme. Classic!

My all-time favorite Highlands Football moment. Kody had been saying since his FTJFL days that he wanted to be a running back, but back then he was a striped-helmet kid year after year. When I realized that it was him that came out of that scrum with the ball I couldn't have been happier for him.
Then he pounded that kick through like a sledge hammer. The crowd across the field was dead silent, as were the previously vocal end zone rowdies.:yeah:

[Thunder 44]

and every kid in the 7th and 8th grade get equal playing time?

Not equal, but first and second team players for both teams get the same. My youngest played, and is now a high school sophomore, but in his 8th grade season, it went something like this:

1st Quarter - First String
2nd Quarter - Second String
3rd Quarter (first half) - First String
3rd Quarter (second half) - Second String
4th Quarter - First String (or, could play any player, first or second string)

There were rules in effect that if a team got up by so many points, they had to play their second string all the time, and there are rules as to who could be on your second string. For example, your first string RB was not a second string WR.

Obviously, the intent is to get every kid a chance to play, and in order to do well, he will need to practice. There have been games where the first teamers were evenly matched, but the difference in the final score was how well the second team executed.

[Blau Vogel]

thats great point so they dont compete against other teams until highschool?

Nope...Not until freshman year. They also keep each teams roster to around 20+- which gets the kids more playing time. That's why the number of teams vary each year.

[rustyankle]

Nope...Not until freshman year. They also keep each teams roster to around 20+- which gets the kids more playing time. That's why the number of teams vary each year.

we lucky to have 20 on 7th and 20 on 8th

[MVP2]

Highlands-36
Johnson Central-27

[Blau Vogel]

we lucky to have 20 on 7th and 20 on 8th

So that means around 20 or less on the frosh team each year?

I can't find a freshman roster for the Birds, but I did a quick count of the varsity.

23 Seniors
26 Juniors
36 Sophomores
85 total

If I had to guess, I would say that any given year, there are 35 - 50 players on the frosh team.

Something else to consider, is the extra practice and game experience these guys get because they go deep into the playoffs. Before the seniors played their first game this year, they had already practiced 15 weeks (a 10 game season and a half) more than those players that were on 10 and out teams.

[bucslover68]

Is there a chance of getting some actual game analysis on this thread?? Just curious!!

[Stardust]

^ Would love to, but it always turns into how many different ways that HHS is cheating, recruiting, or just doesn't belong.... I'm fairly confident that the Bird Fans would love to talk about a game instead....

[bucslover68]

You are right Stardust...If I wanted to look at a thread about the Fort Thomas Junior Football League I would start one...JC will have a tough time. JC has a tough time defending the pass and Towles will have a good night no question. Jude is not necessarily the only option for JC although he is obviously number one. Dillon at FB and the young QB can make plays, but can they make enough? I think the key for JC is the play of the lines on both sides of the ball. They have to open holes for Jude, they need to consistently move the chains, and they have to allow the fullback to get 3 or 4 every time he carries the ball. If JC can do this, they can hang around, If not, then Highlands big.

My gut feeling. HHS 55, JC 14

[Stardust]

:Thumbs:

You are right Stardust...If I wanted to look at a thread about the Fort Thomas Junior Football League I would start one...JC will have a tough time. JC has a tough time defending the pass and Towles will have a good night no question. Jude is not necessarily the only option for JC although he is obviously number one. Dillon at FB and the young QB can make plays, but can they make enough? I think the key for JC is the play of the lines on both sides of the ball. They have to open holes for Jude, they need to consistently move the chains, and they have to allow the fullback to get 3 or 4 every time he carries the ball. If JC can do this, they can hang around, If not, then Highlands big.

My gut feeling. HHS 55, JC 14

JC must find a way to keep the clock running for long periods of time. If they can find a way to get four yards per play and have 5-6 minute drives, then they have a chance to keep it respectable. I think that HHS will score too quickly to allow JC the chance to play that style though.

[Wideleft01]

I look for Johnson to play a 3 man front with press coverage and deny the deep ball with 2 deep safety. Johnson's D will just beg Highlands to run the ball and shorten the game. Highlands will keep sending Jude to cover post and deep corner patterns play after play. Jude will be raising his hand to come out, but he won't. Highlands will send players on those routes even when running the ball. Jude will be running for 400 plus yards in the first half alone. The only difference is this week it will be in an attempt to wear him down on defense. At least that would be my game plan.

[Stardust]

^ Most intelligent post you have made in 3 months:biggrin:

[Wideleft01]

I'm taking a more philosophical approach.

[honestjchsfan]

Do not know about JCH but that is a good description of Ft Thomas and HHS.

If HHS and Ft Thomas area are more Republican than Johnson CO then "Republican Bowl" is right on the money. Maybe Mitch will show up to toss the coin

[NCC41]

If HHS and Ft Thomas area are more Republican than Johnson CO then "Republican Bowl" is right on the money. Maybe Mitch will show up to toss the coin

I know there will be one former Republican U.S. Senator there.

[oldbird]

They had a linebacker that year that went on to CovCath and was there best linebacker as a freshman and who Dad was an All-State linebacker at HHS in the early 80s. Dylan Cottingham.

[oldbird]

They had alinebacker who went to CovCath that year who DAD was an All-State linebacker at HHS in the 80s Dylan Cottingham

[2dog]

Any video for this game? It's a 40 mile drive for me and my old football injuries don't like the cold weather. If there is no video I'll be there even if it kills me!