[Panther Thunder]

Final from Hambley on Homecoming.

In and out in about an hour and forty-five minutes.

Good win to move to 6-1 on the year, 1-0 in the district. Every Panther contributed tonight!

HAIL PIKEVILLE!

[E's Army]

Pikeville rolling through district.

[bac2369]

Pikeville will be lucky to play the starters only a half as it will be blow out city the rest of the way.

[Big Five-0-]

Pikeville will be lucky to play the starters only a half as it will be blow out city the rest of the way.

True. And this gives the younger Panthers some valuable pt., and it allows some of the injured varsity time to heal up. Imo though, having to play weaker teams to close out the regular season doesn't help in preparation for the playoffs. It's district games (weak or not) that must be played however. Congrats Panthers on the win.

[jetpilot]

True. And this gives the younger Panthers some valuable pt., and it allows some of the injured varsity time to heal up. Imo though, having to play weaker teams to close out the regular season doesn't help in preparation for the playoffs. It's district games (weak or not) that must be played however. Congrats Panthers on the win.

They have played tough teams and I think the coaches will keep them focused through the district. And Russell in the last week will help. I think it will work out and this team will be ready...

[PantherTradition]

How will Cody Estep rank vs. the greatest Pikeville players?

[bac2369]

Estep had a big hit on Sports OT that was a monster hit blocking for Charles on a qb run..

[TurboPanther]

How will Cody Estep rank vs. the greatest Pikeville players?

He's the best receiver to ever play @ Pikeville.
The kid makes plays even when it's not his # called

[Big Five-0-]

He's the best receiver to ever play @ Pikeville.
The kid makes plays even when it's not his # called

I always thought Robbie Wright (87' champ. team) was the best ever at PHS. However, after seeing what Cody Estep has done up to this point in the season----my vote goes to Mr Estep.

[NEWARKCATHOLICFAN]

Great job Pikeville.

[HAIL PIKEVILLE!]

Cody is an exceptional football player in every way....What impresses me the most is he makes everyone around him better! Look no further than Austin Charles and how much better he's gotten because of the trust he has in Cody. That has caused Charles confidence to go up and he's a different QB now than he was last year. Great job by my Panthers tonight...HAIL PIKEVILLE!

[PHSForever]

I always thought Robbie Wright (87' champ. team) was the best ever at PHS. However, after seeing what Cody Estep has done up to this point in the season----my vote goes to Mr Estep.

Let's not get too crazy. Robbie was very solid, especially considering how little Hillard threw. He took advantage of every opportunity thrown his way. Having said that, I think he was a much better DB than a WR. Anyway, Estep will rank right up there. You guys are overlooking some very good ones, such as Murray Garvin, etc.

Now, back on point. Good win tonight versus a VERY overmatched South Floyd squad. I counted only 24 players on SF team? For a 2A school, that is just sad. Coach Mac got to rest his starters, and there are some that definitely needed it. While I'd rather the competition be a little tougher, they don't choose who is in their district, just play the games in front of them. But at least several people with nagging injuries get rest heading into the pending playoff run, and the younger guys get some valuable pt against a run oriented team. Everyone is going to be trying to ram it down the Panthers throats in the playoffs.

Lastly, hat tip to Coach Mac for kneeling out on the 3 yard line with2 minutes plus remaining instead of punching in one more TD.

[TRIPLE JEOPARDY]

Actually South Floyd is only a 1A school, 24 is about the average they have yearly, never big numbers, play with what you got.

[PantherTradition]

I always thought Robbie Wright (87' champ. team) was the best ever at PHS. However, after seeing what Cody Estep has done up to this point in the season----my vote goes to Mr Estep.

Really? Hillard only allowed a few throws a game during the 3 year championship run.

[EKUAlum05]

Estep is a great player, but he is no Jeremiah Akers.

[Panther Thunder]

Estep is a great player, but he is no Jeremiah Akers.

I am having a hard time with this one.

Akers obviously didn't get many targets until his junior season, when Chapman came into the picture and Akers moved to WR. People may forget he ran for, I believe, 1,500 yards as a sophomore in 1997. In his final two seasons, Akers basically set most receiving records at PHS. Murray Garvin still has the most Rec TDs in a season, 21. And Tyler Baker broke the Rec TDs in a game, with 4 at Allen Central in 2008 (Not just padding stats, without Baker, PHS loses that game.) Everything else is pretty much Jeremiah Akers.

Rec Yards in a Game: 8 rec, 311 yds Jeremiah Akers vs. Pineville 1999

Career: 173 rec, 3,180 yds Jeremiah Akers

Career Rec TDs: 36 Jeremiah Akers


While the production is limited to basically two years at WR, do not forget PHS threw the ball an awful lot more in the late 90s than the past 3 years. Even so, Cody Estep is on pace to challenge some of these records.

As of today 10/13/13, Cody Estep's stats go as follows

83 Rec, 2,184 yards, and 32 Rec TDs.

He will probably not get 90 receptions over the next year and a half. Akers looks like he will hold onto that.

He will be really close on receiving yardage if he can keep pace this season through next. Needs a couple more games like Middlesboro where he just goes off.

Barring an unseen event, Cody Estep will easily surpass Rec TDs in a career and hold that record on far fewer targets. And let's be honest, he hasn't had Matt Branham or Ben Howard slinging the ball out to him.

To put it in perspective, Matt Branham threw for 3,436 yards in 1999 (14 games). PHS has thrown for 4,107 yards since the start of the 2011 season (34 games).

It was something that I started thinking about after the Middlesboro game. If you were ranking PHS players historically, Estep, if he maintains pace, is approaching 5-Star status. Still a lot of football left, we will see where it takes us. Something to be on the watch for though, the Career Rec TD record could easily fall in the next few weeks. -Last note, Estep gets a few bonus points for the caliber of safety he is. Since the move to safety last season, he has been lights out. 8 INTs over the past 17 games, 4 returned for TDs (one more, but called back due to an unnecessary block in the back), recovered 8 fumbles and taken 3 back to the house. In his career, didn't play much D his freshman year, he has 9 INTs, within reach of the PHS record of 17 in a career.


And I love watching the film of Akers playing, but Murray Garvin was no slouch either. Teams basically knew if the Panthers threw in 1991, where it was going, and they still couldn't stop him. If Garvin played in a spread offense, his numbers would have been obscene.

One thing is for sure though, I wouldn't mind going 4-wide with Estep, Wright, Akers, and Garvin :biggrin:

[Big Five-0-]

Really? Hillard only allowed a few throws a game during the 3 year championship run.

Heh,heh. Really tell me about it. I was around during those championship years, and know first hand how little he liked the ball to be thrown. On the other hand, for example, when he did allow it thrown, Robbie Wright very seldom let any escape his grasp. Haven't you ever heard of the Blair to Wright connection during the 87' season? For example, check the footage out if you can find it , of the Pikeville Belfry game in 1987. Notice how often Blair threw the ball, mostly to Wright. Sean Neeley made a td catch in that game,as well as Chris McNamee. I'm not trying to say they were a passing team at that time, quite the contrary. However, what i am saying is when Hillard permitted it, they passed the ball and usually Wright was on the receiving end; if not, it was Chris McNamee at tight end.

[FreightShaKer]

Great win keep it up

[EKUAlum05]

PT,

To be fair the defenses Estep have been facing aren't quite up to the same caliber as the defenses that Akers was facing. Even the "better" teams Estep has seen the past couple years have pretty weak defenses.

Pikeville did throw more then...but I would argue the targets of Akers and Estep aren't an especially huge difference. Akers had other WR's who were getting plenty of balls whereas in the current Panther offense Estep is the primary WR by a good margin. The current Panther offense has more balance as well...Akers was getting his unbelievable numbers despite seeing every defense play him with more help from the Safety.

With all this said I love watching Estep play... easily one of the better WR's to come out of Pike County in quite some time.

[Panther Thunder]

He's the best receiver to ever play @ Pikeville.
The kid makes plays even when it's not his # called

Another good point. Estep is one of the best down-field blockers you will ever see. Numerous Panther TDs in the past 3 years have been aided by MONSTER blocks by Estep. He has an inherent ability to pick out the right guy to block, and then put him on his back, sometimes he will be able to go get another.

[Panther Thunder]

PT,

To be fair the defenses Estep have been facing aren't quite up to the same caliber as the defenses that Akers was facing. Even the "better" teams Estep has seen the past couple years have pretty weak defenses.

Pikeville did throw more then...but I would argue the targets of Akers and Estep aren't an especially huge difference. Akers had other WR's who were getting plenty of balls whereas in the current Panther offense Estep is the primary WR by a good margin. The current Panther offense has more balance as well...Akers was getting his unbelievable numbers despite seeing every defense play him with more help from the Safety.

With all this said I love watching Estep play... easily one of the better WR's to come out of Pike County in quite some time.

Definitely see your point. Fun debate, and one that we will probably revisit a few times over the next year and few months.

I think Pikeville fans just enjoy having something to talk about over the couple of weeks haha.

[bac2369]

Estep also is great on defense as well. How many balls has he taken away from the ball carrier as they were being tackled..?

[Panther Thunder]

Estep also is great on defense as well. How many balls has he taken away from the ball carrier as they were being tackled..?

He has stripped at least 5 over the last 2 seasons of which I can think.

He had one against Shelby Valley last year, had to pick that one up of the ground though.

Stripped Hazard three times, one went 98 yards for a score. The other two were recovered by other Panthers.

And then he stripped the South Floyd KR in the 1st Qtr Friday Night and returned it for a score.

He has also forced a few fumbles on big hits, that I wouldn't classify as "strips".

He has returned fumbles forced by other defenders for scores against Raceland as a freshman and against Allen Central as a sophomore.

A total of 35 Offensive TDs (32 rec, 3 rushing), 2 Special Teams TDs (SV 2011, SF 2013), 7 defensive TDs (Raceland 2011 Fumble, Sheldon Clark 2012 Pick-Six, Allen Central 2012 Fumble, Paintsville 2012 2 Pick-Sixes, Hazard 2013 Fumble, South Floyd 2013 Fumble).

A total of 44 TDs for Estep at this point in his career.

[bac2369]

Estep kind of reminds me of a Harmon type player.

[Big Five-0-]

Estep kind of reminds me of a Harmon type player.

This young man is SUPER talented. Glad he's playing for the maroon and white.

[Big Five-0-]

They have played tough teams and I think the coaches will keep them focused through the district. And Russell in the last week will help. I think it will work out and this team will be ready...

Another good point. Estep is one of the best down-field blockers you will ever see. Numerous Panther TDs in the past 3 years have been aided by MONSTER blocks by Estep. He has an inherent ability to pick out the right guy to block, and then put him on his back, sometimes he will be able to go get another.

If he goes to the next level, this particular talent will be a plus for him.

[flatlander72]

Good win for the Panthers

[Live Maroon]

I know I'm getting in on this discussion kind of late. I don't care for "greatest ever" discussions, though Panther Tradition didn't necessarily take it that way, just asked how Estep stacks up. I'm older than most of you guys on here, I can remember back to a great end for Pikeville named Ray Haley that got a scholarship offer from Fran Curci in the early 70s. Robbie Wright, I would put him up against just about anybody. Certainly Jeremiah Akers owns the record book at this point. I have been an obsessive Panther football fan since the `70s and have had the pleasure of doing their radio coverage for the last three seasons. I'm not one to hand out compliments flippantly. Randy Maynard, I can honestly say, is one of the best I've ever seen wear the maroon and white and deserves to be in Pikeville's Hall of Fame one day. Cody Estep is next. Just a complete all around player. Tremendous receiver that can outrun just about any DB east of Lexington. Great hands, great athleticism. But he is just a complete football player. The strip of Brandon Jones while being trucked was incredible. He also made the defensive play on 4th and goal from the 1 in OT against Raceland in the playoffs last year. Pikeville scored on their first offensive play after that and pulled off the upset. I spoke with the Defensive Co-ordinator after that game and he told me that he hadn't called that defense, that Cody read it from the start and when the snap occured, he was blitzing through the line on his own and made the tackle. Very heady football player. By the way, I'm just about ready to put Chase Hall in the company of Cody Estep and Randy Maynard.

[Big Five-0-]

I know I'm getting in on this discussion kind of late. I don't care for "greatest ever" discussions, though Panther Tradition didn't necessarily take it that way, just asked how Estep stacks up. I'm older than most of you guys on here, I can remember back to a great end for Pikeville named Ray Haley that got a scholarship offer from Fran Curci in the early 70s. Robbie Wright, I would put him up against just about anybody. Certainly Jeremiah Akers owns the record book at this point. I have been an obsessive Panther football fan since the `70s and have had the pleasure of doing their radio coverage for the last three seasons. I'm not one to hand out compliments flippantly. Randy Maynard, I can honestly say, is one of the best I've ever seen wear the maroon and white and deserves to be in Pikeville's Hall of Fame one day. Cody Estep is next. Just a complete all around player. Tremendous receiver that can outrun just about any DB east of Lexington. Great hands, great athleticism. But he is just a complete football player. The strip of Brandon Jones while being trucked was incredible. He also made the defensive play on 4th and goal from the 1 in OT against Raceland in the playoffs last year. Pikeville scored on their first offensive play after that and pulled off the upset. I spoke with the Defensive Co-ordinator after that game and he told me that he hadn't called that defense, that Cody read it from the start and when the snap occured, he was blitzing through the line on his own and made the tackle. Very heady football player. By the way, I'm just about ready to put Chase Hall in the company of Cody Estep and Randy Maynard.

Imo, that would be a good move. He's very well deserving,and one of the best athletes to ever wear the maroon and white.

[SPORTS FAN 101]

Good win, congrats