ATLCat

25 yd FG Belfry 24-7 in 3rd

Belfry lost 2 of their HB's to injury. CAK lost Thompson to a hip pointer.

HALF Belfry 21 CAK 7 Belfry 3 possessions and 3 scores including a 21 play drive that covered 87 yards and most of the 2nd Quarter. CAK scored smoothly on their first drive. On their 2nd drive they had a false start and a completely needless personal foul that backed them up. Third drive they drove into redzone following abig pass to Welch but could not convert 4th and 2. Fourth drive was 3 and Out

Pack a poncho. Forecast is for lost of rain tonight. Safe travels.

^^^ Yes sir Chirico's Restaurant 235 Main St Pikeville, KY 41501 Some other good food (non-chain) in Pikeville I would recommend: Blue Raven (Various Entrees) http://theblueraven.net/ Pig In a Poke (BBQ) Bank 253 (American/Sports Bar) http://www.bank253.net/ I actually miss the Mexican Restaurants back there as well.. El Azul Grande El Poncho

^^^ Chirico's is the Italian place you are referring to! Also forgot to mention for anyone wanting to listen to the radio or catch the pre-game show you can listen on 93.1 FM. Should be able to pick it up right at the Virginia/Kentucky border. The Belfry radio crew actually does a very good job in my opinion. Not nearly the yelling and screaming homers you find in most places. The color man is a retired coach who was one of the most respected Assistant Coaches in the State of Kentucky and the play by play man does his best to check his bias at the door. You can also listen to it live on www.wdhr.com if for some reason CAK does not do a live stream. Wishing safe travels to all CAK fans!

Geographical but not classification Perry Central is a lower tier 5A Program. Hazard is a quality 1A program. Belfry usually scrimmages Hazard every year and does 7 on 7 with them. This year Hazard is a Top 7 1A team. Belfry usually handles Hazard pretty easily in the scrimmage due to their size, but Hazard is very well coached and always has some nice players and run the spread which helps Belfry.

As for what to expect with Belfry's team... Belfry has been up and down this year and are an extremely young team loaded with Sophomores and Freshmen. This is one of the most talented rosters Belfry has had, but a mixture of youth, running back depth, and lack of Senior Leadership have made them hot and cold. Belfry returned a lot of experience on defense and last year had 6 Freshman play key minutes in the Title Game. On offense Belfry lost their QB and both starting HB's to graduation, but returned their best runner in the FB Hatfield (did not play at CAK) and their playmaking SE Taylor. Belfry opened the season by whipping 6A Lexington Henry Clay which caught everyone's eye. Henry Clay returned 22 Seniors off a team that could have won the 6A Title. Henry Clay is loaded with speed, athletes, and has a handful of guys that will be getting serious recruiting time. Henry Clay had less than 250 total yards and no offensive points. Since then they have averaged over 50 points per game and nearly 500 yards playing all 6A Schools. Belfry played up defeating 5A Harlan County (score was not an indicator of the game) and 5A Southwestern. Southwestern will probably be a Top 6 or 7 team in the new 5A rankings after defeating Damien Harris and Madison Southern. Belfry though did not look nearly as sharp in those games execution wise and they overlooked 1A rival Pikeville and had one of the most surprising upsets in the State as a result. Pikeville had not defeated Belfry since 2001 and caught Belfry flat and held their ground fr the win. The last two weeks Belfry has been dominant against weaker competition. Outside of the Pikeville game Belfry has allowed only one offensive TD against their Starting Defense.. a long TD run to Southwestern. Pikeville though carved them up that night with the run and pass. The story for Belfry right now is their offensive backfield. Belfry lost their #2 HB in the first game with a collarbone and their #3 player left the team to transfer schools due to family issues before the Pikeville game. Belfry has since went with the talented Soph QB and moved Taylor to HB. The offense has looked good since the move, but both teams were not very strong. CAK should give us an idea if that move is going to work. Belfry's strength this year is their massive, experienced O-line. They average around 6'1 290 across the line and have a ton of starting experience. The only knock on the Line is they have committed some very costly penalties that have negated some very costly TD's and big plays. Some were from being too aggressive and finishing blocks behind the play. The FB Hatfield I mentioned is a treat to watch. http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2244865/highlights Kid is a true FB player and is good for a "wow" moment each game where he breaks 5 or 6 tackles. Defensively Belfry is really quick. They have two excellent Sophomore DT's in Bentley and Horton. Horton is a manchild and will be getting some major D-1 looks as he gets older. A special talent.The secondary worries me this week. They aren't bad... but Belfry is traditionally very conservative in pass coverage against spread teams and if a team is patient they can sustain very good success. Pikeville hurt Belfry 4 yards at a time. Belfry's Kicker and Punter are solid...but Belfry's Punt Return game has been an abortion. I honestly think they have more muffs and misfielded punts they let roll for 15 extra yards then they do clean catches.

Some general info for those travelling: - If you need to eat on the way I suggest either stopping in the Kingsport area or in Pikeville for the best choices. Norton, VA has a few options as well but the majority of the trip will be very rural. Between Belfry HS and the WV border there are some options for fast food, but if you want something to stick with you Pikeville will be your best bet . - If anyone plans on spending the night once again Pikeville is the best way to go. There is a Hampton Inn and a Holiday Inn Express as well as a few more motels/hotels. - Belfry fans always tailgate and if you are personable enough to walk up I am sure they will let you join in and treat you like family. If you want to tailgate yourself there is a Food City a jog away from the stadium... there is also a Wal-Mart about a Half a Mile down the road to get supplies. - If for some reason someone wants to make a full on trip out of it the Belfry area is best known as being the site of the Hatfield & McCoy feud. http://www.tourpikecounty.com/hatfields_and_mccoys/ If you are willing to take a bit of a detour the Breaks Interstate Park on the border of Kentucky and Virginia is really pretty. http://www.breakspark.com/ - Belfry has a really nice facility with ample visitor seating. Parking isn't bad if you arrive early you should be able to park at the school. For late arriving crowds usually people line the highway with their cars.The bleachers are metal so if it is cold plan accordingly with blankets or seats to stay warm. The field is turf and CAK will have their own locker room, not some gym or bootleg place to change.

Looking forward to seeing how this one plays out! Both teams are going to be seeing a different level of opponent I believe. Last year Belfry came down to Knoxville with a MASH unit with what I recall was 4-5 starters out on both sides of the football due to injury or suspension. That was also the terrific young QB of your's first ever start so obviously he had to deal with some butterflies. CAK was an awesome host and everyone I spoke to raved about the class which they were treated and the way CAK ran their program! Hopefully the return trip proves to be a similar situation for the Warrior faithful. First a few clarifications then I will discuss what you can expect from Belfry. 1) Belfry is not the 3 time defending State Champions. They won the title last year 3-0 over Wayne Co, but that was their 3rd Total Title (2003 and 2004 the other). Belfry has reached the Title game each of the past 4 years and 7 times since 2003. They were narrowly defeated in 2011 and 2012. 2) The best way to make the drive will probably be to take I-81 to Kingsport. Turn onto I-26 until it becomes US-23 there around Weber City, VA. Stay on US 23 all the way to Pikeville, KY then turn right onto US 119. US 119 will lead you straight to the HS. You will pass thru the community of Belfry (not even a true stoplight) and by the old High School (now Belfry Middle School). It will be about 3 miles North on the right and you won't be able to miss it. If you come to a sign saying "Welcome to West Virginia" you are blind... ... but go ahead and turn around and go back about 2.5 miles and look again. It should be all 4 Lane Roads the entire trip and pretty nice speed limits. Shouldn't be too horrible of a drive. I will make a separate post with some info to help you all out. 3) I remember Alcoa crushing Bell. If there is any correlation to search for Bell is now 3A and has been the past 3 or 4 years. Since moving down to 3A they have yet to advance out of the Regional Final Round while Belfry has reached the Finals each year and won a Title. Bellw as way down last year, but in 2011 and 2012 thy had their season end to the same team Belfry lost to, Louisville Central. In both years Belfry played Central much tougher and truth be told should have probably beat them. Last year Central beat Bell as well but Wayne County was the best team in that Region. They defeated Bell 41-6, Belfry defeated Wayne County 3-0. With that said, Alcoa would have crushed Belfry both of those seasons (2009 and 2010) as well by just as bad of scores. Tremendous respect for that program and frankly wouldn't mind seeing Alcoa and Belfry do a Home and Home the next two years.

Final Belfry 27 CAK 20 Great game Warriors! Your team played with a ton of heart! Wish you could have seen Belfry at full strength but this game was invaluable for the experience our guys got against a darn fine football team. That Freshman QB will be special! Absolutely nothing but reports of CAK being absolutely first class and one of the most hospitable hosts Belfry has ever played at. After the whole KHSAA controversy with handshakes for both teams to pray together was an awesome sight. Really look forward to hosting you guys next year to return the favor. You have a very young team and have some great days ahead over the next couple years.

Quick update: Belfry's injury situation is still in the air, but as of Monday * Indicates a Starter Probable: *FB/*DE Austin Hatfield- Belfry's All-State candidate FB *WR/*CB Keaton Taylor- Belfry's very productive WR *S Caleb Edwards Questionable/Doubtful: *HB Justin Johnson- Belfry's top HB and leading rusher *DE Austin Hall Out: DE Jacob Francisco *S Cameron Johnson (suspension) HB/DB Xondre Willis- Top sub at HB and CB, also top kick returner Hatfield and Taylor are critical. Hatfield is the straw that stirs the drink at FB and Taylor is a homerun threat. Taylor and Edwards are desperately welcome help for a secondary about to face a spread team the likes of CAK. Belfry aready be without their top Safety and their Nickel Back, having both starting corners and their other Safety is desperately needed. Justin Johnson is the one to watch now. He is averaging over 10 yards per carry for his career and is a tough back to defend. Hall is a Freshman and very talented, but losing him will not be a major blow now that Hatfield is looking like he can go.

The run is Belfry's forte and they do it very well. With that said, Belfry's success is going to be predicated on the injuries suffered. Pass defense has always been a bug-a-boo of Belfry. The Pirates have some nice players in this year's secondary, but the coaching staff's general philosophy has always been sort of a bend but don't break philosophy where they focus on taking away very specific aspects of a team's offense and looking to pounce once a team makes a mistake either by turnover, blown assignment, or crucial penalty. The one thing you can always expect from Belfry is a very fundamentally sound team who has the ability to pop the homerun with one blown assignment on defense, but their bread and butter is a death by a thousand cuts picking teams apart 4 yards at a time. Here are some youtube videos about Belfry for some perspective: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsJQJjYMhzo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH23wPCIxO8 This is from the Semi's a few years back but gives you an idea of Belfry's offensive and defensive schemes (Belfry ran the wishbone in 07 FWIW): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuJIu3BL4dg

Great info guys.. also thanks for the kind words! The entire Belfry fanbase was ecstatic when this game was added upon seeing the pedigree of the Warriors. I think everyone in KY is aware of the prowess of Alcoa and to see a program who has not only played on the same level of Alcoa, but had bested them, was exactly what the Pirates were looking for as they attempted to improve their schedule First some background on the Pirates.. then what you can expect Friday. First of all please don't take any of this as blowing smoke or bragging..just I know I like knowing the background and history of teams so I want to give you that. Belfry is a public, county 3A school in KY.. enrollment typically around 700-750 Grades 9-12. The Pirates have had a rich history in football led by one of the most respected coaches in the nation Phillip Haywood who is KY's All-Time wins leader and among the Top 20 active coaches nationally in wins. The past decade has been the pinnacle of Belfry football as the Pirates have 6 State Finals appearances and 2 State Titles as well as 9/10 Semi-Final appearances. Historically I would consider Belfry probably a Top 15 program overall in the State of KY...nothing remotely close to the level of the State's Powerhouse teams like Trinity, Highlands, etc. As you may already be aware, Belfry has played in the last three 3A Championships and 4 of the last 6.. losing each time to Louisville Central. Three of the four losses have been games that were literally determined by a single play with last year's being the most painful as an extra point being missed ultimately cost the Pirates the title. Central has became a 3A Dynasty and in response to that the Belfry program has attempted to evolve.. chiefly by upping their strength of schedule. That is where CAK comes into play. Belfry enters 6-0 and ranked #1 in 3A.. but as of Sunday, October 6th no one knows what team you will see take the field Friday. Belfry finished this past Friday's game with 8 starters either injured or suspended, as well as their #1 sub at HB and DB. A healthy Belfry team would make for a fantastic game.. but if the team who finished this week's game missing 4/6 of their top skill players, both starting DE's, and both starting Safeties have to take the field then the Warriors may blow Belfry back across the border in major fashion. Belfry typically has arguably one of the best travelling fanbases in KY.. and one of the most passionate groups in general. The looong trip, coupled with the Friday kickoff, will certainly deter the typical Belfry road crowd. I still expect a nice turnout considering the distance as I think a good deal of people plan to make a weekend out of it by staying in the Smokies. Scheme wise Belfry on offense runs primarily out of the flexbone and are a very run dominated team. They have a very smooth customer at QB who runs the option offense to near perfection and has a pretty good arm as well. When healthy Belfry's backfield is deep, talented, and diverse led by a pitbull at FB, a shifty scatback, and a prototype HB with good size. Their starting WR has been one of the most prolific in the state as it seems every other reception is a TD. Belfry's line is never freakishly large, they tend to go with short, stocky linemen with good quickness to pull or get down the line. Defensively Belfry will run essentially a hybrid of a 5-2 and a 3-4. Most KY teams are run heavy so Belfry's base defense by nature is designed for tall, athletic DE's who put their hand on the ground. Against spread offenses you typically see those same DE's simply stand up in order to play the pass more effectively and better read the play in case of run. If any of you guys want to there is a massive Belfry contingent on bluegrassrivals.com (Mods if this link is not ok feel free to remove it)

Hello to all the CAK fans on here. Looking forward to discussing the upcoming matchup with you. What can the Pirates look forward to vs. CAK?

Big hello to the CAK fans on here. Just researching your team a bit before my team from Belfry, KY comes to visit you all in a couple weeks. Good luck these upcoming weeks!