TFL2001

That's the Russell kid we're talking about. His name is King Russell. He was at DB but has recently transferred to Science Hill. I could not figure out why he wasn't starting at DB last year (once I saw him play), and am even more confused as to why he apparently wasn't going to be the starter again there this year. They have another good RB over there, Jacoby Thompson, that was apparently named the starter. And don't get me wrong, he's good, but Russell is better. I'm not even a DB fan and it was clear after seeing him play last year that the kid is a phenomenal talent.

I didn't want to bring it up but since you alluded to to it, I did hear this morning that another DB player is talking of transferring to SH. I won't name who the kid is but I have heard he's good. Is this what you are hinting at? I remember when the Adams kid transferred from SH to DB. You're right, that one did hurt. He ended up being a very good player for you all, both in football and basketball. It was a big blow to the Topper program when he left. I won't pretend to know what's going on over there in Kingsport right now but all these transfers (or talk thereof) have to be concerning.

From what I've heard the one position on offense that needed someone to really step up was/is at RB. There is some talent there but it's young and inexperienced. With Russell coming aboard that immediately solves the RB problem. IMO he was the best back DB had. I hope things work out for him at SH. You never know when you bring a new player in this late, especially when said player comes from your biggest rival. I do know that Russell is friends with several of the Topper players already so the change shouldn't be too hard for him. And from the little I've heard, sounds like the move is something he wanted anyway. Acumen, so will there be no eligibility issues then? I heard his family moved to Johnson City.

Good question. Why would he transfer if he knew he had to sit out a year? Considering the kid is thought of as one of the best underclassmen in the state, sitting a year definitely can't be good for him. Did he simply change schools or did his family move to Johnson City or something of that nature? Because from the little I've heard, his family moved/is moving to Johnson City. If true, I believe that would make him immediately eligible since it's a change of address. Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.

Former DB RB, King Russell, has transferred to SH and is now a Topper. Heard he's going to play football and basketball. Thoughts, Indians fans?

Just spoke to a player for SH and he confirmed for me that King Russell has transferred and is now a Topper.

I haven't been to any scrimmages or heard much from them. I know at this point they've scrimmaged David Crockett, Sullivan South and Lenoir City. I heard they are supposed to be scrimmaging Knox Catholic this Friday. I might try to see that one. I also spoke to a Topper player earlier who told me that former DB RB, King Russell, has transferred to SH and will be playing on the football team this year. Wow. HUGE get for the Toppers.

I guess people are underestimating SH this year simply because McGue is no longer there. I think a lot people are going to be surprised. The Toppers have plenty of talent back and OL/DL lines are stout (although they still need some work). This is the biggest/strongest Topper team I've seen in a long time.

If so, the DB/SH rivalry just got a lot more heated, which I didn't think was possible. And is the Foreman kid still playing for DB?

IF the rumor about the Russell kid transferring to SH are true, DB lost a heckuva player and SH gained one. RB was really the only position on offense that I was concerned about. The Toppers have got a good QB and the WR corps is solid. It also makes that rivalry a lot more heated, which I didn't think was possible.

I've heard this but I don't think it's true. Maybe a DB fan can help answer this.

Obviously the loss of McGue will hurt. A player like that doesn't come along often. The Toppers are still in good hands this year though. They have 7 or so returning on defense and about 5-6 returning on offense, I believe. Starting QB, Justin Bedard, is a good one. He's a big, strong kid that has plenty of varsity experience. Last year, he played mainly at RB (and turned out to be very good there) but his primary position is QB. The WR corps should be a real strength on offense. The Toppers leading receiver from last year, Elijah Mathes, is back, as is Tyrique Perkins, a kid who really showed out late in the season. A newcomer to watch at that position is Davi White. His brother, Mikey (graduated and now at Western Carolina), was a homerun threat every time he touched the ball and Davi will be as well. The kid is just a playmaker. The Toppers also have a 6'5 kid playing TE this year. OL has 3-4 starters returning. The big ones there are Cameron Burress and Quinton Alibocus. Both kids are huge and it would not surprise me at all to see a lot of teams have to double team them, at least Burress anyway. Defense, as always, is the big question mark. There are numerous players returning so they should be fine but the coaching there is questionable. The secondary is the group with the least experience but they've got a lot of talented players there (Mathes and White being two of them) so I think they'll end up being okay. Special teams, K, Alex Rinella graduated and is at Western Kentucky now, so it will be interesting to see who takes his place. P, Adam Mooreleghen, is back though so that's a plus. I haven't been to any scrimmages or really heard anything from them. I know they have a scrimmage against Knox Catholic pretty soon.

Is he still at DB? Just no longer playing football?

So why is he no longer playing?

No. Several OL returning, multiple WR's returning (including the #1 WR from last year's team, Elijah Mathis), a 6'5 Junior TE that is really going to turn some heads and a kid by the name of Davi White (younger brother of Mikey, WR threat for Toppers last year). I believe Davi will be listed as an ATH but I think you'll mainly see him at WR. The kid is a playmaker. And I know opponents are breathing a sigh of relief now that McGue has graduated but do not sleep on Justin Bedard at QB. He's got a canon for an arm, much stronger than McGue's, and he proved last year while playing mainly at RB that he's got speed and is hard to bring down. As for the RB position, I haven't heard much but my guess is they'll alternate between Juniors, Sondai Ewing and Tyrique Price. They've also got a very good Sophomore RB named Arthur James. As for the backup QB, watch out for a kid named Jaylen Adams. He will remind fans and opponents a lot of McGue. He's just a Sophomore but he got some varsity experience last year when McGue and Bedard were injured. And he showed flashes of being very very good.

They also met earlier this season, back in March, with Science Hill winning 2-0. Tomorrow night's game should be a great one though. Go Toppers!

Great win for the boys from Johnson City as they knock off previously unbeaten HVA. Now bring that championship title back to The Hill! Not only do the players deserve a ton of credit but how about first year head coach, Coach Strickland? Taking a program to the state title game in his first season as HC.

Both Coach Cutlip and Coach Good are great men. I would let my kid play for either. An interesting point was raised by another poster. Just how long will Coach Good stay at Crockett after his son graduates next year? Because not only will Patrick graduate but so will several of the other SH transfers (B. Coleman and I. Martin), all of whom are in the Pioneers starting five this year. Dustin Day graduates this year and he's another starter for them. Good, Day and Coleman are their top 3 scorers. And everybody knows that losing your top 3 scorers would hurt any team. It will really hurt Crockett though. Yes, Coach Good may be able to get a few more transfers once his son graduates but I will be pretty shocked if he actually does. Not because he isn't a good coach but because it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that kids are transferring because they want to play on the same team as Patrick. They may like Coach Good a lot but they are transferring because of his son. If Patrick weren't at Crockett, I honestly don't think you would've seen one player transfer from SH to there. I wonder if the SH transfers that are currently sophomores at Crockett even end up staying there once Patrick graduates next year. I'm just saying I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see them try and go back to SH for their senior year.

Crockett beat SH last year by 20 at Crockett. Their fans and players (not all but many) have been talking for months about how they were going to kick the Hilltoppers you know what on Jan. 6. So, I wouldn't assume they lost due to "mental block". They lost because as another poster put it, they're a one man show and that's it. Without Good, they are nothing special. An average team. They lost tonight because the Hilltoppers played better team basketball. They can't just depend on one player to do it all for them. Tonight was just more proof that after Good graduates next year, Crockett is in for a rude awakening.

Huge win for the SH Hilltoppers over the Crockett Pioneers at Crockett. Malik McGue had 20 pts for SH. Patrick Good had 33 for Crockett. A very heated game that saw one fan tossed from the gym and a Crockett player tossed from the game. For those who are wondering how this became a rivalry, Crockett's entire team is made up of mostly SH transfers.

I know one of them was Noah Charles. He's a streaky player. He usually averages between 10-15 a game. I also know Bowden Lyons didn't play. The last few games he's been averaging between 5-10. So they wouldn't have made the difference in this game but I do believe it would have been a little closer had they played.

Nice win for Oak Ridge. I know Science Hill had a few players out sick but still a good win for the Wildcats.

Yeah there's no question in my mind that had the Toppers not lost the players they have to transfer they would probably be competing at state this year. Losing talent like Good, Coleman and Martin hurt them, especially Good. They're a fairly young team and they just don't have a lot of experience playing together. That's why I said they are just now starting to gel as a team. They played the first few games of the season without the football players which also hurt. I know McGue hasn't played in the last 3-4 games either due to football commitments. Players are starting to find their roles though and I think they could be pretty good by the end of the season. They'll get better as the season goes along. I won't get to see them play OR this weekend but good luck to both teams. Should be a good game.

I don't really know much about DB this year but I know they beat the Toppers in double OT a few weeks back. I also know they lost a few players from last year's team to transfer. Same with Science Hill. Science Hill's team is just now starting to gel as a unit and are playing pretty well. They are a good 3 pt shooting team. You've got to keep your eye on Garrison Brown and Peyton Wingate. Those two are great 3 pt shooters. Malik McGue can get hot at any given time. He's averaging between 10-20 a game. They've also got two pretty good sophomores, Nate Jackson and Bowden Lyons. They're not a big team but they're quick and athletic and they can force a lot of turnovers with their defense.

Crockett has a very good team this year but once Good and 2-3 of the other Science Hill transfers graduate in '16 the Pioneers will fall back to the bottom of the conference. Players are only transferring because they want to play with Patrick. Once he graduates the transfers will stop and everyone knows it. Without him, they really aren't that good of a team. They would be the 3rd-4th best team in the conference this year without him. They are averaging 70-80 points a game and he's scoring 30-40 of those points. That tells you right there that without him they are nothing special. Yeah, they're 13-0 but who have they played? No one really. They're winning against pretty weak competition. They would lose by 25-30 to those Memphis teams. Science Hill actually has a better team this year than I think a lot of people were expecting. They're just now starting to really gel as a team. The matchup with Crockett in a few weeks will be a wild one. Science Hill vs Science Hill is how a lot of people I know are referring to it.