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LOOKING BACK
Posted On 17 Sep 2009
Comment: 1
The 2009 high school football season has been somewhat bizarre to this point. In the beginning I felt Whitley County was ready to assume the position of the best team in the mountains. The Colonels had manhandled Lexington Catholic in the season opener despite losing in the final moments of the game.
That game coupled with Bell County losing at home to Tennessee powerhouse Alcoa had me come to the conclusion that Whitley County would step to the front.
Not so, as Bell County blasted Whitley County on their home turf, I still feel the Colonels will rebound and finish strong against a very demanding schedule.
The Corbin Redhounds rolled to a third win in a row over North Laurel, 34-8 behind the power running of Caleb Watkins, Ryan Fritts and Matthew Taylor.
The defense of the Redhounds was stifling behind Watkins, Taylor, Brody Foley and Saxon Okuma.
Coach Steve Jewell along with brother, Jackie, an assistant, have received some significant contribution on special teams from within the family. Head coach Steve Jewell’s son, Matt, a freshman, has played very well on special teams’ defense on kickoffs and at the bandit position on defense.
Coach Jackie Jewell’s son, Josh is also a freshman and does an outstanding job of placing the football for the extra point and field goal attempts of Okuma.
Okuma has become an extremely valuable player for this year’s Redhounds. Okuma has proved to be an outstanding place kicker and a staple on the defense.
Roman Mitchell seems to improve with each game at quarterback and with his improvement the Redhounds ability to make big plays and overcome third and long plays improve.
Aaron Mann’s made two receptions against the Jaguars and may give the ‘Hounds another viable option on offense. I also noticed the good play of Guy Lewallen, who was very active and aggressive.
Ben House certainly looks like an excellent receiver as he goes for the ball with reckless abandon. C.J. Crawford, Devin Sowders and Mitchell Fredericks all played well on pass defense.
Overall, the Redhounds seem to be getting better each week but it is going to be difficult to tell just how good the Redhounds are until the Lexington Christian game.
A couple of guys I left out when I was recalling players of the ‘70’s and ‘80’s were Jimmy Spicer, who was a sensational player in the mid’70s/ Spicer was an All-State running back who was named Player of the Year in the SEKC his senior year.
Robbie Lamm was one of my personal favorite Redhounds in the ‘80s along with Chris Hart. Both Robbie and Chris played on a championship church high school basketball team coached by yours truly.
I am sure many more young men I have overlooked will come to mind.
I noticed Mike Fields, the self appointed Guru of high school athletics, who covers such for the Lexington Herald-Leader wrote in his Friday column the Redhounds had recorded their first win over Danville (31-14) in “almost” twenty years.
Fields made it sound like this was a rivalry and Danville had won about 19 games in a row. In actuality the two teams have played quite infrequently over that period of time.
I’ll bet Fields doesn’t know it but Highlands has not beat the Redhounds since 1962 when the ‘Hounds won 10-0. Of course they have not played since that time.
September 14th, 2009. The Cantrell Ratings in the Lexington Herald-Leader has Corbin rated 4th in 2A with a 66.2.
Tuesday morning, September 20, 1960, the Louisville Courier-Journal listed their Litkenhous rating of state high school football teams.
1. Corbin 99.9
2. Louisville Flaget 88.6
3. St. Xavier 87.4
4. Louisville Manual 85.0
5. Highlands 82.4
6. Holmes 82.0
7. Louisville Male 81.9
8. Madisonville 79.3
9. MMI 79.0
10. Somerset 78.4
Corbin vs. Danville (last 20 years)
Aug. 28, 2009 Corbin 31, Danville 14
Aug. 19, 2000 Danville 35, Corbin 6
Nov. 4, 1995 Danville 49, Corbin 13
Aug. 27, 1994 Danville 47, Corbin 0
Aug. 28, 1992 Danville 21, Corbin 18
Nov. 14, 1992 Danville 49, Corbin 3
Nov. 23, 1990 Corbin 30, Danville 7
