Playoff-Bound

After watching four weeks of high school football and two weeks of preseason, I am ready to make some bold predictions.
First of all, all four area teams will make the playoffs. Two will be at home and two will travel for a first-round game.
Starting at the top of the list with the Corbin Redhounds. Corbin will likely loose at Bell County this week but the Redhounds will go on a five-game streak to end the regular season at 5-5.
Clint Cashen looked good Friday night against Lexington Christian. His passes were on target, throwing for two touchdowns. The sophomore will find a way to lead the Redhounds to a district championship.
Where was Josh Sanders the last two weeks? Sanders also had a good game against the Eagles. He scored on a pass and had another rushing the football.
After this week, the Redhounds key games will be against Middlesboro and Garrard County. A win over Middlesboro is key if the Redhounds want to finish the season at .500 and the Garrard County game will be key in claiming yet another district title.
Some think the Wayne County game will be much bigger. The Redhounds dominated the Cardinals last season and I expect that to happen once again.
Wayne County has wins over Clay County, Knox Central and Green County. Not your everyday class AA championship teams.
Other players key to a Corbin run is Eric Blackwood on offense as well as defense. Lucas Henson, Andy Millard, Josh Martin, Blake Freeman, Ryan Tate and Chance Hendrickson. These guys can do it and will do it. They are what Redhound football is all about.
There’s no need to get down

on the Redhounds, they are young but will bounce back, just wait and see.
There are several outstanding teams off to slow starts this season. Remember the Trinity team that started 0-4 several years ago but won the 4A title. As long as the team continues to improve by November anything can happen once you get in the playoffs.
Lynn Camp
The Wildcats have started to form a huge snowball that will only get bigger as the season rolls on.
Look for Lynn Camp to finish the regular season 8-2 or 7-3.
A district championship looks like a real possibility with Jimmy Chaffin, Josh Reynolds and Joe Roskopf running over opponents who get in the way.
Senior quarterback Nick Scalf continues to do a great

job leading the Wildcats on the field. He is outstanding on both sides of the football as are the other three already mention. Then add senior lineman Anthony Walters to the mix and the Wildcats will make the run.
Several teams stand in the way of a number one spot in the playoffs. Harlan, Somerset and Williamsburg. Two of those games are on the road, Harlan and Somerset.
A lot of people like Somerset’s chances in winning the district, but don’t overlook the Dragons. They have played as well as Somerset and Lynn Camp. Two teams that appear to be very dangerous are Williamsburg and Cumberland. Given what I knew about last year’s teams, I didn’t think either one would be in the picture in 2005, but both are capable of pulling an upset.
Somerset gets to tangle with the Redskins Friday night at Cumberland. This one could be a very interesting game.
Whitley County
The Colonels will go 6-4 or 5-5 in a very tough 4A district. They will jump in the thick of the race Friday night when they travel to Lincoln County, the newcomer in the district.
It must be tough getting off to a 1-2 record at the start of the season, but I agree with coach Mike Campbell. He has put together an outstanding schedule.
As matter of fact, that pre-district schedule might be the difference in getting to the playoffs.
Middlesboro, Lynn Camp and Shelby County are three very fine teams. Prior to the season I questioned Shelby County, since I am from that area, but the Rockets looked to be solid. Shelby County knocked off South Oldham last week 21-19 after the Dragons had beaten a good Oldham County team, 56-0.
The Colonels, led by Cody Jeffries, Ladale Rider, Mark Teague, Shawn Baird, Eli Rhodes and sophomore QB, Jordan McCumbers, have an excellent shot at the playoffs.
The Colonels face several big games as well. The first comes this week when they travel to Lincoln County. This one will be a tough win over the Colonels in what they call “Death Valley”.
Of course Madison Central will pose a difficult challenge but that is a home game. The Indians look to be the front-runner.
Another big game appears to be at South Laurel. Early in the season, the Cardinals figured to be tougher opponents but that’s why the game is played on the field. Southwestern stopped the Cardinals cold last week and shocked many experts.
If the Colonels get past Lincoln County and Montgomery and even Madison Central the South Laurel game will be even bigger.
Then Clark County awaits the Colonels in Winchester. Another team that will have a say in the district title.
The Colonels will host the North Laurel Jaguars in the final game of the season and that game might be for a playoff spot.
If my math is right and my knowledge of the game in on track, it will be.
Given the talent level at this point in the season, the Colonels must capture wins over Lincoln County, Montgomery County and North Laurel. Beating Madison Central, South Laurel and Clark County would be icing on the cake.
Williamsburg
The Yellow Jackets might very well be the surprise of Class A football.
You have to give coach Jim Black a lot of credit for getting some kids off the street and back into high school football.
Williamsburg could very well be back in the playoffs after going undefeated in the regular season last year.
They have won 14 straight games over a three-year period and the last time they lost was October 17, 2003 when they lost the Wildcats of Lynn Camp.
The Jackets also have several key games. The first will come September 30 when they travel over to Somerset. Williamsburg put a whipping on the Jumpers last year and it could be payback time.
However, you can’t count out the Jackets with sophomore Thomas Frazier leading the team.
And the hands of Chase Hamblin, who can haul in any type of pass.
They also have capable runners in Tommy Helbig and Charlie Bryant. They have an outstanding line that can do the job.
After Somerset looms Harlan, another team I figured would be rebuilding. But the Dragons have gotten off to an outstanding start.
Games against Evarts and Cumberland will be huge for the Yellow Jackets because they end the season with those pesky Wildcats of Lynn Camp.
Soccer
Before I close out this column, congrats to the Corbin High School soccer team. The Redhounds knocked off Somerset last week to reach the All “A” Region finals.
Corbin lost to Danville in the finals, but the Redhounds look headed in the right direction.
I figured the Redhounds would have to settle for the second spot in the district but they are really coming along and how I believe they will give South Laurel a run for the number one seed.
It looks like they will have to beat the Cardinals to get out of the region. Perry Central seems to be the only team good enough to knock off the Cardinals or Redhounds.
Seniors Trey Monaco, Chase Pugh, Max Sisson looked outstanding in the tournament but the play of David Chrisman and Casey Pile looked much improved.
If these guys keep improving and stay focused, the sky is the limit for the Redhounds soccer team.