LC Boys Basketball 5/3rd Bank Schedule

Lincoln County will open the Lexington Catholic 5/3rd Bank tournament at 3:00 on Thursday Dec. 27 with a game against the winner of the Dixie Heights vs. East Ridge, Tennessee game. The game will be played on the main court at Lexington Catholic. The complete Schedule can be viewed here:

http://www.lexingtoncatholic.com/sports/basketball/bbasketball/2007KHC.xls

LC Boys finish 3rd @ Defender of the Station

Lincoln County Boys defeated Wayne County 84-45 in the 3rd place game of the Defenders of the Station tournament in Lexington. The win improved the Patriots record to 6-2. Lincoln opened the tournament with a tough loss to no. 9 Henry Clay 72-69 as they missed two 3's to tie the game inside the last few seconds. They followed the Henry Clay loss with a win over another preseason top 25 team with a win over Dupont Manual 61-59. Lincoln's third game game came against Covington Holy Cross, who had previously lost to Manual 96-89 and Henry Clay 53-43, and the Patriots prevailed by a score of 82-54. The 2-1 record in Pool Play set Lincoln up with Wayne Co. in the 3rd Place game. Ryan Young and Ethan Spurlin both made the All-tournament team for Lincoln.

LC Boys Defender of the Station Schedule

All games at Henry Clay

Wednesday vs. Henry Clay 8:00 pm
Thursday vs. Dupont Manual 6:30 pm
Friday vs. Covington Holy Cross 6:30 pm
Saturday is determine by the 3 previous games.

LC Boys improve to 3-1 with win at West Jessamine

The Patriots improved to 3-1 on the season with a 55-49 win over West Jessamine in Nicholasville. The Patriots started slow and trailed at half time 25-19. The Patriots shot only 30% and had only 6 assists for the game. This team struggled in a half court set and will have to learn to play half court. They definitely have the horses to run with anyone, but teams will try to slow it against them and they will have to run some half court sets. Ryan Young led the Pats with 18 points followed by Noah Keeton and Ethan Spurlin with 14 apiece.

LC Girls Use Balanced Attack to Beat Corbin

The Lincoln County girl's basketball team moved to 5-0 by beating Corbin 57-34 Friday night. Lincoln had 3 players in double figures (Upchurch 14, Bustle 12, and Lane 11) and two others were close (Patterson 9 and Brown 8). After struggling through a dismal 2nd quarter, they exploded in the 2nd half with 34 points (which is what Corbin scored all night). There were scouts in the stands looking at #4 from Corbin, but I think that they left with the idea that some of these sophomores from LC are getting on the radar for playing at the next level. Once again, Lincoln did not play well for a stretch (22 turnovers), but still beat a good team by more than 20 points. Keep an eye on this team, they have a chance to be special.

LC Boys roll past East Jessamine

Lincoln County improved to 2-1 Tuesday night with a 92-71 win at East Jessamine. Lincoln's press is effective until they get tired and then they become pretty average. They went from up 46-30 to up by 29 just 4 minutes into the second half. During that stretch tough defense and sharing the basketball was the key. Daniel Ralston led all scorers finishing with 25 points, followed by Ryan Young with 24 (10 assists), Ethan Spurlin 19 (13 rebounds) and Noah Keeton with 13 points (7 assists). I would put our first 4 up against anyone in the region.

If this team plays as a team first and lets the stats take care of themselves this will be a very special team. I do think that we will need to develop some depth with Edgington, Ellis, Owsley, Gilbert, Jackson and others.

Friday at West Jessamine should be a good test. West has an impressive win over McCreary Central. They have 2 small guards who really get after the basketball.

LC boys rally but fall short to Bryan Station

If there was any question if the football players would play basketball against Bryan Station, it was answered with a resounding "yes" on Tuesday night. After spotting the Defenders a 30-15 1st quarter lead, the Patriots rallied back to eventually tie the game with about 5 minutes to go but ultimately fell short 85-79. Ethan Spurlin had 23 points and 6 rebounds to lead Lincoln. Daniel Ralston had 17 points, Noah Keeton had 16 (and 8 rebounds), Ryan Young had 15 (and 6 assists to go along with 6 turnovers). You could tell that Keeton, Young, and Tre Owsley (who played well) were not in basketball shape yet, but they still went toe to toe with the 5th ranked team in the state. Shelvin Mack of Bryan Station had 18 points including back to back trips where he made tough baskets to put Lincoln away. If you didn't get to see it in person, you missed one heck of a game. I know we lost, but I feel that if we played Bryan Station next month, the end result would be different. Give the coaches and players time to blend the football players in with the rest and Lincoln will be tough to beat. Bryan Station gave #1 Mason County all they wanted last week and Lincoln took #5 Bryan Station to the wire. Get a schedule and make time to watch this team play. You won't be disappointed.

Girls Defeat Rockcastle

The Lincoln County Girls Basketball team defeated Rockcastle last night 62-54 in what was an outstanding game to watch. In case you're not up on 12th region girl's basketball, Rockcastle is one of the teams predicted to contend for the title and Lincoln made a statement that they will have something to say about who wins this region. Rockcastle has several players remaining from last year's regional semifinalist team and the previous year's regional champion team. Lincoln's Jessica Upchurch played extremely well both offensively and defensively and shut down Sarah Rowe (who might be the most athletic player in the region). Nikki Bustle and Savannah Lane hit key three pointers and Kendra Brown and Keira Henderson showed flashes of dominance in the paint. The press gave Lincoln problems, but in the end, Alissa Patterson was able to control the ball well enough to preserve the win. It's time to get on the girl's bandwagon! They travel to East Jessamine on Friday (no boy's game) and host Garrard on Tuesday, December 11. Look out 12th region, here comes the Big Red!

Time for Hoops!

Now that the football Patriots have put the finishing touches on a fantastic season, it's time to turn our attention to basketball. If you haven't noticed, the boys and girls will both have a lot to say about the 12th region championship. The boys may take a little time to gel since Keeton, Young, and Owsley just got off the gridiron, but don't be suprised if Ethan Spurlin, Trevor Edgington, and company continue to rip off victories. Come out Tuesday night and support the boys as they take on Bryan Station (and Mr. Basketball candidate Shelvin Mack). On the girls' side, Coach Don Story must be foaming at the mouth after being ranked 8th in the region (including 3rd in the district). The girls have a lot of talent and can play all styles. Look for them to run relentlessly for a while and then pound the ball inside to Brown and Henderson (the best 1-2 inside punch in the region). The girls host Rockcastle tonight, so come out and watch two great teams battle early in the season. The roads to Rupp and Diddle run through Lincoln County!

Patriots season ends with loss to Highlands 49-21

The Patriot's cinderella season came to an end Friday night with a heartbreaking loss to unbeaten Highlands. The Bluebirds jumped on the visiting Pats early and the mercy rule was in effect for the entire second half. On the positive side, our team never gave up and fought back to make the score somewhat respectable. Special teams provided some excitement when Kody Reed smashed a Highlands player to get possession on two onside kicks in the second half. Highlands actually said that Coach Mueller allowed Lincoln to gain possession of those onside kicks just to not make the Patriots look bad. I forgot how generous of a coach Highlands has since they called timeout with :01 remaining in the first half in order to kick a field goal when they were up 46-0, that is no class. I hope Bowling Green squashes them and ruins their dreams for their 17th title. Someone from Highlands will lose some money because they have already ordered their state championship rings, it makes me sick. I saw several late hits and even saw #32 punch our running back on one play six or seven times. Chase Marcum was taunted by one of their fans after he got into it when one of their lineman speared him in the back at the end of a play while he was down. First class program my butt, I hope they lose by fifty and the KHSAA investigates them for recruiting. I have zero respect for their program. Not because we simply lost the game, but for the way they played it. I'm not going to lie, Highlands players executed and we didn't tackle. They had more speed than we did, period.
I honestly think the game could have gone differently had Lincoln scored in the first quarter. The Patriots needed to realize that this team was human, and that they bleed just like we do. I can't fault the Patriots at all because it was a very tough venue to play in and there were a lot of obstacles outside of their on-the-field athleticism that we had to overcome.
I am still very proud of our team this year, nobody thought that you would have a winning record much less be playing in the state semifinals. This year's players and coaches have worked hard and have laid the foundation once again for Lincoln to become an elite program. That alone should make you hold your heads high. Congrats Patriots for a great season and the most important thing is that we are all looking forward to next year.
It all comes down to this, French has not only produced a great football team this year he has produced a great group of young men who will be leaders in the future. High school sports is about so much more than what you do on the field or court. If you are not playing college sports, you use the discipline and leadership you learn in high school sports to guide you in the future. The long and short of this story is tell me this who would you rather go to war with than.....Brummett, Gilbert, Reed, Denson, Conatser, Marcum, Rogers, Young, Edwards, Walls, Foister, Keeton, Long, Bustle. You guys will always have my respect.

Can you be great?

That is the question Lincoln players should be asking themselves when they take on the South Cincinnati High-birds. Could they be only the third team in Lincoln's history to make it to the state championship game? I spoke with several of the players tonight and them seemed more focused than ever. The look in their eyes invigorated me to want to suit up with them and fight to the death side by side. I told them to realize the importance of this game, a game that can change them from local high school football players in to Lincoln legends.
Let's be honest, we have some seniors that won't play college football so this could potentially be their last game of their careers. Do you want to have any doubts that you could have done more? Do you want to have a loss be the last memory? Do you want to be sitting at a barbeque with your buddies 15 years from now saying "if I had only made that one tackle?, if I had only made that one catch?, if only I would have made that key block on third and long?".....but envision this...you at a barbeque 15 years later but this time with a really hot chick and your buddies saying "remember when I caught that touchdown against Highlands, remember when I sacked Highlands quarterback, remember that time (not at band camp) BUT AT THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME".
I told the players something tonight that I truly believe, I have seen just about every Lincoln team since the late 80's and this team plays with more heart than any of them. They play so well together and are so balanced, I just hope they see the victory that they really deserve. Good luck Patriots! Not to steal any phrases from UK football but I BELIEVE.
If any of you have the movie Friday Night Lights, play it before the game and listen to the pregame talk when the coach asks his players "can you be great?" that is the challenge I pose to you tomorrow. CAN YOU BE GREAT?

Goliath meet David

Who would believe?

What is everybodys plans on tailgating at Highlands. We need a huge contingency of fans to make the trek to Highlands, their field and fans can be an advantage. We are working on getting a charter bus to go up to the game. Will have more info later, but it looks like it will be $40 per person for the bus with part of the money going to the booster club for the banquet and stuff. You can call us at Patriot Sports for more info. The bus holds 56 people so let us know asap.

Patriots claim the regional championship 43-22 over Johnson Central

Last night in Death Valley, the Lincoln County Patriots showed Johnson Central who the more physical team was by defeating them by 21 points. It was a close first half, but Lincoln dominated the entire second half except for the lone kickoff return by Grimm. Johnson Central came out playing smash mouth football running the same belly play most the the first half. Thanks to having a great coaching staff, adjustments were made enabling the Patriots to stop the ground game. There were several hits in the backfield and tackles for losses. I am very proud of the way the Patriots played with such emotion and intensity. I am going to call out a few names and plays that I believe deserve mentioning....Denson knocking heads in the backfield all night, Young's pick six, Roger's leadership at field general, defensive line domination in second half, Gilbert's aggressiveness at linebacker, Reed for giving us his all this year while playing with his injury. Feel free to add any big plays that stuck in your head, there were so many I can't remember them all. The great thing is that our Lincoln Patriots won the REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!! This will put this team in the elite company of the best teams ever to put on a Patriot uniform, I believe this is only the third or fourth regional championship ever. Patriot players hold your heads high because you will always be remembered as one of the best ever. Years from now, we will be including the '07 team in conversations about great games or players. Congrats to the players and coaching staff on completing a monumental task, we have two more to go! GO PATRIOTS - 2007 REGIONAL CHAMPIONS

Lincoln vs. Johnson Central for the regional championship

CALLING ALL PATRIOT FANS, your team is playing for the regional championship at your Death Valley this weekend. Personally I'm more excited than a puppy with two peters. From everything that I have read Johnson Central is a power football team coming in to the matchup with the same 10-2 record as the Patriots. They lost to Belfry and Woodford during the regular season. Lincoln has in my opinion played the more difficult schedule, based on combined win/loss records of teams. Everyone online is calling for this to be a very close game, with Lincoln currently being the favorite. However, I don't think it's going to be close at all. Most Eastern Kentucky teams come in talking smack about how good they are, but usually haven't played very high caliber teams. I don't care if they do have a receiver that has almost 1000 yards, he can't be half of the player we have in Ryan or Noah for that matter. I don't care if they have good running backs, they can't run as hard as Avery, Trey, and Dustin. I read on bluegrasspreps.com that their QB may not play due to an injury he received last week. He was getting an MRI on his knee and it hasn't been confirmed as to whether he'll play or not. Daniel Walls was awarded the area lineman of the year this week, so along with his comrades in the trenches, I think our line has to be better. I know that the offensive and defensive line don't always get the credit they deserve, so le't go out of our way to show how proud we are of the line. They have been dominant and have dictated the way most of our games have gone this year. Congrats to Boone Walls and the rest of the line.
We've talked about offense, but let's get to the real meat and potatoes of our hometown heroes. Our defense will bust anybody up, I don't care who you are or where you're from. We'll send you packing, believe that. These mountain boys haven't seen anything like the black shirt defense we're getting ready to unleash on them. I know it's against school policy, but I'm trying to get the PA to announce "UNLEASH HELL" (like Russell Crowe in Gladiator) when our defense steps on the field for the first time. That would be awesome.
Time to truth up and man up Patriot players, you didn't get here by accident. You are in the regional championship because you have worked hard all year and played very well together as a unit. You are better in the backfield, on the line, defensively, through QB to receiver, we are better. You guys have to believe that, and if you do you can't be beat. Because when you know in your heart and mind that you're better, if you are down and getting beat, your heart and mind will push you to the next level to overcome. Be strong and know that they are on your sacred ground, in your house trying to violate you and your property, and you must defend Lincoln's pride.
Lincoln dominates and shows out against the mountain eagles 33-14
Put any thoughts and predictions to the game on this post.

Patriots claim District Championship with 22-14 beating of Pulaski

It was a cold night in Death Valley, but the Patriot "black shirt" defense brought the heat and won the District Championship. The defense played great all game, and the offense was solid while beating Pulaski for the second time this season. The offense stalled in the red zone and a bad snap over punter Noah Keeton's head allowed Pulaski to tack on a late TD with only a few seconds left in the game.....or the score could have been worse. Levi Rogers combined with Ryan Young on several swing passes that Pulaski just couldn't stop, Trey Edwards ran hard, and Keeton caught a wide open TD while the defense put pressure all night on QB Muse. Conatser, Long, and Walls were in his face, great job defensive line!!! Several BIG hits tonight by Denson, Reed, Brummett, Gilbert, and Edwards. Everyone should be proud of what they have accomplished this year, and I hope they're not even close to being finished. Great job to the coaching staff this week to keep the team focused and prepared.
Great game Pats and good luck next week. Let me know everyone's thoughts on the game and feel free to add anything that I missed. The Patriots will face Johnson Central next week, who defeated Montgomery County 33-12.

Tailgating/Crowd

I must say, the crowd at the game last Friday was pitiful. People, this is the playoffs, and there is an excellent football team in Lincoln County to go watch and support. That was one of the worse crowds I have ever seen at Death Valley, and not just in numbers.

Make a point to get to the game early this week. Get there early enough to tailgate, it is rumored that there is going to be a lot of people tailgating before the game, get there and join in.

Just because we smoked this team once doesn't mean it will happen again, so get there and support the team. This would be the first district championship in years, don't miss it.

Lincoln vs. Pulaski round 2-MAKE YOUR PREDICTIONS!!!

Lincoln defeated Mercer 35-14 to move on to the second round of the playoffs. The Patriots will face the Pulaski Maroons for the second time this year as well. Lincoln defeated the Pulaski Co. Maroons 28-0 in the first meeting giving Pulaski it's only loss of the season. I feel like we own Pulaski so I am not worried at all. When Lincoln wins and moves on to the third round they will face the winner of Johnson Central vs. Montgomery County for the regional championship. Let's end Pulaski's season and move on to the regional championship. Good luck Lincoln.

Bring on Mercerburg, we're not afraid to double up on the beat downs!!!

Marty and his Merger team roll in to Death Valley this weekend for the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Our defense is smashing people this year, combined with the fact of the Death Valley advantage, means our Patriots will roll over the Titans. I feel like we will smother their running game, which is all that I think they have, and move on to whoever is next. Word on the street is that Merger's athletic director called to see if they could publicly fire Marty and burn him at the stake on Death Valley's 50 yard line. I think it is being brought up at a secret meeting of the school board. I personally saw a purchase order from Mercer's board of Education to Fox Funeral Home for a casket that would hold up to 400 pounds.
Seriously, let's get some predictions going. I am going with the Black Shirt defense of the Patriots...Lincoln 26 Merger 7
PUT YOUR PREDICTIONS ON THIS POST!!!!!!

Lincoln thrashes Hopkinsville 29-21

The Lincoln County Patriots sent their seniors out with a huge victory over the Hopkinsville Tigers 29-21 Friday night in Death Valley. Congrats to seniors: Noah Keeton, Levi Rogers, Devon Denson, Boone Walls, Josh Foister, Nathan Bustle, Kris Long, Cody Reed, and Dustin Brummett. This is not only a great group of football players, but a great group of guys. I know most of them personally, and their attitude is what has won football games for them this year. Ryan Young may be one of the best all around athletes that I have ever seen. Nathan Bustle is an inspiration to us all, and we should never forget to remind him of that.
On to the game...
Even if Hopkinsville is down for their standards, this is a big win for Lincoln. Anytime you can beat a school with that much talent, you've done something. Ryan Young caught two TD's from Levi Rogers and also had a pick-six for his third score of the game. Trey Edwards scored the other Lincoln TD on a 3-yard run in the third quarter. Another huge suprise to the Patriot offense was a Micheal Wright field goal, I think the first of the season. We have to have a solid kicking game if we plan to go anywhere in the playoffs. The defense played great once again with some big hits being thrown around all over the field. Young, Rogers, Denson, Brummett, Reed, Conatser, Gilbert, and Walls all had big games. I think that our Black Shirt defense can play with anybody.
Another observation was Coach Jaggers in attendance with his '93 Lincoln County jacket on, scouting to see how bad we're going to wax his Scottie-Hogs next week. Good luck Marty, your season will be over soon enough.
Please feel free to comment and add anything about the game. GO LINCOLN!!!!

Senior Night at Death Valley

Perennial west KY powerhouse Hopkinsville High School is making the trip eastward this week for a tangle with the Lincoln County Patriots in Death Valley.

Hopkinsville brings a record of 4-5 (2-1 region). They are coming off a win last week against Warren Central. Hopkinsville is averaging 17 pts per game and giving up 23 pts per game. Hopkinsville has one common opponent with Lincoln. They defeated Mercer County three weeks ago in Hop-town, 17-14.

Lincoln is 7-2 (4-0 district). LC is looking to rebound from a tough loss last week in Georgetown, where they fell to 6a powerhouse Scott County by a score of 20-18. The failure to connect on the first extra point game proved to be the difference in the game, LC failed to convert on all three extra point attempts in the game, ultimately being the difference in the contest. The Pats showed great effort and determination, and showed they are poised to make a playoff run in the coming weeks.

LC is averaging 25 pts per game and are giving up a stingy 14 pts per contest. Lincoln has the fifth ranked defense in 5a.

Fans need to come out and show their support for this team, and more importantly for this senior class. They have had a phenomenal couple seasons, putting this program back on the map statewide. The program has came a long way in the short tenure of Coach Larry French, and these seniors are a big reason why. No one predicted this team to have a winning record this year, much less dominate the district and quite possibly be the best team in the "Advocate Messenger" area.

Let's hope they can get a victory against Hop-town this Friday night on senior night, and parlay that into a big playoff run.

My prediction:

LC 26
Hop-town 14

put your predictions on this post

Vote for Lincoln vs. Scott as the Channel 36 game of the week!!!

Once again it's on...Channel 36 has the Lincoln County vs. Scott County as one of the potentials for game of the week. Last week the Patriot faithful came alive to blow the WTVQ website up for the win. This week we have a tough challenge from the Danville vs. Frankfort game (it will be great to beat Danville at anything) so we need to get the word out. Tell everyone you know to vote and remember you can vote every hour. Here is the link: http://www.wtvq.com/midatlantic/tvq/sports/gridiron_blitz.html

Big Non-District Game

The Lincoln County Patriots take their seven game winning streak on the road this week to play the Scott County Cardinals. This matchup displays one of the top 5a teams in the state against one the state's best 6a squads.

Scott County enters the game 7-1, with their only loss this year coming at home against Lexington Catholic 38-7. Scott is averaging 30pts per game and is giving up 17pts per game.

Lincoln County also enters the game 7-1, and undefeated in district play. Lincoln is averaging 26pts per game and is giving up mere 13pts per contest. Somewhat skewed by the points given up at the end of the South Laurel game.

Both squads play a good brand of football. Scott County does it with speed. Lincoln does it with power. If the Patriots can handle the speed of the Cardinals, they will have good chance at pulling off the upset. LC will be one of the most physical teams Scott has played this year, I'm picking the upset on the road.

LC-26
SC-21

Keep playing Keeton and Young at the same time, and get Spicer some more touches. He is a skilled runner, good things will happen


put your predictions on this post

Patriots crown themselves KINGS with 28-0 homecoming smashing of Pulaski.

Homecoming in Death Valley for the Patriots means smashing the Pulaski Maroons 28-0 and then dancing the night away with their girlfriends. The mighty Pats also danced away with the District Championship and clinched two home playoff games. Levi Rogers connected with Noah Keeton for two scores and Avery Spicer ran for two more, while the defense ran roughshod and picked Muse off three times en route to the shutout. Ryan Young had two game changing interceptions and Rogers had the other. I am just going to call some names out that I think deserve congrats for laying it on the line and popping the pads: Young, Rogers, Brummett, Reed, Walls, Denson, Gilbert, Long, Conatser, Marcum, Edwards...you guys rocked it out. I am now going to just name a few awesome plays: Edwards TRUCKING over middle linebacker and high stepping on his facemask, Young's interception in the endzone, Denson laying the wood on Muse, Keeton's two sweet TD grabs in the corner, Spicer's 30 yard run with Young blocking 20 yards downfield, and Levi's leadership throughout the game. Sorry if I missed anything, so feel free to add your opinions of your game changing performances. Overall, I thought everyone played hard and we won a huge game. Coaching was great, emotion was great, and individual efforts were all on point. CONGRATS LINCOLN COUNTY PATRIOTS - 2007 DISTRICT CHAMPIONS.

VOTE for this game on WTVQ channel 36

The game this Friday is a finalist for the channel 36 Gridiron Blitz game of the week. Click on the link below and vote for the game.

http://www.wtvq.com/midatlantic/tvq/sports/gridiron_blitz.html


Vote as much as you can.

Lincoln Patriots vs. Pulaski Pinks predictions

It's homecoming week in Death Valley, but that only matters to the queens. We just want to smash Pulaski and take their women if we want 'em. We are playing for first place in OUR district and home field in the playoffs!!! This is the biggest game of the year and the players need to focus, we as fans celebrate homecoming, but the boys need to take care of business. I feel very confident that the Pats will have plenty of time to celebrate after the victory and then chase the queens around. Our defense needs to come out after pre-game on Thursday and dig some graves for the Pulaski Mauves. I hope past Patriots come out to support our team like never before and Death Valley be so rowdy that the Pewlaski folks fear for their lives. The Patriot Black Shirt defense reigns supreme again and Levi leads the pack for the win and the District Championship baby...my prediction LC 26-14

Paint the Town Red

Lets see this county and Stanford really get in gear for homecoming. If you know someone who owns a building or business in downtown Stanford, lets get them to decorate, or if they cant or dont have time see if they will let someone decorate for them. Lets really get this place fired up for Friday. What else could you want, homecoming, first place in district on the line, home field in playoffs. Maybe the pep club from the HS could get some people to volunteer to help decorate any store fronts in downtown that the owner cant decorate.
We also need a big crowd downtown for the parade on Friday. We are not allowed to throw candy in Stanford anymore, so watch out for the police if you have candy. But we can still have a big show and really let our kids know how proud we are of them. If you work in Stanford, be on the street at parade time and show your support. Everyone loves a parade, and what better reason or time to roll out the red in Stanford.

Patriots stone Stonebreaker and the Lions 35-0

Lincoln got off to a relatively slow start Friday night, but put it all together in the second half to destroy the Garrard Golden Lions 35-0 in Death Valley. The offense played decent throughout the game with Levi leading and guiding the team better than I have seen him do all year. The passing game was a little off with Keeton and Young not making much noise but Josh Foister did make some great grabs. Everyone ran the ball well with Brummett leading the charge with 112 yards. All five TDs came on the ground with Brummett, Spicer, Rogers, Edwards all getting into the paint. Lincoln's black shirt defense had 2 interceptions from Young and Rogers and a safety, and everyone on defense left it all on the field once again to pitch their first shut-out of the season. I hope this carries over to next week and our boys get a much deserved first place finish in the district. Great job guys and good luck next week.

Burger House Preview

The Garrard County Golden Lions will make the short trip to Death Valley this week to face the red hot Lincoln County Patriots in a non-district, county border rivalry matchup.

Garrard boasts of record of 4-3, 3-1 in district play. Garrard is giving up 25pts per game and producing 30 pts per game on offense. Garrard's wins are against Bethlehem, Jackson County, Taylor County and most recently a 55-7 thrashing of Casey County. Their three losses have came undoubtedly against their three toughest opponents, Washington County, Somerset and Frankfort.

Lincoln (5-1, 3-0 district) has played the superior schedule of the two, and is coming off their best offensive performance of the season. However, this game sets up as a trap game for the Patriots. After a fairly easy victory at South Laurel and the game before a very difficult stretch of schedule to end the season (Pulaski County, Scott County, Hopkinsville).

That being said, I look for this week to be a lot like last weeks victory. Big lead early and some trash points given up late when the game is out of reach. LC should be able to keep the offensive momentum rolling against Garrard's poor defense.

LC 40

GC 20

Lincoln vs. Garrard Predictions

I will go ahead and start this one. My prediction is 52-13. We finally opened up the offense a little bit last week and I think our defense will maybe give up a little bit late, but will stick Garrard from the opening kickoff.

Patriots roll over South Laurel 47-24

The Lincoln Patriots put a complete game of offense and defense together Friday night to defeat South Laurel 47-24. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the game because of a vacation, so I would love to hear some comments about the game. From what I've heard and read the offense was explosive and finally caught up with our bone-crushing defense. Very glad to hear Keeton got his first (and second) TD of the year. Rogers now has 600 plus yards and looks on pace to get over 1000 for the year. We have two of the most dynamic receivers ever, and I loved seeing them both get their yards and respect. Loved how we had a balanced attack of rushing and passing. Great game guys and good luck next week, I know we are going undefeated through district baby!!! Sound off guys and let me know about the exciting game that I missed.

2007 Lincoln Stats - Updated 10/19/07

LCHS 7 - BELL 31
Rushing 31-138
Passing 28
Total Yards 166
Record 0-1

LCHS 20 - BARDSTOWN 18
Rushing 44-106
Passing 49
Total Yards 155
Record 1-1

LCHS 12 - MERCER 7
Rushing 26-43
Passing 155
Total Yards 198
Record 2-1 (1-0 District)

LCHS 49 - Southwestern 24
Rushing 41-297
Passing 45
Total Yards 342
Record 3-1 (2-0 District)

LCHS 12 - Rockcastle 2
Rushing 42-44
Passing 69
Total Yards 113
Record 4-1 (2-0 District)

LCHS 47 - South Laurel 24
Rushing 39-187
Passing 319
Total Yards 506
Record 5-1 (3-0 District)

LCHS 35 - Garrard 0
Rushing 47-299
Passing 90
Total Yards 389
Record 6-1 (3-0 District)

YEARLY TOTALS
Rushing -
Avery Spicer 89-460
Dustin Brummett 48-346
Trey Edwards 58-149
Levi Rogers 54-144
Skyler Gilbert 5-18
Devon Denson 2-9
Ray Thomas 1-3
Tanner Edgington 1-(-3)

Passing -
Levi Rogers 44-67-2-716
Trey Edwards 2-3-0-39

Receiving -
Ryan Young 17-294
Noah Keeton 15-231
Trey Edwards 5-100
Josh Foister 5-83
Skyler Gilbert 1-18
Avery Spicer 1-16
Dustin Brummett 1-9
Rob Conatser 1-8

SCORING -
Rushing -
Avery Spicer 7 TD
Dustin Brummett 6 TD
Levi Rogers 4 TD
Trey Edwards 3 TD

Receiving -
Ryan Young 3TD
Noah Keeton 2 TD

Passing -
Levi Rogers 5 TD

Defensive -
Levi Rogers 1TD interception return
Skyler Gilbert 1 TD interception return

Special Teams -
Ryan Young 1 TD kickoff return

South Laurel Predictions

The Patriots head down to chicken-town this weekend for a district clash with the South Laurel Cardinals. LC enters the contest ranked 23rd overall in the state and 8th in 5a. http://www.kentucky.com/292/story/190940.html

The Cards enter the contest with a record of 2-3. They are coming off an impressive performance against district foe Pulaski County, losing 33-26. The only common opponent with LC is Southwestern Pulaski. Southwestern beat them 41-17 the third week of the season in Somerset.

South Laurel will test LC's pass defense, they are a pass-happy offense throwing much more than they run. The two teams style of play are as different as night in day. South Laurel likes to get involved in high scoring affairs, evident by their season totals. They have scored 146 pts and gave up 150. Compare that to LC, who brings the fifth best defense in 5a to table. LC has only gave up 82 pts the entire season. The Pats have scored 100.

The key is finding a consistent offense, they can produce points. LC is a defensive oriented team. A little offensive to help out the defense wouldn't be bad. With South Laurels track record for giving up points, this should be the week to get the offensive engine running.

One advantage for LC is that world famous chicken festival was last weekend. Hopefully the Cards will have fried chicken hangover.

Pats 32
SL 14

put your prediction on this post

Defense wins game down in Rock's house 12-2.

Last night the defense once again stood strong, and Lincoln gained the victory over the Rockcastle Rockets 12-2. I know that most people are thinking this score must have been a baseball game but it was football, I think. Our offense stalled most of the evening, allowing our defense to be the homecoming king of the night. That's what the rock boys get for scheduling us for their homecoming. Skyler Gilbert intercepted the crown, queen, and anything else up for grabs in the Mount Vernon sky. Gilbert's interception return for a touchdown sealed the victory and broke the heart of the homecoming kings. Levi Rogers got sacked in the endzone for a safety, but made up for it by rushing for a touchdown in the second quarter. All receivers caught the ball well, when Levi was able to get it to them. Most of our pass plays take too long to set up therefore making it difficult for Levi to have enough time to get set enough to throw. I wish we would use some 3 step drop-quick hitters with the great receivers that we have. Avery Spicer ran hard but was only able to gain around 60 yards due to Rock's defense. Overall, it was not an impressive win, but it was a win period. Anytime you come out of Renfro with a victory, you have done something. Long and short of this story is....defense is king, passing game not being used to full capability, end of story. Who's next!!!!

The new L

What does everyone think of Lincoln's L? I personally liked the old school block L. I just can't get into this new L as much as I try. It started off trying to look like Louisville's old english L and then we ended up with a L with wings flying away. I wish we would reconsider the whole uniform again...I liked it old school red and white only. Sound off you fashionistas, don't act like uniforms don't matter, it's the only reason Oregon wins any football games at all.

Lindsey Rankin in golf state tournament

For anyone that missed it, Lindsey Rankin qualified for the girls state golf tournament. Great for her, so wish her the best when you get the chance. also one more example of the outstanding athletes and outstanding people coming from Lincoln County HS.

Jordan Hogue qualifies for State

Congrats to Senior Jordan Hogue for qualifying for the state golf tournament. He has been better than his dad for quite a while, but now I guess we know he is better than most in the state. Good Luck Jordan and if you see him congratulate him.

Rock Week/Predictions

The bye week came at a good time for LC. Coming off a grueling early season schedule, a time of rest and preparation was much needed.

LC's surprising 3-1 start has people around town excited, and people around the state talking about the resurrection of Patriot football. Thanks to Coach French and his staff, LC is a legitimate football program again.

The Pats head into hostile territory this Friday night to continue their annual battle with border rival Rockcastle County. RC enters the game angry, coming off two straight losses. The Rockets have failed to score in their last two contest, losing to Knox Central and Bell County.

Rockcastle will be angry and ready to play. Hopefully the Patriots will be too. They have had two weeks to prepare, and are coming off their best offensive performance of the season. These two programs have had very good games two out of the last three seasons. The only blowout in those three came last time LC ventured to Rockcastle County, which is a very hard place to win.

The team needs more great fan support (like the Merger County game). That was the best fan performance I have seen in years. Get down to Renfro Valley and support the team. Better yet, someone get we don't, we don't, we don't mess around fired back up.

Here is the latest state rankings, LC is top 25 statewide now and top ten in 5A. Check it out http://www.kentucky.com/292/story/184769.html


Put your game predictions on this post.

Well deserved respect

anyone seen the Lex paper ratings this week. if you havent, Lincoln cracked the top 25 in the state and is ranked 9 in 5A. I am still not sure that we are at that level, especially with the injury to Bustle. but it is good publicity for the kids. just like UK it is harder to stay in rankings than to get there initially. all the more reason to see the kids working hard.
I wonder if the AD MESS would rank us in the top 25 in the state. they still think that we are not in the top 5 in the area.
also, with the week off from football, could our administrator (or anyone with info) get us some updates on other sports happenings at LC. know that we have 2 very good runners in cross country (Wilkinson (boys) and Frith(girls)), and Jordan Hogue seems to be having a great year in golf. I love HS football, but for this to truly be "Patriots" sports talk, we should recognize as many of the athletes as possible, especially when they are bringing good publicity to our school.
Maybe we should invite these athletes to join the blog and keep us up to date on how their seasons are going.

Best Team Ever--Here Are The Numbers

BEST SEASONS
(based on season winning percentage)
1) 1988 (13-1; 92.8%): State AAA Semifinalist; Regional Champion; Dist. Champion
2) 1981 (12-1; 92.3%): Regional Runnerup; District Champion; Sub-District Champ
3) 1993 (13-2; 86.6%): State AAA Runnerup; Regional Champion; District Champion
3) 1990 (13-2; 86.6%): State AAA Runnerup; Regional Champion; District Champion
5) 1994 (11-2; 84.6%): Regional Runnerup; District Champion
6) 1979 (10-2; 83.3%): Regional Runnerup; District Champion; Sub-District Champ
6) 2006 (10-2; 83.3%): District Runnerup; #1 District Seed
8) 1982 ( 9-2; 81.8%): District Runnerup; Sub-District Champion
9) 1987 ( 8-3; 72.7%): District Runnerup
9) 1989 ( 8-3; 72.7%)
11) 1986 ( 7-3; 70.0%)
12) 1999 ( 9-4; 69.2%): District Runnerup; Regional Runnerup
13) 1991 ( 8-4; 66.6%): District Champion; Regional Semifinalist
14) 1998 ( 7-4; 63.6%): District Runnerup
15) 1980 ( 7-4; 63.6%)
16) 1992 ( 8-5; 61.5%): Regional Runner-up
17) 1974 ( 6-4; 60.0%)
17) 1984 ( 6-4; 60.0%)
19) 1997 ( 6-5; 54.5%)
19) 2000 (6-5; 54.5%)
21) 1995 ( 7-6; 53.8%): District Runnerup; Regional Runnerup
22) 1977 ( 5-5; 50.0%)
22) 2005 ( 5-5; 50.0%)
24) 1983 ( 5-6; 45.4%)
25) 1978 ( 4-7; 36.3%)
25) 1985 ( 4-7; 36.3%)
27) 1975 ( 3-7; 30.0%)
27) 2001 ( 3-7; 30.0%)
27) 2004 ( 3-7; 30.0%)
30) 2003 ( 2-8; 20.0%)
30) 2002 ( 2-8; 20.0%)
30) 1996 ( 2-8; 20.0%)
30) 1976 ( 2-8; 20.0%)


CHAMPIONSHIPS
State AAA Runnerup (2)- 1993, 1990
State AAA Semifinalist (3)- 1993, 1990, 1988
Regional Champion (3)- 1993, 1990, 1988
Regional Runnerup (6)- 1999, 1995, 1994, 1992, 1981, 1979
District Champion (7)- 1994, 1993, 1991, 1990, 1988, 1981, 1979
#1 District Seed (Regular Season District Champion) (1)- 2006
District Runnerup (6)- 2006, 1999, 1998, 1995, 1987, 1982
Sub-District Champion (3)- 1982, 1981, 1979

Let's lay it on the table boys!!!

We have talked about QB's, RB's, LB's, now let's get into some real debating....I know everybody loves to argue this one because it has always came up in the past....SO BEST LINCOLN TEAM EVER!!! It's just a shame that we have had enough great teams in the past to even debate about and we've never won a championship ring. We legitimately should have one or maybe even two. I don't think we realize what that would do for our school and our community. I would love to believe that we are always working toward that final season goal. One day, maybe sooner than we think...
I'll start it off with my pick...1990

The Next Step

This blog is fun but we need a website. I will pay for it if somebody has the time and expertise to host it.

SEASON ENDING INJURY

Just wanted to let everybody know that the injury to nathan's knee is a broken kneecap. I was told that he needs surgury to fix it. But the worst thing is, he's out for the season. This is really bad news! With everything that he's gone through, this just SUCKS !!!! Let's keep him in our prayers. Nathan is going to UK monday . Pray for the family too

Attitude is important

Lets hear it for the Pats. Keep on rolling, and now are in first place in district. Seems like the team gets stronger as the game goes on.

Also, I did get some info on why security was needed. apparently friday entertainment in Pulaski is to get drunk, go to a high school game and threaten the officials. I am glad that Lincoln Fans do not act like this. I have been to a lot of the away games in the past few years, and never have I seen this type of activity. We may yell at the officials, but never have had the law called on us. Just shows that some teams dont want to give the opposition the proper respect. I think that attitude showed in PCSW players on friday.

One more reason that I think Coach French deserves a lot of credit. not only does he produce a good football team, but he also makes certain they act like men and not spoiled brats. Keep up the good work Coach, keep working hard and the fans will be here for you.

Pats roll over Southwestern 49-24

The mighty Patriots got the game started off on the right foot when Patriot stud Ryan Young returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Lincoln offense finally caught up with the defense and sent the Warriors South with their heads hanging low. Southwestern's quarterback had a great arm and it looked like it was going to be a shootout with Lincoln trailing at halftime 18-14. But the horses came out in the second half....Avery Spicer and Dustin Brummett ran the ball very well tonight with Spicer scoring 2 rushing touchdowns and Brummett 3. Avery ran with more explosive speed than I have seen him run all year. Brummett looked just as elusive but overpowered the defense with his strength. He ran over 2 defenders on his 1st td and then stiff-armed another for his 2nd td. Quarterback Levi Rogers also ran for a touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Lincoln passing game was stymied tonight with both Young and Noah Keeton drawing double coverage most of the night. Trey Edwards played a solid game and made some key plays throughout the night. The defense as usual played great with good showings from Young, Brummett, Skyler Gilbert, Rob Conatser, Devon Denson, and Cody Reed. I am very proud of our defensive line as well, you don't see the little things that those guys do every Friday night but they lay it on the line.
Speaking of the line I want to express our concern with the injury to Nathan Bustle. I do not know the severity of the injury at this time but our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. He is one of the toughest guys I know and should be an inspiration to us all, so I know he will get through anything that comes his way because he is a fighter.
Our team once again should feel great about this win over a very good football team. Southwestern has put some points on people and their quarterback was impressive. I just want to say that our team is playing with emotion and spirit and I love it! When people see these guys out, I hope they shake their hands and tell them how much pride they are providing our community. Keep on rolling Patriots!

Best Lincoln Linebackers

Let's go boys, I love what JL has started. Who's the best LB's? I'll start the list with Chris Vanhook...who's next?

Best Player's All Time (Quarterbacks)

My opinion:

Ronnie Wilkerson
Scott Montgomery
Jason Todd


That is the short list and doesn't have a player from the last 20 years. Who am I missing?

Best Player's All-Time (Running Backs)

I will give you my opinion on the best all-time running backs, in no particular order:

Jeremy Simpson (Mr. Football 1993)
Michael Penman (State's leading rusher and scorer 1988)
Mike McGuffy
Donnell Smith
Kevin "Big K" Alcorn
Kenny Phoenix
Maurice Napier
Braxston Miller
Trent Calhoun
Scottie Newcomb
David Francis
Aaron Simpson

I did this without looking at a list. Who else?

Pats on Radio???

Just wanted to let everyone know that there is a pretty good source telling around town that Stanford-Lincoln County is getting a radio station. From what I heard there have been negotiations for the office of the station to be located in or near downtown Stanford. What a great asset for the community, and great for the sports programs at Lincoln County. Remember the good ol days, when even if you couldnt get to the game, you could always listen. Also, what a great way for family members who cant go to the game to be able to enjoy the season. Hopefully this can go hand in hand with the internet broadcasts that we have now, but it will really appeal to the generations that dont do computers.
Hopefully we will hear more in the near future. But I caution you, if this happens, we must be ready to support the station and its owners. We have to make sure that we support the local businesses that advertise with the station, and for those who can, we need to make certain that we do advertise (and not just during the sports seasons).

Turkey Bowl (Professional Turkey League)

I bet some of the posters here remember the Turkey Bowl games we used to play in Oakwood Estates.

I have a video tape from the 1985 Turkey Bowl game that was reported on by Jeff Picoro on WTVQ-TV (Lexington's channel 36).

Anybody want to have a reunion of "has beens"/"never weres" to watch the tape and play a game. Sometime after Thanksgiving would work for me.

I am going to name everybody I can remember who played in that game (I may include some who weren't there or leave out some who were):

Me
Tim Estes (my PTL co-commissioner)
Greg Snow
Bryant Chambers
Kenny Chambers
Joey Smith
Joey Wilson
Mickey Goodwin
Kenny Phoenix
Donald McCormack
Scott Rogers
Todd Coleman
Tim Jackson
Bobby Jeffries
Billy Harris
Ray Banks
Darren Yaden
Scott Montgomery

Too Tall's team came from behind to win. Joey Wilson broke his arm on a "muddle-huddle" kickoff play. I forgot who the MVP was but het got a trophy made out of aluminum foil that Too Tall made and the cup part of it was full of cinnamon candies.

I do remember that Jeff Picoro, who had just finished playing at UK, outran Kenny Phoenix in a foot race. We were all astonished. Picoro played with us for a while and my brother, David, shot the footage.

Wow, that was almost 22 years ago and it seems like yesterday.

Lay it on me Patriot faithful

Just a quick post for informational purposes only. Let us know what you like/don't like about the site. If you would like certain things added, let me know. I hope this grows in to something everyone can enjoy and find useful, not just fans but players, parents, and coaches. Plus I'll probably parlay it in to me getting a job for ESPN. Don't use this as an opportunity to bash me or I will find out who you are and beat you down, cause that's how I roll. Kidding, the last fight I got into some jerk dislocated my elbow, and I have been on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform for all you cheerleaders) list ever since. Actually for those who don't know me, I am a world class athlete and a true physical specimen. Seriously, leave me any suggestions...

Best Coach in Area?

While soaking in the win from Friday night, something amazing dawned on me. Coach French is undefeated against Danville, Mercer and Garrard (big deal). He has not coached against Boyle County, but I think we all know what would happen there.

I don't feel like he gets enough credit for the difference he has made at Lincoln County. The program was in bad shape when he arrived here. He has worked miracles.

In consecutive weeks the Patriots have ended the longest regular season win streak (22 games by Bardstown) and the states longest consecutive game winning streak (17 by Mercer). It is an amazing job by Coach French, his staff and the players.

The win at Merger, uh-I mean Mercer, was the first in the history academy award winning Titans. You had to love the "we are the titans" (freshly stolen from napster) playing as the team ran onto the field. Man, that was original.

The Mercer fans and parents did not take well to the lost either. It has been rumored by many sources close to the Mercer program that coaches and parents had to be separated after game. I guess when you haven't lost for two years, it is hard to deal with.

The inability of the Titan fans and coaches to cope with adversity (losing) seems ironic to me. The disney movie, "Remember the Titans", taught us how to get along with one another and band together.

Oh well, at least they didn't steal everything from the movie.

HEART, DETERMINATION & TEAM WORK

THANKS PATRIOTS, FOR A GREAT GAME, LINCOLN FANS ARE VERY PROUD OF YOUR
VICTORY OVER MERCER, JUST STAY IN CHECK THIS WEEK AND WORK HARD TO PREPARE FOR SOUTHWESTERN.

Lincoln vs. Southwestern Predictions

Let's go Patriot fans, time for everyone's predictions for the upcoming game against Southwestern. Remember the grand prize is a sweet t-shirt for whoever gets closest to the correct score. Those "I want to dry hump Marty" t-shirts are in production and will be delivered to the ones who chose Mercer by end of day Thursday.

Keep up the good work

I just wanted to say that hazmit has done a great job with this site (just keep your ego in check). The posts about the former coaches really gets feelings juiced and is interesting to debate no matter who your favorite coach is. Also thanks to John Logan, Kevin Bandura and Tim Estes for providing another way to follow the Pats. Give these guys a pat on the back if you see them because that would just about double their pay.
I do want to say that I voted for Dustin Brummett for MVP because i thought he was a wrecking ball for the offense and defense. it just seemed that everytime we needed a big play, he was the guy stepping up. That is not to take away from any of the other guys, Levi threw the ball well, Ryan made two of the biggest plays (and played probably the best all round game of any player) and his touchdown catch really changed game (which is why i voted for it as the game changing play), and Trey did all of the little things that have to be done to win. But from Dustin living in Mercers backfield on defense to his crushing run for a first down (when he literaly ran over a Mercer LB) he seemed to really be deserving.
Cant wait to see who steps up this week and elevates their play. Good luck to the Pats. And for everyone who picked against them last week, please do it again, I am very superstituous.

Tailgating in Death Valley

Patriot fans, join us for tailgating in the North endzone of Death Valley prior to the Southwestern game on 09/14. Bring your lawn chair, cornhole boards, and beverage of choice (Sheriff Curt Folger reminds you that Lincoln County is a dry county). There will be grilling, games, and full contact tackling drills ran by Johnny Coulter. Come and enjoy the fun. More updates to follow so check back often.....

Hats off to Patriot Sports Talk and John L. Smith

I want to thank Patriot Sports Talk for giving our community another option to recognize our kids and support the sports program. I am not sure who the creator or administrator is, but hats off to you. I know it may not be reaching many people now, but personally, I do not want to rely on the Advocate Messenger.

Also, the internet radio that JL Smith has provided has been great. Smith provided all of the resources needed to broadcast our games and we cannot thank him enough. I think we can access it via LCHS's website which I believe may be a link on Patriot Sports Talk.

Winning MartyBowl is great, but the real story is 1-0 district record

I love the fact that we have bragging rights over Mercer and Marty, but the most important thing that happened last night was the fact that Lincoln began district play with a win and a leg up on the district race. Getting a victory on the road in a 5A district is monumental. Hats off to the OC for opening up the passing game and to the DC for shutting Mercer out in the second half. When the D-line got penetration last night, the Mercer offense went nowhere. We will need big play on both lines next week when Southwestern rolls into Death Valley. Perhaps the thing that will pay off down the road is getting a goal line defensive stand to win the game. There was a lot of good individual play last night, but it was truly a team win from the coaching staff down to the players. Let's make an effort to bring some fans to the Valley on Friday night and give SW a big L and send them on their way. Go Pats!

WELCOME TO 5A FOOTBALL

GREAT JOB BY ARE DEFENCE TONIGHT. I WAS GLAD TO SEE SOME PASSING,BUT I STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE RYAN & NOAH ON THE FIELD AT THE SAME TIME. THEY BOTH DID REAL GOOD OUT THERE. DUSTIN WAS A STUD TONIGHT!!!!! I WISH THE REST WOULD GO THAT HARD FOR FOUR QTRS. BUT THE BEST THING ABOUT TONIGHT WAS LOOKING ACROSS THE FIELD AT JAGGERS ,JUST STANDING THERE WITH THAT TOWEL AROUND HIS NECK AND THINKING WELCOME TO 5A FOOTBALL

All time series Lincoln 1 - Merger 0

For everyone that picked Mercer-burg or Merger or whatever you want to call them, I hope you enjoy being Martys b!#$h. Also, you forgot that the biggest heart on the field would belong to Dustin Brummett. Never underestimate a boy from B-Town. Brought the wood all night.

Also, maybe this site is meaningful. How bout that offense. Next time lets try our big receivers on the field at the same time. Keep up the good work PATS. First place in the district and kicking Marty on our field (for Mercer-burgs second ever loss) in the playoffs would be a great year. Bring on the next winning streak that our defense will stop cold.

Let's vote on all the coaches

I voted on the coach's poll on the left but where are the others? Most notably, Snooky Wooldridge is missing. The guy was 38-9 in four seasons and laid the foundation for the great teams that followed.

I like all three of the choices on the poll. I saw Larry Phillips last spring in Louisiville and had a real good visit with him. All I can say is that I wish Lincoln County would have allowed him to move into administration and continue coaching.

Coaching Records

Donald "Snooky" Wooldridge 4 years 1979-1982 38-9 .808
Larry Phillips 7 years 1984-1990 59-23 .710
Marty Jaggers 6 years 1991-1996 49-27 .644
Larry French 4 years 2004-present 19-15 .558
Tim Estes 5 years 1997-2001 31-25 .553
Steve Sullivan 1 year 1983 5-6 .454
Bill Ed Leedy 5 years 1974-1978 20-31 .392
Robbie Lucas 2 years 2002-2003 4-16 .200
LINCOLN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL 33 years 1974-Present 225-152 .596

Get A Good's Nights Rest Men, Mercer Is Tomorrow

Calling all Patriots, we have a task at hand on Friday, you know what the task is!!!!, the question is?, are you ready, are you focused and do you believe, that you can win.............Good Luck!!!
------------GO LINCOLN ---------

Lincoln vs. Mercer predictions

Let's go Patriot fans, make your predictions for the Lincoln vs. Mercer game. Every week we are going to be giving a Patriot Sports Talk t-shirt away to the person who guesses the correct score of the game.

Check Out the New Option

We have added a new feature. Patriot Community-Friends and Sponsors. This gives all of you a place to add a link to your business or favorite website. The new list is located on the right hand side of the screen Contact us and we will get your link on here for you.

We have added the link for the live broadcast of the Lincoln County Patriot football games.

It you can't be their live, check it out. Kevin Bandura and Tim Estes bring you all the action via internet, or radio. The games can be heard on the radio at the games. The frequency for the first game was 101.9. Stay tuned, we will try to get the frequency for upcoming games.

PASS THE BALL

FRIDAY'S ALMOST HERE FANS !!! THIS IS A BIG GAME FOR THE BOY'S AND WE NEED TO GET THE OFFENCE GOING! WE CAN'T BE SO PREDICTABLE WITH THE RUNNING GAME. WE HAVE TWO GOOD RECIEVERS AND WE NEED TO HAVE THEM ON THE FIELD AT THE SAME TIME. WITH RYAN AND NOAH ON AT THE SAME TIME THEY CAN OPEN IT UP A LITTLE MORE. LEVI CAN THROW THE BALL, SO LET HIM!!!!OH YEAH,YOU CAN THROW THE BALL ON FIRST DOWN.

LET'S GO RED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mighty Mercer

"I don't like it," Jaggers said. "In the third ballgame, we're really not playing our best football." www.amnews.com

Sounds like the excuses are already there...we just need the Patriots to get the W.

What time does the tailgating start?

Ugly Big Win

Saturday night's 20-18 victory by the Lincoln County Patriots was impressive, and much needed. Coming off an embarrassing blowout defeat in the Death Valley Bowl, the young Pats needed a signature win.

They got just that Saturday night, ending the 22 game regular season win streak of Bardstown. LC did it with defense, causing six turnovers and making numerous key stands.

The crucial play in the game, was the interception return for touchdown by senior Levi Rogers early in the third quarter. This started a wild turn of events, seeing LC recover an onside kick only to fumble the ball and watch Bardstown return it for their only second half touchdown.

Another pivotal play was LC faking a punt on their own 15 yard line. It was a masterful call, that seemed as if it was going to work to perfection. Rogers took the direct snap, tossed the ball in the air to Ryan Young, who caught the ball, took a few steps and got "jacked up"! From my point of view, it should have been ruled a fumble near midfield. However, it was ruled incomplete and Bardstown took over on the 15 yard line. The LC defense held up, holding Bardstown to a missed field goal attempt.

The rest of the game was a battle of who didn't want to lose, LC conservativly running the ball up the middle time and time again content to punt and put the defense back on the field to preserve the two point lead. The plan worked, the LC defense continuously mounted stop after stop to gain the Patriots first victory of 2007.

PATRIOT PRIDE

Hazmit, you nailed it!, I agree with your thoughts. (Lincoln players, go determined, go hard, go all the way, don't let up. Show Mercer, what Patriot pride is all about......

Remember the Patriots!

I have been wanting Lincoln to beat Mercer ever since I heard that sappy story about them watching the movie "Remember the Titans" together after merging. We can beat a team named after a Disney movie, so from now on we'll call them the Mercer Cinderellas.
If we pass the ball, we will win. I actually think we called more passing plays (only 10 vs. Bardstown) but they were rolling Levi out of the pocket or took a long time to setup so they were busted up in the backfield for losses. Our line is strong, so we should work on quick hitters with Levi throwing from the pocket.
Coaching will play a major role in Friday's game. French should want to prove to Lincoln that he is the better coach, I believe he is. It is rare to play against your team's former coach. People here know Marty, and they want French to smack him in the mouth. So this is a win for the community as well as the players. He will have to get the most out of every kid on the field. Dean Wilks needs to have the line crushing those guys and breaking their morale early. I say this a lot, but if we get up on them by 2 touchdowns it's over. The mental aspect of high school football is so important. You rarely see comebacks like Boyle vs. Henry Clay the other night. It is far more common for teams to lay down from huge momentum swings like back to back scores than it is for them to buckle down and fight back. Coaches who can work the mental aspect to their advantage always win. Look at your best high school coaches, they are all great motivators. If French and the rest of the coaching staff have these guys pumped, we will win. Jagger's pre-game speech is going to be "we are state champions, let's beat this team" period. We need to come out on the field with more emotion than ever, we need to have blood in our eyes and fire in our veins. Chuck Smith won championships because he had his players believing that they could win, no matter the opponent. Boyle had no more talent than we did, but Smith used the mental aspect to overcome any talent he faced on the field. Did Boyle ever have more talent than Covington Catholic, Lexington Catholic, or Henry Clay? No, but it didn't matter if they suited up against the Cincinnatti Bengals, they believed they would win. I will argue with anybody that says the mental aspect of high school football is not more important than the physical.
The feeling of beating the defending State Champion could change our entire season! However, I am petitioning KHSAA to put an asterisk beside their state championship. I will also go on record that I will go to the booster club and the school board and ask them to buy the team "We smashed Mercer and Marty" championship rings after we win Friday. The Patriots could also break the win streak of 17 by Mercer, currently the longest in the State I believe. This win is going to be huge! Let's change their Disney movie, make them remember the Patriots! Good luck Lincoln and good luck French.

Lincoln did a good job Saturday, still need to work hard to get ready for Mercer. Offense & Defense still needs
some tweaking, receivers caught the ball well. I think our passing game could be huge for our offense.

Governor's Bowl vs. Bardstown

It's gameday ladies and I am pumped. It's country vs. city, Death Valley vs. Garnis Martin Field, Highway 27 vs. 5th Street, red white and blue vs. purple and gold. The Lincoln County Patriots will face the Bardstown Tigers this afternoon at Woodford County High School with kickoff @ 5:00pm. We need to score first and early to keep the momentum and offset their speed. This would be a huge victory for us, good luck Patriots.

Coaches vs. Saviors

The problem with most of our sports programs is that everyone wants to be a savior, or to have coached the savior of the program. Heres news for you, YOUR KID WILL NOT PLAY PROFESSIONAL SPORTS!!!! Once you get that through your thick head, then you are ready to become a coach. Oh, and remember, if you are planning on your kid paying for college with a scholarship for his/her athletic ability, you should also be ready to kill a rich relative just in case that doesnt work out. Dont believe me, check the professional ranks of any major sport and see how many players each team has. Then look at the number of kids playing LL or HS sports. Chances are that you will win the lottery before your kid plays professionally

Coaches realize these basic facts, and they understand that they have a duty to make their players the best they can, sportswise and human wise. Saviors want to parade around with their chests out proclaiming that "THEY" won the Lincoln LL title last season or 3 years in a row. Guess what you didnt win jack S#!T, your players won it, and in most cases they overcame the other team and your incompetence to win.

Look at our little league baseball program, we are so worried about who wins that we are teaching no fundamentals. We run, and that is basically all we do. I saw a kid in a game last year, late in the game, his team down 3-4 runs, 1 out and runners on first and third. The defense coach yells to the catcher, throw him out if he steals (talking about the runner on first). The other coach thinks that is a joke. Guess what, runner on first gets thrown out, and the runner on third scores. Great you scored a run, and now you have two outs and your are still 2-3 runs behind. Easy win for the other team. What did the coach prove for the offense. Better to score a run, even if you give up an out. Watch any good HS team, college team, pro team. Do you see this happen. No because good coaches understand not only the score, but also the situation.

If not for good HS coaches at Lincoln we would be pitiful. But we put them at a disadvantage because they spend so much time teaching 15-18 year olds things they should have learned at 8-12 years old. If not for some knowledgeable parents of our HS players last year we would have been in trouble. (examples, Paul Young-played lots of HS basketball, George Miller-played some college basketball, Steve Ralston-played lots in HS and coached at many different levels) Think it is just a coincidence that these guys children helped turn our program around.

Look at our LL, how many of those guys played past LL. If you did not play past the time you were 10-11, you dont know how to make your kid better than an average 10-11 year old. Simple rules.

Quit trying to be the savior. Work on your skills as a coach. Teach fundamentals for the age you are coaching. Remember your kid is not your retirement, but you are his/her only hope for growing into a quality human being. You only get one chance, use it wisely.

Go PATS, we can overcome the dumba$$es and still turn out good programs. Prediction for Saturday, passing game gets going, Pats win a shootout 34-30. Also, Chase and Cody, if you read this, get well, long season need you for the district and playoffs more than we need you for early season.

It Ain't Physics, Bring Back the Patriot

Every great team is represented by a symbol that is identifiable to all who see it.

Western Kentucky University is known as the Hilltoppers. Their mascot has received nation wide fame over the past few years. Numerous commercials on national television. Great exposure for a rather unknown small university located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Teams are recognized for their mascot, or mascots. Heck, UK has two. The famous Wildcat, and fun and goofy Scratch. USC has the Trojan Horse, Notre Dame has the Leperchaun and so on and so on.

High school sports teams don't always showcase their beloved mascots. It is very rare in this day and age. It's time for change!

Those who have followed the Pats for years probably remember the good ole days when their mascot attented every football game. The majestic white horse galloping down the hill onto the track (which ironically is now in such bad condition a horse could not eat off of it) bring school spirit and pride to all.

People from afar wondering who or what could being jockeying this creature of freedom, fans chanting, yankee doodle went to town being blasted (heard at least ten feet from the bleachers) by the band.

All this in anticipation of the PATRIOT. The one and only mascot of Lincoln County High School.
Who was behind the mask, the mystery is unknown; unless you were a member of the FCA or took Physics at LCHS or looked real closely at the man on the horse.

It didn't matter who the man on the horse was, or if this story is true. Mascots are cool, and entertaining to kids and wives who pay no attention to the game. Mascots are for all the people watchers out there, who need something to do when the game gets boring. We all know one or two.

Get back to basics

Lincoln football will be okay if the injury bug does not continue to bite us. Chase Marcum needs to get healthy. We need to be able to pass more, but believe that we can turn things in the right direction. One thought, did the loss of Clevenger hurt more than losing Braxton and Trent? Inexperience in some key positions make the learning curve harder (and the loss of two burners who could score from anywhere on the field).

Ryan Young could be a big time receiver. Have to get him the ball, and the line has to give Levi the time to throw. Keeton should ease the pressure and with the height of Ryan and Keeton could make things hard on short DB's. Lets hope so.

One issue that I hope gets brought up here is how does Lincoln (one of the largest schools in the area/region) get to a point where we have trouble competing with schools much smaller? Aside from last year when have we been able to dominate in football/basketball/baseball? Dont give me that "we are so rural" crap either. To fix our high school we need to look much earlier. Need coaches that understand the game (and have played at a higher level than they are coaching). High school coaches getting involved in LL football last year should be a big help. Need to see more of this, and need it in all sports. Parents are ruining LL, and the high school will continue to suffer. Why do teams practice when our HS baseball coach is having a clinic to help the kids? Do these LL coaches know more than our HS coaches? (NO, but they are LL legends).

As for Saturday, Lincoln may struggle with speed of Bardstown (see what they did to Nelson Co.). But if the Pats can contain and tackle could be a good victory and help confidence for coming weeks.

Calling all Patriots

I know some of the current Lincoln Patriots personally so I am going to call them out. Because I know them personally, I can say this. I know they want to win. I know they don't want to get pimp slapped like they did against Bell County. I know they have been working hard in the weight room. I know they have had to overcome some coaching changes. So I hope by knowing these things about these guys, I can say with confidence that last week's beating will prove to be the drive and motivation that they need to win this season. Keep that sting of blood in your eye and remember what it feels like to lose, then remember how good it feels to win. That motivation will help you later on in your future. Winners win in life, even long after you've finished playing in Death Valley. So here it goes...Rob, Chase, Skyler, Noah, Levi, Ryan, Devon, Cody, and anybody else I missed, I am challenging you to be winners. You have the chance to be heroes, if only on a small town atmosphere. Feeling like a hero is great even if it's on a local level. If you happen to be a big enough hero, then maybe it will spill over to the college level. You only get one chance to be in high school, so make the most of it. Don't look back on things with regret. Lay it on the line every Friday night with reckless abandon. Win on the field and you will win in life, I promise you.

Hard Work Pays Off.

The players need to work hard & get ready for the Woodford bowl game. I think that each kid has to step up their level of play.
Denson, Keeton & Young will help.....

PBK Bank Death Valley Bowl

Update on the PBK Bank Death Valley Bowl: kick-off time has been moved back to 7:00pm due to the hot as balls weather we are having here in Stanford. It is currently 99 degrees but at kick off time it should lower to a very cool and comfortable 95 degrees. I am concerned with this because the Bell County boys will have an advantage, due to the fact that air conditioning has not been discovered in Pineville yet. I am also putting up my prediction for the game tonight........Lincoln-21 Bell-14. I have an inside track with HVAC service technician Christopher Heating and Air, and word is he shut down the visitors locker room HVAC so we will pull out the victory after halftime due to heat exhaustion. Good luck Patriots.

Back on the Air

Oh how times have changed.

The last time the Lincoln County football games were broadcast, the internet was a fictional thing most Lincoln Countians had only heard about on the evening news.

Well time has past, and technology has evolved. Lincoln County football will be able to be heard via internet broadcasting, starting this Friday night. http://www.lincoln.k12.ky.us/lchs/default.htm

The idea for the broadcast was brought about by Jon Smith. A Chicago native, who grew up in Stanford. Smith was the play-by-play voice of the Patriots for many years. Actually traveling from Chicago to Stanford to broadcast the events. The games were broadcast on WRSL FM until the station shut down a few years ago.

There has been interest in finding a venue to get the games back onto the radio, and right now the internet seems to be the best option. The game is also accessible by radio, in the stadium and parking areas. The frequency will be made available to those interested at the game.

The greatest thing about the broadcast is it will directly benefit the program. Advertisements are being sold for the broadcast, with the profit going to the football boosters.
Tim Estes and Kevin Bandura will make up the broadcasting crew.

Personally, I am lobbying for the resurrection of fans in the stands. A long time favorite pregame segment of mine.

Pats Get Young "er"

The latest addition to the Lincoln County Patriot football team appears to be on track to see the field in this weekends Death Valley Bowl.

Senior Ryan Young is rumored to be eligible to play against Bell County this weekend. This will add much needed speed and pass catching ability to the Patriots offensive attack. Giving them another viable option on offense.

Young debuted last year, his junior season, and emerged as one of the best receivers in the area.
He is best known as being the leader of the 12th region championship basketball squad. However, most who follow the football program closely realize he is an important addition to the football Patriots too.

Death Valley Bowl

The annual PBK Death Valley bowl is coming up this weekend, and we are looking forward to it. I am not going to lie about it, I'm worried about taking a butt whipping from the mountain men from bloody Bell County. I remember going to camp with Bell County back when I played, I hate them now as much as I did back then. Dudley will have his boys warming up on the field with mule kicks, what a bunch of retards!!! Some good news this week on the home front is that Ryan Young, Devin Denson, and Mr. Athlete Noah Keeton are all suiting up for football. The G-14 classified information came to us up at the Capital from a trusted source at FSNB, I quickly verified the rumor through the local sports authority, Patriot Sports. I'm so glad to hear it, because we don't have enough talent coming out that we can have athletes only playing one sport. I am a big believer if you are an athlete, you need to play all sports. I have said all along that Noah Keeton would make a great football player. I am also looking at being his agent, so don't anybody try and sign him. On another note, a judge I work with has a nephew playing for Washington County and I am building a new courthouse in Springfield so good luck to Washington County. I also hope they spank Danville in their District. See you in Death Valley.

Welcome

Okay boys and girls, welcome to the Patriot Sports Talk blog. We are Lincoln County fans wanting to create a place for free where other like minded individuals can talk about the things we like to talk about . If you talk about things we don't like we will find you and beat you down, cause that's how we roll. Lincoln County Patriots - Stanford, Kentucky.