Greenup County vs. Portsmouth (Battle for the Rock)

[Tartanblue]

Even then the rock would stay in Portsmouth all the time

[Tartanblue]

You said it, not me

[TrojanXplosion]

I would take Portsmouth 7 out of 10 times in that game.

[Westfan]

I work with alot of Russell people, including my boss. They say tough times are ahead. The talent pool is drying up. They lost a ton of really good seniors the last couple years.

I believe they have a contract with Ironton starting in 09 don't they?

2 previous years Russell vs Portsmouth would've been good games. Maybe Russell's best 2 teams ever (state champs and runner's-up). Last year Ptown would've destroyed Russell. I'd take Portsmouth 8 out of 10.

[TrojanXplosion]

I would take Portsmouth 7 out of 10 times in that game.

Why do you say that FalconFan?

Both schools have great weight training programs and very good defenses...

...also, very dissimilar style of offenses

Because like Siderman, I know what is happening with Russell. They lost to much to graduation and the talent in the players is declining.

I agree, if they would have played like 2 years ago, the series would have been tight. But now, Portsmouth would own these guys.

[TrojanXplosion]

Russell will still be decent in 2008 with a 1000+ yard back returning in Drew Abrams from their 2007 District Championship team.

Thanks for that little nugget of information.

[FarAwayFalcon]

Portsmouth wins this game everyday of the week and twice on Sunday.

[Westfan]

Russell has a nice team most years. Russell, Ashland, Johnson Central and a few others locally can compete in Ohio and would have good success. But its really hard to respect their success with the competition they play. Home playoff games against pathetic competition doesn't help people's opinions either. The difference in football as a whole from Ohio to Kentucky is night and day. Teams that get left out of the playoffs in Ohio may win a couple games in Kentucky. That stuff about so many teams making it out of a district in football and basketball really hurts the Kentucky playoff system.

[fightingtigers45]

Im surprised not a single person pointed out the fact that the Russell fan above said that Russell doesnt play Ironton because "Russell has gotten too good."

Wow...Never thought I would hear that...With all the coaching troubles at Ironton, I would say Ironton will be very good next year because they will be in their second year with a coach instead of switching systems twice like they have the past two years

[OZZIEOHIO]

You all can say what you want about KY football and most years I would agree but I would put Johnson Central ahead of most of the teams I seen play this year. I have never seen a overall team hit like they did. Most teams have a few hitters, thery had alot.

[Westfan]

i wouldn't call Mason or Breathitt pathetic.

Your right but I wouldn't call them great either. Didn't Breathitt beat Russell at home last year in the playoffs. Nice big quarterback but not much to go with him. Would struggle to finish 4th in the SOC II.

Your right Kentucky has some nice teams. Belfry is another that is usually good. But look at the size of a Greenup County, Johnson Central, or Ashland for example. Were comparing them to D4 and D5 schools in Ohio. They would be D2 or D3 in Ohio like a Logan here locally. How competitive do you think those games would be?

[Westfan]

Russell's state team was a nice team. Kasey Clark was very good. Didn't Logan win the SEOAL that year. Logan against Russell wouldn't be pretty. SOC 1 most defininately. SOC II they would be in the hunt. Wheelersburg would have probably beaten them.

Didn't Russell make it to the state semi's or state finals in 02. West beat them by 2TD's at their place with our QB suspended for the first quarter. Guys I work think that their 02 through 04 teams may have been better than the 05 and 06 teams. They just ran into better teams like Belfry with Thunder and Lightening.

[gotigers]

I realize this was a topic on GC vs. Portsmouth battle for the rock which was pretty funny, but it has somehow turned into OH vs. KY football debate and a "how great Russell football is" topic. Let me take a controversial stance on this that many of you will not like, but is true... Russell would not beat Ironton 1 single time in the past 10 years!!! History has shown that Russell never has and never does want any part of Ironton in football, as evidenced by their stellar 3-20 record vs. Ironton.

I have collected some evidence because I am a numbers sort of guy. Take a look at the common opponents of Russell (RHS) and Ironton (IHS) in the past 10 year and the scores:

1998: RHS 28 Ashland (AHS) 24, IHS 39 AHS 6
1999: RHS 14 AHS 21, IHS 64 AHS 6
2000: RHS 28 AHS 12, IHS 42 AHS 6
2001: RHS 28 AHS 27, IHS 45 AHS 7
RHS 0 Wheelersburg 28, IHS 42 Wheelersburg 0
2002: RHS 19 AHS 28, IHS 53 AHS 18
2003: RHS 14 AHS 33, IHS 35 AHS 0
RHS 31 Boyd Co. 19, IHS 42 Boyd Co. 7
2004: RHS 28 AHS 14, IHS 34 AHS 7
RHS 23 Boyd Co. 8, IHS 56 Boyd Co. 7
RHS 17 Belfry 39, IHS 31 Belfry 10
2005: RHS 21 AHS 13, IHS 27 AHS 26
RHS 20 Belfry 14, IHS 33 Belfry 21
2006: RHS 21 AHS 24, IHS did not play AHS but do you think we would have lost?
2007: RHS 28 AHS 20, IHS 27 AHS 7

Can you really now say that Russell would be anything but 0-10 over the last 10 years vs. Ironton? Also, as far as a Portsmouth vs. Russell series goes, I think Portsmouth would win in 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 06, & 07. So that is 9/10 for Portsmouth vs. Russell in the past 10 years.

Give the "Russell is the greatest" a rest, because they are not! You will see in 2009.

GO TIGERS!!!

[gotigers]

if Ivan is still there we will see. everybody knows russell will be down.

with respect to ironton russell would have own them the last 10 years. or at least won thier share of games.

Pass me whatever you are smokin man, then bring up this debate when you can handle Ashland consistently in football.

GO TIGERS!!!

[tl895]

IT' S JUST RUSSELL!

[tl895]

take a picture of that rock! that's as close as your gettin.....

[claypantherfan]

I would say Russell could take P'Town but out of 10 games they would win mayb 5 or 6 but all the games would be close.

[TrojanBuff]

Tobias - I can assure you this will never happen. Thanks for the thought though.