By TIM HYDEN, CJ Correspondent
Somerset — It has been a nice story. The 2009 Somerset Briar Jumper football team has been on a crest of momentum that has carried them through 12 straight wins without a loss for a first-year coach thrown into a tough situation. It has really been a nice story…at least on the surface.
Below the surface is something that cannot be seen, only felt. It’s the heart, the drive, the work ethic, and the confidence it takes to go from a 12-0 team, who has spent the last two months beating teams who weren’t likely to beat them, to a 13-0 team who has just gone to war and taken down a team with a superstar running back headed to Knoxville, and a recent pedigree that stands second to none.
Tonight at Clark Field, the Breathitt County Bobcats, led by legendary Head Coach Mike Holcomb and University of Tennessee signee Channing Fugate, will look to end Somerset’s nice little story. Though they only sport a 7-5 record, the Bobcats are more than capable of putting the finishing touches on the Briar Jumpers’ 2009 season.
After a tough early schedule and some key injuries, including one to Fugate, left the Bobcats at 1-5, it looked like a lost season in Jackson. But they got their ship righted and have stormed to six straight victories, including a 62-12 romp over Garrard County last week.
“They jumped on them very early,” said Somerset Head Coach Rob Lucas. “They scored on about the second play from scrimmage, held them, scored on their next possession, and then picked off a pass for a touchdown. Before you knew it they were up 21-0 and Garrard just never could get into the contest.”
For Somerset, they represented the 5th District as well as Breathitt represented the 6th. While the Bobcats were pounding Garrard far worse than Somerset did, the Briar Jumpers were laying a beat down on Estill County that surpassed anything Breathitt was able to muster. The 63-14 win signaled a return to form for Somerset, who was not pushed to play their best by tough competition toward the end of the campaign.
It looks like tonight is going to be the local gridiron equivalent of Ali-Frazier. If you think 12-0 against 7-5 is a mis-match, consider this—Channing Fugate has rushed for 1,332 yards and 17 TDs this season, and he’s just now rounding into form. In 2008, while leading Breathitt to the state championship game, Fugate exploded for 3,052 yards and 36 TDs rushing the ball. (If you’re wondering, I just double-checked, and there is no typo in that stat line.) So, a healthy Fugate produces rushing stats like John Cole used to produce receiving numbers — absolutely prodigious.
“He’s as good as advertised,” said Lucas. “He’s about 6’3” 225 pounds and runs a 4.5 or 4.6 40. Early in the season he got off to a slow start with a hip flexor, but after watching his recent games on film I have no doubt that he’s at full strength now. We’ve definitely got our hands full with him.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that this will be our biggest challenge so far this season. You have a program with 3 State Championships, a head coach that has done a tremendous job and revitalized high school football in the mountains, and an athlete that has a scholarship to a top flight SEC school. Plus they’ve won six in a row, which is a real testament to Coach Holcomb. When you have five straight losses like that early in the season, it’s real easy to chalk it up as a throw away season. But he led them back to the top of their game, and now they’re contending to make it to Bowling Green. There’s a reason why he coaches in a stadium that’s named after him.”
But Fugate isn’t the only weapon in the Bobcat arsenal. Senior quarterback Jade Haddix has been the Bobcats starter again this season after posting great numbers as a junior. His statistics have suffered a bit this fall, but they’re still noteworthy—passing for nearly 1000 yards and 11 TDs. So to focus solely on Fugate is inviting a big play in the passing game. In 2008 Haddix threw for 17 scores against only 3 interceptions, and an untimely return to form could spell doom for Somerset if they don’t defend the whole field.
“There’s no doubt he’s a proven winner with a ton of experience,” said Lucas. “And he has some good weapons outside with numbers 80 and 81 (Josh Fletcher and Zack Epperson). They have tremendous speed in the receiving corp. Plus, Haddix is always a threat running the football as well.”
Of the five teams that have beaten Breathitt, only Perry County Central, who lost to Pulaski County two week ago, is not still alive in the playoffs. The other four—Lexington Christian, Prestonsburg, Sheldon Clark, and Johnson Central—are still in the hunt.
But what about our beloved Jumpers? All season long they’ve faced one challenge after another. But not only have they faced them, they’ve overcome them. Tonight is when we find out about Somerset. Sure, we’ve already learned a lot about them. We’ve learned that they’ve matured greatly from the mistake prone youthful squad of 2008. We’ve learned that they find ways to win, even after losing their star running back Derrick Jackson, their senior receiver Hunter Nelson, and their leader Jay Cobb.
But do they have what it takes to beat the best? To beat Breathitt County, this group of young men will have to go to a place, both collectively and individually, they haven’t had to go to before. They have to find a way to lay it all on the line, knowing that if they don’t, there are 16 teammates in that locker room who will take those jerseys off for the last time tonight. They didn’t need everything they had to beat Magoffin or Estill Counties—but they’ll need it tonight.
Are they up for the challenge?
“I feel pretty good about our team,” said Lucas. “We understand what we have in front of us. We know full well that Breathitt County is more than capable of ending our run and keeping us from getting to spend another 48 minutes of football with our seniors. But I’ll guarantee you this—we won’t go into the game intimidated. We know they’re good, but we know how to play football in Somerset too. And we’re going into this game full force, giving everything we’ve got to give, and letting the chips fall where they may.
“I have confidence in these young men. I know that they will rise to the occasion and lay it all on the line for each other. They’ve made me proud all season, and I know they’ll make me proud again tonight.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 at Somerset’s Clark Field.
Tonight there will be two great games in the area. In addition to the Somerset game, Pulaski County hosts Letcher County Central, with regional titles up for grabs in each game.
“I think PC’s going to win that game,” said Lucas. “Coach Hines has them playing great football, and I really think Zach Eastham is playing exceptionally well at quarterback. I wish them luck tonight. I love it when the local teams do such a great job of representing our area, and I’d like to see both our teams keep winning and bring a sense of pride to the community.”
For those who aren’t attending the PC game, where they’ve had such a magical run of success on their own field, stop and consider how it must feel to play all season to get a home field advantage. Then once you’ve accomplished that, you find yourself in a position to play at home all the way up to the finals. That is a huge advantage to have home field.
I’d like to say, and this is just this reporter’s opinion based solely on what I’ve seen the past two weeks, that it would be an even greater advantage if the home field advantage also included a “home crowd” advantage. From the press box, it would be nice to look out and see people on our side of the field instead of aluminum. I think the kids have earned it. So show up, let them know you’re behind them, and show them that the Briar Patch is no place to come in and steal a game.
And for you people at PC Field tonight—you know the strength you give your team. Help them bring home another one, baby!
Kick-off is slated for 7:30 p.m. at William Clark Field.
