Miner_Pride

Can't imagine Lincoln not getting this.... certainly would excite the Vincennes folks!!

I know it's on WUZR 105.7 FM.. and they have an online stream of the audio https://www.wuzr.com/

I remember the first meeting with the Sullivan kid at RB.. we lost 14-0. Then a few years later we had gotten to the WV 5 or less...poised to score and win, and QB threw a pick that looked to be a pick 6, and he ran across the field to tackle the Viking at about our 5.

I'm always in the booth by the time any of the grilling is done... but I know they got a big ol' tent with some good smelling vittles that blow with that wind into my nose in pregame!

Not all the time.. but yes indeed our AD opens up the track in 'Big Games" so that people can essentially walk alongside field separated by a yellow rope. In my playing days it was like this every game... then they redid the whole thing and with the new track and fence separated fans from the track. It really was a sight to see! Before I started broadcasting..I would walk the sidelines as well... Loved hearing the action up close...

I'm sure you are right. Linton ran this offense for a couple three years at one point as I recall. I suppose it is the basic element of spread offenses... I was just giving those not familiar to offensive schemes a more descriptive run down on what we saw. Lannert was very quick for sure.... and they caught our backside DE and LB's busting in many times on those Happe keepers.. looked like that was well scouted and that Happe was looking for it!

I definitely think playing at Warrior Field will be a key factor for NK. I'm not going to blame the 'big city' atmosphere of Evansville or the Reitz Bowl in the slightest for the bad start or the loss. No question though that had Linton been in the friendly confines of Roy WIlliams in their own locker room coming from their homes after school with no 2 hour bus ride...and hopefully what would have been a huge turnout of Miner fans...as well as folks from surrounding schools no longer player who may or may not back Linton LOL. This scenario is precisely what the Warriors hope to have this week. And I am absolutely sure that all the surrounding communities will be in full black n red support as NK hasn't been in a sectional finale but once in 25 years... so there will be ton of excitement. Can NK take that energy early on and make it work in their favor? That is a key in this game for me. the very start. I don't for one second think MDei will be phased by the environment. They play in big environments all year. A big rowdy anti-Wildcat scene won't change how they perform.. it will have to be the Warriors.. I think they will be very up for the game...and if they can harness that energy to make some big plays happen for them, I feel they could get some momentum and try to sustain that for 4 quarters. I do think MD's gonna have to help out by having a couple blunders. They gave us one... on a snap skipping to the punter that gave us the short field for once...and we scored a couple plays later. NK's front Dline will be physically big as a whole.. and have to get penetration...but at the same time be disciplined to not run themselves out of the play. MD brings a slot guy in motion long distance to either fake to and hand to McGrew..who will either head opposite, or start that way only to curl back behind the motion. In our game the QB Happe would pull out the ball last minute and go opposite the flow and picked up big gains. THey also ran several screens and swing passes taking advantage of the D's pursuit of Happe, and the LB's reading run and slow getting out to cover McGrew. And Happe is a good scrambler and making plays on the run. Then there is the 4 wide receivers you have to be sure you cover...including 6'5 Money and 5'10 Kassenbrock. You better have LB's who can cover a pass situation. Now hopefully NK can move the ball against MD. Because if it's a flurry of 3 and outs without much success... obviously things won't end well in Warrior land. Then you gotta try things you aren't so comfortable with... but with Doades, and Noland, along with Boyles... they've shown they can mix in the pass to make some plays. If MD can be allowed to put 9 in the box without concern of giving up a big pass play....again.. long nght. But just maybe that OLine can out physical MD and get 3 or 4 yards a play..and keep moving the chains..thus moving the clock... but they got to end those drives with points.... I'd love to be there... I'll be listening on Tom Lee....

oooops

I'll start it.... it is a big game for the Warriors... and certainly something Mater Dei has been fighting to get back for a few years....

Yeah I agree the game was genuinely up for grabs at 21-13 until Linton scored at 2:43 to go. By the most competitive Warrior-Miner game in several years. Their defense kept this one tight, as did the Miner D. Linton scoredon 3 of their first 4 drives, with the one failure ending on the Warrior 9. NK scored on their opening two drives then that was it. NK certainly won that 3rd quarter in terms of yards. They went 61 yards in their first drive of the 2nd half before a 4th and long pass was intercepted at the L26. The Miners got to the NK 26 twice in the 2nd half.. Goodman's pass tipped off a wide open Dyer, that was picked at the Warrior 13. Early in the 4th Lannan was stopped at on a 4th and 2. It was a solid effort by NK, but 299 in rushing by Linton and another 137 in the air was a lot of yardage surrendered. NK Defense made the plays when they needed them. The rush offense that is NK's bread n butter was held in check, with QB Hammelman providing the bulk of offense with his legs (11-54 rushing, most on scrambles) and thru his arm (10-24-154).. and 40 of that came on a TD pass to Doades for their 2nd score. Course this was week 7? and NK has rolled pretty smoothly improving in all aspects of their game. I can definitely say that Mater Dei a staunt defense. Linton finished with 232 yards for the game but honestly 124 came in the 4th against MD reserves. That leaves 108 over 3 quarters for an offense that was pretty impressive this season. NK seems more power orientated.. trying to pound the yards. Linton is more misdirection, and MD was very disciplined.. back side did not chase, they did not take themselves out of the play, and their D line was constantly busting up the gut before anything could develop. MD's offense has a lot of misdirection too.. bringing a slot in motion sometimes from all the way across the field and taking the handoff, or McGrew going against the grain...plus in our game..several times QB Happe kept it and had big gains getting outside on the back side. They were almost always 4 receiver sets... 2 per side. This spreads out the defense pretty thin. And if not faced it much.. you don't know how you'll react. Happe had some key runs out of a passing situation. Knight and Folz are great LB's.. very quick to the hole. Lannert from safety is their leading tackler for a reason.. all of their Dline were quick on their first moves.. beating our guy to the spot. And add to it 6'5 MOney and 6'1 Davidson at DE's both got tipped passes at the line.. one ended up a defensive score. My hope for the Warriors is they can use ball control to keep MD offense off the field, but they gotta convert those drives into points. I also hope they can catch some breaks, of which Linton got one (the punter dropped the snap which gave us the ball at MD's 21..and we scored on a pass just before the half)….They are gonna have to prove that the passing game can be dangerous..because MD will just sit 8-9 in the box and beg them to throw it...

I tell ya. .this is the game I wish I could just get in the car and head up to watch start to finish. You guys battled to the absolute bitter end of this game on both sides.... What a crazy exciting game.. and I can't see how this one won't duplicate it. The environment and intensity will be off the charts!!!

LOL.. well ... lemme clarify something--- I was born at Deaconess in Evansville... way back. But my youngest years were spent in Henderson Kentucky where my Dad was 1st Assistant to Bull Dawson at Henderson City High.. home of the Flash. Dad was set up to take over for Bull.. but every year he'd decide to stay another year. Finally Dad took a head coach job in Sullivan. I was in the 3rd grade. Everything was different. Henderson City was a serious football team, and dad was a serious coach. He lasted 3 years before getting the axe. We ended up in Linton... 15 miles to the east, as Dad was Athletic Director/Ass't Principal. So quite naturally, and despite having several close friends from Sullivan... I goal was never ..ever.. to lose the the Golden Arrows. Which I'm proud to say in my years never happened. So.. yeah.. I might not root for the Arrows ALLLLLL the time, but I not as stringently full of hate as I was all those years ago either!! And I like Blaine Powell.. so that makes it easier!

As for this week's Championship.... I will be pulling for North Knox. I've nothing personal against Mater Dei.. and whomever wins here will have my support moving forward. I always want to see teams we play have great seasons, and always like to see anyone from our area do well in postseason. That just helps our schedule outlook... well.. maybe not the Arrows... LOL.. just kidding! I think NK will have to play their ultimate game and get some help... just as I said about my Miners. Mater Dei will have to come to Warrior Field out in the midst of nothing between Bicknell and Freelandville. There will be an insane environment waiting for them.. course, I don't think that will have any effect on a team that played in front of a packed Reitz Bowl a few weeks back. Obviously MD is coached well, and has great kids on that field. A lesser team would probably look at the Linton-NK game midseason and think.. ok....Linton beat NK 28-13, we beat Linton 44-21... the same offense we just shut down completely put 299 rushing and 137 passing on the Warriors.... A lesser team I would wonder about over-confidence on the road... thinking ahead rather than the task at hand. I don't see that with Mater Dei though. But you know it's gonna be cold by Friday, if by chance the rain moves in and makes things muddy and nasty (no field turf in our neck of the woods)... which all plays into NK's style of play... things can change so fast in football. This is the best Warrior D I've seen come out of North Knox is many years, a lot of seniors and leaders. I wish them well, and it won't surprise me if they surprise MD early on... unless NK pulls a turnover feast like Linton did, and gets down early. Then it could be a long long night.

I'm not speaking for any coaches... just comes from my personal feelings...

I think it's a simple as this.... Those senior kids wanted to play every play to the bitter unfortunate end. We had timeouts...we took them so they could maybe get a couple more plays. Sure they wanted to score. The same way teams did against us when we had long taken our #1's out in running clock blow outs. I know that if this were a regular season game it would not have happened. I know if roles were reversed and Linton was up 44-7 it wouldn't have happened. It's a simple as that. They knew the game was out of reach, but no senior player wants it to end. It was a very disappointing end to a terrific season, and I know in my 20 years of broadcasting I've never seen a worse opening quarter start by the MIners. I think Mater Dei was the better team...their defense really shut us down. Very Disciplined as we knew they'd be. I honestly thought the D played good...but they were put on their heels to much by the turnovers. It does hurt because you know this game meant a lot to the Miners, and the seniors in particular. We had to climb the hill in 1A, seemingly always having that nemesis we had to get over to get to the next level... Now it's 2A and a whole new set of hills to climb...Southridge, Mater Dei.... We just have to keep working. I have no doubt that Mater Dei's schedule prepares them well for when they play 2A post season. We have beefed up the schedule at Linton...but I don't think we would ever have the schedule MD, or Bishop Luers, Andrean etc are going to play in the bigger cities. So back to the issue... the timeout and score... don't take it too seriously. You are advancing with a pretty solid thump of the Miners. I'm sure it was a matter of letting these kids have as many downs as they could before it was all over. Maybe I would have a gripe in a meaningless game in week 4 with a team leaving their starters in late against our uber subs... in fact I've stated it many times... but I also know coaches are trying to give their team anything to build on in those situations... and losing 44-21 is better than 44-7... especially when looking back on it in 10 years! But I wouldn't have a problem with it happening to us in this situation.. Last game. Last time any of these seniors will play this awesome game for the Red/Blue. Congrats to Mater Dei. Their defense took it to us. And special teams took it to us. I wish it would have been a better showing for my Miners... but it happens. I'm sure when I go back to double check stats that the two games we've lost to Mater Dei will show us turning the ball over more than another other 2 games I've covered....I don't know what the heck was happening.... That opening tip and Pick 6 just set the tone....

Thought I would take a look at the NK Warriors! NK came into 2019 with a lot of returning starters on both sides of the ball. They would have to replace their biggest offense weapon in RB Gavyn Doane...as well as Thomas Keegan at QB, tackle Destin Hardy and OLB Lee Endicott. Reece Hammelman would move to QB from starting at H back, Cole Richter the heir apparent to Doane. Most positve was the return of 4 of 5 Olinemen, and 10 of 12 defensive starters that figured to be the Warriors strong point. Coming off a 5-6 2018 campaign, the Warriors are in the midst of the best season under Coach Josh Chambers, with 7 wins the most since a 9-3 2014 year (under Coach Shawn McDowell). They had only achieved 7 wins in 4 seasons since 2000. The Warriors dropped their opening tilt against 6-4 3A Sullivan 15-12; a game which NK could have won, perhaps should have. They ran off shutouts at 1-9 Eastern Greene, and at home vs 3-7 Tecumseh, both 1A, then traveled to 4A Boonville to hand the 5-4 Pioneers a 34-20 setback. Next up a 54-0 slam on 1A 2-8 North Central. This set up the Warriors at 4-1 heading into big battles with 6-4 3A Vincennes Lincoln, and 9-1 2A Linton. The Battle with Lincoln was hard fought, but went the Alices way in the end 12-6, and the following week a 28-13 loss to the Miners that was a one score game midway through the 4th quarter. They'd respond to those back to back losses by finishing the regular season blasting both 7-3 1A North Daviess 44-12, and 0-10 3A Washington 54-22. That carried over to a road 55-21 win over 1-9 South Spencer in the opening round of sectional 48. First and formost, The Warriors are a rushing team. averaging 354.4 rush yards a game, 396-3,190 with 44 rush TDs. SR #23 Cole Richter may be small in stature, but leads NK with 1,085 rush yards and in carries (149) and in Rush TD (15). Soph #20 Holtman Doades has been solid 64- 737 and 11 Rush TD. Add that QB Hammelman with 71-508-6... as well we backup #12 Rhett Sheren (Soph, 6'0 180) with 448 yards on 58 carries... the heir apparent to Richter in 2020. Hammelman has thrown the ball 114 times hitting on 61, a 59.5% rate, for 917 yards in the air. 10 TDs against 6 picks. Doades with 19 catches for 311 yards, 18 to Boyles for 213, and 12 to Noland for 229. Doades again leads with 4 TD receptions, 2 to Noland, and 2 to Urbain, who had 5 total for 61 yards. Richter adds 5 catches for 68 yards. It's the Defense that has been staunt this year... this is who we saw when Linton played them. I'm sure there are other contributers. They are lead by Sr Troy Noland with 119 tackles, followed by his younger brother soph Beau Noland at DE with 104 tackles. Wolfe adds 77 from DT, 52 from Boyles, 51 from SR Trey Keller #56 (6'0 240) who clearly gets a lot of action. Urbain with 49, then Haag with 48. Wolfe leads in TFL with 14 closely followed by 13.5 from Beau Noland and 4.5 from Keller. The Noland brothers combine for 12.5 of the team's 20 sacks.. Beau with 8, Troy 4.5. NK has forced 24 turnovers, 11 of those picks, of which Hammelman has 5. Doades has handled PATs, 12 of 36, a 40.5% tick. Troy Noland does kick off and averages 40.4 per punt.

sECTIONAL 1a Round 2.docx sECTIONAL 2a Round 2.docx

THought I'd reflect on last year's Mater Dei- Linton Sectional 2 game: At the Roy. What a horrid night it was... pure mud on the field from 20 to 20. Clearly it would effect both teams in many ways. In the end...Linton lost 6 fumbles... most deep in MD territory. MD would have 3 of their own, 2 of those interceptions. After a Miner 3 and out to start, Mater Dei drove 74 yards in 7 plays culminating in a Cole Happe to Hunter Taylor 29 yard TD strike, 7-0 Wildcats at 8:17. The Miners would answer right back from own 33 with Lannan busting up middle for a 45 yard TD run, and we were tied at 6:50. MD 3 and out, Linton gets ball at MD 41, reach their 29 with a 1st Down, then turn the ball over on a fumble. Again Mater Dei would punt to Miner 30, but a Hold on Linton forced a Miner punt right back. Then Linton's Gavin House picked off a Happe pass putting Linton at the MD 26. Linton would get to the Wildcat 14, and on 3rd and 1 another killer holding penalty pushed us pack, and following 2 incompletions, the Wildcats would hold and take over at their own 24 as the 2nd Quarter barely had started. The Wildcats would then go 76 yards yards in just 6 plays with another Happe TD pass, this time to Austin Wulff. Happe had scrambled to buy time, and Wulff on a wheel route and been left wide open. The PAT was blocked, putting the score 12-7 MD at 5:19 of the second quarter. Disaster for Linton as House fumbles at the Miner 14. 4 Plays later, MD would score as Happe went in from the 2, and it was 20-7 Wildcats at 3:16. Disaster then again, and Dyer fumbles at Linton's own 29. This time the Miner D would keep MD out, and a 4th down pass was incomplete. That is how the first half would end. ND with 166 yards Linton at 117. Linton's mostly on ground with 103, Mater Dei's thru the air with 147. The WIldcats got a good return to start the 2nd half at their 48, and 8 plays later John McGrew busted in from the 4, and at 8:29 the hope was fading for Linton, down 27-7. Offensively the Miners were very unproductive, totaling -3 in total yards, and in fact having the ball just once resulting in a 3 and out. MD would take that first punt at their own 49, get a 36 yard Happe to Wulff pass, then against on a 4th and 5 from the Miner 10 for another Wildcat score. At 4:10 now 34-7 MD. Still more Miner detriment as the following kickoff ended in another Miner lost Fumble. Facing 4th and 7, Happe had heavy pressure and heaved a pass that was picked off and nearly returned for a long TD... but, a roughing the passer flag eliminated it all. As the 4th quarter kicked in, and the penalty assessed, McGrew walked in the endzone from 3 putting MD up 40-7 with 11:00 to go. Linton would still fight, reaching the Wildcat 29, but Goodman was sacked, and coughed up the ball again. This time Mater Dei would fumble right back. At this point MD had mostly 2's on the field, and Linton would score on a Trey Goodman to Lance Dyer 22 yard pass play, at 7:52, making the margin 40-14. Linton would reach the MD 23 again, but a snap over Goodman's head ended that drive. Luke Lannan would bust through for the last points of Linton's season from 20 yards out with under a minute remaining to close out the scoring-- 40-21 Mater Dei advanced. Linton rushing 34-144, Passing 6-19-98 242 total Mater Dei rushing 39-68 Passing 16-29-226 294 total

It ALWAYS seems to be a strong wind any time I've been there... and on those rainy cold nights.. of which there have been plenty.. that wind howls! Course I KNOW you KNOW this!!

ok... I like that one!

I can only imagine that wind whipping thru Warrior Field tomorrow!!!

I certainly hope MIner fans load up their vehicles and make the trip to Evansville to A) Support the MIners and B) get to be in the Reitz Bowl! Linton has always had a terrific fan base both home and away...and still has a terrific fan base in and around Linton... but in the advent of Video Streaming there hasn't been near the bodies in the stands in road games particularly...Perhaps because of the magnitude of this one.. folks will make a night of it and be at this game in the flesh. This team deserves that.

Obviously I am a die-hard Linton guy. I will always believe the Miners have a chance to win against anybody anywhere on any given night. I think our guys will always give the maximum effort and believe... and I think our coaches always do what they do best to get our team in a position to get that W. Mater Dei absolutely is the favorite in this game. It's in Evansville..at the Reitz Bowl... They've beaten Indian Creek (3A 7-3) in a dominant way 49-14... beat a good North team 45-27 (5-4 5A), beat Central 10-7 by a field goal (8-2 4A). Losses came to two very good teams, and by small margins.. Castle (5A 5-4) 13-0 where Happe threw 4 Ints… and Memorial (4A 8-1) 10-3! Those are 5 teams any small 2A school is gonna have trouble with. You can't just assume you'd beat a 3-7 4A Reitz team at their house even if they are 3-7...but MD did just that 31-28. I think Reitz would give most any small 2A team a loss. BUt you gotta believe on any given night you can win. We have to play flawless ball...and I feel we are much better this year than last, and better than we were at the beginning of the season. I can see Mater Dei is much improved from 2018 as well. A lot of the names are gonna be the same from last year. Luke Lannan ran for 122 and 2 scores for Linton and had 22 total tackles. Cole Happe passed 16-29 for 226 yards and 3 TDs. Dyer, Goodman, Howard, Robertson, Mongeau, Rogers and other Miners... Lannert, Kassenbrock, McGrew, Folz, Davidson, Schnurr and other Wildcats...