Aaron Snyder
The bus ride is long, but this year they don’t mind.
The Lawrence County Bulldogs are making their second consecutive trip to Log Mountain to face Bell County in the playoffs.
Last year’s result? A 62-0 romp handed out by the eventual Class 4A state champions Bobcats as Lawrence County’s painful 0-11 season ended abruptly.
The 2009 Bulldogs are 12-0, traveling to Bell County to face an 11-1 team that is ranked second in Class 4A, but this time the regional championship is on the line and Lawrence County is optimistic.
“It’s hard when you’re 0-10 and going down there,” said Lawrence County coach Luke Salmons. “(Our players) knew they were beat. But when you’re playing with confidence and you believe, that’s half the battle.”
There is no reason for the Bulldogs not to believe.
They accomplished the most drastic turnaround in Kentucky high school football history and are fresh off of a 19-0 shutout of Knox Central.
By comparison, Bell County defeated Knox Central 34-6 in October and has outscored playoff opponents 92-0. The Bobcats’ only loss came to Alcoa, Tenn. — the same school that produced UK star Randall Cobb — in the first game of the season. Since then, Bell County has allowed just 73 points in 10 games.
“They’re just very well coached,” Salmons said. “They’re state champs. They’re set up to play any type of football you want to play.”
Friday night’s task is obviously the toughest the Bulldogs have faced all season but, according to Salmons, the team’s confidence has increased with each victory.
“Attitude and effort is what we preach,” Salmons said. “These kids have tasted losing, but once we got steam, it was a matter of building confidence. They feel like they can beat anybody.”
One player that has picked up steam in the playoffs is Hunter James. The junior running back has racked up 314 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the last two games. Shane Pack, a senior, has surpassed 1,500 yards on the ground for the season, including 223 yards in the postseason.
The offensive and defensive line have been constants for the Bulldogs this season, but Bell County also offers size and speed in the trenches.
“They’re big, but we feel like we can be physical with them,” Salmons said.
The Bobcats also present a solid rushing attack, including Cory Davenport and John Dudley Hilton, who have combined for more than 2,000 yards and 33 scores. Quarterback Ben Madon has thrown for 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions for the season.
“We just keep working and playing hard,” said Bell County coach Dudley Hilton. “It’s a tradition thing we do.”
Hilton has compiled 331 career coaching wins and three state championships — two with Bell County (1991, 2008) and one with Bourbon County (1998).
Hilton realizes that Lawrence County has made a 180-degree swing this season.
“They look like a mature football team,” Hilton said. “You put a year under your belt with the same coach and same players, that’s a big thing.”
Salmons said his players recognize Bell County’s rich football tradition.
“We have a lot of respect for them,” Salmons said. “But we’re going to win — that’s our mindset.
“To be in a regional championship game is great for our football program. The kids are excited. It feels like football again around here.”
While the Bulldogs’ bus ride to Bell County may be long, the magic carpet ride has yet to cease.
AARON SNYDER can be reached at asnyder@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2664.
