ASHLAND — Boyd County and Fairview appear to be football teams that are polar opposites three weeks into the high school season.

The Lions are winless.

The Eagles are undefeated.

But Fairview coach Nate McPeek warns not to automatically put another one in the win column.

“They’ve got a good coaching staff out there and they do have good players,” McPeek said. “It’s a matter of letting it click. Footbal is a weird game. Teams can put it together at any time. We cautioned our players to play with high emotions because they’re going to be playing that way.”

Boyd County was socked last Friday by Pike County Central, Class 3 A’s sixth-ranked team, 50-0. The loss was thorough and painful to watch.

“We didn’t put up a fight and it was obviously very disappointing,” said Lions coach Lee Evans. “We rolled over and played dead.”

It was 42-0 at the half as the Hawks outgained the Lions 401-5. “We didn’t have one kid play well,” Evans said.

Fairview kept on winning, avenging a 2009 loss to East Carter in runaway fashion, 42-2.

“We played our best game of the year on Friday, our most complete game,” McPeek said. “Hopefully we’ll continue getting better and (keep) rolling.”

The Boyd County-Fairview rivalry has been building with this being the third consecutive year the teams have played. The rivalry factor is one reason why Evans believes the Lions may rebound this week.

“We’re next-door neighbors,” Evans said. “Several of their kids live right here (in Boyd County’s district) and some live across the river (transfers from Huntington).”

Last year, Fairview celebrated its first-ever win over Boyd County by taking down the goalpost. This time around the Eagles go into the game as favorites. “Our kids are starting to buy into what we’re trying to do,” McPeek said.

Boyd County has scored only two touchdowns in three games as mistakes continue to hound the young Lions.

“The thing we talked about with the kids is we have to control the things we can control,” Evans said. “It’s disheartening if you feel like you can’t win or should win. When you’re the underdog all the time, it’s hard to motivate yourself. I’m with them and believe in them. We can control the effort and speed at which we play.”

Evans said if the Lions do that, everything else will work itself out.

The Lions never established a running game (rushing for negative 22 yards) and sophomore quarterback Lance Evans completed 6 of 15 passes for 60 yards while being intercepted twice.

“Fairview is talented,” Lee Evans said. “I hope they’re not as good as Pike Central but I’m afraid they might be. I don’t know if they have a weak spot defensively.”

The Eagles have allowed only 27 points in three games with a defense that’s as good as advertised in preseason.

It’s been a running back-by-committee approach on offense. Six different players scored touchdowns last week. Chris Brewer has 277 yards rushing and Devon Turner 141. Jared Hutchinson, Chris Littlejohn and Gary Felder also get regular touches.

“I think offensively we’re getting better,” McPeek said. “We’ve never been five deep at running back and we are. We rotate backs every series. It’s four of the best backs I’ve coached in seven years. They’re speedy, athletic, shifty, strong and fast. It all starts up front. As long as those guys do their job, we’ll keep getting better.”

McPeek relishes a rivalry game with Boyd County prior to beginning the important district portion of the scheduled.

“There’s not a lot of pressure on our end of it,” he said. “I’m sure they weren’t real happy we beat them for the first time in school history. They dont want to lose to us regardless of the record. I don’t mind paying it. It gives us a chance to play a bigger school, a rival type of school before district games.”

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.