The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page K3

Time: 08-19-2009 23:11 User: mmudd PubDate: 08-20-2009 Zone: KY Page Name: 3 Color: Myimta HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL I THE COURIER-JOURNAL I THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2009 I K3 CLASS 6-A, DISTRICT FIVE Smith's hurt, but don't count out RedHawks By Matt Stone, Trie Courier-Journal Trinity coach Bob Beatty will go for a fifth straight state title this season, but he doesn't like to talk about dynasties. "When you think you're entitled or you assume something's going to happen, you're not going to last long in this business," he said. BEATTY He's Rocks' solid foundation BOB BEATTY YEAR-BY-YEAR Year Record Playoff result 2000 13-2 Lost 4-A final to Male 2001 13-1 Beat Male in 4-A final 2002 15-0 Beat Male in 4-A final 2003 11-4 Beat St. in 4-A final 2004 10-2 Lost 4-A 2nd round to Dixie Heights 2005 13-2 Beat St. in 4-A final 2006 14-1 Beat Ryle in 4-A final 2007 13-2 Beat St.

in 6-A final 2008 14-1 Beat Simon Kenton in 6-A final Career 116-15 Seven state titles COACHES' POLL Based on 3-2-1 voting; coach- es could not vote for their own teams; first-place votes in parentheses. Trinity (3) 9 2. Eastern (1) 7 T-3. Ballard 4 T-3. Seneca 4 GAME OF THE YEAR Seneca at Eastern, Oct.

23: On the last weekend of district play, this one may well decide who stays home and who hits the road in the first round of the playoffs. yards, seven TDs) and senior wide receivers Rob Melillo (27 catches, 300 yards, three TDs) and Alex Cartwright (21 catches, 231 yards, four TDs). Tidbits Trinity has won four consecutive state championships, but some observers have suggested that this is the year that streak might end. Many believe the majority of the Shamrocks' talent is in their freshman, sophomore and junior classes. Coach Bob Beatty is amused by the talk.

"I'm happy that people are saying, 'If you're going to get Trinity it better be this Beatty said. "I like that. That's outstanding." Eastern coach Dan Whalen isn't resting on his laurels after leading the Eagles' to an 11-2 record last year, setting a single-season school record for victories. The Eagles lost 63-15 to Trinity in the quarterfinals of the Class 6-A playoffs. "We didn't get to play 15 games last year," Whalen said.

"There were a lot of sad eyes after Game 13. That's our goal, to play 15 games this year." Jackson, on Class 6-A, District Five being one of the state's toughest (all four teams are ranked among the top 11 in the state in The Courier-Journal's preseason poll of coaches): "I don't watch a lot out in the state, but I can't imagine any district that's stronger top to bottom But eventually you have to beat the top team in the district to keep going. We're not satisfied with saying we almost beat everybody else. We have to compete with Trinity. You have to prepare to beat the best." By Jason Frakes The Courier-Journal With just a handful of starters lost to graduation, this was supposed to be the year for the Seneca High School football team.

Then junior quarterback DaMarcus Smith (3,227 passing yards, 32 TDs in 2008) suffered a knee injury over the summer and was declared out for the season, leaving some to believe the Red-Hawks might struggle to match last year's 6-6 record. Coach Louis Dover, however, isn't changing his expectations. "I still think we're going to be a really good team," Dover said. "(With Smith) people thought we could be a special team, and I think we can get back to that." Smith is expected back for his senior season in 2010, but for the time being the quarterback job belongs to junior Jordan Bender. He completed 24 of 49 passes for 291 yards and five touchdowns last season as a backup QB.

Dover has liked what he's seen from Bender since taking over the job. "He's growing in confidence," Dover said. "We always knew he was a good athlete and that his arm was plenty strong enough. He's taken on the challenge of having to replace DaMarcus. He knows he has to, and he's working real hard." The biggest plus for Seneca's offense which averaged 35.4 points per game in 2008 is the return of wide receivers Jordan Jacobs, Aaron Nance and Devin Mitchell, who together accounted for more than 2300 yards and 29 touchdowns last year.

Jacobs (39 catches, 1,024 yards, 12 TDs) is the big-play guy and is being recruited by the University of Louisville, among several schools. Nance (28 catches, 623 yards, nine TDs) is 6 feet 4 and 200 pounds and is the most physical of the bunch. Mitchell (50 catches, 743 yards, eight TDs) has the best hands of the three and creates matchup problems because of his size (5-10, 240). Throw in the return of senior running back Nicholas Greene (597 rushing yards, 381 receiving yards), and it's COACHES WITH MOST STATE TITLES Coaches who have won the most Kentucky High School Athletic i Association state football championships (x-active): Coach School Titles i Mike Yeagle Beechwood 8 i x-Bob Beatty Trinity 7 i x-Sam Harp Danville 7 x-Dale Mueller Highlands 7 i x-Mike Glaser St. Xavier 6 I Chuck Smith Boyle County 5 Joe Jaggers Fort KnoxTrigg County 5 i Dennis Lampley Trinity 5 i Lynn Ray Covington Catholic 5 By David R.

Lutman, Special to The C-J Seneca's Jordan Bender, above, has been thrust into QB action because of DaMarcus Smith's knee injury. easy to see why Dover still is optimistic about the season. "DaMarcus was special, but he had a lot of talent around him," Dover said. "Our defense has to step up until our offense gets their feet under them, but we're still going to be able to do some special things." Top players Eastern's Jon Davis has emerged as one of Kentucky's top juniors after posting 636 rushing yards, 654 receiving yards and 16 total touchdowns last year. Davis (6-3, 235 pounds) attended the National Underclassman Combine Ultimate 100 Camp in Norman, in July and was named the top tight end in the Class of 2011.

Ballard senior Dominique Dickerson, who split time at quarterback last season, should be the main man in the team's spread offense. "I think he could be a college quarterback at some level," Ballard coach Mike Jackson said. "But he might be a high-Division I defensive back. He didn't even play there last year, but we forced ourselves to put him there some this summer. I was amazed by how well he reacts." Trinity junior Brad Kragthorpe, the son of of coach Steve Kragthorpe, will take over at quarterback after completing 23 of 36 passes for 217 yards and one TD in a backup role last year.

Other Shamrocks likely to emerge as top weapons are senior running back Xavier Thomas (72 carries, 437 Louisville strength and conditioning coach Joe Kenn, will take over at quarterback for the graduated Brent Carneal. "He's just as good of a runner as he is a passer," Whalen said. "We had (Steven) Ferguson two years ago who liked to run, and Brent liked to throw. (Kenn) is in the middle of those two." Whalen likes to spread the ball around, but the ball likely will be in Davis' hands as much as possible. Davis (636, eight TDs), Corrigan (527, two TDs) and Parks (312, four TDs) all made an impact last season.

If the defense fills some holes, the Eagles could soar again in 2009. Date Opponent Date Opponent 828 MALE 102 atShelbyCo. 94 BUTLER 109 at Ballard 911 at Oldham Co. 1016 at Trinity 918 FERN CREEK 1023 SENECA 925 at Bullitt E. 1030 JT0WN SENECA (6-6) Coach: Louis Dover (sixth season, 17-37).

Starters back: Offense 8, defense 7. Top players: QB Jordan Bender RB Nicholas Greene WRLB Devin Mitchell WR Jordan Jacobs WR Aaron Nance WR Walter Alexander RB Tyrome Lott 0T Andrew Toebbe LB Mikquail Baskett Chris Ryland Outlook: Everything changed for the RedHawks over the summer when junior QB DaMarcus Smith was lost for the season with knee injury, but Seneca still has lot of weapons on offense. Bender moves from receiver to QB and has plenty of targets. Toebbe (6-4, 280 pounds) is a solid tackle who will protect Bender and open holes for Greene. Seneca lost several of its top tacklers, but Dover said he's not too concerned especially with Mitchell and Baskett teaming up as inside linebackers.

If Bender can hold Continued from Kl straight state football championships. Is this what the coach had in mind when he took the Trinity job? "I definitely thought it was possible, but I don't think you ever know from year to year how things are going to end up," he said. "Living in Missouri all my life and uprooting your family and moving away from my family to come here, I wouldn't have done that unless I thought this kind of thing could happen." Getting his start Beatty's journey to Louisville actually began on a bus in Butler, located 65 miles south of Kansas City, Mo. Miller was the head coach of the local high school's basketball and track and field teams and was an assistant football coach. Beatty's father drove the team bus.

"I sat right up on the heater in the bus and went with the football teams and basketball teams and track teams," Bob Beatty said. Miller, who retired from teaching and coaching in 2000 after 38 years and still lives in Butler, never minded his nephew riding along. "He just blended in," Miller said. "I think the players all liked him." And Beatty liked the fact that the players respected his uncle. "I saw the kids and watched how they wanted to play for him," Beatty said.

"It was a love-hate thing. God, he was tough. But it was, 'I want to play for "I thought that if I couldn't do it like that I should be doing something else." Beatty graduated from Missouri Southern in 1978, and his first coaching job came that year as an assistant at Clinton (Mo.) High School. He also coached at Yeo-kum Middle School in Bel-ton, and William Jewell College in Liberty, before landing at Blue Springs (Mo.) High School, where he spent his first 10 seasons as an offensive coordinator. All the while, Beatty was taking notes.

"From each person I worked for, I actually learned more of what not to do," he said. "I don't mean that disrespectfully but I always felt like my football knowledge was there. I always had a plan of what I wanted to do if I ever became the guy." Beatty finally became the guy at Blue Springs in 1997 and had his first dealings with Trinity after the 1998 season. Trinity was looking for a replacement for Chuck Servino, and athletic director Dennis Lampley began pursuing Beatty on the suggestion of then-Kentucky Country Day coach Bob Endy (now an assistant coach at Trinity). "I had done a lot of research and found that he was an excellent coach and just very sharp in the way he does his thing," Lampley said.

"He's a real good teacher, too." Beatty was offered the job but said "no," mostly because his daughter, Jennifer, was about to enter her senior year in high school. Kevin Wright got the job, coached the Shamrocks to an 11-2 record in 1999 and promptly left for Indianapo- Beatty demands a rapid pace during practices, continuously urging players to "get in the huddle" in preparation for the next repetition. He keeps records on the number of plays run during each practice, each week, each season. But members of the program will tell you Beatty's intensity never seems to cross over into a temper. It might be the one thing he learned from his uncle not to do.

"Bob Miller had a temper, and he would lose his temper," said Jayne Beatty, who knew Miller before she met her husband. "I've never seen my husband do that at a practice or game where he just completely loses it." As for his future, Bob Beatty said he isn't sure how long he'll stay at Trinity. Despite rumors to the contrary, Beatty said he coaches on one-year contracts that don't include perks such as cars and house payments. When he took the job, he said he planned to stay for only seven years. But since then, he's grown to love Louisville and said he plans to keep a home here after he steps down.

He said he's interviewed for only one job since taking the Trinity position at Val-dosta (Ga.) High School in 2005 but turned it down because "I didn't think it was for me. The standard of living and what was involved didn't compare to here." He gets calls about other jobs but seems content in St. Matthews. "As long as I'm healthy and have the energy to know I'm not letting that locker room down and not letting this staff down, then I will continue," Beatty said. "I'm not going to be Joe Paterno but I really don't give it any thought." As long as Beatty continues coaching, he'll have a big fan back home in Butler, Mo.

Beatty said he talks to his uncle once every 2-3 months, and the conversation always turns to coaching. "The first thing I always ask Bob is how the season is going," the 71-year-old Miller said. "I tell everybody around here about his accomplishments, and I'm very proud of what he's done. Every time I hear how well he's doing, my head gets a little bigger knowing that I'm a relative of his." Jason Frakes can be reached at (502) 582-4046. lis' Warren Central High School the following year.

Lampley decided again to pursue Beatty, who had become unhappy at Blue Springs and was ready to leave coaching for a job in heater and air-conditioner sales. "I was pretty dismayed at where I was because of politics," Beatty said. "It was not pretty." Added Jayne Beatty, Bob's wife: "I told him, 'It will kill you to give up coaching So with Jennifer headed to college, Beatty decided to leave Missouri and head to Louisville for the Trinity position. Seven state crowns Beatty was an instant hit, coaching the Shamrocks to the Class 4-A final in 2000 before falling to Male 34-14. The Shamrocks won three state championships from 2001-03 before a shocking second-round playoff loss to Dixie Heights in 2004.

But Trinity has been perfect in the postseason since then with a 20-0 record and four titles. Perhaps just as important to Trinity fans is Beatty's success against rival St. Xavier. He's 8-5 all-time against the Tigers but holds a 4-0 edge in playoff meetings. In three of the four seasons that they met in playoffs, Trinity lost the regular-season matchup against St.

only to gain revenge in the postseason. Beatty is 14-0 when facing a team for the second time in the same season just one of the statistics he chooses to ignore. Beatty admits he gears the season toward the playoffs "Games 11-15," as he likes to call them but doesn't buy into talk of championship streaks and dynasties. "There are two words in this business that will cause you to be finished 'entitlement' and Beatty said. "When you think you're entitled or you assume something's going to happen, you're not going to last long in this business." Beatty's coaching style might best be described as intense.

There was that somewhat infamous shouting match between him and offensive coordinator Andrew Coverdale during a practice before last year's St. game, caught on tape by NFL Films cameras for a show it produced for CBS. TEAM BREAKDOWNS BALLARD (6-6) Coach: Mike Jackson (second season). Starters back: Offense 5, defense 6. Top players: QB Dominique Dickerson WR Devante Parker QBRB Mo Crawford RB Flo Hardin RB William Kanna-more LB Greg Harrison LB Erron McAlmont DB Drew Hardin Outlook: Jackson is dealing with the graduation of 26 seniors, and most of his returning starters were not full-time starters last season.

Dickerson split time with Taylor Little at QB last season but likely will get the majority of the snaps this season, although Jackson said Crawford could see some time behind center because "he runs like a fullback and throws the ball real well, too." Drew Hardin, who has committed to Indiana University, is battling eligibility issues and might not play this season. Without Hardin, Ballard might have a hard time matching last season's .500 record. Date Opponent 821 atPRP 828 ST. XAVIER 94 at Central 911 MADISON C. 918 at Meade Co.

Date Opponent 925 at Male 109 EASTERN 1016 at Seneca 1023 'TRINITY 1030 WESTERN EASTERN (11-2) Coach: Ken Whalen (sixth season, 28-27). Starters back: Offense 6, defense 3. Top players: QB Joe Kenn RBWRLB Jon Davis RBLB Sean Corrigan RBDB Chris Parks WRDB Josh Hayden RBLB James Reed 0T Lionel Inanzala DE Kyle Durbin NG Nick Hamilton Outlook: The Eagles set a school record for victories last season, with their only two losses coming to state champion Trinity. Kenn, the son of University of a a things together and improve, Seneca could contend for the No. 2 spot in the district.

Date Opponent Date Opponent 821 at Central 925 MANUAL 828 SOUTHERN 101 at Butler 94 at Fern Creek 109 at Trinity 911 SHELBY CO. 1016 'BALLARD 918 DE SALES 1023 at Eastern TRINITY (14-1) Coach: Bob Beatty (10th season, 116-15). Starters back: Offense 2, defense Top players: QB Brad Kragthorpe RB Xavier Thomas WR Rob Melillo WR Darick Nix WR Alex Cart-wright WR Evan Morris 0L Dylan Kupper Ben Brislin DB Matt McConnell DL Robert Watson Outlook: Tim Phillips, Jordan Whiting, Brock Messina and Scott Radcliff had almost become household names at Trinity, but all of them have graduated, leaving Beatty with one of his bigger rebuilding years at Trinity. Beatty has been impressed with Krag-thorpe's arm, and the new QB will have plenty of receivers who saw playing time last season. Thomas should make a nice replacement for Phillips at running back.

Kupper is the only returning starter on the line, but several others gained experience last year. McConnell is the team's top returning tackier and also had a team-best five interceptions in 2008. Trinity may suffer a couple of losses against a tough early schedule, but it's hard to bet against Beatty come November and December. Date Opponent Date Opponent 103 St. Xavier-a 109 SENECA 1016 'EASTERN 1023 at Ballard 1030 atLex.Cath.

828 94 911 918 925 LAWRENCE N. MANUAL at Cinn. Elder atCinn.St.X B0WL.GRN. a-at Papa John's, 6 pm -District games.