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Vaught's Views: Who will survive tonight?

November 12, 2004|LARRY VAUGHT

Last week five area teams were in the playoffs. For tonight's second round, we are down to three - Boyle County, Danville and Garrard County - playing their own version of Survivor with the scoreboard doing the only voting that counts.

How many will still be playing next week?

Waggener (10-1) at Boyle (9-2): For the second straight week, the Rebels will see one of the state's top players. Last week it was Fairdale running back-defensive back Maurice Grinter, who had no success against Boyle. Tonight running back Alfonso Smith, a player Kentucky would love to have, will get his chance to test Boyle's improving defense.

Waggener's speed worries Boyle coach Chuck Smith, but if the Rebels play defense like they have the last month they should not have any problems stopping Waggener.

Besides, Waggener has not see an offense anywhere close to as good as the one it is going to see tonight. Boyle quarterback Brandon Smith will go over the 8,000-yard passing mark tonight, something only nine other Kentucky players have ever done.

What makes Boyle even better offensively now than it was the first five weeks of the season is a healthy Greg Peck. He combines with Seth Tamme and Evan Teague to give the Rebels three big-play receivers.

Prediction: Boyle 42, Waggener 14.

Bardstown (8-3) at Danville (7-4): The Admirals got an ultimatum from coach Sam Harp this week to either start playing with more emotion or get ready for their season to end.

Danville needs to play much better tonight than it has in recent weeks to beat Bardstown. The one plus for the Admirals is that Bardstown likely will be without Kwasi Obeng, its best running back.

Campbellsville shut down Danville's big plays last week, something Bardstown might also be able to do my matching the Admirals' speed. Danville must avoid turnovers and show that it can put together sustained drives not only to win this week, but also to get ready for next week's likely showdown with Holy Cross.

The Admirals' defense has to play with far more intensity than it has recently and show that it can maintain position responsibility against Bardstown's option offense that has produced a slew of big plays this year.

Prediction: Danville 20, Bardstown 13.

Garrard County (9-2) at Elizabethtown (10-1): The good news for Garrard, which lost 36-0 at E-town last year, is that quarterback Spencer Crutchfield is healthy this year and will play in the game. The bad news is that Elizabethtown still has quarterback Chris Todd - and several other potential Division I players.

Many consider Todd the state's best overall quarterback even if Kentucky has failed to notice his immense skills that has numerous other Division I schools recruiting him.

To win this game, Garrard is going to have to be able to score. No one has shut down E-town's offense and Garrard won't, either. But if Crutchfield continues to throw and run as well as he has all year and the Golden Lions don't turn the ball over, this game could be a lot closer than many seem to think it will be.

Prediction: Elizabethtown 35, Garrard 21.

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