When Logan County visits Russellville in the annual Clash of the Cats football3 game at 7 p.m., the crowd will be loud while players are hitting (legally) ball carriers, passers, receivers, blockers and tacklers.
There could be more fireworks from predicted thunderstorms in a drought-plagued area.
On the surface, it would appear that wet grounds would be a hindrance more to Russellville than to Logan, since the Panthers' most potent attack last week in a 47-7 romp over Muhlenberg South was outside quickness.
Logan is more of a ball control team, both on the ground and in short passes.
The Cougars may need a little help from Mother Nature to slow down the quickest Panther team RHS has fielded in a few years.
On the other hand, Russellville's young team in terms of both age and football experience will have to mature quickly when going against a veteran Cougar ball club that includes three of Logan's most experienced linemen ever, four-year starters Erick Greer, Ben Carpenter and Austin Pogue.
Russellville coach John Myers, however, really likes the strength his players have gained in the offseason. That should help them against that highly touted Cougar line, he believes.
Nineteen years ago Logan County had its first competitive football team. Big men like George Fugate, Alan Woodard and Chris Penrod were blocking for a running back named Lee Proctor, who was Logan's first college football signee.
The Cougars played their home games at Rhea Stadium for over a decade.
"I really like going back to that stadium every couple of years," said Proctor, who is now the Cougar head coach.
Proctor should like the Russellville series, too. His Cougars have beaten the Panthers four straight years. Even when they only won three games in two season, two of those wins were against RHS. The last two years the Cougars have gone 6-5 and 7-4 and made the Class AAA playoffs both years.
Myers is trying to restore Panther football to its earlier glory. He sees a lot of progress in this team from the first year. "The players have bought in to what we're trying to do," he says.
Last year, the Panthers only had two break-away runners like the ones that once characterized RHS football. Patrick Temple graduated but Dustin Sydnor is back as a sophomore scatback. He's not much bigger than he was, but he's gained a year of maturity.
By getting baseball and basketball players to add football to their resume, Myers also has depth at the skilled positions.
"We're two deep at most of those spots now," he admits. That includes quarterbacks Jordan Hinton and Mikie Benton, fullbacks Justin Rust and Jermarcus Gordon, tailbacks Sydnor and Chris Ward, and receivers Kenton Cage, Ryan Morgan and Jerrell Mayo.
Cage, Morgan, Mayo and Hinton- all juniors- weren't on the team last year.
Myers also likes the play of another new junior, Kevin Saunders, on the line. Andre Smith's improvement also makes the line more flexible, he says.
Proctor, who was in the same backfield with Myers at Campbellsville University, notes that a couple of newcomers to his team, backs Travis Morgan and Blake Meacham, made a difference in a 13-6 win at Butler County Friday.
He also praised the play of senior Justin Forgy on both offense and defense. "Forgy playing that well helped make up for the loss of Lavar Mason," noted Proctor, referring to the senior speedster who is out for the season following knee surgery.
"Lavar had worked so hard and had come so far that we're disappointed every time we look out on the field and he's not there."
"The key for us offensively will be to control the line of scrimmage and for (quarterback) Alex (Graves) to manage the flow of the game with the help of us coaches," Proctor says.
Both coaches acknowledge that this is a big game even though it doesn't count on the district playoff standings.
"This is a way to show that we're getting the program where we want it to be," Myers says.
"It's a big game for both school because it's the only one some people see all year," Proctor says. "The winner gets bragging rights. It's as much for the community as it is for the teams."
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