Articles by Fletcher Long

About Fletcher Long
Two-time winner of Kentucky Press Association awards for excellence in writing and reporting news stories while Managing Editor of the Jackson (KY) Times-Voice

Slow Motion Replay: The Pride of Haggerhill, Kentucky, Jim Matney @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @jcfootball2025, @TTChilders, @ChrisStapleton, @JRVanHoose

June 2, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Jim Matney was simply among the best high school football and wrestling coaches the Appalachias has ever produced. I had the privilege of getting to interact with him on several occasions as a newspaper editor of a 135 or more year old newspaper in Jackson, KY. Matney always made me feel like I was a big shot. Of course, I was sort of a big shot because I was hanging around him. Enjoy this look at an all-timer in the estimation of just about everyone.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Paul Rains; Lord he was born a rambling man @coachpaulrains, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @GCwarhawksfball, @LCAKYEagles, @LCAEAGLESFB

June 1, 2025 Fletcher Long 2

Paul Rains won a title at LCA over Mayfield in 2009, two years after coming up just three points short to Beechwood. Rains had these guys yearly in discussion. Rains, over 29-years, won 209-games and a title while journeying all over Kentucky and competing at various classifications. No doubt in our mind Paul Rains is among the greatest of all-time football coaches across this great commonwealth. Rains was the consummate “Rambin’ Man.” Enjoy this feature and remember, in the end, we’re all just trying to make a living doing the best that we can.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Mark Dixon from Perry County Central is Integrity Personified @PCCHSFootball, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans

May 30, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Mark Dixon is among the best coaches still coaching today in the KHSAA. He is only two wins from 200 and has a title with three other trips to the title game under his belt already. He is entering his 23rd season at the helm of a football team and has won 71% of the games he has coached. Of course, what would you expect from Bill Dixon’s nephew and a former SEC college baseball player for the Ole Miss Rebels. Enjoy him while you can because his kind doesn’t come around too often.

Friday Night Fletch

Kam Wells, ’29 NG/OG, from Christian County High is the Kentucky Comfort Creator of the Week @CoachAtchley, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @ColonelFootball,

May 30, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Kam Wells is a beast whose frame can virtually finish anywhere. He is strong as a bull, wins the leverage game against about anyone, has tremendous leg kick and explosion, and elite strength and power. Wells will likely have to be deployed “both ways” this coming Fall even though he will be a freshman. We have seen freshmen start at really good programs and acquit themselves very, very well. What will Wells do? We would be surprised if he did anything less than dominate many of his mirrors over the course of his initial campaign. Enjoy this feature about a kid whose performance made the unbearable heat a tad more bearable and who hopes his performance brings comfort to the home fans around Christian County, KY this upcoming Fall. Let’s keep it comfortable out there, Kentucky, and allow us to help you out in that regard.

Friday Night Fletch

Storm Warning: Waylon Carter looking for some extended PT and production in multiple phases next season @KyHighFootball, @minguabeefjerky, @bigassfans, @khsaafootball, @HopkinsCentral, @CountyMustangs

May 29, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

You could just about define this kid after burying his mom in seventh grade. Approximately five hours after her service, Carter took the field against Union County and scored four (4) TDs. You talk about tough. You talk about clutch. This is a kid who has faced down adversity and spat in its eye. Carter had a solid sophomore season. Carter had a hand full of carries, caught a pass, played on several coverage units, and logged 25-tackles and half a sack in only seven (7) games of PT. This is a kid looking to start every game. We believe he will have that chance in ’25 and going off of what he has before done, the chances are he will make the most of it. Enjoy this feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Branson Jones from Estill County is our Mingua Beef Jerky Protein-packed Performer of the Week @BransonJones_2, @EstillAthletics, @CKYEastFCA, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball, @bigassfans

May 28, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Branson Jones is a kid who made about every middle school postseason team a kid his age can make. Jones was selected to the Best of the Region twice, and was awarded a “golden ticket” to the FBI Top Gun 2024 combine. Estill is coming off a 6-5 which was a single point from being a 7-4 and could use an infusion of talent on its varsity roster. Is Jones the guy? We think if things fall into place, he sure could be. Enjoy this feature on a kid very deserving of some of the world’s finest beef jerky products and don’t forget to #SavorTheFlavor over there in Irvine, KY.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: (Article No. 3,000) Lynn Ray, paved the way for success today! @CovCathFootball, @EddieEviston, @CovCathColonels, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

May 27, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

You will notice we pictured Lynn Ray with his wife of many years as the “featured photograph” to this piece. There is a reason for that. Football wives suffer everything their husband’s endure and they do it without the least bit of fanfare nor credit. Well, we should say “outside credit.” Coaches know how valuable and faithful and supportive wife is to a lifetime of coaching and how quickly a poor choice, in the wife department, can derail a career. Today we detail the career of a guy who was a fine player for Roy Kidd at EKU and constructed the machine we now know as Covington Catholic. Lynn Ray was 5-0 in title games and won approximately 64% of his games at a place which had no practice field, no football stadium, and 34 wins in its 8 year history prior to Ray’s retention. Enjoy the feature.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Bob Beatty from Trinity, coaching champions, not friends @TrinityHSFB, @trinitysports, @LarryInMissouri, @MoSportsHall, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

May 26, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Bob Beatty didn’t have 17-year old friends. Beatty coached 17-year old champions. Over a 21-year period at the KHSAA’s most revered, respected, and successful football programs (largely owing to him), the former OC at William Jewell College in Missouri wracked up 15-titles in 17-trips to the finals of the KHSAA’s largest classification. In 21-years, Beatty won nearly 86% of the games he coached (255-wins in 298 games played) and finished the year in the title game 81% of the time, winning the title approximately 72% of the time. That is a run of success to which no other coach in the history of the KHSAA can lay claim. This guy here may have been “The Best.”

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Parlez-vous français? Oui, nous parlons parfaitement français à Middlesboro Kentucky; Larry French has Middlesboro speaking his language perfectly well @MboroFootball, @SizemoreBraylon, @BoysGirls13th, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball

May 25, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Larry French has one of the better “coaching trees” among the all-time greats across Kentucky. French’s tree includes Jean Rollins, Larry Mofield, Chuck Smith, Clay Clevenger, Brad Hood, David Buchanan, and Jack Robertson. Several of these guys have been featured in this magazine. At least two of them have been featured in our “Slow Motion Replay” which was designed to highlight the all-time guys. David Buchanan’s dad, John, hired Ed Rall at Boyle and Larry French at Mercer…. both guys right out of college, so French was even mentored by and all-timer and coached with several others. Enjoy this look at KY’s third winningest coach, all-time, and a guy likely to join the 400+ wins club before too much longer.

Friday Night Fletch

Slow Motion Replay: Mark Brown started his career without any guarantees, but fulfilled his contract with the kids he coached @OwensboroSports, @1027TheGame, @bigassfans, @minguabeefjerky, @khsaafootball, @KyHighFootball,@EtownFB, @FULLNELSONFOOT1

May 24, 2025 Fletcher Long 0

Mark Brown thought he would build a dynasty at one high school. In the end he built a dynasty which expanded across four (4) high schools and 38-years. Along the way, Brown won over 70% of his games, won 331-times against 140-losses, and took his alma mater, Nelson County, to the 4A title in 1996 in a thrilling 35-34 OT victory over Lexington’s Paul Dunbar High and its legendary HFC, Mike Meighan. It is Nelson County’s only football title in program history. We haven’t a clue what you would call such a record. We would call it a fine résumé. Enjoy this feature.

Friday Night Fletch