Being salty has various meanings from being rude to crass to other insulting and uncomplimentary adjectives. That isn’t what I have always thought that particular adjective was defined.
“Salty” which derives from the Middle English “Salti,” is more of a naval term. Navy men reference a sailor’s “being salty” to being experienced. I suppose it would refer to being constantly “at sea” upon the ocean’s “salty waves” the perpetual kiss from which would render one’s skin somewhat “salty.”
I am really guessing here; but, in any event the term “salty,” as used in this article referencing four rising seniors we consider the “saltiest veterans” of the Friday night gridiron wars in Kentucky’s graduating class of 2021, is being used as an adjective denoting experienced. There is no way to know for sure which rising veterans entering 2020 are the saltiest, but if we were wagering we would bet the four we have featured here are among them.
William L. Long, II., Breathitt County HS (39-starts, every single game he has ever been eligible to play).
This kid, and thankfully, has never suffered injury sidelining him and has played every meaningful down of his high school career since entering 9th-grade. William played 25-games at Hoptown, in Class 4A, before transferring to Breathitt County and playing 14 games for the Bobcats in 2019’s run to the Semi-finals.
From a standpoint of success, this kid leads the pack in those who have never spectated since entering 9th grade. Long has made 39-consecutive starts in three-years. He is 25-14 overall as a high school player, 6-3 in the playoffs, and 19-11 in his 30-regular season games played. Plain and simply, he has made every team on which he has played for three years better for his having been in the lineup.
Justice Thompson, Louisville Ballard (featured photo [35-starts]).
Either this kid or Austin Gough is the best linebacker in this class from a standpoint of one’s ability to play football. Hands down.
Justice has played in 35-football games at the Class 6A level in the hardest district in Kentucky High School football. Justice is 4-3 in his seven playoff appearances, is 19-16 overall playing at Kentucky’s highest level, and is 15-13 in the regular season.
3. “Big” John Mudd, Waggener (34-starts).
Big John, like William Long, has played in all but one of the games convened since his entering the 9th grade. John Mudd, in 34-games played since becoming a high schooler, is 15-14 in the regular season, 2-3 in the playoffs, and 17-17 overall as a starter.
Big John has earned varsity letters in basketball, track & field, football, wrestling, and baseball. Now that is impressive and may make him one of 2021’s most versatile athletes!
Austin Gough, Owensboro Senior HS (29-starts).
Austin got hurt during the final scrimmage entering his junior year and missed 9 of Owensboro Senior’s 14-games. This 2021 superstar is the Owensboro single-season, all-time tackle king and who knows what else he was set to do before injury did something the competition has never done, put on on the shelf.
In spite of missing those nine games, Gough (entering his senior year) has played in 29 football games. With him in the lineup, the Red Devils are 18-11 overall, 5-3 in the playoffs, and 13-8 in the regular season playing in the 5A classification.
Well, like we said in the beginning, we don’t know that there aren’t rising seniors who have played in more games than these four. We know that these four are certainly salty-veterans, entering their senior years. We know they have played very well and have experienced an enviable level of success for both their respective teams and individually.
This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!
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