Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose…the more things change, the more they stay the same! Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, 1849
We are entering the last four games of the ’24 season exactly where we were a year ago at this time. We are 2-4, with a McLean, Trigg, Hancock, and Fulton County finish. Over that same finish in ’23, we went 2-2 to narrowly miss the playoffs. The McLean game in Morton’s Gap was a game we should have won. Will we get it done this year? How will ’24’s finish look? Will we make the ’24 KHSAA playoffs? We shall see…
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
Calhoun, KY: Well, here we go again! What a perfect way to title this piece.
We called Chris Manning this week to congratulate him on last Thursday resounding victory over a team which had beaten the Storm in the ’23 season in Dixon, KY. For those of you who don’t recall, Webster beat the Storm 35-28 a year ago on its way to a six (6) win campaign and playoff appearance. Last Thursday, the Storm returned the favor, 29-0.
It was expected the game in Morton’s Gap would be (perhaps) even tighter of a contest than the one last season. We had the game as a virtual toss-up; but, gave the edge to the Storm as Central was the “home team.”
Then coach Manning made some moves in the lineup. It appears, those moves made a huge difference. That was the reason for our calling him. That, ladies and gentlemen, is called COACHING.
Manning moved versatile, top defender, and multi-phase athlete, Sylas Gunn (’26), to QB. You will note, Gunn’s listed positions on the roster are WR/DB. Webster couldn’t have seen this coming even though Gunn once played for them.
Manning moved the Little General, Isaac Earl (’26), to the slot and turned him loose on the Jet out of the Spread formation. Earl’s only listed position on the roster was “QB.” Webster wasn’t looking for that either.
The result was 222-rushing yards, as a team, coupled with 138-yards passing. Perhaps more importantly, no turnovers.
Earl accounted for 18 of the 29-points, while Gunn scored 6-points, Blaze Whitkaer (’27) was perfect on PATs (3-3) and Isaac Manning (’25) scored a safety.
Sylas Gunn completed seven of his 12 passing attempts (.58333 completion rate) for 106-yards passing and a TD against no thrown picks. Isaac Earl ran the ball for 108-yards, on 11-carries (9.82 yards per carry), with 2-rushing TDs while also catching a pair of passes for 40-yards with a third TD.
Jeremiah Groves (’26) caught five of Gunn’s seven completions. Isaac Manning (’25) scored two points on a safety.
Now the ’24 version of the team, which is missing hugely productive pieces from off last year’s roster, sits in the identical position in which it sat a year ago. That, in and of itself, is a huge victory. The roster in ’23 was more experienced and possessed older, saltier talents at key slots.
Like we said, that is called COACHING!
How do we finish? Both teams (’23 & ’24) entered the McLean game with identical 2-4 records. Both teams either will or did finish with a McLean, Trigg, Hancock, and Fulton County four game finishing run.
The ’23 team lost to McLean and Hancock while beating Trigg and Fulton County to finish 4-6? What will the ’24 team do, traveling the same finishing stretch down the same exact path?
I don’t know that we can tell you today, though time will certainly tell us all. The “adjustments,” Manning made prior to Webster, has us all a bit discombobulated. We don’t know that McLean’s Zach Wagner has any better grasp on what he will face tonight than we.
Only time will tell. Tonight will be huge.
McLean (3-3) is a winnable game, Trigg (3-3) is a game the Storm probably should win at home, and Fulton County appears to be struggling (1-3); but, that 62-14 whipping the Pilates put on 4A, Calloway, gives us cause for reconsideration of our previously espoused position.
Either way, Storm fans, we are left with one inescapable conclusion, and therefore, expression. Well, here we go again!
That’s it for this week. Get ready for a big game night upcoming and let’s cheer our Storm into the winner’s circle in Calhoun, Kentucky.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
If you enjoyed this article and wish to gain full-access to the site, then subscribe monthly to Kentucky Prep Gridiron by following the prompts!
© The information contained on this site is the copyrighted intellectual property of KPGFootball. Any unauthorized dissemination of this material without the author’s express written consent is strictly prohibited!
Leave a Reply