CONGRATS BELL CO. BOBCATS REGIONAL CHAMPS! GO BILLY #69! ALL THE WAY TO THE STATE PLAYOFFS!

BILLY BRITTAIN SR. 2009
OFFENSIVE GUARD
BELL COUNTY BOBCATS

Just making a little noise for my brother and our county football team who are playing their final game tomorrow in the playoffs to go to the State Championship. Hats off to you fellas! I am so proud of this team and I am especially proud of my little brother. He really has come a long way with this team. Today, the newspaper covered the team and the seniors. Coach Dudley Hilton spoke of my little bro this way:
"Helping pave the way for skill players is an offensive line led by senior tackle Jacob King, a four-year starter, and senior guard Billy Brittain.

“We’ve scored over 600 points this year and that’s a tribute to him and the whole offensive line,” Hilton said of King.

“I never thought Billy would get to play much at all, but he worked hard this off season and turned out to be a heck of an offensive guard for us and I’m very proud of him and what he’s accomplished for us.”'



Go little bro!



And I ask that each of you be much in Prayer for this team of Bobcats who are giving God all the glory for their victories this season and in years past. This is a good group of boys who really deserve to win a State Championship! God instructs us to bring everything to Him no matter how big or small.... so I am doing just that. I Prayed every play last Friday night and will spend tomorrow night doing the same. Please keep us in your Prayers all day tomorrow, at 7:30 tomorrow night, and always!

GO BELL COUNTY BOBCATS!

Bell County’s success built on senior leadership

By JAY COMPTON/Sports Editor

Published:

Thursday, December 4, 2008 2:53 PM EST

LOG MOUNTAIN — Success on the football field is nothing new for Bell County High School, but the Bobcats are working on putting the finishing touches on remarkable two-year run.

They’ve had back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and will be hosting Boyle County Friday night in the Class 4A semifinals.

The Bobcats are 25-1 over the last two years with their only loss coming in the playoffs last year after giving state champion Lexington Catholic their toughest test in the post-season.

One key to that success is the leadership on and off the field provided by 13 seniors.

Running back Spencer Greer, quarterback Shawnta Zachery, linebacker Matt Simpson, defensive tackle Tyler Harbin, receiver Chase Ely, offensive tackle Jacob King, defensive guard Robbie Slusher, fullback Justin Goodin, kicker Monte Merrick, and guard Billy Britton are all key starters. Adam Overbay, Kyle Fuson and Brad Slusher also help the team either in reserve roles or during preparation through the week leading up to gameday.

“It’s unbelievable what they’ve done here since they’ve been at this high school,” said coach Dudley Hilton. “We’ve beat everybody in the area who would play us for the last two years. Look back on it now and maybe that’s why people don’t want to play us.”

With 318 career wins over 33 years coaching high school football, Hilton has seen his share of good teams and good players. He says what sets the current group of seniors apart is their unity and willingness to sacrifice individual accomplishments for the good of the team.

“They’ve always been winners since grade school and they’ve stuck together,” he said. “Most of them are baseball players and you look at what they did last year on the baseball team — winning the first regional in school history. Now they’ve won the football regional championship too.

“I look at them more as a group of winners. Not only in football, but in other sports and they’re all good in academics, too.”

Hilton said many of the players have set aside personal goals and are excelling at positions that may not have been their first choice.

“I don’t know if Shawnta has always wanted to be a quarterback but he wasn’t until his senior year. Tyler Harbin always wanted to be a fullback. We played him there some, but we needed him at defensive tackle. Matt Simpson always wanted to carry the ball and be a big-time running back, but we’ve had to depend on him at linebacker,” he said.

“That’s what kind of kids they are. They fit in to where they had to in order to make us a good, solid football team. It didn’t matter which position they played, they did it for the sake of the team.

“That’s one thing I can say as far as leadership — They’ve been willing to sacrifice some individual things for team accomplishments.”

Hilton will tell you that he doesn’t play for stats or try to showcase individual players and a look a rushing and passing attempts for each play bear that out.

Though stats aren’t always the best way to evaluate players, many of their numbers are impressive.

Greer, who was a second team All-State selection last season, has put together his third straight 1,000 yard season.

Though he missed one entire game and parts of two others because of injuries, he’s still ran for 1,314 yards and 21 touchdowns on 169 carries. He broke through for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter in last week’s regional championship win over Knox Central.

“Spencer’s had a great year,” Hilton said. “He got hurt early in the year and that kind of slowed him down a little bit, but he’s coming back into form.”

Zachery has completed 64-of-105 passes (61 percent) for 1,360 yards with 22 touchdowns and only one interception.

He kept his cool under pressure on a 3rd & long late in the fourth quarter Friday night and hooked up with junior Matt Raines for a 71-yard pass play that set up Greer’s late TD.

“Shawnta has been out there as a fixture for four years. He’s played at split end and cornerback, this year he’s taken over at quarterback and safety,” said Hilton. “He’s been true to it and I don’t know if we’ve still found out what all he can do.”

Ely has been Zachery’s favorite target this year as he has 23 catches for 419 yards and six touchdowns.

“He’s been out there as a three-year starter at safety and receiver,” said the coach.

Fullback Justin Goodin is a powerful lead blocker who has found the end zone 11 times. He ran for 329 yards on just 58 carries on the season.

“He’s been a two-year starter at fullback and he’s played a lot of linebacker this year,” Hilton said. “He’s a young man that’s really come along. He’s one of the key players on our football team.”

Helping pave the way for skill players is an offensive line led by senior tackle Jacob King, a four-year starter, and senior guard Billy Brittain.

“We’ve scored over 600 points this year and that’s a tribute to him and the whole offensive line,” Hilton said of King.

“I never thought Billy would get to play much at all, but he worked hard this off season and turned out to be a heck of an offensive guard for us and I’m very proud of him and what he’s accomplished for us.”

On defense the Bobcats allowed just 21 points during the regular season — the fewest in the state. They are ranked number three in rushing defense with just 71 yards per game allowed on the ground and are also in the top ten in passing yards allowed.

Harbin and Slusher up front and Simpson at linebacker are three of the cogs on Bell County’s top-ranked defensive unit.

“What can you say about Tyler, he’s played about everywhere we’ve wanted him to play — defensive tackle, tight end, full back — and he’s done a great job,” Hilton said of his defensive tackle.

“Robbie Slusher started at end last year and we moved him to guard and he’s really adjusted to that and had a great career,” the coach added.

“Matt Simpson started as a freshman at fullback and has played linebacker the last two years,” said Hilton. “He’s led us in tackling this year and has been all over the place. He’s also a good running back.”

Simpson has run for 428 yards on just 36 carries with six touchdowns and is nearing 80 tackles on the season.

Merrick’s field goals from 30 and 47 yards last week were huge in a five-point win. He added another extra point to his state career record in that game as well.

He’s been honorable mention All-State the past two seasons and after a big summer on the camp circuit he’s one of the top college kicking prospects in the country.

“He’s kicked here for four years and broke every record coming and going,” Hilton said.

Overbay sees some time at wide receiver, but has been especially valuable to the Bobcats as the holder for Merrick’s field goal and extra point attempts.

“He’s one that just came out for one year, but Lord are we glad he did come out,” said Hilton.

The coach said Brad Slusher was injured his junior year and got behind, but never gave up and continues to work hard with the team.

“Kyle Fuson has been good scout player for us and played hard,” Hilton said. “He’s just not been able to break into the lineup.”

Now just one game away from reaching the state championship game, the coach said he’s been impressed with how the team has handled high expectations this year.

“Rockcastle County and Knox Central were two hard teams to beat and we had to beat them twice and that’s a heck of an accomplishment,” he said. “That’s a lot of pressure on our kids. Like last week, we had a lot to lose and not a whole lot to win because everybody already had us winning.

“That shows you what kind of character this team has.”

Bell County’s seniors have led the team to 25-1 record over the past two seasons. Pictured above during pre-season picture day are the Bobcat seniors, front row (from left): Robbie Slusher, Justin Goodin, Spencer Greer, Adam Overbay, Kyle Fuson and Matt Simpson. Back row (from left): Billy Brittain, Monte Merrick, Tyler Harbin, Chase Ely, Brad Slusher, Jacob King and Shawnta Zachery.(JAY COMPTON/Daily News) (COURTESY OF THE MIDDLESBORO DAILY NEWS, YOU CAN READ MORE ABOUT THIS NEWSPAPER HERE.... http://www.middlesborodailynews.com/articles/2008/12/04/sports/997seniors.txt)

Psalm 46:1 - God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in time of trouble.



(Photos courtesy of Elaine Ely... actually I think that's where they are from... I stole them from Billy)