Title Town atmosphere lives up to the hype in Kroger KSR Game of the Week
Boyle County was elected the mayor of Title Town after defeating Danville 41-7 in the Kroger KSR Game of the Week on Friday night.
Unfortunately, the game wasn’t competitive. Boyle County raced out to a 7-0 lead on the contest’s first play and never looked back. However, the environment of the heated crosstown showdown that featured two participants combining for 21 state championships was the overriding storyline for me. There were no neutral parties in the stadium. It was either Admiral blue and white or Boyle County black and gold. Nothing in between. Beautiful. That’s why I do what I do on Friday nights.
The Kroger KSR Game of the Week has blessed me with the opportunity to experience the Commonwealth in incomparable ways. I’ve loved every minute.
Breathitt County, Mayfield, and Boyle County were welcoming hosts and presented a unique perspective of each corner of the state. Distinctive communities define each of Kentucky’s 120 counties. Many times athletic battle lines are drawn between the city and county schools. Danville and Boyle County fit in that category.
The schools are separated by just a few miles. Fans on both sides passionately support their brands and have done so for generations. Several familiar names have Title Town ties. KSR Editor-in-Chief Tyler Thompson is a proud Danville grad. Former UK tight end and NFL star Jacob Tamme was a standout player at Boyle County. He still lives there. I could go on and on.
Families are entrenched in both high school’s rich histories and traditions. Familiar names from both Danville and Boyle County were announced over the public address system. I can remember reading about the same last names in newspaper box scores many, many years ago. I think that’s so beautiful. Generational participation and community pride. I miss that in the days of consolidation.
Winning is the expectation and standard at Boyle County. That’s evident in the graphics that surround the playing field. The Rebels have won two consecutive state championships and appear to be well on their way to making that three in a row under Justin Haddix. The head coach has captured two 4A titles in his first two seasons at the school. Boyle County’s meteoric escalation to become a Kentucky state power has been astonishing and rapid. However, I sensed a great deal of humility and appreciation from fans, coaches, and players. I liked that.
Coach Chuck Smith led the program to its first championship in 1999. The Rebels followed that with titles in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2017, 2020, and 2021 to form a modern-day dynasty. I’m somewhat fascinated with the school’s dominance but more so by its consistency.
The feeling around the team and stadium is of championship expectation from both inside and outside the locker room. From the neatly groomed and maintained stadium to the proud banners honoring former players and winners, the Rebels live in the here and now but certainly pay homage to the past. Title team banners are a strong reminder to current Rebels that winning is life.
Consistency can be defined as an organization or person that believes in the same way, has the same attitudes towards people or things, and achieves the same level of success in something. That’s an accurate description of Boyle County Football.
Years, names, and faces come and go. But, a distinction is anticipated annually. Much like Mayfield and Breathitt County, Boyle County residents cherish high school football. You can feel that in the parking lot and in the stadium. Football is what they do on a Friday night. They show up early and stay till the buzzer. Championship football is who they are. The games are larger-than-life events that are ingrained into a community that has been blessed with multiple trophies.
Danville is also a historical Kentucky power and the other contributor in the Title Town moniker that describes the community’s success on the gridiron. I’ve always respected and admired the program’s success and style in which they won titles in three separate classifications. The Admirals won state championships in 1962, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2017. That’s 11 if you’re counting. Their title teams have spanned more years than their crosstown rivals and exceed them by one. Coach Mark Peach’s team may have lost the game, but the tradition and history were evident.
I can now say that I’ve watched a Danville-Boyle County game. Check that one off the list. The environment didn’t disappoint. The winning aura surrounding two of Kentucky’s most celebrated football programs was palpable. Title Town is a vibe, not a geographical description. I also had the honor of being on a student-led radio/television broadcast. I had a blast. KSR always makes a point to support and not take away from local media at the Kroger Game of the Week. I always and will do so as long as I’m involved.
Boyle County rolled. That was expected. Justin Haddix has a machine that doesn’t look like it’s going to break down any time soon. A third consecutive title is likely. I was also astounded by the home team’s seamless game-day operation. Let me try to explain.
There’s a commonality between championship-caliber teams that I’ve observed. I look for unique — you may think strange — traits on all my visits. Here are some questions or observations I make: Are the locker rooms neat and do the players respect their facility? Do the players dress alike? Are assistant coaches engaged with players or standing back barking orders? How quickly does water get to the players during timeouts? See where I’m going here? Organization is 60% of the battle in high school football. Boyle County was extremely organized. I was impressed. A lot. I enjoyed my Title Town experience. I’ll definitely be back to Tyler Thompson’s hometown.
Football state.
Kroger is a staple in your hometown community just like high school football. There’s nothing quite like Friday nights in the Bluegrass. We are honored to share this journey with Kroger and you for the third consecutive season. We hope you enjoyed this Kroger KSR Game of the Week and look forward to more stops in communities around the Commonwealth.
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