Beech Tree News Network

The BCHS Bears football team looks to build on their success from last season when they kick-off their 2012 campaign this Friday night when they travel to Logan County. The Bears advanced to the second round of the KHSAA playoffs last year and ended their season with an 8-4 record. Ryan Emmick is in his third year as head coach for the Bears.

Although the Bears lost 10 key players to graduation, including college-signees Clay Embry and C.W. Decker, Emmick expects good things from this year's senior class. The seniors on this year's squad are quarterback/defensive back Elijah Flener; offensive/defensive linemen Ricky Palmer, Levi Johnson, and Jacob Richmond; offensive lineman/linebacker Kole Dean; and defensive back Dylan Havens.

Coach Emmick says that focus is the key to this season's success.

"We must approach this season trying to do all the little things right: using our techniques, knowing our responsibilities; to the best of our ability in order to achieve greatness. We cannot settle for good enough in practice, we must push ourselves and get the most out of the reps that we have every day," said Emmick.

Emmick continued, "Offensively, we must catch the football and be sound in the running game. We have to be able to keep teams off balance using both the run and the pass. To be successful on offense in high school football, our offensive line must perform well daily and take pride in the job they are doing. Defensively, we must continue to be a physical football team that rallies 11 blue shirts to the football.  We must play with one heartbeat and understand our roles and responsibilities. We have to execute week in and week out to be successful."

Emmick describes each game this season as a "key game."  The Bears travel the first two weeks of the season playing their first game at Logan County before heading to Breckinridge County in week 2. The Bears will host Ft. Knox in week three, a team that Emmick describes as a "very dangerous opponent." The Bears hit the road for two more weeks taking on MAC Conference opponents in McLean County and Grayson County; McLean County is also a District 2 opponent. The Bears return home in week 6 to take on District 2 opponent Owensboro Catholic, a team that defeated the Bears in the second round of the KHSAA playoffs. The Bears host District 2 opponent Union County in week 7 before traveling to District 2 opponent Todd County in week 8. The Bears will take advantage of a late bye week in week 9 of the season before hosting MAC Conference opponents Hancock County and Edmonson County in weeks 10 and 11; Hancock County is also a District 2 opponent.

"Each of our games this season will be a test and will prepare us for the playoffs," said Emmick.

Emmick will be joined on the sidelines by assistant coaches Brandon Embry, Brian Bivens, Andy Fuller, Eric Russell, Barry Fraizer, Mike Embry, and Danny Brosnan. Brandon Embry will serve as the defensive coordinator and coaches the linebackers; he is also splitting the Athletic Director duties with Emmick. Bivens will coach the defensive backs and is the special teams coordinator. Fuller works with receivers in addition to being the Freshman head coach. Russell works with the defensive line and is the JV head coach. Frazier is the quarterbacks coach and serves as the JV offensive coordinator. Mike Embry works with the linebackers and is the Freshman defensive coordinator. Brosnan works with Emmick on the offensive line and defensive line.

A complete roster, Varsity, JV, and Freshman schedule is available below.

Stay connected to Beech Tree News for the most complete coverage of BCHS Bears Football. Beech Tree Radio 1570 AM will broadcast/live-stream all varsity football games this season.

Player / Number / Grade / Height / Weight / Position
DYLAN HAVENS     2 / SR / 5’8” / 130 / X-DB / Free Safety
JACOB RICHMOND     59 / SR / 5’10” / 230 / OL-DL
ELIJAH FLENER     8 / SR / 6’0” / 164 / QB-DB / QB-Corner
RICKY PALMER     71 / SR / 6’0” / 276 / OL-DL / OG-NG
LEVI JOHNSON     74 / SR / 6’0” / 220 / OL-DL / OT-DT
KOLE DEAN     52 / SR / 6’3” / 190 / OL-DL / OT-LB

RUSSELL WOOSLEY     30 / JR / 6’1” / 149 / Z-DB
ZEKE WOODCOCK     12 / JR / 5’9” / 157 / QB-DB / SS
WALKER WEATHERS     7 / JR / 5’6” / 120 / H-DB / RB
MATT MOORE     23 / JR / 6’1” / 171 / Y-LB / Y
MICHEAL CORTEZ         71 / JR / 6’1” / 231 / OL-DL
CODY WHITE     20 / JR / 5’9” / 175 / RB-LB / F
DAKOTA LAWRENCE     62 / JR / 5’10” / 222 / OL-DL
TRAVIS BROOKS     5 / JR / 5’6 / 145 / HB-LB / LB
AUSTIN MCKINNEY     51 / JR / 5’9” / 210 / OL-DL / OG
DYLAN SNYDER     21 /JR / 5’11” / 155 / OL-DL
LOGAN BELCHER     77 / JR / 6’2” / 314 / OL-DL
DAKOTA MERRICK     61 / JR / 5’8” / 220 / OL-DL

CALEB DEWEESE     6 / SO / 5’10” / 148 / X-DB / X         
KORY JOHNSON     32 / SO / 5’6” / 131 / Z-DB / Z
DRAKE EMBRY     3  / SO / 5’11” / 150 / Z-DB / Corner
JAKE MARTIN     11 / SO / 5’9” / 151 / F-LB / LB
MASON BARKS     67 / SO / 5’10” / 212 / OL-DL
TANNER FLENER     9 / SO / 5’5” / 139 / Y-LB
PAYTON BRATCHER     54 / SO / 5’10” / 205 / OL-DL / DT
CODY CALHOUN     80 / SO / 5’8” / 150 / WR-DB
CONNER REED     65 / SO / 6’4” / 265 / OL-DL
JAKOB FUGATE     66 / SO / 5’8” / 210 / OL-DL

ALFREDO GOMEZ     68 / FR / 5’10"  / 245 / OL-DL
NOLAN JOHNSON     15 / FR / 5’10" / 140 / Q-DB
JACOB COURTENAY     34 / FR / 6’1” / 215 / RB-LB / LB
JAREN DURBIN     26 / FR / 5’6” / 135 / WR-DB
JACOB SKIPWORTH     44 / FR / 5’11” / 205 / OL-DL
AUSTIN NAVE     84 / FR / 5’7” / 140 / WR-DB
TJ MUDD     46 / FR / 5’10” / 200 / OL-DL
TREY COLBURN     55 / FR / 6’1” / 185 / OL-DL
CHRIS WOOD     56 / FR / 5’7” / 185 / OL-DL
TY LAWRENCE     36 / FR / 5’9" / 130 / WR-DB
JACOB HIXENBAUGH     85 / FR / 5’7” / 140 / WR-DB
ISIAH ARNOLD     53 / FR / 5’7” / 185 / OL-DL
IAN EMBRY     27 / FR / 5’6” / 140 / WR-DB
JOHN PEYTON     35 / FR / 6’1” / 208 / RB-LB

* Varsity starters are in bold and their starting position is listed last

Varsity Football Schedule
August
17   Logan  Co.           Away     7:00pm
24   Breck   Co.          Away     7:00pm
31   Fort Knox            Home    7:00pm
September 
7    *McLean Co.        Away     7:00pm
14   Grayson Co.        Away     7:00pm
21   *O. Catholic        Home    7:00pm
28   *Union Co.          Home    7:00pm
October 
5    *Todd Co.            Away      7:00pm
12   Bye Week           Open
19   *Hancock Co.      Home    7:00pm
26   Edmonson Co.     Home    7:00pm

NOTE:
-  BOLD TEAMS ARE MID-WEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE TEAMS
-  *   STANDS FOR CLASS 2A DISTRICT 2 GAMES

JV SCHEDULE 
AUGUST
27  LOGAN COUNTY         
SEPTEMBER 
3  LABOR DAY                       
10  GREENWOOD
17  GRAYSON COUNTY  
24  EDMONSON COUNTY
OCTOBER
1  FALL BREAK            
8  RUSSELLVILLE
15  SOUTH WARREN
22  ALLEN COUNTY  

FRESHMAN SCHEDULE
AUGUST
23  APOLLO
30  ALLEN COUNTY (F/S)
SEPTEMBER
6    GREENWOOD
13  SOUTH WARREN
20  DAVIESS COUNTY
27  Open    
OCTOBER
4    FALL BREAK
11  EDMONSON COUNTY (F/S)
18  CATHOLIC 

- All freshman/JV games are at 6 p.m.
- Home games are in bold
- F/S denotes freshman/sophomore games 

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Photos by Jeremy Hack, Beech Tree News