DAVIESS COUNTY “Panthers” (the school opened in the 1930’s; started playing football in 1954)
Record Coach Class Play-Offs vs. Madisonville
site score winner
1954 0-4 George Claiborne - --
1955 2-8(1-8?)George Claiborne - Mad 39-0 Mad.
1956 4-5-1 George Claiborne - D.C. 22-0 Mad.
1957 5-5 George Claiborne - Mad. 20-7 Mad.
1958 4-5-1 George Claiborne - D.C. 25-12 Mad.
a 1959 2-5-1 George Claiborne 2-A Mad. 26-14 Mad.
1960 3-7 George Claiborne 2-A D.C. 19-13 Mad.
1961 5-5 George Claiborne 2-A Mad. 33-6 Mad.
1962 5-5 George Claiborne 2-A D.C. 18-12 Mad.
1963 7-3 George Claiborne 2-A Mad. 15-14 Mad.
1964 3-6 George Claiborne 2-A D.C. 28-7 Mad.
1965 2-6-1 Waymond Morris 2-A
1966 7-2-1 Waymond Morris 2-A
b 1967 7-3-1 Waymond Morris 2-A lost at Mayfield 13-20
1968 4-6 Waymond Morris 2-A D.C. 7-6 Mad.
1969 8-3 Waymond Morris 2-A Mad. 19-14 Mad.
1970 7-3-1 Waymond Morris 2-A D.C. 28-22 Mad.
1971 5-6 Waymond Morris 2-A Mad. 27-12 Mad.
1972 6-5 Waymond Morris 2-A D.C. 13-0 Mad.
1973 3-7-1 Waymond Morris 2-A Mad. 7-6 Mad.
1974 4-7 Waymond Morris 2-A D.C. 10-13 D.C.
1975 5-6 Bill Taylor 4-A Mad. 20-13 Mad.
1976 3-7 Bill Taylor 4-A D.C. 55-14 Mad.
1977 6-5 Bill Taylor 4-A Mad. 0-6 D.C. (OT)
1978 4-7 Gary Keller 4-A D.C. 9-15 D.C.
1979 5-6 Gary Keller 4-A Mad. 21-7 Mad.
1980 5-6 Gary Keller 4-A D.C. 12-23 D.C.
1981 4-7 Billy Mitchell 4-A Mad. 28-6 Mad.
1982 8-3 Billy Mitchell 4-A D.C. 13-14 D.C.
c 1983 1-9 Reed May/Gary Keller 4-A Mad. 31-0 Mad.
1984 7-4 Bill Taylor 4-A lost to Christian County 6-13 D.C. 9-14 D.C.
1985 4-7 Bill Taylor 4-A Mad. 34-28 Mad. (2 OT’s)
1986 2-8 Bill Taylor 4-A D.C. 23-7 Mad.
1987 1-10 Bill Taylor 4-A Mad. 29-12 Mad.
1988 2-9 Bill Taylor 4-A D.C. 20-14 Mad.
1989 8-4 Bill Taylor 4-A lost to Shelby County 3-13 Mad. 29-28 Mad. (2 OT’s)
1990 3-8 Jim Wilson 4-A -- D.C. 35-22 Mad.
1991 2-8 Jim Wilson 4-A -- Mad. 28-14 Mad.
1992 3-7 Jake Hallum 4-A -- D.C. 14-42 D.C.
1993 4-7 David Barnes 4-A lost to Bullitt Central 0-12 Mad. 14-17 D.C. (OT)
1994 3-7 David Barnes 4-A -- D.C. 15-49 D.C.
1995 2-8 David Barnes 4-A -- Mad. 13-7 Mad.
1996 9-3 David Barnes 4-A (two games) D.C. 9-23 D.C.
beat Meade County 27-13
lost to Henderson County 6-33
1997 6-5 David Barnes 4-A lost at Nelson County 21-48 Mad. 12-35 D.C.
1998 3-7 David Barnes 4-A -- D.C. 41-63 D.C.
1999 8-4 David Barnes 4-A (two games) D.C. 63-44 Mad.
won at Graves County 26-25;
lost to Madisonville 44-63
2000 7-4 David Barnes 4-A lost at Hopkinsville 7-37 --
2001 4-6 David Barnes 4-A -- --
2002 6-6 David Barnes 4-A (two games) D.C. 36-0 D.C.
beat Madisonville 36-0
lost to Christian County 6-24
2003 1-9 David Barnes 4-A -- --
2004 6-6 David Barnes 4-A (two games) --
won at Graves Co. 33-26 (2 OT’s)
lost at Henderson County 21-55
2005 3-7 David Barnes 4-A -- --
2006 3-7 Marcus Kimbrell 4-A -- --
2007 8-4 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A (two games) Mad. 21-35 D.C.
won at Graves County 27-20
lost at Marshall County 21-22
2008 9-2 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A lost to Seneca 34-35 (OT) D.C. 0-21 D.C.
2009 4-6 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A --
2010 2-8 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A --
2011 3-8 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A lost at Pleasure Ridge Park 6-54
2012 5-6 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A lost to Oldham County 12-27
2013 6-5 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A lost at Central Hardin 0-48
2014 4-7 Marcus Kimbrell 6-A lost at Louisville St. Xavier 8-41
2015 7-4 James Brannon 6-A lost at North Hardin 53-20
2016 6-5 James Brannon 6-A lost at Louisville Male 7-38
2017 7-6 James Brannon 6-A (three games)
won at North Hardin 33-7
won at McCracken County 34-21
lost at Central Hardin 20-27
Starting in 2007
schools were divided into six classes (instead of 4) increasing the number of playoff teams to 192
Starting in 1991
4 teams from each district qualified for the post-season instead of 2…increasing the number of playoff teams to 128
Starting in 1987
there were 4 regions/8 districts in each of the four classes with 2 playoff
teams per district…increasing the number of playoff teams from 51 to 64
Starting in 1975
there were 4 classes instead of 3
a The KHSAA divided schools into three classes and started a playoff system in 1959. Jefferson County schools were AAA, and the rest of the state was divided into AA (large schools) and A (small schools).
b Owensboro won the Big 8 Conference & the right to the playoffs...but was barred from 1967 post-season play for incidents in its game with Henderson the preceding year. Daviess Co. had been the conference runner-up.
c Reed May coached the first three games, then was replaced by Gary Keller
--coaches--
WAYMOND MORRIS: arrived after a successful coaching stint at Russellville; later was school principal
BILL TAYLOR: became ass’t after resigning in 1977. Ass’t coach at Wesleyan in ’83; back at D.C. in ’84. He played at Owensboro Sr. and Western Kentucky; started coaching at D.C. in 1969.
BILLY MITCHELL: from Georgetown; played at U.K. (roomed with eventual Owensboro Sr. coach Don Netoskie); coached at Oldham County 1960-61; Louisville Manual 1965; ass’t at Murray State; ass’t to Jerry Claiborne for 5 years at Virginia Tech; ass’t to Cal Stoll at Wake Forest for 2 years; back to U.K. as Fran Curci ass’t 1976-79; in private business for one year; at Daviess County two years; started the football program at Ky. Wesleyan in 1983.
JIM WILSON: graduated from Evansville Rex Mundi ’67; Murray State ’71; was either head or ass’t coach at O. Cath. from 1971-87 (record as head coach at O.C. 54-50;) then to D.C. as ass’t in ’88 & ’89; and head coach in 1990.
JAKE HALLUM: from Pickens, S.C.--coached there with Fleming Thornton & came to Hopkinsville w/Thornton in 1962...stayed for 4 years and the first of 2 undefeated state championship teams there; went to Ashland H.S. for 2 years and won the 2-A title the second; Morehead St. for 4 years; joined Jerry Claiborne for 18 years at Maryland & U.K. When Claiborne retired, went to Arizona St. for 2 years; then to Daviess County in 1992 at the age of 53.
DAVID BARNES: from Fredonia; played for Al Giordano at Caldwell County...graduating in 1978; was a tailback at Georgetown College. Assistant coach 2 years to another Caldwell County grad Tony Franklin at Murray High; then became an assistant at Daviess County in 1985. Taught at the middle school until his 4th year as head coach--1996. Upon leaving D.C., became head coach at Caldwell County.