West Kentucky Sports March 2019

Volume 2, Issue 2 • March 2019

Paducah Tilghman Ballard Memorial Livingston Marshall Graves Murray Fulton Lyon CCA

McCracken Fulton City Crittenden Mayfield Hickman Calloway St. Mary Carlisle Trigg CFS

2

Sports Briefs Several McCracken County athletes had reason to celebrate in February; Lady Lyon Allison Murphy hit an individual milestone and the KHSAA adopted new fees for select officials.

12 3

Polk spoke Former Mississippi State coach Ron Polk brings words of wisdom to more than a dozen area high school baseball teams.

29

7

6

Hall of Fame Paducah native among 2019 KHSAA Hall of Fame inductees.

30 Student Signings Area athletes have made commitments to a number of schools, including Georgetown College, Kentucky Wesleyan and Murray State University.

33 Calendar of Events

9

Planning ahead in the Purchase and Pennyrile regions.

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Email us at wkysports@gmail.com or phone 270-703-0307 West Kentucky Sports is a trademark of 25 Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of copyrighted materials is prohibited without expressed written consent.

McCracken County earns third consecutive title For a third straight year, McCracken County cheer has brought home a national title under head coach Jennifer McKenzie. The team competed in the UCA’s Medium Coed Division in Orlando, Florida in February.

Murphy pulls in 1,000th career rebound; joins All Tournament Team Senior Lady Lyon Allison Murphy was recognized earlier this season for her 1,000th career rebound.

Murphy had 260 through the regular season, averaging 10 boards per game. Following the Second Region tournament, Murphy was named to the All Second Region team.

Nimmo sets percentage record at MCHS Marshall County High School has a new all-time 3-point percentage record. Jay Nimmo set a new school record, hitting 43.3 percent (52-of120 attempts). The previous record of 41.9 percent was held by Travis Spiceland.

KHSAA adopts new ref fees The Kentucky High School Athletic Association agreed last month to adopt a new fee schedule for officials. The basketball minimum game fee increased by $5 for a three-person crew, and the two-person emergency fee rose to $75 per official.

Western Kentucky Sports Rundown

March 2019 • Page 2

Page 3 • March 2019

Just Your

Average Guy

By Jody Norwood

At

5-feet, 7-inches with a few spring trainings behind him, Ron Polk appears to be just as he advertises: an average guy. A guy from a typical family (he and his brother grew up the sons of a mailman in Arizona) who loved America’s pastime.

On March 2 at Marshall County High School, Polk met with dozens of area baseball players, discussing the mundane parts of coaching: recruiting, public speaking, getting thrown out of games for arguing with officials.

Baseball fans — especially those of the Southeastern Conference — know Polk is anything but an average guy with an average story to tell.

A baseball legend, Polk has been included in six different halls of fame (Georgia Southern University, American Baseball Coaches Association, State of Mississippi, Mississippi State University and National College Baseball). Polk is recognized by many as one of the most successful coaches at the college level, and the winningest coach in SEC history with a 1,373-702-2 record.

Of course, Polk — whose name graces Mississippi State’s Polk-Dement Stadium — is quick to point out that not every game was a success.

“I’ve got more wins, but I’ve also got more losses than anyone in the SEC,”

Polk said. “Not many coaches last for 31 years in the SEC. When someone likes to say they have more wins, I always like to preface it that they have more losses, too. And that’s what’s going to happen: you’re going to win some, and you’re going to lose some.”

The 75-year old still coaches athletes, continuing to make an impact on college baseball. As a volunteer coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Polk said he is prohibited from recruiting players.

And that’s ok with him, as he spent plenty of time on the road courting the country’s best athletes during his time in the SEC.

March 2019 • Page 4

“I hate traveling now,” Polk said.

“I’m bored to death with it. With the 1988 U.S. Olympic team, we were on the road for five months because of the weather in [host] Seoul, South Korea.

Cuba wasn’t invited to that particular tournament — they were boycotting — so we won the gold.”

Polk was head coach of the U.S. National Baseball in 1991 and 1998.

He was assistant coach for the 1988 gold medal team and 1996 bronze medal team.

During his 35-year career, Polk coached in the College World Series eight times.

He coached at Georgia Southern

from 1972 to 1975, leading the team to the College World Series in 1973 as part of an overall 155-64 record.

Polk joined Mississippi State University in 1976. He led the Bulldogs to the College World Series in 1979, 1981, 1985 1990 and 1997.

MSU won the SEC championship in 1979, 1985, 1987 and 1989.

Rob McDonald — Marshall County’s head baseball coach — worked under Polk, bringing him to western Kentucky to meet with players.

“I coached for Coach Polk for two years about 30 years ago,” McDonald said. “Ever since then, I’ve gotten a Christmas card, birthday card,

anniversary card from him every year for almost 30 years,” McDonald said. “[He sends them to] his hundreds of former players and dozens of former coaches. He must send out thousands of cards with personal notes each year.”

More than four decades of coaching have made Polk a venerable voice in sports. But, as McDonald noted, it’s his drive to treat others with respect and purpose that make him stand out.

At MCHS, Polk spoke on both the chances and choices available to today’s youth.

Continued on next page

Page 5 • March 2019

Polk speaks to students Continued from previous page

“It’s a fantastic opportunity we have in this day and age with the facilities we have going up,” Polk said. “It’s amazing how nice the stadiums are right now around the country.

“But what happens is, there’s a lot of recruiting going on. Some [coaches] are even recruiting kids in the eighth grade now. As the past president of the National Coaches Association, I’ve told them I’m not particularly proud of that.”

Polk said many coaches feel pressure to make players feel obligated to their program. He encouraged young players to explore their options.

“Guys, that handshake means nothing,” Polk said. “You go backwards, or get hurt or that coach leaves that school, it means nothing. Enjoy the recruiting aspect. Take your five visits. Take an opportunity to ask people questions about the school you might be choosing to play your college baseball.”

Polk has authored two books, The Baseball Playbook and The BaseballSoftball Playbook. His first book has out-sold every other similar manual by more than 4-to-1. He pre-autographed a number of books that were available for purchase Monday night. For those who wanted, Polk stayed afterward to give a personal inscription in each book.

High school baseball teams attending Monday were: Ballard Memorial, Caldwell County, Christian County, Crittenden County, Dyersburg, Tenn., Graves County, Hopkins County Central, Hopkinsville, Marshall County, McCracken County, Murray, Paducah Tilghman, St. Mary, Trigg County and Union County.

But his message throughout the night was the same: an average set of circumstances can be overcome with dedication and hard work.

“Discipline is what it’s all about,” Polk said. “Nothing is given for free.... You heard Coach McDonald introduce me and the picture you had after hearing

Coaching legend Ron Polk addresses baseball players from 15 different counties at Marshall County High School on March 4. those accomplishments, was probably something more.”

Polk described coming from an average background, noting that he wasn’t sought after as a player following high school. That led him to the University of Arizona where he worked on a teaching degree, and tried to build up the courage to ask coach Frank Sancet for a job as a volunteer. At the time, the Arizona Wildcats were the kings of college baseball under Sancet.

When Polk finally approached the coach, a lack of experience was less important than good timing. Sancet noted his pitching coach would be better in the bullpen, and offered Polk a chance to take over duties at third base.

“Guys at 21, half the team was older than me,” Polk said. “I was the third base coach for the Arizona Wildcats, playing UCLA and Southern Cal. We go to the College World Series in 1966 and there’s all these television cameras, and I thought

‘Look at me.’

“But I didn’t do a thing, besides having the guts to go up the staircase and ask [coach Sancet] if he needed any help.”

After the tournament, he decided at age 22 to dedicate himself to coaching.

“If I was going to do it, I didn’t want to just be a coach,” Polk said. “I wanted to be the coach.”

He challenged players to avoid distractions and bad influences, and to dedicate themselves to their goals.

Polk also encouraged players to celebrate living in their respective communities.

“Living in a small town is a great thing,” Polk said. “You hit four home runs in a game, everybody’s going to know it. You do something academically, everybody’s going to know it. You hit five or six home runs in Chicago, it’s not going to be in the Chicago Tribune.

Nobody cares. There’s too many people there.”

March 2019 • Page 6

opening day

March means a return to the diamond for area schools. Here are the opening slate of games for western Kentucky baseball and softball teams.

Softball

Baseball

March 18

March 18 Crittenden County at Caldwell County

Henderson County at Caldwell County

Livingston Central at Calloway County

Fulton County at Carlisle County

Fulton County at Carlisle County

Mayfield at Christian Fellowship

Lyon County at Dawson Springs

University Heights at Fort Campbell

University Heights at Fort Campbell

Crittenden County at Hopkins Central

Christian Fellowship at Fulton City

St. Mary at Livingston Central

Hickman County at Mayfield

Murray at Lyon County

Ballard Memorial at Paducah Tilghman

Graves County at Marion, Illinois

Murray at St. Mary Graves County at Webster County

March 19

Above, Allye Culp swings into a double for the Lady Lyons.

Below, Jordan Riley throws out a pitch for Marshall County.

Massac County, Illinois at Ballard Memorial

March 19 Christian Fellowship at Calloway County

McCracken County at Union City, Tenn.

Carlisle County at Fulton County

Community Christian at Fulton City

Graves County at Marshall County

Marshall County at Lyon County

Trigg County at Stewart Co., Tenn.

Russellville at Trigg County

Hickman County at South Fulton, Tenn.

Note: List includes only opening games

Note: List includes only opening games

March 2019 • Page 8

North Nation

Top Eight in the

STATE

North Marshall Middle School in Sharpe advanced to the Elite Eight round of the Kentucky Middle School State Basketball Tournament in early February. North fell to Heath in the First Region championship, but battled through six opponents before finishing their season. Following the tournament’s conclusion, Trey Wall (below) was selected to the All Tournament First Team.

— Photos by Jennifer Haines

Page 9 • March 2019

Several area soccer standouts stay close to home Murray State head soccer coach Matt Lodge has announced the 2019 signing class that included nine student-athletes who will join the reigning Ohio Valley Conference Champion Racers next year.

The nine are Grace Bodker, Tori Bonno, Carlee Crafton, Parker Greer, Maddie Griggs, Gillian Nithang, Lauren Payne, Lilly Strader, and Jenna Villacres.

Greer, Griggs and Crafton will remain close to home, playing in western Kentucky.

Grace Bodker Sunbury, Ohio Big Walnut High School A four-year starter for the Big Walnut Golden Eagles’ midfield, Bodker also participated on the Classics Eagles Red FC club team with recent Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year Abby Jones and fellow 2019 signee Jenna Villacres.

The trio won the State Cup Championship in 2018. She was also named to the ODP State Team from 2014-2016 while garnering 2018 Top Drawer Soccer All-American Watch List honors.

she looks to join former Murray High Alumnae Lydia Grogan and Ann Taylor next season.

Tori Bonno Mason, Ohio William Mason High School Looking to add depth to the Murray State midfield, Tori Bonno joins the Racers after a breakout senior season as a captain for the WMHS Comets.

In the Greater Miami Conference, Bonno finished 11th in the GMC offensive leaders category with five goals, nine assists for 19 total points for 2018. After leading the Comets to a 16-2-2 record, she was named not only First Team All-GMC but also First Team All-Southwest Ohio.

Carlee Crafton

Henderson Henderson County High School Following family tradition, Crafton joins her grandfather, Bud Crafton, her two uncles, Chip, and Scott Crafton, in becoming a Murray State Racer. As a member of the Indiana Fire Junior South club team, she led the squad to two championships in 2016, the Midwest Regional League Championship and the Indiana State Cup Champion, and another in 2017 with the MRL Premier Championship.

The Henderson native will join forces yet again with Colonel teammate and fellow 2019 MSU signee Maddie Griggs and HCHS alum and current Racer Katie Bickers for the 2019 season.

Henderson County was one of eight

Parker Greer Murray Murray High School A local product of Murray High, Greer has had an excellent career as a forward for the Tigers after leading MHS to a 66-26-2 record during her four years. A prominent goal scorer and captain for Murray, she broke current Racer Lydia Grogan’s career goal record at Murray High this season after logging 125 career goals. She also finished her senior season with a teamleading 38 goals.

Greer will continue the trend of Above, Parker Greer battles for possession at Marshall County Sept. 11, 2018. Greer MHS Tigers turned MSU Racers, as averaged nearly two goals per game her senior year, notching 38 on the season.

March 2019 • Page 10

Several area soccer standouts stay close to home Continued from previous page

team in the state tournament in 2018.

They fell 3-2 to Bethlehem after double overtime. Crafton had five assists and five goals in her senior campaign.

Maddie Griggs Henderson Henderson County High School Griggs’ signing adds depth to the MSU offensive attack, as she finished her high school career breaking not only Henderson County’s career goals record but also the KHSSA state record for career goals with 217 goals. The Henderson native earned three-straight Player of the Year honors from 20152017. She looks to join forces yet again with Colonel teammate and fellow 2019 MSU signee Carlee Crafton and HCHS alum and current Racer Katie Bickers for the 2019 season.

Griggs earned 58 goals and 11 assists her senior year.

Gillian Nithangó Ankeny, Iowa Ankeny Centennial High School Nithang joins the back-to-back OVC Tournament Champion Murray State soccer team as a proven championship competitor. The midfielder helped lead the Iowa Rush Soccer club team to four consecutive State Cup Championships from 2014-2018. Also, as a senior in

2018 at Ankeny Centennial, Nithang helped lead the Jaguars to the 3A State Championship.

Lauren Payne Louisville Sacred Heart Academy Payne joins the Racers after recently helping lead the Valkyries to win the 2018 State Championship hardware.

The hard-working midfielder also got the opportunity to travel to Liverpool, England with the ODP International Team in 2018.

Lilly Strader Hopkinsville University Heights Academy A three-year Toyota/Kentucky New Era Athlete of the Year, Strader looks to add depth to the Racers’ high-powered offensive attack. Not only does Strader hold University Heights Academy records for goals scored in a season (53) and a career (164), she also finished top six in the KHSSA for goals scored with 53 goals in her sophomore campaign with the Blazers.

She reached the KHSSA top 15 in goals scored yet again in her junior season after logging 42 goals on the year.

The Hopkinsville native holds the record for most goals in a career for the Eighth District as well.

Jenna Villacres

Westerville, Ohio Westerville South High School The lone goalkeeper signed in the 2019 class, Villacres along with Cera Prather look to add depth in goal for Murray State, as the Racers are tasked with replacing four-year starter Alex Steigerwald.

The Westerville, Ohio, native also participated on the Classics Eagles Red FC club team with recent OVC Freshman of the Year Abby Jones and fellow 2019 signee Grace Bodker, where the trio won the 2018 State Cup Championship. A three-year captain in goal for the Westerville South Wildcats, she earned First Team Ohio Capital Conference honors in 2017.

Lodge took over the program in 2018. He spent four seasons as an assistant under Jeremy Groves, winning three OVC regular season title, two tournament championships and making two trips to the NCAA tournament During his four years as an assistant, the Racers posted an overall record of 50-21-6 and dominated OVC play with a record of 32-3-5 During his four year’s over the offense, the Racers poured in 122 goals for an average of 1.58 per game

TITLE TIME District tournaments finished up at the close of February, leading to both new and more familiar champions in the First and Second regions. West Kentucky Sports takes a look back at the road to each title for the 2018-2019 season.

Page 13 • March 2019

Mayfield, Murray take First Region For the boys title, McCracken County relied on its defensive strength to defeat Graves County 4841 in the opening round and Murray 41-34 in the semi-finals. Murray’s Tigers opened the tournament strong with a 73-58 win over Fulton County.

But as impressive as the Mustangs’ regular season and postseason runs had been, they were unable to slow down Mayfield, which started their run with a 71-56 win over Marshall County before escaping Paducah Tilghman in the semi-finals with an 82-74 win. In the championship round, the Cardinals topped McCracken 56-44.

In girls action, Marshall County shook off a district title loss to rout McCracken County 61-43, stun Third District champions Graves County 50-44 and advance to the championship game against Murray.

The Lady Tigers held Mayfield to 27 in the opening round and Carlisle County to 23. They defeated Marshall 38-29 to advance to state.

March 2019 • Page 14

Madisonville-North Hopkins & Henderson County march through Second Region Madisonville-North Hopkins and University Heights Academy seemed destined to duel for the boys Second Region title all season long. UHA won their only regular season meeting by a single point (80-79). The Maroons learned from the meeting, taking the title with an 81-68 win, led by junior Kenny White with 27 points.

Madisonville defeated Christian County 67-53 in the opening round and Henderson in the semi-finals. Henderson had advanced with a 75-65 win over Fifth District champion Lyon County.

UHA, meanwhile, defeated Crittenden and Caldwell counties en route to the final round. For the regional title, MNH dispatched the Blazers 81-68.

For the girls, Henderson County marched through Trigg County (68-27), Madisonville-North Hopkins (52-42) for the title over Webster County (50-36). Webster County advanced with wins over Caldwell County (63-27) and Christian County (57-36).

In the final match, Katie Rideout (2-of-2), Alyssa Dickson (3of-4), Emilee Hope (5-of-7) and Lauren Hubbard (5-of-7) all hit better than 71 percent from the charity stripe.

Henderson will face North Laurel in Rupp Arena, while MNH will play Lincoln County in the boys bracket.

Page 17 • March 2019

First District — Boys

First District

Game 1 | Carlisle County entered postseason play with a perfect 6-0 record. thanks in large part to Reese Anderson (484 points) and Trey Wilson (402 points). In the opening round of district action, Anderson (20) and Wilson (14) helped build a steady lead, along with Blake Elder (14) over Hickman County.

The Comets led the Falcons 22-5 at the end of the first quarter. Carlisle advanced with a 77-44 win.

Game 2 | In the battle of Fulton County versus Fulton City, the Pilots held the upperhand in both regular season meetings. On February 19, the Bulldogs fell 65-35. Cameron Madding led Fulton City with 13 points.

District Final |Fulton County came closer than any First District team to smudging Carlisle County’s perfect record. But they, too, fell just short, falling 60-58. Reese Anderson led the way for Carlisle with 26 points, followed by Trey Wilson with 13.

First District — Girls

Game 1 | Carlisle County bested First District foes eight times during the regular season, including fourth seeded Fulton City twice. The opening round of postseason play was no different as Landry Crider and Mollie Henderson put in 17 points apiece to lead the Lady Comets 61-46 over the Lady Bulldogs. Crider was 8-for-8 from the charity stripe and hit her lone 3-point attempt.

Game 2 | Leigh Ann Jones led Hickman County with 17 points in the win over Fulton County 46-40 to advance the Lady Falcons’ season. Kadey Wilkey added 11. Fulton County put up a solid fight, but only three Lady Pilots scored baskets: Delaynee Cermak (16), Alaya Barnett (15) and Karlie Williams (7). JaVona Davis hit 2-of-2 from the stripe to round out Fulton’s scoring.

District Final | Alexis Bartolo scored seven points to lead Hickman County in the district finale, as the team put together 17 points. Landry Crider (15) and Mollie Henderson (12) led Carlisle County in the 45-17 Crider hit 72 percent from 3-point range (5-of-7) while Henderson hit 7-of-8 from the free throw line. As a team, Carlisle only made 10 shots from the stripe.

March 2019 • Page 18

Page 19 • March 2019

Second District

Second District — Boys

Game 1 | Jackson Sivills averaged 21 pointed per game through the regular season, amassing 544 points for McCracken County. His average dropped a bit — 17 points, including one of two three-pointers for the top seed — in the opening round of the Second District tournament as the Mustangs spread scoring between 10 different players.

They defeated Community Christian Academy 65-31. Ramon Heard was the only other player in double digits (12).

Also scoring for McCracken county were Noah Dumas (9), Gavin Beyer (7), Brady Benton (7), Trevor Winsett (4), Mitchell Gurthrie (3), Skyler Weatherly (2), Grant Davis (2) and Conner Kelly (2).

Game 2 | Rodriguez Thomas scored 42 points against St. Mary in the regular season, leading the Tornado in both victories. He added another 15 points for Paducah Tilghman on Feb. 19 against this year’s tournament hosts. Amirion Joyce also notched 15 against St. Mary in the 72-39 win.

Parker MacCauley (12) was the lone Viking in double digits.

District Final | Paducah Tilghman looked poised to claim the Second District title during the first half against McCracken County. But the Mustangs rallied for a 43-35 win at tournament host St. Mary. Jckason Sivills led the way with 17 points, the only Mustang to break double digit scoring.

Rodriguez Thomas led Tilghman with 15. It was the first time the Tornado were held under 40 points all season.

March 2019 • Page 20

Second District — Girls

Game 1 | For the Lady Mustangs, Ashton Rudy (14), Marlee Morehead (12) and Tay Scott (11) helped build an early lead over Community Christian in the opening round of the Second District tournament. Rudy, Scott and Meagan Hayden were all perfect from outside the arch, shooting in a pair of 3-pointers each. The Lady Mustangs won the contest 88-39.

Game 2 | St. Mary stayed within single digits for much of the final regular season meeting against Paducah Tilghman. In their opening game against the Lady Tornado, St. Mary fell behind early and was unable to recover. Senior Brianna Doran notched half of the Lady Vikings’ points (23). It wasn’t enough to keep up with a balanced Tilghman attack that jumped out early and kept pressing late into the final minutes of play. Despite foul trouble, Paducah Tilghman beat St. Mary 62-46.

District Final | Paducah Tilghman looked poised to end McCracken County’s spate of district titles, pacing their way to a five-point lead late in the fourth quarter. But a miracle 3-pointer by Abby Eillington tied the game at 53-all. Meagan Hayden sank a game winning trey at the buzzer to lift McCracken 56-53 over Paducah Tilghman.

Page 21 • March 2019

Third District

Third District — Boys Game 1 | Fives different Eagles had double digit scoring against Ballard Memorial to open the Third District tournament: Seth Thomas (20), Jordyn Naranjo (15), Jacob Savage (14), Aaron Jones (11) and Ryan Mathis (10). Accuracy bolstered their attack, with Savage hitting 75 percent from the field and Jones 71 percent.

Naranjo made the lone 3-pointer for Graves, despite the team making nine attempts. The Bombers were led by Drew Cox and Lucas Suiter, each with 16 points.

District Final | It may have been the greatest game ever played for a

Third District championship. Triple overtime, a 15-point rally and a last minute half court shot that fell just short. Led by Mr. Basketball candidate Conner Guthrie, Mayfield skipped to the district finale after sweeping Graves and Ballard Memorial. In the final game, Graves rallied from an early 15-point deficit to force the first overtime.

In the second overtime, the Eagles and Cardinals tied at 66-all before Ryan Mathis hit a 3-pointer to give Graves its largest lead of the night.

It was the senior’s eighth on the night. Kade Neely scored with 13 seconds remaining, sending the

game into triple overtime.

The matchup came down to the final three seconds as Mayfield held a one point lead. Jacob Savage made an impressive midcourt attempt to keep Graves in the contest, but it went wide right. Mayfield held on for the 79-78 win.

Kent Trey Matthews led Mayfield with 22 points, while Mathis led all scorers with 35. The difference likely came down to the free throw line as Mayfield hit 20-of-27 from the charity stripe, while Graves struggled on free throws.

March 2019 • Page 22

Photos courtesy of Amy Byrd

Page 23 • March 2019

Third District — Girls

Game 1 | Playing at host Graves County, Mayfield ended Ballard Memorial’s season 46-29 in the Third District’s opening round. The Lady Cardinals got the opening possession but lost it on a steal by Lady Bomber Alyssa Dome. Ballard Memorial was unable to capitalize and Madison Felts notched the game’s first score. From there, it was all Mayfield. Kyler Henson hit a trey with 4:15 remaining in the first quarter for a 9-0 lead. The Lady Cardinals built a 16-4 lead at the end of the first quarter. Ballard Memorial would get as close as 20-11 in the second quarter, but Mayfield pulled away to a 29-13 lead at the half. The Lady Cardinals would go on to take the win 46-29.

District Final | Thanks to a perfect 4-0 district record, Graves County received an automatic advancement to the championship game. Balanced scoring helped the Lady Eagles pace their way to a Third District championship at home. The tournament hosts built a 13-12 lead at the end of the first quarter and used a 10-1 run through the second frame to carry a 23-14 lead into the break.

The second half wasn’t much better for Mayfield. The Lady Eagles won 53-31. Taylor Carrico had an outstanding night, scoring 15 points and pulling in three rebounds.

Carrico hit 5-of-10 from outside the arch. Callie Jackson (14) and Sophie Galloway (13) were also in double digit scoring for the Lady Eagles.

Third District

March 2019 • Page 24

Page 25 • March 2019

Fourth District Fourth District — Boys

Game 1 | Marshall and Calloway finished the regular season with nearly identical results (the Marshals earned one more win as both teams dropped seven games). The two times they met during the regular season, the Lakers came up short both times. In the opening game of the Fourth District tournament, Calloway fell behind early as it was unable to stop Tyler Powell and the Marshals. Powell put up 21 points in the 56-50 win. Tyler Stokes scored 19 for Marshall County.

District Final | Murray scored early off a 3-pointer by senior Will Lovins as part of a 7-0 run to start the game. Tyler Powell notch a basket at the 6-minute mark for Marshall County’s first score, but the Tigers finished the first frame up 15-5. Marshall County got within five points, but Murray would go on to win 59-46. Hunter Utley led all scorers with 18 points, followed by RaVichael Strickland and eighth grader Grant Whitaker with 14 points each.

Powell led Marshall with 12.

Fourth District Girls

Game 1 | Calloway and Marshall counties split their two regular season meetings. In the postseason, Calloway County took Marshall County to the wire for a chance at the title. The Lady Marshals were tied at 12-all in the first quarter, led 28-23 at halftime, but saw the game tied again late at 35 and 37 in the second half.

Halle Langhi put Marshall up 39-37 following two from the stripe, and the Lady Marshals would hang on to win 41-39 over the Lady Lakers.

Cayson Conner led Marshall with 12 points, followed by Lorin Powell with nine and Layne Pea with eight points. Charlee Settle led the Lady Lakers with 23 points, the only player in red and white to score double digits. Settle hit 7-of-8 from the free throw line.

District Final | Murray had a nearperfect regular season, losing only three times. One of those came in the All A Classic semifinals, and none to a First Region foe. That regular season dominance let the Lady Tigers skip to the final round.

Marshall County gave as good of a challenge as anyone this season in the district finale. The Lady Marshals stayed within a bucket for most of the first half. Murray pulled away in the third quarter, but Marshall rallied late, taking a 41-40 lead with seconds to go off a basket by Cayson Conner. Senior Elizabeth Curtis showed why she was the 2019 Miss Basketball Kentucky Region One candidate in the final seconds, hitting a clutch 3-pointer to give the Lady Tigers the 43-42 win. Conner led the Lady Marshals with 16 points, followed by Halle Langhi with 13.

Parker Greer led Murray with 14. She was joined in double digit scoring by Curtis with 11 and Calli Carver with 10.

­— WKY Sports file photos

Page 27 • March 2019

Fifth District

Fifth District — Boys

Game 1 | Led by seventh grader Travis Perry during the regular season (578 points), Lyon County was perfect in the Fifth District all year, compiling a 7-0 record. Perry led Lyon in their first round win over Trigg County, notching 17 points. Jackson Shoulders and Gabe Board earned 13 points apiece. Lyon Gabe Defew was out of the contest much of the first half after suffering a broken nose. Defew returned late, earning eight points and providing a force on defense.

Game 2 | Livingston Central bested Crittenden County by one point during their final meeting in the regular season on Feb. 1. During the first round of the district tournament, the Cardinals looked in position to repeat the performance, led by solid shooting from Bryce Stein (15) and Steven Mayhugh (12). But the Rockets spoiled the tournaments host’s hopes with a trey in the final minute to win 46-44. Preston Turley (12) and Gavin Dickerson (11) led the Rocket attack.

District Final | In 2018, Crittenden County used a late bucket to claim the Fifth District Championship. The Rockets wouldn’t get within range during this year’s finale as Lyon paced to a 54-40 win behind Travis Perry (25 points) and Gabe Board (16 points).

Fifth District — Girls

Game 1 | Livingston Central entered postseason play looking for their first win against district for. Lyon County wasn’t obliging. Lyon County defeated tournament host Livingston Central 39-29 to advance to the final round. Senior Allison Murphy led all scorers with 16 points. Calista Collins pulled in nine rebounds and earned eight points for Lyon County.

Game 2 | Trigg, Crittenden and Lyon all finished the regular season with 14 wins. Crittenden County swept the Lady Lyons, but couldn’t top Trigg in two meetings. The third time wasn’t the charm, either.

Taylor Guess led the Lady Rockets with 16, but Trigg County used a varied attack to win 46-37.

District Final | Lyon County led 2-1 in the opening minute of play off a bucket by Kentavia Matthews.

They would tie at 6-all after an Allison Murphy steal and layup later in the first. But Trigg County took control through the second quarter. Down 15-12, Murphy scored a trey, hit a layup and 2-of-2 from the free throw line as Lyon rallied to a 19-15 lead. It would be their last. Rylee Bush, Emily Noffsinger, D’Aria Barbee and Adri Phillips all contributed to a 13-4 run that gave Trigg its first double digit lead of the night at 3323. The Lady Lyons got within three points in the final minute thanks to a pair of baskets by Cathryn Brown, but the Lady Wildcats hung on for the 46-41 win. The win ended a decade-long dry spell for Lady Wildcats.

Trigg’s last Fifth District girls title came in 2009 in a five-point win over Crittenden County.

Page 29 • March 2019

Ward among KHSAA honorees Tilghman coach stands out as two time state champion

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association will induct its Class of 2019 into the Dawhares/KHSAA Hall of Fame presented by Roberts Insurance on Saturday, April 27, at the Hilton Downtown Lexington. This year’s 10member class will be the 32nd inducted into the Dawahares/KHSAA Hall of Fame, and consists of former high school coaches, athletes, officials, administrators, and contributors.

The Class of 2019 will also be recognized during the semifinals of the 2019 Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys Sweet 16. The induction of the 10-member Class of 2019 will bring the total number of honorees in the Hall of Fame to 479.

CECIL WARD (Paducah Tilghman HS / Coach / Athlete) As head girls’ track and field coach at Paducah Tilghman, Ward led the Blue Tornado to 12 State Championships, including eight-straight titles from 2000 to 2007, to go along with two boys’ cross country state titles. He coached numerous individual champions during his tenure, nearly 30 All-Americans and multiple Olympic Trial qualifiers.

A two-time individual state champion at Providence High School, Ward won the state title in the shot put in 1967 with a distance of 49-04.50 and the discus in 1968 with a mark of 142-07. He went on

to star at Western Kentucky University as a decathlete and set the school record in the javelin in 1973 with a throw of 214-5.

Upon graduating, Ward took a job at Paducah Tilghman where he started coaching football before a job opened up coaching track and field. He guided the Blue Tornado to back-to-back AA State Championships in 1974 and 1975, and another state title in 1979 before leaving to become the head track and field coach at WKU, where he produced five AllAmericans in his first year. In 1982, Ward returned to Paducah Tilghman and guided the girls’ track and field team to another AA State Championship in 1993. The Blue Tornado began an unmatched string of success in 2000 by winning the first of eight-consecutive state titles, culminating with their final team championship at the 2007 state meet. Ward’s run of success in girls’ track and field coincided with him leading the Paducah Tilghman boys’ cross country team to back-to-back 2A State Championships in 2003 and 2004 , the first and only boys’ cross country titles in school history.

Other honorees include: KANDICE BROWN-PARKER (West Carter HS / Athlete) As a senior at West Carter, Brown-Parker led the Lady Comets to the 2000 KHSAA Girls Sweet 16 title

and was named the most valuable player of the tournament after averaging 20.3 points per game.

MARY CUSTARD-AUSTIN (Harrison County HS / Athlete) Custard-Austin was a dominating two-sport standout at Harrison County in the early ‘80s.

JEFF MCGILL (Owensboro HS / Athlete / Contributor) The 1969 KHSAA Boys’ Golf Individual State Champion, McGill has dedicated his professional life to making a positive impact on the game of golf in Kentucky. As the golf professional at Bowling Green Country Club for more than two decades, McGill has been one of the driving forces in the growth of the KHSAA Boys’ and Girls’ State Golf Championships, serving as the event’s tournament director since it relocated to Bowling Green in 2006.

ROBERT (BOBBY) MCGRATH (Flaget HS / Official / Contributor) A three-year letterman at Flaget in football, basketball and baseball, McGrath was a two-way starter on Flaget’s 1967 State Championship football team and earned First Team All-State honors.

BOB REDMAN (Durrett HS, Waggener HS, Ballard HS, Male HS / Coach) Redman won over 300 football games and three KHSAA state titles during a coaching career which spanned 35 years.

Malachi Kirby

Georgetown College Senior at Paducah Tilghman Malachi Kirby signed a scholarship to play football for Georgetown College in a ceremony at Paducah Tilghman High School. A receiver and defensive back, Kirby was All-Purchase, All-Conference and an All-State honorable mention. Malachi was joined at the signing by Danny Kirby, Andrea Taylor and coach Jonathan Smith.

STUDENT SIGNINGS

Lyndsey Looper WKCTC Senior at Mayfield Independent Lyndsey Looper signed her letter of intent in February to stay close to home and play basketball for West Kentucky Community & Technical College.

Already signed? Email info and a photo to wkysports@gmail.com.

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Devon Nesbitt, Parker Johnson, Sean O’Leary, Brown Langston, Ethan Dossett & Hunter Boone Campbellsville University, UT Martin & University of the Cumberlands / Seniors at Crittenden County Six Rockets will continue their football careers. Devon Nesbitt, Parker Johnson, Sean O’Leary and Brock Langston will compete at Campbellsville University.

Ethan Dossett has agreed to play for the University of Tennessee at Martin. Hunter Boone will join the University of the Cumberlands.

Page 31 • March 2019

Nick Hatton Georgetown College Senior at Paducah Tilghman Nick Hatton was a key part of Paducah Tilghman’s success during the Blue Tornadoes 2018 season.

In February, he took the first step toward playing at the next level, signing with Georgetown College.

Hatton notched six goals and tied for a team high nine assists as Tilghman marched to an 11-10 record. It was Tilghman’s first winning season since 2013. The teams’ scoring leader in 2017, Hatton transitioned into a directional force for Tilghman this season. Nick was joined in his signing by patents Lori and Patrick Hatton, and head coach Wesley McSparin.

Yasmin Arellano Kentucky Wesleyan Senior at Paducah Tilghman Yasmin Arellano signed a letter of intent Wednesday to continue her soccer career and education at Kentucky Wesleyan in Owensboro.

Arellano contributed to Paducah Tilghman’s Blue Tornado as a wing.

She was a positive force for her teammates both on and off the field, and notched three goals during her senior campaign. Arellano was joined in the signing by her team, coaches Armando and Jessica Guell, parents Olga Nieto and Merary Lopez, and brother Alex Arellano. Several Paducah Tilghman administrators were also on hand, including Athletic Director Kris Durfee.

March 2019 • Page 32

Daniel Gardner Southern Indiana University Senior at Marshall County Daniel Gardner was joined by family, friends and teammates as he signed his letter of intent to attend Southern Indiana University. Gardner was a key part of Marshall County’s 2018 season, controlling midfield and helping the Marshals to 19-4 overall and a district title. He is a three time All District player, in addition to joining All First Region and All State teams. This year, Gardner was second overall in team scoring with 18 goals and tallied nine assists. The Marshals led the First Region in scoring with a team total of 112 goals. Daniel is pictured with his parents, Randy and Kimberly Gardner, and his daughter, Emery McAlpin.

Valesha Watson Murray State University Senior at Paducah Tilghman Valesha Watson, a Tilghman junior, signed a track scholarship to Murray State University in a ceremony held at PTHS on Feb. 22.

Watson, a sprinter, has won six individual titles at the Kentucky Class AA Track Meet. Her freshman year, she won the 100, 200, and 400. Her sophomore year she won the 100. Her junior year she won the 100 and 200. “In the four years I’ve been here, I can genuinely say that Valesha is one of the most talented athletes Iíve seen at PTHS,” said Tilghman athletic director Kris Durfee. “She leads by example in practice and has a fierce, competitive nature.” She plans to major in Business Administration. She was joined by current PTHS coach Randy Wyatt and former coach Heather Hamilton.

Page 33 • March 2019

The Back Page

By Jody Norwood WKS Editor

February seems to never end for spring sports fans.

The Bill Murray movie Groundhog’s Day — in which he relives the same Feb. 2 over and over — sums up how it feels for those ready to get out of gymnasiums and onto ball fields. Sure, it’s the shortest month on paper, but it doesn’t feel like it. Not when baseball diamonds and tennis courts and spring soccer fields are waiting.

Pining for warmer weather isn’t meant to discourage enthusiasm for winter sports. No, this is the time for squeaking gym floors and cheer competitions and archery meets where winners and losers are decided by centimeters. It doesn’t matter if it’s Reed Conder at Marshall County — with facilities envied by many colleges — or Jason White at Lyon County where the floor changes more often than the coaches, every high school gymnasium has an energy during winter’s coldest months.

There’s plenty of sports going on through the winter months for fans, but there’s nothing like finally getting outdoors when the grass turns green again and the weather starts to warm.

The only obstacle is February, where time passes in dog years. But don’t fear, spring sports fans.

You made it through Groundhog’s Day. Welcome to March.

Mr. and Miss Basketball Kentucky were announced early in March. Pendleton County’s Dontaie Allen and Boyd County’s Savannah Wheeler received the honors.

And no one was really shocked that Allen — the first homegrown UK four star signee in a while — received the honor, despite missing almost two thirds of his season to an ACL injury and torn meniscus. Allen is also the fourth straight in-state signee to win the award, which seems to be a common trend. It’s also rare for a western Kentucky player to win the recognition.

Since 1980, Mr. Kentucky recipients have gone to UK 11 times... around a third of honorees. There hasn’t been a western Kentucky honoree since Christian County’s Anthony Hickey in 2011. He’s one of three recipients from the Second Region. The First Region hasn’t had a player win the honors since North Marshall’s Pat Doyle in 1959.

Calendar ofEVENTS

Items of general interest will be published free of charge as space permits in each issue. To include an entry, email date, location & event details to: wkysports@gmail.com

March 2-9 ­— Graves County Soccer Association will be holding recreational signups March 2 & 9 from 10 a.m. until noon and March 5 & 7 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at 1040 W. Housman St. in Mayfield.

March 11 ­— Marshall County Soccer Association will be holding a Spring recreational and select coaching clinic at Marshall County High School from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Open to Marshal County recreational and Dynamo coaches.

March 15-16 ­— KY NASP will hold the State Archery Tournament at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville.