West Kentucky Sports July 2019

Volume 2, Issue 6

Legion tournaments coming to area —p. 4 | Injury prevention key at Lake Barkley CrossFit —p. 22

July 2019 • Page 3

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Top 10 | Page 10

Looking back at the top 10 matchups from the 2018-2019 season as chosen by readers.

Making it Official | Page 17 Murray’s Rowland among officials recognized by KHSAA.

Mixing it up | Page 19

State recognizes student athletes competing in at least three high school sports.

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U12 Diamondbacks | Page 28

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Lyon County’s U12 Diamondbacks compete.

Student Signings | Page 30 Several area athletes will continue competing at the collegiate level in cheer, baseball and soccer.

Sports Briefs | Page 30 Lady Lyons host their 2019 basketball camp, while area soccer players celebrate a 2019 Village Cup win and Marshall County’s skeet team competes.

The Back Page | Page 31 A few ties tend to bind the top games from the past school year.

ADVERTISERS INDEX:

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Mitch’s Barbershop— p. 5 Laurie Osborne — p. 7 Our Daily Bread — p. 28 Pleasant Valley — p. 24 Dr. Debra Wilder — ­ p. 5 Williams Veterinary Clinic — p.29 Wilson Law Firm — p. 16 Melissa Wynn — p. 24 WCBL/WCCK — p. 17

West Kentucky Sports is made possible through the sponsorship of advertisers listed at left. These businesses help provide local coverage of youth sports and positive acts by local athletes. On behalf of our readers, the staff would like to say:

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Headed for home American Legion Post 68 to host Junior & Senior state tournaments at Lee S. Jones Park in Lyon County Story and photos by Jody Norwood The 2018 season was a turning point long coming for American Legion Post 68 baseball.

The Aces had been at the edge of winning the senior title time after time, but came up just short. Until last season. Down seven runs and looking like it was over, the Aces put together a nine-run sixth inning to take the Senior state championship 9-8 over Owensboro in Ashland.

A year later, the Aces will have a chance to repeat their success with a team that may be even better, according to head coach Greg Vincent. And this time, they’ll have a chance to play for the title in their own backyard. For the first time ever, the post will host the senior state tournament at the Lee S. Jones Park beginning July 23.

Vincent said having the games at home makes an impact

not just on the players, but also the coaches.

“Last year we had to travel about six hours,” Vincent said.

“Staying in hotel rooms, the travel, the expense was just huge.

It was worth it of course. Being able to sleep in our own beds, the fans in the community, it’s big all the way around. And not just for Lyon County, but all of western Kentucky.”

The journey to bringing the tournaments to Lake Barkley has been a long one, both for the post and for the community.

The county and volunteers have worked in recent years to add a concession stand, upgrade the field and develop buildings located inside Lee S. Jones. The result has been one of the finest parks in western Kentucky, highlighted by the baseball field.

There has also been a push by county leaders to promote keeping the park clean.

July 2019 • Page 5 At left, Coach Greg Vincent has a word with his Aces during the Chappel Allen Invitational Tournament in June. At right, Kevin Brooks defends third during a game against Oldham County.

“The ballpark here is second to none,” Vincent said. “We played at a beautiful place last year. They had a big, big hitting facility. But from a pure ballpark point of view — when you take in parking, concessions, the cleanliness — you’d have to go to Murray State or Western Kentucky University to find a better place. I really believe that.”

This year will feature a handful of firsts for the Kentucky state tournaments.

“We’re going to hold a banquet the night before the senior state tournament,” Vincent said. “We’re bringing all the teams in a night early and we’re going to feed them up at the Lyon County Convention Center.”

Vincent said the banquet is a tradition at the regional level.

“When we got to North Carolina last year, they have a big dinner beforehand and introduce their players,” Vincent said.

“We’re excited about it. We presented the idea to the state back in January and they really liked it.”

This year will also be the first time a site has hosted both the Junior and Senior tournaments. Bob Harbison with Post 68 said the idea was proposed by American Legion Baseball Commissioner Hardy Gentry, a former Paducah resident now living in Florence.

“We started [trying to get the state games] about three years ago,” Harbison said. “We were successful in getting the junior tournament game in 2016. We kept working and we were surprised when they gave us both the junior and senior games.”

The tournament will likely draw in about a dozen teams from across the state competing in the two tournaments. Harbison said Kentucky has fewer teams than other states.

“Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois, those places have 100 to 200 teams,” Harbison said. “In Kentucky, we’ve got about a dozen. Travel ball is really hurting American Legion baseball.”

(Continued on next page)

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Page 4 • July 2019 At left, Gabe Board of Lyon County slides into second base, beating the throw for Post 68. Board is also pictured on the cover of this month’s issue.

Board recently signed to continue his baseball career at Lindsey Wilson College.

Continued from previous page Harbison — who joined Post 68 in part because of the benefit the baseball arm of the organization brings to communities — said the Legion works hard to keep it affordable.

“Our fees for a first year player are $300,” Harbison said.

“For returning players it’s $200. I know travel teams charging anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000.”

LOOKING AT THE 2019 TEAM

“When these kids take the field, they just expect to win,” Vincent said. “That’s a great thing. You’ve got guys who are used to leading off or hitting third, and we’ve got them hitting six, seven or eight. But that’s what they’ve got to learn, to adjust.”

Vincent said the pitching is as strong as it’s ever been.

Three weeks into the schedule, it was hard for Vincent to have a precise picture of this year’s Aces, as he’s yet to play a game with all of his players present.

“I really like this team,” Vincent said of his seniors. “We’ve got something special going on. We’ve got speed, we’ve got power. We’ve got more pitching than we’ve ever had. We play great defense. I’m a little concerned about our outfield because they haven’t been able to play together, but I don’t think it will be an issue because they’re talented.

“They’ve got great attitudes. They’re a lot of fun to be around. You don’t have to do a lot of coaching. You make up a lineup and let them go play.”

“It’s not a cakewalk,” Vincent said. “You have an injury here and there, and you’re in trouble. If we can stay healthy and peak at the right time, then I think we’ll be ok.”

A repeat win could see this year’s team go further than it ever has. This year, Kentucky will compete in the Great Lakes Region instead of the Southeast. Vincent said his team will fare better if it makes it to regional competition.

NO EASY ROAD

Looking at competition, Vincent said he expects posts from Shelbyville, Oldham County, Ashland, Bowling Green and Owensboro to be contenders along with Post 68. But there are still a few question marks.

“The main competition will probably be Shelbyville,” Vincent said. “We beat them for the junior state championship two years in a row; they beat us for the senior championship two years in a row. You never know, they might get eliminated, or we might, but I think the two best teams are Shelbyville and Post 68.”

Post 68 got a preview of possible matchups for both the juniors and seniors as it hosted the Chappel Allen Invitational Tournament in mid-June.

The results were mixed, in part due to injuries and having four starters out for the senior team.

COMMUNITY READY

Vincent said the junior team was younger, but growing.

Vincent said the community has been outstanding, from local businesses supporting the team through sponsorship and also from parents.

“They’re young, but there’s a lot of potential.”

“The businesses have been so supportive, too. They helped out with our program and anything we needed.”

“They’ve got to learn how we play baseball,” Vincent said.

“A lot of them come here and they haven’t done a lot of bunting or running. They haven’t done a lot of hit-and-run. It’s odd that they haven’t learned it at a younger level. But they haven’t been taught.

Given the talented rosters and last year’s success, expectations are high. Vincent said there’s still a lot of baseball between now and then, and a lot that can go wrong.

“It’s neat for some of these parent, their kids have been on teams that have been good but not great,” Vincent said. “I’m not much on texts, but it’s great to get them from parents saying ‘my son is having so much fun.’

The Lyon County Fiscal Court has endeavored to improve Lee S. Jones Park in recent years. Community members have

July 2019 • Page 7

668 TANNER AVE EDDYVILLE KY 42038 Laurie Osborne 270-625-0438 laurie.osborne@ century21.com laurieosborne.c21.com Above, Michael Thomason makes a clutch catch at second base for Post 68.

contributed to amenities, too, such as the pavilion and seating area built by local contractor Don Wallace. Volunteers have worked to improve the facility.

Judge Executive Wade White said preparation has been underway for months, and will continue until the tournament.

Come join me at the lake!

“A lot of the maintenance to the field we wanted to do regarding the state tourney was done over the winter,” White said. “We have several small projects to make the field better for the upcoming tourney.

“But the field is in better shape than it has ever been in my opinion thanks to our hard working staff, especially Scott Coney. He is a master at making our field look the best it can.

But honestly we put that much effort in whether its a regular high school game or a state tournament, we always want the field looking top notch. We are excited to have the State Tournament at our facility this year.”

BUILDING ON TRADITION

Legion Baseball was formed in 1925 during an American Legion South Dakota Department state convention, according to the organization’s web site. By 1926, Legion Baseball posts in 15 states had developed. Today, the program registers more than 5,400 teams in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Approximately 20,000 young men annually participate in Boys State, a Legion program dedicated to promoting leadership. Boys State alumni include former President Bill Clinton, news commentator Tom Brokaw, professional basketball player Michael Jordan, astronaut Neil Armstrong and many more

At least 81 players inducted into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame have been former Legion players, including Yogi Berra (1972), Stan Musial (1969), Mike Piazza (2016), Johnny Bench (1989) and Kentucky’s Jim Bunning (1996).

Post 68 has had a number of standout regional players and numerous college signees since forming. Earlier this season, the post retired the No. 1 worn by Jay Vincent — son of coach Greg Vincent — during his time with the Aces. Jay, a Livingston County native, was a three-time Post 68 Player of the Year, an NAIA Scholar Athlete at the University of Pikeville in 2019 and 2018, named second team all conference his junior year and first team his senior year and recently graduated with a degree in sports business management.

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Page 8 • July 2019

Rec Redux

Looking to reach readers in Lyon, Livingston, Trigg, Marshall, Graves & McCracken?

Phone JAYNE at 270-615-1139 to reserve your spot in our next issue and provide coverage of area athletes!

West Kentucky Sports featured a number of reader submitted recreational soccer photos in our May issue. Entries (and a few staff photos) received after the deadline are included in this month’s issue from McCracken, Marshall and Lyon counties.

July 2019 • Page 9

The 2018-2019 high school sports season wrapped up in June with the conclusion of several state championships.

Teams representing western Kentucky during the 2018-2019 school year had plenty to be proud of, from state and national championships to record breaking performances and individual accolades. From opening games to the final whistle, thousands of student athletes from across the Commonwealth took part in hundreds of matchups.

West Kentucky Sports is taking a look back at some of the most memorable moments in high school sports from last season as suggested by our readers.

July 2019 • Page 11

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Tilghman takes early lead against Marshall

Marshall County opened the 2018 soccer season with a 7-0 win over Paducah Tilghman. It was a sign of things to come for the Marshals, who went on to a 10-1 record against the First Region.

Marshall built the region’s largest goal differential (112 scored, 26 lost) and earned seven shutouts behind keeper Tyler Belcher on the way to a 16-3-1 regular season record.

During the season opener, Bryson Penn notched three goals, while Chase Riley earned one and a pair of assists. Penn would go on to earn 47 on the season, while Riley earned five to go along with 12 assists.

Entering the first round of the First Region tournament, Marshall faced Tilghman, who had lost 8-0 five nights earlier to McCracken County in the First District championship game.

The game ended with the expected outcome as Marshall County advanced, but likely not with a final score anyone predicted.

Jackson Mundy scored first for Paducah Tilghman, taking the lead just a minute into the contest. Tilghman focused on defense, looking to maintain the advantage as long as possible. It ended up being 11 minutes, as Daniel Gardner scored to tie the game at 1-all.

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5Daniel Gardner • Marshall County Gardner scored the go-ahead goal midway through the second half to keep Marshall’s season alive. Tilghman, meanwhile, opened and closed the season seeing orange.

Tigers pick off Mayfield’s Stinson three times

Junior Jaden Stinson was nearly perfect through the opening three months of the 2018 season.

The Cardinals were undefeated in the first nine games. During the run, Stinson hit 93-of-144 passes for 27 touchdowns and one interception. Mayfield was a juggernaut during the run, outscoring opponents 436-154 as it marched toward a second consecutive undefeated regular season (Mayfield’s only losses across the 2017-2018 seasons were in championship games).

Until the state championship

game, only one team during 2018 came anywhere close to dethroning the Cardinals: Caldwell County.

The 3A Tigers entered the contest 7-2, with losses against Christian County (11-6) and Hopkinsville (35-20). The Tigers would lose at Mayfield, too, but only after picking off Stinson three times.

The game opened in Caldwell’s favor with Mayfield losing the opening kickoff. Caldwell took advantage of the short field when Joby Jaggers hit DeEric

Hollowell on a 10-yard touchdown pass to set up a 7-0 lead.

Mayfield tied the game when Connor Guthrie ran one in before the end of the first quarter.

The two teams battled to a 14-all tie at the half. As promising as the start was for Caldwell, the Tigers were unable to get anything moving in the second half. Mayfield took the contest 31-14, earning their 10th win.

Joe Morris would go on to lead the team to a second consecutive state championship game, finishing at 14-1.

Page 12 • July 2019

8 Marshall, Graves rack up 24 runs Marshall County gave up 10 or more runs to only two teams during the 2019 campaign (Paducah Tilghman managed the feat in all three meetings). Graves County fell both times it met the Marshals, but the first contest between the two was a scoring spree between the two teams.

Marshall led 10-1 after a fourrun first inning and six-run fourth.

Graves County battled back in the bottom of the fourth to keep the game alive, with Cody Dawson and Brandon Richards walking onto base. Hits by Connor Mills, Drew Montgomery, Chase Carrico and Jordyn Naranjo led to three runs for Graves County.

5Lane Howell • Graves County

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Marshall scored four more runs in the contest, while the Eagles added six. Skyler Brown led Marshall, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Connor Johnson and Tyler Belcher had two RBIs each as Marshall won 14-10. A total of nine pitchers saw time between the two teams.

5Skyler Brown • Marshall County

Marshall rallies in season opener at CCA

The start to Marshall County’s 2018 season found the Lady Marshals down two sets to one on the road at Community Christian Academy.

Marshall lost the opening match 25-17 and got behind quickly in the second set. Led by Halle Langhi, the team recovered and held off the Lady Warriors as they took the second set 25-22. CCA trailed briefly in the third set but dominated the net in the second half to win 25-22 for the 2-1 advantage.

CCA was poised to walk away with the contest in the fourth set, taking an early lead before the Lady Marshals dug deep, battling to a 25-22 win to tie the match. In the fifth set, Marshall battled to a 15-7 decision, winning the contest 3-2.

Langhi led in kills with 25, while Clara Bradley had 41 assists.

5Clara Bradley • Marshall County

July 2019 • Page 13

6 Home run derby 5 LCHS over CCHS in OT Hickman County was blown out 12-0 the first time it met McCracken County on March 21, just the second game in the season for the Lady Falcons.

It was a different story May 9 as the small school Class A Region 1 champion avenged itself against the powerhouse.

For spectators, it was an afternoon of huge hits.

The two teams battled across eight innings. McCracken’s Ariel Fox (3-for-5) and Ally Hutchins (2-for-4) hit home runs for the visitors, while Gracie Lusk (3-for-5), Bella Batts (1-for-4) and Rancey Skaggs (2-for-2) knocked them out of their home park. Lusk had four RBIs in the contest as Hickman pulled out the 9-8 win.

Both teams had 11 hits in the contest.

Lusk (6.46 ERA) and Jacey Rushing (3.82 ERA) took care of pitching duties.

5Lady Lyons • Lyon County Caldwell County bested Lyon in the annual season opener between the two teams in November. During the rematch on Jan. 24, the two teams took each other to the limit.

It was a paced scoring affair through most of regulation, with each team’s defense stepping up in Princeton.

Lyon County gained momentum in the final seconds of the fourth quarter when eighth grader Gracen Wynn took the court. Wynn only attempted one basket all night, but it was one of the biggest of the game. Waiting under the basket, the Lady Lyons fed her a missed free throw attempt. Wynn put in a layup to force overtime.

Lyon County pulled away in the extra frame, taking the win 40-34 over the Lady Tigers.

For the night, two Lady Lyons got into double digits, Allison Murphy (11) and Rose Smith (10). Smith was one of three Lady Lyons to hit 100 percent from the free throw line.

Smith and Wynn both hit 2-of-2 free throws, while Cathryn Brown hit 4-of-4.

5Jayce Rushing • Hickman County

Jada Boyd led Caldwell County with 11 points. She was the only Lady Tiger in double digits.

5Jada Boyd • Caldwell County

Page 14 • July 2019

4 Lyon punches ticket to state All ‘A’ Lyon County won the All A Second Region baseball tournament for the first time in school history with a 10-6 decision over University Heights Academy on April 11. Six days later, the Lyons faced their last obstacle before making the program’s first trip the state All A Tournament.

Murray’s Tigers, meanwhile, were looking to defend home field for their own trip.

The Tigers got the lead early when Bradley Dawson singled on a line drive while Kyle Crady scored on the throw. But home runs by Jake Kleuppel and Gabe Board helped push Lyon County’s score.

Trailing by one run in the fourth inning, Klueppel blasted a shot over the left field wall, bringing in Jackson Shoulders for the 2-1 lead. Shoulders had gotten on base with a double earlier in the inning. Murray tied things up in the home half of the frame, but in the sixth inning Board battled through two fouls, three balls and a helicopter

5Jackson Shoulders • Lyon County landing beside the field to knock the go ahead run out of the park. Christian O’Daniel singled later in the inning to score Clay Haines and Travis Yancy.

Shoulders got the win on the mound, striking out five in a complete game.

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July 2019 • Page 15

3 Marshall fends off Graves for regional gold

Just a week after earning the Second District title in a 2-0 decision over Graves County the Lady Marshals found themselves down to the Lady Eagles by a single goal in the championship round of the First Region Tournament.

It was the 15th consecutive time the First Region championship was a rematch of the Second District title game. It would end Graves County’s season at

18-3-1, with all three losses coming at the hands of Marshall County, but only after the Lady Eagles soared.

Graves County scored early on a penalty kick by Madeline Byrd midway through the first half. Marshall tied it up five minutes later when Lindy King used a pass by Kylee Crass to notch the tying goal. Crass knocked in the game winner just six minutes into the second half, as Marshall won the game 2-1.

2 Lyon County rallies against Christian County

There may not have been a bigger turning point in Lyon County’s 2019 softball season than when the Lady Lyons hosted Christian County.

Almost to the midpoint of the season, the Lady Colonels were marching through competition. At 9-1. they’d outscored opponents 107-22 and were ranked in the state’s top 10. Lyon County, meanwhile, was 3-6 on a roller-coaster ride.

Just days before the game, team mom Kendra Craft — mother to Lady Lyons Kerstin and Kyra Craft — lost her battle with cancer.

On April 4, Lyon was relentless against Christian County.

The Lady Colonels used three walks and a double to take a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Calista Collins hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the frame in response. Christian County scored two more runs in the second, but Lyon answered again, this time with a double by Tori Schenk, single by Collins and home run

by Kaelyn Conger to take the lead 7-6.

5Calista Collins • Lyon County The Lady Colonels took the lead again, scoring five runs across three innings, but Lyon put together a sixrun seventh inning as they refused to relent.

Alley Culp struck out eight batters across six innings, while Conger struck out one across 30 pitches.

Page 16 • July 2019

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Mayfield, Graves battle in triple OT

It happens from time to time that the best games aren’t at the state or regional level. That was the case Feb. 21 when Graves County met cross town rival Mayfield for the Third District championship.

There wasn’t much the game didn’t have for basketball fans, from triple overtime to a double digit rally, along with eye popping individual numbers.

Mayfield skipped to the championship round courtesy of their regular season schedule. Graves County opened the tournament with a win over Ballard Memorial, advancing to face the Cardinals. The two teams met Feb. 21 with the Eagles refusing to go down without a fight. Graves County was down by as much as 15 in the contest, but rallied to force an extension to regulation.

In the second extra period, the two teams tied at 66 before Ryan Mathis hit a 3-pointer to take the lead for Graves

County. It’s was the senior’s eighth trey of the night as part of a 35-point performance. But Kade Neely scored for Mayfield to tie the game and send it into triple overtime.

Mayfield held the lead by a single point with the final few seconds draining off the clock. Jacob Savage attempted a midcourt shot for the Eagles... but it came up short.

Kent Trey Matthews led the Cardinals with 22 points. Matthews was perfect from the stripe, hitting 9-of-10 free throws.

The title was the first for Mayfield since 2007. At the same time, it ended Graves County’s consecutive title run at six. The Cardinals went on to win the First Region and earn their trip to the state tournament.

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July 2019 • Page 17

KHSAA recognizes officials across state The Kentucky High School Athletic Association honored the top officials for 2019 during the KHSAA’s 26th Annual Officials Recognition Banquet today at the Association’s headquarters. The ceremony recognized the finalists for each sport or sport-activity in which the KHSAA licenses officials, as well as the Larry G. Boucher Jr. Supervisor of the Year.

Finalists in each sport were selected through a combination of service to their association and excellence in officiating. One official in each sport was named “Outstanding Official of the Year” for his/her sport in appreciation of their dedication and service to schools and student-athletes across the state. The Association also presented the annual

Larry G. Boucher Jr. Supervisor of the Year Award during the ceremony.

Outstanding Official

Nominees (winners listed first) BASEBALL – Terry Carter (Madisonville), Robert Bauer (Cave City), Carl Johnson (Metropolis, Ill.)

BASKETBALL – Jeremy Grantham (Boaz), Kristi Eller (Louisville), Nathan Sutton (South Shore), Mike Webster (Lexington) FIELD HOCKEY – Bob Boden (Louisville), Caitlin Maguire (Louisville)

FOOTBALL – Ron Hill (Louisville), Jeff Ely (Corbin), Corky Morse (Radcliff)

SOCCER – Jordan Barker (Morehead), Jarod Howard (Crestwood)

SOFTBALL – John Bloomer (Louisville), Kevin Rengering (Erlanger)

SWIMMING & DIVING – Paul Dole (Corbin), Joseph Phillips (Russell Springs) TRACK & FIELD – Vicki Rowland (Murray), Bill Smith (Lawrenceburg)

VOLLEYBALL – Angela Hummeldorf (Independence), Dave Anderson (Grayson) WRESTLING – Garrett Pikul (Taylorsville), Brett Branson (Cincinnati, Ohio) LARRY G. BOUCHER JR. SUPERVISOR OF THE YEAR – Phil Burkeen

Your Home for Lyon County Lyons and Lady Lyons Basketball, Marshall County Marshals and Lady Marshals Soccer, University of Louisville Football and Basketball and NASCAR!

5Gabbi Lovett •

Marshall County |

6Kyron Grubbs •

Trigg County |

6Sofia Bayer •

Marshall County

Mixing it up

July 2019 • Page 19

Area athletes blend multiple sports, academics The Kentucky High School Athletic Association has announced final counts for its “Triple Threat Award” and “Academic All-State” recognition programs for the 2018-19 academic year. In its second year of existence, the Triple Threat Award was presented to a total of 1,878 student-athletes for 2018-19, while 151 KHSAA member schools recognized a total of 10,046 students as First Team Academic All-State and 5,772 students as Academic All-State Honorable Mention.

“We are very pleased with the participation level of our membership with the Triple Threat and Academic All-State programs,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “Both of those processes have been automated to help our membership and make the recognition more readily available to our great student-athletes.”

Area students are listed below.

Ballard Memorial: Carson Bishop, Trevor Howard, Madison Nichols and Parker Rathman Caldwell County: Lucy Goffinet

Calloway County: Dylan Bell, Elle Carson, Sunny Clark, Luke Cullop, Ki Franklin, Adison Hicks, Drew Hodgin, Ellie Jackson Avery Potson, Kaitlyn Price and Zoe Stom

Christian Fellowship: Andrew Allen, Ethan Binkley, Michael Bivin, Lillian Burnett, Andrew Cary, Isaac Hovenkamp, Rachel Howard, Warren Parker, Ari Phillips, Carter Space and Beau Wilson

Community Christian: Chaney Johnson

Dawson Springs: Daniel Black, Brennen Cunningham, Macy Drennan, Ethan Huddleston, Kire Peyton and Kaylee Simpson

Fulton City: Jakiran Donald, Kyisha Everett, Hunter Hayes, Jada Martin, Takyra Taylor, Kire Tribble and Zion Yisrael

Fulton County: Camden Aldridge, Mia Amberg, Brooklyn Chambers, Jayma Clay, Callie Coulson, Taylor Everett, Dylan Hammond, Caleb Kimble, Isaac Madding, Kahari Miller, Hayden Murphy, George Scott and Karlie Williams (Continued on next page)

5Lillian Burnett • Rachel Howard • Michael Bivin • Christian Fellowship

Page 20 • July 2019 Continued from previous page

Graves County: Noah Jones, Audrey Lamb, Clair Lamb, Race Richards, Macy Rodgers and Gabe Vinson Hickman County: Jackson Midyett

Livingston Central: Kerah Davison, Cameron Head, Carson Kitchens and Kobe T-Roy Ringstaff Lyon County: Abbi Crawford, Destiny Dycus and Cadence Peralta

Marshall County: Sofia Bayer, Laney Evans, Gabbi Lovett, Dawson Smothers, Mary Grace Thompson, Leah Vincek and Luke Wyatt

Mayfield Independent: Alonzo Daniel, Connor Guthrie, Samantha Hurt, Colby Kennemore, Husten Lancaster, Kent Try Matthews, Kade Neely, Tony Parrott, Elly Rhodes, Brady Smith and Desiree Thomas

5Caleb Kimble • George Scott • Fulton County

McCracken County: Sarah Baker, Abbie Farmer, Isaiah Frederich, Colton Hayden, Ethan Johnson, Autumn Knight, Corbin Knight and Connor Scholl Murray Independent: Angela Gierhart, Daniel Klukan, Dijon Miles, Askahn Nabavi, Beau Osborne, Hunter Utley, Tommy Waldrop and Grant Whitaker Paducah Tilghman: Nautica Beasley, Tay Shawn Carruthers, Sarah Hobbs and Mary Kate Via

St. Mary: Hope Brownfield, McKenna Brownfield, Kaitlynn Burrus, Claire Carrico, Brianna Doran, Chiara Doran, Cade Fleming, Michael Lurtz, Parker MacCauley, Nayelli McDowell and Annalise Vandry

Trigg County: Tyler Ahart, D’Aria Barbee, Ethan Futrell, Iyanna Grubbs, Kyron Grubbs, Julia Rhone, Lexi Ricks and Daeyontae Thompson

Created by the Commissioner’s office in May of 2018 as a way to continue the national emphasis and the KHSAA’s own efforts to de-emphasize sports specialization in the athletic culture, the Triple Threat Award recognizes those students who partici-

pate in high school athletics at the varsity level year round.

“In these days where some people erroneously believe that a student needs to participate in only one activity year round to succeed, the Triple Threat Award allows us to counter that myth with nearly 1,900 great examples of kids that represent their school all year long as multi-sport student-athletes,” added Tackett. “Every study published continues to prove that much more damage is done by sport specialization than benefit is gained, and we will continue to emphasize that point.”

A closer look at the breakdown of honorees for the 2018-19 academic year revealed that:

• 269 of the 280 member schools have at least one honoree, up from 266 in the program’s first year; • Eleven schools feature at least 16 honorees;

• Villa Madonna has the most of the member school honorees with 23, followed by Prestonsburg with 22, Belfry, Johnson Central and Metcalfe County with 18 each, Pikeville and Scott High with 17, and Frankfort, Kentucky Country Day, Phelps and St. Patrick with 16 apiece; • By class, 509 seniors, 482 juniors, 453 sophomores, 363 freshmen, 53 eighth graders and 18 seventh graders were honored;

• By gender, 843 females and 1,035 males qualified for the award;

• By sport, basketball had 1,132 honorees (647 boys and 485 girls), Track and Field had 1,077 (594 boys and 483 girls), Cross Country has 527 (258 boys and 269 girls), football had 522 and soccer 452 (189 boys and 263 girls).

Further details on the breakdown of Triple Threat Award recipients can be found at: https://khsaa. org/news-stats-pubs/news-and-information/triple-threat-award/

5Madison Nichols •

Ballard Memorial |

6Mary Kate Via •

Tilghman

BEAST CRAFT Lake Barkley CrossFit in Kuttawa working to build better , healthier athletes of all ages

What started out several years ago as a couple of trainers, a box and a barbell on Eddyville’s court square has grown into a focused conditioning and injury prevention program.

Lake Barkley CrossFit is easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for, a white metal building at the edge downtown Kuttawa. The building comes to life twice a day, filling before daylight to start the day and again as the sun begins to set on nearby Lake Barkley.

During both sessions the gym has a split personality, serv-

ing those coming to take part in CrossFit classes as well as a conditioning hub for area athletes. Owner Corey Jessup said as the gym has evolved, he’s found a calling in working with student athletes in helping them achieve their physical goals, and also in preventing injuries.

“The biggest aspect here is that the kids aren’t getting hurt,” Jessup said. “It’s a lot of responsibility. That’s why parents bring their kids here.”

(Continued on page 24)

Above, Lake Barkley CrossFit coaches Cody Brandon and Allison Murphy show proper technique to members of the Caldwell County Lady Tiger soccer team. Brandon and Murphy teach strength and conditioning in addition to injury prevention methods. Opposite page, Lyon County’s Sydney Melton fitting chin-ups into her workout.

Page 24 • July 2019 Continued from previous page It’s a process for coaches to learn new techniques, which are passed on to athletes.

The training and conditioning is specific, like the ACL-tear prevention program used to reduce knee-related injuries. Jessup said coaches teach the proper way to stretch and prepare to reduce the likelihood of an injury that’s become all too common in youth sports. In a 2013 article in the Journal of Athletic Training, knee joint injuries were cited as “the second most commonly injured body site after the ankle and the leading cause of sport-related surgeries. Knee injuries, especially of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), are among the most economically costly sport injuries, frequently requiring expensive surgery and rehabilitation.”

According to the article, girls’ soccer had the highest injury rate (12.2) followed by boys’ football (11.1).

Jessup played high school football at Marshall County and college at Western Kentucky University. He said his strength and conditioning coaches were instrumental in developing him into not only a fast player, but also into a healthy one.

Above, Sydney Melton trains on the slide board, a specially designed piece of motion training for aerobic conditioning and multi-directional movement. Lake Barkley CrossFit is the only gym in the area to offer the piece of equipment, which was designed to improve directional movement in athletes.

At right, Melton applies her agility training by springing into action for the Lady Lyons softball team.

After his playing days were over, Jessup said an injury led him to looking at new ways of training. His journey led him to CrossFit. “It healed me,” Jessup said. “CrossFit gets a bad rap, but it teaches us a lot of the moves that are natural.”

Jessup said that learning and implementation of CrossFit peaked his interest in working on ways to develop safer training methods for athletes.

The results speak for themselves.

During his years training, Jessup said none of his athletes have had a knee-related injury. Part of that is due to designing each plan

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But it isn’t just about keeping the players safe, it’s also about helping them improve. Lyon County junior Sydney Melton said her regimen is helping move her toward her goal of playing in college.

“It’s helped me tremendously,” Melton said. “I’m faster now. I can hit the ball harder than I used to.”

Melton was one of Lyon County’s most consistent hitters in 2019 with a .432 batting average, second only to Calista Collins (who also trains at the gym). Melton’s 48 hits resulted in 10 doubles and eight home runs.

The catcher for Lyon County’s 2019 Fifth District and Class A Region champion softball team doesn’t take her training lightly. It’s not uncommon to see her performing a snatch — one of the fastest and most difficult moves in CrossFit requiring a perfect blend of speed, strength, coordination and determination — that would put most college athletes to shame.

“When I’m down, this is where I come to,” Melton said. “I want to play college ball. Corey understands that.”

Melton’s season is nearly year-round. When she’s playing, she starts her day with a 5 a.m. trip to the gym to condition. During the weeks she’s not playing, she adds in afternoon workouts geared toward both strength and agility.

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Page 26 • July 2019

Continued from previous page She’s one of several players dedicated to honing not just her skill on the field, but herself as an athlete. The gym works with athletes from six counties and several sports, including the Dawson Springs girls basketball team and standouts from Marshall County’s hoops program like Zion Harmon, Tyler Powell and Tyler Stokes.

Kelsie Adams of Caldwell County joined her fellow Lady Tigers training at the gym on June 20. About a dozen members of the soccer team — along with head coach Rhett Miller — went through a workout designed for the rigors of the sport led by Allison Murphy and Cody Brandon. A Marine Corps veteran, Brandon is a native of Crittenden County, while Lyon County fans will remember Murphy during her time leading the Lady Lyons on the basketball court.

At times during the session Brandon and Murphy work with athletes as a whole, having them go through lunges and conditioning exercises before a brisk jog of less than a hundred yards. Other times, the two conditioning coaches work with a specific athlete if they need individual attention.

The jog is shorter than Adams is likely accustomed to during the season.

“Usually we have practices in the morning,” Adams said. “We always run two miles. We also do sprints.”

Three to five nights a week Adams and some of her teammates take part in classes at Lake Barkley CrossFit as part of a group, and 1-on-1 with the staff. Adams said she uses the run rocket, a harness designed to improve speed and agility utilizing a system of springs and pulleys on what looks like a giant fishing reel. It works sort of like one, too.

“I’m always on the run rocket,” Adams said. “[The conditioning] varies. Somedays I’ll do box squats. It depends on what we’re doing.”

Adams — who started coming to Lake Barkley CrossFit in November of last year — also plays on a Pumas Futbol Club travel team and is a former Olympic Development Program athlete. With the demands of being a student athlete and travel player, Adams said she decided to give up playing for ODP. But the gym isn’t just for athletes.

Next to the Lady Tigers is a group of moms twice (or more) their age taking part in a class even more intense than the soccer players workout. In other areas are individuals getting in their own workouts.

July 2019 • Page 27 Lake Barkley CrossFit’s members are as diverse as you’ll find, from their weight and age to their motives for being there.

That individuality is taken into account.

“I’ve got a math teacher over here working out next to a varsity basketball player and a varsity cheerleader,” Jessup said. “We have kids in here as young as 6. I love it. I’ve got kids who aren’t athletic, but we train them just as hard. I care about the outcome of these kids. The coaches here do, too. I’ve had coaches helping kids with homework. One was teaching someone how to drive out in the parking lot.

“People want to send their kids where they know they’re safe and they’re getting results. That’s what we do.”

While Jessup oversees the operation and works individually with athletes, he said a lot of what they’re able to do is through his coaches.

In addition to Murphy and Brandon, other coaches are Jacob Martin, TJ Palmer of Livingston County, Ray Witherspoon and Dr. Travis Luna. Their backgrounds and ages are varied, from former athletes to military veterans.

“We’re a family,” Jessup said. “I don’t make a decision without consulting my Above, Tyler Stokes surveys the court for Marshall County during a coaches. My coaches teach the classes. They match against Murray earlier this season. Stokes is one of several athknow the athletes.” letes traveling to Kuttawa to train at Lake Barkley CrossFit. Opposite The staff have the benefit of equipment page, coach Cody Brandon works with members of the Lady Tigers. as unique as they are. There’s racks lined with traditional free weights and barbells, along with the boxes CrossFit participants are known for jumping onto. But not many gyms benefit from a batting cage. Or an NFL combine-caliber vertical jump machine, a $700 chunk of rubber.

There’s also slide board, an octagon that looks like the surface of an air hockey table. It functions like one, too, allowing athletes to work on sliding and transitioning in multiple directions.

“That was specially made for us,” Jessup said. “The company we got it from said the only other ones it had made like it are at the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.”

To keep up with events and training options, follow Lake Barkley CrossFit on Facebook and Instagram.

Page 28 • July 2019

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The 2019 baseball season is underway with rec and travel teams competing. Pictured here, members of the U12 Diamondbacks compete. Above left, Grant Wiggins.

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BROCK ANDERSON

Shawnee Community College

Marshall County High School’s Brock Anderson will continue his academic and athletic career at Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois.

Shawnee is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Great Rivers Athletic Conference under the direction of head coach Bob Merley. During 2019, Anderson was on the mound in 11 games, with a 3-3 record and a 2.00 ERA in 30 innings pitched. He was joined at the signing by his parents Brandi and Billy and brother Drake.

MAY& JUNE

Student Signings

JORDAN RILEY

Shawnee Community College

Marshall County High School’s Brock Jordan Riley will continue his academic and athletic career at Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Illinois. The Shawnee Saints are members of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Great Rivers Athletic Conference under the direction of head coach Bob Merley. Riley played in every game during the 2019 season, either as an infielder at first base or on the mound pitching. He was one of the Marshals top hitters with a .371 batting average.

July 2019 • Page 31

CHANEY TROUTMAN University of Kentucky

Chaney Troutman will continue her academic and athletic career at University of Kentucky as part of the dance team. Troutman has been accepted to the Human Health Sciences Program in the College of Health Sciences to prepare for a career in the medical field and was a 2019 McCracken County High School valedictorian.

Where Athletes trAin

Page 32 • July 2019

JAYLEN JERNIGAN Georgetown College

Paducah Tilghman High School senior Jaylen Jernigan signed a soccer scholarship with Georgetown College in a signing ceremony on May 2. Jernigan was a three year starter for Tilghman soccer, playing at midfield. He was named all district twice, and was all region honorable mention last season. He had nine career goals and 14 career assists.

KALEB ROBERTSON

Western Kentucky University

McCracken County High School senior Kaleb Robertson will continue his academic and athletic career at Western Kentucky University. Robertson was part of the 2018 and 2019 UCA National Champions and 2017 KHSAA State Champion team in cheer.

TAYLOR PUCKETT

Western Kentucky University

McCracken County High School senior Taylor Puckett will continue her academic and athletic career at Western Kentucky University. Puckett is a three time UCA National Champion, a 2017 KHSAA State Champion in cheer and was a valedictorian for McCracken County High School.

July 2019 • Page 33

LORIN POWELL WKCTC

Marshall County’s Lorin Powell signed her letter of intent on May 23 to continue her academic and basketball career at West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah. She was joined by her parents, Steve and Francie Powell, and WKCTC head coach Howard Dillard. Powell averaged 6.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game during her four years as a Lady Marshal.

During her senior season, Powell was a major contributor both offensively and defensively, averaging 9.5 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

JACK MASSA Shelton State

McCracken County High School’s Jack Massa will continue his academic and athletic career at Shelton State Community College. Massa is a two time UCA Medium Coed Division National Champion 2018 and 2019, 2017 KHSAA State Champion in cheer and received 110% Award voted on by his peers. He is also a recipient of the Joey Fosko Scholarship and was awarded KHSAA Academic All State First Team in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

West Kentucky Area Sports Briefs

Page 34 • July 2019

The Marshall County High School Trap Team fared well in the State Trap Tournament during June, with seven students competing in the skeet competition and 34 in the trap competition. Multiple Marshals received recognitions.

The skeet team was second overall in the state tournament, led by Teddy Wynn and Ali Watkins. Wynn was second place among males skeet shooters, while Watkins was first among females.

The following awards were presented during the competition.

Skeet All-State Team: Teddy Wynn, Ali Watkins, Conner Brown, Zach Oden and Landen Spencer Trap All-State Team: Teddy Wynn and Austin Riley

The Lyon County Lady Lyons held their annual basketball camp in May. Current Lady Lyons and head coach Jeff Doom worked with future players in the Lyon County Middle School Gymnasium.

The 08 Pumas Black finished their 2018-2019 season as 2019 Soccer Village State Cup Champions. The team, which plays out of a St. Louis-based league, was 25-2-1 for the season. Village Cup was established in 2000 for competitive players in age groups not yet eligible to advance to the US Youth Soccer Regional and National Championship in order to enhance accomplishments achieved by participating in a state championship tournament.

THE BACK PAGE

By Jody Norwood | Editor

This month featured 10 of the best games from 2018-2019, a sort of year in sports highlights.There was a lot to choose from.

But the big question — just who picked those games — may not be.

The answer there is: you did.

Back in May we began asking on social media and at events what fans thought were the best games. We had conversations with coaches and parleyed with parents. The answers had a few common themes: Overtime.

Close scores.

Rivalries.

Very few fans responded with “that game where we did what everyone knew we were going to do.” There were a few steamrollings suggested, but what fans typically thought were the best games were the ones they weren’t supposed to win. The David and Goliath stories, or, for those fans of westerns, The Magnificent Seven.

In fiction and folklore these stories are often found at the crossroads of luck and sacrifice. There’s some truth there. Sometimes success is just being in the right place at the right time. But storytelling sometimes overlooks the hard work that goes into those victories.

Success is usually more about being prepared to seize opportunity.

The best teams aren’t always determined by scoring or individual accolades. More often, teamwork and self-sacrifice typify championship teams. A smart teammate willing to take on tasks will advance beyond a squad of individuals working diligently on their own goals.

•••

Special thanks: To our readers for their patience. West Kentucky Sports has been an idea for some time, but getting any project going takes time, patience and support. Readers have been following us month after month, patient in waiting as we sorted out the best ways to get copies in readers’ hands, and supportive by providing feedback. We appreciate you.

•••

Up next: When the smell of black powder dissipates as July gives way to August, West Kentucky Sports will be looking ahead at the fall seasons in our August issue. Want to make sure you get a preview of your favorite team? Try a subscription! Find a form on page 15 of this issue.

July 2019 • Page 35

CALENDAR of EVENTS

JULY 11 Coach Bronagh Kerins will offer a girls only training camp on July 11, 18 and 25 at Bee Creek fields in Murray. The camp is open to girls 9-12 years of age. Camp is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and costs $10 per session. Kerins will also offer camps for boys of the same ages at the same locations on July 8, 15 and 22.

AUGUST 3 Marshall County Youth League Football online signups are open now through August 3. Students grades second through sixth will play tackle football. First-grade students have the option to play tackle or flag football. Kindergarten students will play flag football. The Marshall County Youth League Football registration link may be found at https://www.marshallcountyfootball.com/.

JULY 15 Elite Soccer’s World Cup Youth Camp for 5-7 year olds will be held at the McCracken County soccer fields. This one hour camp runs through July 18 from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m.

AUGUST 9 Mini Meet the Soccer Marshals will be held from 5:30 until 8 p.m. at Mike Miller Park.

The event is sponsored by the Marshall County Soccer Association for players during the 2019 season.

Planning a fundraiser? Program or club event? Email us the details at wkysports@gmail.com to include it on our calendar at no charge as space permits.

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