central-ky-kid

6-A is gonna have issues. Partly because of the KHSAA's doing (32 teams, all make playoffs, intent on having eight districts of four teams each). 1) Six NKY schools, if I counted correctly. Who gets split? If it is five teams, even worse to just have one NKY team in a different district. 2) Five WKY teams. Muhlenberg is already in a district with Meade and Central Hardin, but now North Hardin is back. So you have CH-MC-NH locked into a district with a fourth team (likely Muhlenberg) which is a haul and in a different time zone and has nothing in common with the other three teams. Ohio (should be 5-A) was granted the chance to play 6-A. Ohio is closer to those other WKY 6-A teams, so logically Ohio should be the fourth team in the district, not Muhlenberg. HOWEVER, Muhlenberg is actually a 6-A school. So while Ohio argued travel as the reason for being in 6-A, another 6-A school (Muhlenberg) will be forced to travel MORE to accomodate Ohio. I can't believe I'm taking up for Muhlenberg,

In 5-A, I'm guessing 1) Fern Creek would be kept with the other Louisville schools (even if it means six teams; doesn't seem to make sense to force one to travel) 2) Nelson would be in the Bullitts' district. Nelson County and Bullitt Central were in same district back in old 4-class days. Were also soccer district rivals until the KHSAA started using basketball alignment for baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball, too. Have a REALLY hard time seeing Nelson getting sent to Woodford and Madison counties.

Ashland has Tomcats and Kittens. Apollo has Eagles and E-Gals. Pretty sure Bethlehem is the only one with separate, non-related nicknames.

Elizabethtown is technically "senior" as well. Its middle school is Talton K. Stone Junior High School. But E'town never goes by ESHS. If you played Mercer County in 2000, you played the Mercer County Scotties. If you play Mercer County now, you play the Mercer County Titans.

Harrodsburg merged into Mercer County. Even though there was ALREADY a Mercer County High (school did NOT change its name), MCHS switched from Scotties to Titans.

17th District Girls Semis John Hardin vs. North Hardin Game 1: North Hardin won by 3 (JH missed 3 pointer at buzzer) Game 2: John Hardin in OT District Semis: North Hardin won in double OT

In its last 10 games or so, Taylor trailed in the second half to North Hardin, Green County and Marion County. Elizabethtown destroyed North Hardin twice. Yet North Hardin beat Marion and Green DECISIVELY. Why is Taylor struggling with two teams (Marion, Green) that a 7-19 North Hardin team had no problem with? Elizabethtown beat John Hardin twice fairly decisively (Taylor dropped John this year after John beat them by 40 last year). Taylor County hasn't beaten a decent Kentucky team since Russell County on Jan. 9. If you're gonna give Taylor County credit for beating Marion (19-8 record), Elizabethtown gets credit for beating North Hardin (7-19) and Central Hardin (14-9) since both NH and CH beat Marion County by double digits (NH beat Marion at Marion, CH hung 93 on Marion). Since Taylor's last good win, E'town has beaten Central Hardin (14-9), two-time reigning region champ John Hardin twice (16-6), ranked Montgomery County (24-2), Bardstown (20-6) and Indiana's Barr-Reeve (17-1). E'town's losses in that stretch are to Male (by one point at Male), ranked Louisville Trinity and Warren Central (at the buzzer).

Unranked South Warren girls were 50-of-55 from the foul line on Saturday in a win over ranked Bullitt East.

Jesse James, Not buying the hype on Bullitt East. Dropped four of their last 10, including losses to unranked North Hardin (which Elizabethtown crushed twice) and unranked South Warren (although SW is 21-7). None of BE's last six wins have been all that impressive. Guess I'm just surprised BE hasn't really fallen. I'm not saying they shouldn't be ranked, but I think they're more of a 18-19-20 team at this point. retropop, You think the KHSAA should ban Sunday practices? Might as well get rid of Monday games then, because many coaches I know want to practice the day before a game. If a district has a "No Sunday" rule, then it is shooting its OWN self in the foot. That has NOTHING to do with the KHSAA not being fair. It's no different than some districts not allowing talented middle schoolers to play up when other districts thrive with them (girls' hoops, softball, cross country, lower-weights boys' wrestling are the notable sports where MS kids are big factors). KHSAA gives each district a CHOICE to do what it wants on Sunday and that's considered an "unequitable" or "unlevel" playing field? Sorry, I can't agree with that. As far as practice during severe weather, that's NOT a state-wide public school rule. Some notable public districts in the Hardin County area still practiced (although didn't hold it against kids who couldn't make it). Some public districts have a "no school, no play" rule. JCPS in Louisvill being the biggie. However, some public districts do NOT have that rule (Hardin County, which borders Jefferson, being one). Meade, which borders Jefferson, does not have that policy either. While it is good intentioned, rational folks know the road conditions are going to be quite different for a few buses at afternoon/night for a 7 p.m. basketball game compared to a lot of buses on the road at 6 in the morning picking up kids. Huge difference, but some -- not all -- public districts fail to take that into consideration. That's THEIR fault, not the KHSAA. Public schools themselves are partly to blame for the unequitable playing field. As I've pointed out: - Sunday practices/games - Middle school kids playing up - Practice during weather Vary from district to district. It's NOT a public/private thing. It's a district-to-district thing. Not sure why the KHSAA has to step in and make a blanket rule on everything.

That's hard to argue against. I was gonna have the 20th over the 19th, but after Marion County went 0-3 (all by double digits) to second-seeded John Hardin, third-seeded Central Hardin and last-seeded North Hardin in the 17th District, Marion County didn't gain a lot of respect from the Hardin County portion of the region. It's clear the TOP team in each district is pretty even. Taylor beat Elizabethtown at Taylor. Elizabethtown edged Bardstown. Bardstown beat two-time reigning region champion John Hardin. John Hardin lost to Elizabethtown twice. It's also clear there's a huge dropoff from the top three districts and the 18th.

On Sunday, North Hardin's Kevon Davis was 19-of-19 at the foul line AT Marion County. Granted North Hardin is struggling (6-19 I think) compared to its proud past, but to go perfect at the foul line on the road against a team you were predicted to lose HEAVILY to by most ratings (Cantrell, Litkenhous) is impressive, record be darned.

Central Hardin, a 6-A quarterfinalist last year (beat Collins and McCracken) returns most of its top offensive threats, including QB Koree Krupinski, WR/RB Zach Helton and FB Xavier Arnette. Elizabethtown, which was much improved last year, returns RB Berneil Cecil (who led the seven-team Hardin-LaRue-Meade are in rushing). Panthers were extremely young last year and sophomore dominated. John Hardin, which played four state finalists last year (BG, DeSales, Collins, Meade), returns RB Elijah Smith, RB Josh Miller, OL/DL Jared Givens, OL/DL Ethan Cobb and CB Thomas Lloyd, a very physical and agressive player in the secondary. Meade County will have FB/LB Micah Kaiser, QB John Wilson, TE/LB Tyler Addesa, OL/DL Michael Robey and LB Corey Stegner back. Offense might struggle at first, but defensively the Green Wave are usually solid (although Defensive Coordinator Tim Mattingly took the Central Hardin head coaching job).

Mattingly was the Washington County coach directly in front of Perry. Washington County hires Perry to follow Mattingly. Central Hardin hires Mattingly to follow Perry. If you're LexCath, Mattingly is your next coach after Perry since they're playing follow the leader.

Garrard's new superintendent, Paul Mullins, is a grade-A, class-act man. I've known him for several years. He was an assistant girls' basketball coach when E'town won the title in 1998. His sons race dirt bikes, play football and go fishing. His eldest son played football at LaRue (and went on to Georgetown College, IIRC). Mullins is very pro-sports. He's also very pro academics and education and ideas. When he was in charge, LaRue was one of the first district to get "green" buses. Also got laptops for every kid. Most rooms have the smartboards instead of the marker board/chalk board. LaRue County is one of the better public school districts for its size, which is saying a lot because of its demographics. When Mullins was at LaRue, they built an indoor facility the wrestling, football, soccer and baseball/softball teams have all used. Remodeled baseball and softball fields. Got a nice tennis complex. Before he left, he had gotten the ball rolling for a new gym/football complex (complete with turf, which was rumored to be blue). The football stadium/gym will be united, meaning the home side of the field -- currently the visitor side -- will be connected to the gym. There are plans for "skyboxes" which will serve as football press box/coaches' box as well as sky boxes for basketball. Unless you are talking about the principal, assistant principal or counselors (or maybe school board or site-based), I'm not sure administration in Garrard County is a consideration. I would think it is a plus. Over here in the 5th Region, Mullins has a sparkling reputation.

Courier-Journal has recaps of Wednesday's games: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20140129/SPORTS05/301290135/1031/Girls-LIT-roundup-Duvall-s-basket-lifts-Bullitt-East-over-Manual http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20140129/SPORTS05/301290137/1031/Ballard-55-Eastern-53-Brandi-Ray-s-3-pointer-beats-buzzer-in-Girls-LIT