article Inside the 6th Region (02/06/2017)

The finish line is getting closer and each week mixes in a surprise or two just when you think you have it figured out. The one thing that remains clear is currently Fern Creek continues to hold up as the region favorite while building their record to a very impressive 24-2 on the season. Their last 4 games will match them against 6th region opponents who will all be lining up to give the Tigers their first regional loss.

This week rankings will continue with the tier groupings as a way of identifying the top challengers to Fern Creek, those that have a chance to contend, and then the next tier of teams that are likely on the outside looking in when regionals begin.

1) Fern Creek (24-2)- Fern Creek has never had a season like this one and the excitement is at a fever pitch around the Bardstown Road Community School. They must go on the road this week to Fairdale and then a highly anticipated game at Valley. Valley and Fern Creek played a scrimmage game in the pre-season at Western HS with the Tigers coming out on top. That was a long time ago and this time the stakes are much higher. It should be a great game.

2-4) Top Challengers are Valley (18-5), Doss (15-8), & Moore (17-8)- Moore jumps into the picture with a 7 point win over Valley and has quietly won 5 of their last 6 with only a loss to Male keeping them from a 6 game winning streak. Each of these three teams only have two losses in the region. They all are also the likely team to come out of their district as the #1 seeds for the Regional Championship. Doss is still the defending champ and they have had some time in between games to get back to their post season form. They will still be a very tough team to knock from their 6th region throne.

5-7) Bullitt East (17-8), PRP (12-9), DeSales (14-8)- All three of these teams could win their district final and make some noise with a chance to get through to Rupp, but each of them have games that they have lost recently which make you pause a bit. DeSales is only 2-4 in their last 6 games against 6th region teams. PRP is 4-3 in their most recent 6th region games, but two of those wins came over Holy Cross & Beth Haven in that time. Bullitt East has only played one 6th region team in their last 8 games and that was a 5 point win over a Jeffersontown team short on victories. They also are 2-2 in their most recent four games including a bad loss to a down Bryan Station team from Lexington.

8-10) Butler (14-9), Iroquois (13-13), and Southern (11-12)- Southern should make the Regional Championship in large part due to the lack of competition in District 23. Butler may also make the Regional and is likely the best of this tier of teams looking to at least advance from districts. Iroquois is also in the tough 22nd district and would have to knock out DeSales or Butler to move on.

11) Fairdale (10-13)

12) Jeffersontown (9-14)

13) Western (8-12)

14) Holy Cross (11-10)

15) Bullitt Central (8-13)

16) North Bullitt (6-19)

17) Beth Haven (10-12)

18) Whitefield Academy (6-15)

19) Evangel Christian (4-18)

I can't disagree more on Moore and Valley. Moore's best win is over Valley. And you yourself has previously admitted that Valley has played a very weak schedule. For postseason play, I'd take Bullitt East, PRP, and Desales over Moore or Valley. Bullitt East has been missing 3 valuable players for the last 2 weeks. They should be healthy for the postseason.

I can't disagree more on Moore and Valley. Moore's best win is over Valley. And you yourself has previously admitted that Valley has played a very weak schedule. For postseason play, I'd take Bullitt East, PRP, and Desales over Moore or Valley. Bullitt East has been missing 3 valuable players for the last 2 weeks. They should be healthy for the postseason.

You might be right, the tiers could have been lumped into one big tier in the 2-7 spots because at times they all have looked good and times not. Moore beat DeSales in late January, but lost to Iroquois. The reason for BE was the bad loss to Bryan Station. BS is not a good BB team over in Lexington this season. I think they were missing players as mentioned, but that is also a concern with BE. Will they ever be healthy before the post season. That plays a role.

Totally agree, East is practically missing they're whole front line...( 3 of the top 4 ) The Bryan Station game was just one of those nights, while missing all the bigs, add in they could not throw it in the ocean, and it just avalanched. But to come out the next game still down the same three players and to somewhat handily beat a good CAL team on the road, shows their worth. If East is healthy by district time, then you could put them in the 2 or 3 slot.

This will look distinctly different in the next recap....