article Wayne County State Tournament Preview

[PurplePride92]

Wayne County Cardinals:

 

The Wayne County Cardinals enter the 2014 Sweet 16 with the best record amongst all high school teams in the entire state at 31-1. The Cardinals won the 12th Region tournament for the second year in a row and they look to make a longer stay at Rupp Arena this time around as they fell to eventual state champion, Madison Central, in the first round of the tournament last season.

 

The Cardinals are led by head coach Rodney Woods who is in his 28th year as head coach at Wayne County and now has a record of 593-306 at Wayne County and is 801-376 overall in 37 years as a head coach. Junior Peyton Woods leads the way for the Cardinals with his 24.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, 49.7% FG, 41.6% 3FG(3.9 three pointers made per game) and 80.8% from the FT line. Sophomores Trey Blevins and his 18.2 points and Corey Stearns with his 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds round out the Big 3 for Wayne County as they are all hard to contain once they hit the floor. Not to be forgotten are starting point guard Senior Jason Perkins and big man Nick Gillespie, that I believe is a Sophomore, who will be manning the middle. Perkins, Woods, Blevins and Stearns are all returning starters who remember all too well about their last trip to Rupp Arena and look to change things beginning Thursday at Noon against McCracken County.

 

The Cardinals have a legitimate chance to make a long run in the tournament this year and if they can get by McCracken County things will get even more intense with a possible rematch against Knott County Central or facing a red hot Bowling Green team. The Cardinal's lack of size could possibly present a problem for them in some matchups but this the entire team can handle the ball and can shoot the ball. While they won't intimidate people with their looks during warmups this team will play hard every play from beginning to end and will not stop until the final buzzer sounds. If Wayne County makes it to Saturday I can easily see them becoming the darlings of the tournament and will have the causal fan pulling for them. They will not be an easy out for any teams that they may face this week.

 

As a team Wayne County was second in the state in scoring at 80.4 points a game, first in the state in scoring margin at 19.9 points per game, first in the state in free throw percentage at 75.6% and twelth in the state in three point percentage at 36.9%.

 

Wayne County is 2-0 against teams that are in the 2014 Sweet 16. They defeated Clay County 70-62 on January 10th and they defeated Knott County Central 81-77 on February 8th.

[PurplePride92]

Wayne County will start the Thursday games off at Noon.