Final from Bedford in double OT!

What a great game to kick off the 31st District Tournament, and postseason play in the 8th. I hope this is a common trend going forward.

Trimble County advances to play Owen County Wednesday night at 7:30 PM in the semifinals!

1 hour ago, Adrian Woj Burner said:

Final from Bedford in double OT!

What a great game to kick off the 31st District Tournament, and postseason play in the 8th. I hope this is a common trend going forward.

Congratulations Raiders! This win made some folks in Milton and across the river in Madison very happy.

26 minutes ago, Runcible Owl said:

Congratulations Raiders! This win made some folks in Milton and across the river in Madison very happy.

Only their 5th District Tournament win since 1999!

3 of them came in the old 31st District with the Oldham County Schools, Gallatin County, Carroll County, and Trimble County.

None of them came in the 29th District with them and the Oldham's. 

Since moving back to the 31st in 2020, they have grabbed 2 wins, but are still looking for their first regional appearance since 2000.

17 minutes ago, Adrian Woj Burner said:

Only their 5th District Tournament win since 1999!

3 of them came in the old 31st District with the Oldham County Schools, Gallatin County, Carroll County, and Trimble County.

None of them came in the 29th District with them and the Oldham's. 

Since moving back to the 31st in 2020, they have grabbed 2 wins, but are still looking for their first regional appearance since 2000.

Well my great aunt has rung the bell on her front porch on St. Michael's Street in Madison. My cousins haven't seen her this excited since "Miss Madison" last won the Regatta.

Carroll County's rough history in the postseason continues... they are yet to win a postseason game since 2012. 

Since 1999, they have just 3 wins in the District Tournament, allotting 2 regional tournament appearances. No doubt a very rough and extensive drought for the Panthers. 

Kudos to both coaches for getting the kids to stay engaged and continue to compete despite tough seasons. The coaches who win are always recognized the most as being “the best” but they usually have the talent. Doing what these coaches do is much much more challenging and has potential to have a longer impact to players for the lessons they can teach, IMO. 

9 minutes ago, Hoopstars said:

Kudos to both coaches for getting the kids to stay engaged and continue to compete despite tough seasons. The coaches who win are always recognized the most as being “the best” but they usually have the talent. Doing what these coaches do is much much more challenging and has potential to have a longer impact to players for the lessons they can teach, IMO. 

Absolutely, and having to face Owen County next round isn't a great thing to motivate yourself for as well. 

Carroll County only had 2 seniors, one was hurt all year and the other was a role playing starter. If Coach Hardin sticks around you might be hearing there name more often. 

2 hours ago, Hoopstars said:

Kudos to both coaches for getting the kids to stay engaged and continue to compete despite tough seasons. The coaches who win are always recognized the most as being “the best” but they usually have the talent. Doing what these coaches do is much much more challenging and has potential to have a longer impact to players for the lessons they can teach, IMO. 

Agree with this.  As I watched South Oldham and Carroll play last week, this was my principal thought - how demoralizing for the Carroll County kids, and how does he keep them engaged and coming to practice every day?

6 hours ago, Hoopstars said:

Kudos to both coaches for getting the kids to stay engaged and continue to compete despite tough seasons. The coaches who win are always recognized the most as being “the best” but they usually have the talent. Doing what these coaches do is much much more challenging and has potential to have a longer impact to players for the lessons they can teach, IMO. 

 

4 hours ago, Mojocat said:

Agree with this.  As I watched South Oldham and Carroll play last week, this was my principal thought - how demoralizing for the Carroll County kids, and how does he keep them engaged and coming to practice every day?

I wonder if the Regional Championship banners from the old Carrollton High School are hanging next to Carroll County's last one from '72. I hope so, and I think there should be six. Kids may not think much about history, but they sure have a sense of home and their own place in the world. All they have to do is look up and see someone, just like them, went to the Sweet 16, and know it's possible for them too.

Think I've read somewhere on BGP that the Panthers have either outgrown the "All 'A'," or are opting out in the future. If the latter, I hope not, it gives their kids, and small schools in general, something to shoot for. 

I know that in some corners, making the team is a big deal - something the little ones look forward to, and they are in awe of the big kids that play on Friday nights. 

I can belly up to the counter at my local small town hardware store, and the talk at this time of year, inevitably turns to  basketball. I didn't inherit the hoops gene. But if people learn my last name for the first time, I'm asked if I'm any relation to ... If "yes," someone will say, "man your dad could whip a pass," or, "your uncle had the sweetest set shot." They're talking about guys from the 1950s!

I'm reminded of this exchange (below) from "Hoosiers" between Jimmy Chitwood's teacher and his coach. It was true "then," I suspect it may still be in Carroll County.

The chance to be engaged with, and encouraged and molded by a good teacher or coach is a priceless opportunity. I hope the kids keep showing up at the gym in Carrollton, to learn, and work, and dream. Just wait till next season ...

6 minutes ago, Runcible Owl said:

I wonder if the Regional Championship banners from the old Carrollton High School are hanging next to Carroll County's last one from '72. I hope so, and I think there should be six. Kids may not think much about history, but they sure have a sense of home and their own place in the world. All they have to do is look up and see someone, just like them, went to the Sweet 16, and know it's possible for them too.

Think I've read somewhere on BGP that the Panthers have either outgrown the "All 'A'," or are opting out in the future. If the latter, I hope not, it gives their kids, and small schools in general, something to shoot for. 

I know that in some corners, making the team is a big deal - something the little one look forward to, and they are in awe of the big kids that play on Friday nights. 

I can belly up to the counter at my local small town hardware store, and the talk at this time of year, inevitably turns to  basketball. I didn't inherit the hoops gene. But if people learn my last name for the first time, I'm asked if I'm any relation to ... If "yes," someone will say, "man your dad could whip a pass," or, "your uncle had the sweetest set shot." They're talking about guys from the 1950s!

I'm reminded of this exchange (below) from "Hoosiers" between Jimmy Chitwood's teacher and his coach. It was true "then," I suspect it may still be in Carroll County.

The chance to be engaged with, and encouraged and molded by a good teacher or coach is a priceless opportunity. I hope the kids keep showing up at the gym in Carrollton to learn, and work, and dream. Just wait till next season ...

VERY well written. Everything said in this writing was spot-on, I don't think anyone could have said it much better. 

The hardest part of rebuilding a high school program is getting kids to believe, and I am sure that Carroll County does not have much faith in winning anymore. I do not know an exact numbers (nor do I have the time right now to look it up), but they have been bottom of the barrel in both the district and the region for many years. The times that they have had a competitive team would be a year that they would either get a bad tie-breaking situation, or fell apart in a game they were supposed to win. 

We should also cover the fact of their coaching situation. It seems that no one wants to coach there, and truly stay at good old CCHS and change the culture of their basketball program. Why is that? Is it the kids? The parents? The community? I am not sure, but there is something there holding people off from truly wanting that job. 

You mentioned them being out of the 'A', and I believe that is true. Carroll County has grown massively in recent years, and they are slowing catching up to Henry County High School in enrollment numbers. It looks like they will be forced out next year. It sucks, especially for a school that can not compete (right now) at all on the actual regional level. There are teams in the 'A' such as Walton-Verona, Gallatin County, and Owen County that seem to consistently make the region, and maybe even win the game or two. These are also the same 3 teams that have dominated the 'A', but the other schools feel that they have more of a chance, like Williamstown for example. I was also informed that Owen County is out after this year, so it looks like it will be Gallatin County and Walton-Verona in the 'A' dominating for the next few years. 

It is a sad position that Carroll County's basketball program is in right now, but hopefully they will find the right person to fulfill the role of turning it around. It would make the 31st District a lot more interesting than it is currently.