1st Region: Week 6

How bold do you think this prediction is?  Calloway and Marshall will meet Tuesday in the first of FOUR matchups this season.  The third matchup will be in the 4th District finals and then the fourth matchup will be for the opportunity to head to Rupp Arena for the Sweet 16.  It feels like the gap between the Lakers and Marshals and everyone else in the 1st Region is pretty wide right now.  But you never know - a team like Graves County has some youth that is improving every game.  Perhaps I will be soon talking about a Big 3 in the 1st Region instead of the Big 2 of Calloway and Marshall.  Time will tell.

Key games this week:

Tues - Marshall at Calloway (D Wolf's Game of the Week!), Tilghman at Graves, Hickman at Carlisle (All A quarterfinals), Fulton Co. at Ballard Mem. (All A quarters), CCA at Mayfield (All A quarters)

Fri - Graves at Marshall, Tilghman at McCracken, All A Semifinals 

Sat - All A Finals, McCracken at UHA

Here are my rankings:

1. Calloway Co. (15-1) - W 103-77 vs Hopkins Co. Central, W 68-55 at Tilghman

Congrats to the Lakers on the Section 1 2A Championship.  In the semifinal game against Hopkins Central Jonah Butler had 41 and his teammate Eli Finley had 40.  Not too often that you see dual 40-point scorers from the same team in high school!  Butler is a huge matchup problem.  The Stony Brook signee is around 6-5 and plays like an athletic guard.  You need someone around his size and quickness level to guard him.  He shoots the ball pretty well too.

2. Marshall Co. (15-0) - W 89-56 at CFS

Lots of talk here about the duo of Butler and Finley for Calloway, but the Marshals definitely have the deeper team in my opinion.  They have four that average double figures - Langhi (18 ppg), Staples (16 ppg), Phillips (13 ppg), Robertson (11 ppg).  I know that the Marshals will have a good game plan for Tuesday night and this will be one that you'll want to follow.  That's why the Marshals/Lakers game was a no-brainer D Wolf GoTW!

3. Graves Co. (10-4) - W 79-46 vs Murray, W 43-41 vs Mayfield

The Eagles defended their homecourt with their 43-41 win over Mayfield on Thursday night.  Braden Waller led the way with 17 and Raygon Mathis scored 12.  Two interesting matchups for the Eagles this week.  They host Tilghman on Tuesday night and then travel to Marshall on Friday.  Any chance they can win both?

4. McCracken Co. (8-7) - W 52-39 vs St. Mary, W 67-50 vs Legion Prep (Mustang Madness)

The Mustangs were in complete control against the Vikings, and they did an excellent job on Luke Sims, holding him well below his season average.  Senior Dylan Jackson is really shooting the ball well this season - he's shooting 43% from downtown and making over two 3's per game.  This team seems to be improving and I feel like there is a new name popping up every week.  Garrett Miller has really been playing well as of late.

5. Paducah Tilghman (7-6) - W 80-59 vs Murray, L 55-68 vs Calloway Co.

Yes, the Tornado has had quite a difficult schedule, but it's time for them to start winning some games.  Two interesting opportunities this week on the road against #3 Graves and #4 McCracken.  Tilghman has 1 win and 20 losses in their last 21 games against the Mustangs.  Strawberry Hills is a tough place to win and I think the Tornado will need big games from both Woodfork and Wilkins in order to come away with this road win.

6. St. Mary (11-3) - L 39-52 at McCracken, W 67-32 vs CCA

It is my understanding that the Vikings are the number one seed for the All A Classic and I definitely think they are one of the favorites in that tourney.  The semifinal and final games are played at Graves County on Friday and Saturday night.  If the seedings hold then the Vikings will play Ballard Memorial on Friday night.

7. Mayfield (12-2) - W 60-49 vs Ballard Mem., L 41-43 at Graves Co.

I may be sounding like a broken record, but there is not much separation between my rankings 3 through 7 here.  I followed the Battle of the Birds from some Twitter posts, and it seems that the game was very close throughout and the Cardinals only lost by a bucket.  These Cardinals have an impressive 12-2 record, but most of their wins were against smaller schools outside of the 1st Region.  If seedings hold true then the Cardinals will play Carlisle on Friday night with an opportunity to get to the All A Finals.

8. Carlisle Co. (7-7) - W 73-60 at Fulton Co., L 51-53 Vienna, Il

Sophomore Wyatt Rickard continues to put up big numbers - he scored 23 and pulled down 12 boards in the Comets' win at Fulton County.

9. Ballard Mem. (7-6) - L 49-60 at Mayfield

Jace Birney is averaging 26 ppg and 10 rpg for the Bombers.  He is going to set the Ballard scoring record that nobody will touch for a long, long time.

10. Muray (5-11) - L 46-79 at Graves Co., L 59-80 at Tilghman

It is my understanding that Jeremiah Jones has left the Tigers' program, and I don't really blame him since he is headed to Nebraska on a football scholarship.  I have never had a chance to see him play football but I hear he is pretty special.  Still some talent left on this Tigers team - mainly Moore, Mitchell and Stricklin.  Depth is somewhat of a problem.

11. Christian Fellowship School (5-9) - L 56-89 vs Marshall Co

Elijah Grigg scored 25 in their loss to the Marshals.

12. Hickman Co. (5-7) - W 64-53 Century, Il

Sophomore Ny Irons scored 18 in their recent win.

13. Fulton Co. (3-7) - L 52-56 S. Fulton, TN, L 60-73 vs Ballard Mem.

Junior Caden Kindle is scoring 16 ppg for the Pilots.

14. Community Christian Acad. (6-6) - L 32-67 at St. Mary

Do the Warriors have a shot at Mayfield in the All A Quarterfinals?  Ahmed Dee will have to be special for them to have a chance.

15. Fulton City (1-13) - L 37-65 at Gleason, TN

Freshman Kayburn Burton is making three 3's per game!