As it's been discussed, Hopkinsville and Christian County high schools will combine and form a new consolidated school next season. Hopkinsville and Christian County are two storied programs and for a period of time, all basketball in the 2nd region ran through Hopkinsville/Christian County.

A familiar name will be the head coach, Kerry Stovall. He was the coach of the Christian County Colonels from 2001-2011. During his decade he won 6 region titles and capped it off with a buzzer beater in double overtime that won the Colonel the 2011 State Championship. Stovall went to Muhlenberg for several years as an admin before returning to Christian County for a 3 year span from 2017-2020. He's been the District Athletics director since 2020.

This comes at a crucial time. Many in the community are against this consolidation, but it's coming and they need to get people on board. No one will question Stovall's coaching resume, probably the best in the region. Known for his full court press, his teams always played with top effort and he pushed him to the limit. This is a familiar and successful name to get the program started. 

He is a bit older for a high school, as he's 65. He hasn't coached in 12 of the last 15 seasons, including the last 6 he's been an administrator. But his love of the game hasn't changed. Craig Clayton came back to Hoptown at a similar age to coach football again and got their program back to levels of success. I'm also hearing there's a possibility that former HHS and UHA coach Terry Hayes may be joining the staff, uniting the two former rival coaches.

 

As I've mentioned before, basketball in Hopkinsville/Christian is DOWN. Like historically down. For years it was always joked that combining the schools would create a guaranteed state champion. Even with UHA, it was normal to have all 3 teams in the top 5 in the region and there was always at least one team ranked in the top 25. But now I don't think that's been true for several years. You could've combined HHS, CCHS, and UHA and Lyon probably still wins and Henderson too.

From 1968-2018, a team from Hopkinsville/Christian won the region title 34 out of 51 years. From 2002-2018, a team from here won 17 consecutive region titles. Hoptown, UHA, and Christian have all won a state title. From 2019-2026, only UHA in the weird COVID year has been the only Region 2 champ from here in the last 8 seasons.

A crucial hire at a crucial time. But it's a coach that knows how to win a state championships and dominate Region 2. 

Just hope high school kids buy into a 65 year old coach like they do at some colleges. These days it seems like you got to be a 'yes' man, know how to tik tok, Instagram,etc. Any ideas of who might be on staff?

10 minutes ago, Run it Back said:

Just hope high school kids buy into a 65 year old coach like they do at some colleges. These days it seems like you got to be a 'yes' man, know how to tik tok, Instagram,etc. Any ideas of who might be on staff?

I think Kerry himself was struggling during his last run at CCHS. He had 2 losing seasons right before he stepped down. Teams weren't as talented, but they played hard. The athletes in this town will always be here, even if the skill and development hasn't been as good in the youth ages. You know with Stovall you'll have 4 quarters of being pressed.

It takes a different person to connect with kids, you bring up social media, but the kids coming to high school now were younger kids during the pandemic years. A new age indeed. Although he was in Orange and Black and not my home school colonels, I do think Coach Lopez is a model of connecting with kids.

Good luck to Coach Stovall. He is going to need it.
 

Even though I believe Dior got the short end of the stick.  He took the job after being sold he was going to be the leading candidate for the consolidation job.  Then, the person that hires him takes his job???  That’s a very Christian Co thing to do.  

1 hour ago, FB Head said:

Good luck to Coach Stovall. He is going to need it.
 

Even though I believe Dior got the short end of the stick.  He took the job after being sold he was going to be the leading candidate for the consolidation job.  Then, the person that hires him takes his job???  That’s a very Christian Co thing to do.  

Justice for Dior. 

1 hour ago, FB Head said:

Good luck to Coach Stovall. He is going to need it.
 

Even though I believe Dior got the short end of the stick.  He took the job after being sold he was going to be the leading candidate for the consolidation job.  Then, the person that hires him takes his job???  That’s a very Christian Co thing to do.  

I think it will work out for him in the end. He'll have plenty of good schools wanting him to coach and he'll be back in the Sweet 16 again. 

And that's kind of the issue that shows the district leadership is a big issue in why both of the schools athletics dept had fallen off the last 20 years compared to years ago where you'd have both schools be contenders in football and basketball. There's been no real planning and no real leadership in the district. Like their thought is that HHS and CCHS have low numbers in sports, so combining the schools will fix those issues and they won't have to do anything else.

Youth and middle school programs have no leadership or structure. I'm glad I no longer have kids that play youth sports.

They must be expecting something cause he got them in the KOB and the White Greer Maggard tournament both for next season!

Any word on who will be on staff with Coach Stovall this upcoming season?