Did some digging recently out of curiosity.

Since 2019, five different schools have cut down the nets in Rupp Arena as state champions with five different regions being represented. The 12 teams that have played in the title game over the past six tournaments represent nine different regions. The 10th and 4th regions are most represented with two title games alone featuring teams from those regions.

2021: Highlands (9th)  - runner-up Elizabethtown (5th)

2022: George Rogers Clark (10th) - runner-up Warren Central (4th)

2023: Warren Central (4th) - runner-up George Rogers Clark (10th)

2024: Lyon County (2nd) - runner-up Harlan County (13th)

2025: Great Crossing (11th) - runner-up Bowling Green (4th)

2026: George Rogers Clark (10th) - runner-up St. Xavier (7th)

 

Here's the longest droughts by region: 

14th Region: 70 years

   last champion and title game appearance - 1956 Carr Creek

1st Region: 67 years

   last champion - 1959 North Marshall, last title game appearance - 1983 Carlisle County

16th Region: 65 years

   last champion - 1961 Ashland, last title game appearance - 2011 Rowan County

13th Region: 39 yeaes

   last champion - 1987 Clay County, last title game appearance - 2024 Harlan County

 

23 minutes ago, St. Matthews Boy said:

Here's the longest droughts by region: 

14th Region: 70 years

   last champion and title game appearance - 1956 Carr Creek

1st Region: 67 years

   last champion - 1959 North Marshall, last title game appearance - 1983 Carlisle County

16th Region: 65 years

   last champion - 1961 Ashland, last title game appearance - 2011 Rowan County

13th Region: 39 yeaes

   last champion - 1987 Clay County, last title game appearance - 2024 Harlan County

 

The 14th isn't a huge surprise as the population has continued to dwindle over time, but the area is so rural that there are still many small schools in operation.

I've always been surprised by the 1st. I know it is rural, too, but you have a traditional power in Paducah Tilghman, several large county schools that have had really good teams over the years, yet no winners. I'm not saying they should have won a bunch but they seem the least likely of the four on this list.

11 minutes ago, gchs_uk9 said:

The 14th isn't a huge surprise as the population has continued to dwindle over time, but the area is so rural that there are still many small schools in operation.

I've always been surprised by the 1st. I kno

36 minutes ago, St. Matthews Boy said:

Did some digging recently out of curiosity.

Since 2019, five different schools have cut down the nets in Rupp Arena as state champions with five different regions being represented. The 12 teams that have played in the title game over the past six tournaments represent nine different regions. The 10th and 4th regions are most represented with two title games alone featuring teams from those regions.

2021: Highlands (9th)  - runner-up Elizabethtown (5th)

2022: George Rogers Clark (10th) - runner-up Warren Central (4th)

2023: Warren Central (4th) - runner-up George Rogers Clark (10th)

2024: Lyon County (2nd) - runner-up Harlan County (13th)

2025: Great Crossing (11th) - runner-up Bowling Green (4th)

2026: George Rogers Clark (10th) - runner-up St. Xavier (7th)

 

Here's the longest droughts by region: 

14th Region: 70 years

   last champion and title game appearance - 1956 Carr Creek

1st Region: 67 years

   last champion - 1959 North Marshall, last title game appearance - 1983 Carlisle County

16th Region: 65 years

   last champion - 1961 Ashland, last title game appearance - 2011 Rowan County

13th Region: 39 yeaes

   last champion - 1987 Clay County, last title game appearance - 2024 Harlan County

 

w it is rural, too, but you have a traditional power in Paducah Tilghman, several large county schools that have had really good teams over the years, yet no winners. I'm not saying they should have won a bunch but they seem the least likely of the four on this list.

Correction: PT was runner-up in 2002 so that's the 1st last title game appearance.

The region has been represented in the semifinals 10 times since North Marshall's title in 59.

I agree, it is the most surprising. And I think would be the first to be ended of those long droughts.

 

Edited May 1May 1 by St. Matthews Boy

Eighth region has had a champion since 1998, which is when Scott County was aligned there. The Cardinals were runner-up in '99

Sixth region's last champion was Fairdale in 1994. Doss was runner-up in 2016.

that's 28 and 32 years.