OK, if we're all kind of in agreement that Simon Kenton, Anderson County, and Shelby County are the pre-season "favorites" to win the girls 8th Region, who is the #1 threat to crash their party?

 

Lots of youth this year in the region...one team may come out of nowhere to challenge as a result...could it be...

 

Trimble County - I believe the Lady Raiders have to replace a lot of scoring, if I remember correctly. 2007-8 was a disappointing year for a Trimble team I think most thought would do a lot better. Can they rebound in 2008-9 in a 29th district that may be wide-open now with a re-tooling South Oldham and a young Oldham squad with a new coach?

 

South Oldham - The Lady Dragons have been one of the region's premier teams the last few years, including a region runner-up finish in 2007 and a region semi-finalist spot in 2008. Lauren Jones, the school's all-time leading scorer, is gone, and for the first time in four years, SOHS will have a new leading scorer. Gone by graduation is 5 of the top 6 players... Coach Frank Wright is famous for his stingy defenses...can a great defense win the region this year?

 

North Oldham - for the first time in school history, Emily Crutcher will not be running the point and leading the scoring for NOHS. All the leading roles must be replaced in Goshen, so this may be a bit of a re-building season for the Lady Mustangs.

 

Oldham County - New coach Larry Just inherits a team that graduated two of its top three players in twin towers Tara Huckvale and Lindsey Melton. But leading scorer Audri Beaudrie returns for her third season running the point, and a there are some quality underclassmen with size and experience from last year returning.

 

Eminence - I seem to recall this was a PAINFULLY young team last year, so most of the Lady Squaws should be returning...

 

Henry County - Like their county rivals in Eminence, I think HC was pretty young last year and they showed some significant improvement late. Coach Todd Gilley is as good as they come at getting the most from his players and did very well in New Castle in a previous stint as head coach there. Are the Lady Cats ready to challenge for the title again?

 

Owen County - traditional threat must re-tool on the inside now that Williams is gone. The loss of Cochrane due to graduation, too, means they'll need to replace their primary rebounders and scorers. A lot to do, but the Lady Rebels always seem to be in contention come March.

 

Walton-Verona - new coaches and new scorers. Gone is one of the most talented players in the region in Hargett.

 

Carroll County - Girdy is gone, but almost everyone else is back from the region 8 participant last year. Randy Mefford is one of the most savvy coaches in the game.

 

Spencer County - haven't seen much of anything on these boards from the Taylorsville folks, but they have an 8th Region POY candidate on their hands...do the Lady Bears have enough of a supporting cast to get out of the district when both Anderson and Shelby are in the same district?

 

Williamstown, Gallatin County & Grant County - I don't know much about these three northern KY teams. What do you think?

 

Of all the other 13 teams, pick ONE that you think has the BEST chance to unseat the favorites...

I went with Oldham, although I would hardly call them a "darkhorse." They are one of the big boys, but they have the best player of all the teams listed, and probably have the best supporting cast as well. But let's be serious, I really can't see anybody being a serious threat to beat Anderson/Shelby/Simon. Barring injuries these three (and particularly Anderson and Simon IMO) teams are heads and shoulders above everyone else.

 

I think you could throw Spencer into that mix of darkhorses except for one fact: They are going to have to play one of Anderson or Shelby county in the first round of the district and unlike last year they won't even have home court advantage going for them.

 

And let's be realistic to everyone voting Carroll County. They lost Girdy who was really their only player last year. They would get hammered by most of the top teams in the region this year.

Carroll Co lost a good player in Girdy. They will miss her esp on defense but they won't miss her as much as some people assume. Coach Mefford will always get the best out of what he's got. He may still need a true post but Curry plays bigger than she is and with some of the other bigs gone (Miller from Trimble, Williams from Owen) it might not be as much of an issue this year. Watch out for Curry and Devine. That said I still don't think they can upset the top 3 but should be in contention for the All A title.

Edited November 20, 200817 yr by getalife
adding text

Girdy was a great player but she also was out of many games with foul trouble. I think this year the CC Panthers will play more team ball and will be very good. Girdy was not the top scorer in most games but was a great leader on the floor.

 

I heard the same line last year when Ballinger left, CC was down and would be at the bottom but they found a way to win. All they can do is work hard and prove that they can get the W.

 

Their year will be very exciting as well as many others in this region.! Watch out for GC and Williamstown. I think they will deliver some upsets also!

I went with Oldham, although I would hardly call them a "darkhorse." They are one of the big boys, but they have the best player of all the teams listed, and probably have the best supporting cast as well. But let's be serious, I really can't see anybody being a serious threat to beat Anderson/Shelby/Simon. Barring injuries these three (and particularly Anderson and Simon IMO) teams are heads and shoulders above everyone else.

 

I think you could throw Spencer into that mix of darkhorses except for one fact: They are going to have to play one of Anderson or Shelby county in the first round of the district and unlike last year they won't even have home court advantage going for them.

 

And let's be realistic to everyone voting Carroll County. They lost Girdy who was really their only player last year. They would get hammered by most of the top teams in the region this year.

 

 

Wrong!!!

Wrong!!!

 

 

 

They cant play with Anderson, Simon or Shelby. And they prolly can't compete with Oldham or South Oldham either, although they would stand a better chance against those teams.

 

 

not trying to slam Carroll, but they just dont have the experience and talent to compete with the bigger schools this year. In order for the smaller schools to compete they have to have a veteran experienced team that is well coached and has at least one player that is considered among the better in the region. Carroll doesn't fit that description this season. Im sure they will fight hard, but they just dont have the combonation of talent and experience to compete with the big schools in the 8th.

I don't see any of the "dark horse" teams having any chance of winning the 8th Region.

I don't see any of the "dark horse" teams having any chance of winning the 8th Region.

 

Ah, but that's the beauty of the question...these are - by definition - the "dark horses": the teams that the "experts" all say are not one of the primary contenders. But in a year when the region appears to be a bit down, the door is opened for the dark horse.

 

The question is simply this: Which of the above has the BEST chance of developing during the season and stealing the show??

Carroll Plays Shelby at Shelby their first game of the season. The young Panthers will really be tested to see what they can come up with against the Rockets.

I see a lot of "fan" picks (hey, that's cool! Support your school!), but where are the Owen County folks at???

Ah, but that's the beauty of the question...these are - by definition - the "dark horses": the teams that the "experts" all say are not one of the primary contenders. But in a year when the region appears to be a bit down, the door is opened for the dark horse.

 

The question is simply this: Which of the above has the BEST chance of developing during the season and stealing the show??

 

None!

I like Owen Co

We'll get some interesting feedback early, regarding three potential dark horses...

 

Carroll County

12/1 @ Shelby County

12/12 @ Owen County

 

Spencer County

12/13 @ Anderson County

1/5/09 vs. Shelby County

 

Grant County

12/1 @ Owen County

12/4 Simon Kenton

1/9/09 @ Simon Kenton

 

These three teams will start to show their colors early, perhaps.

 

Gallatin could fly under the radar a bit...the Lady Cats didn't schedule SK, Anderson, Shelby, Oldham, or South Oldham this year, so we may have a difficulty getting a good handle on them for a while...

 

Kudos to Spencer County...the Lady Bears play in a tough district with Shelby and Anderson, and they look to try to toughen themselves with an aggressive region schedule that includes games with at Anderson, vs. Shelby, vs. Oldham, at Carroll, at Owen, and at home vs. South Oldham...

 

SK, with lots of 9th/10th region teams close by, is pretty much only playing 8th Region teams from the 32nd (Grant, Williamstown, W-V), but they will have a telling game at home vs. Shelby County on 1/17/09. They've played Oldham County in a fun boy/girl doubleheader the past two years, but this year, only the boys are playing each other...

We'll get some interesting feedback early, regarding three potential dark horses...

 

Carroll County

12/1 @ Shelby County

12/12 @ Owen County

 

Spencer County

12/13 @ Anderson County

1/5/09 vs. Shelby County

 

Grant County

12/1 @ Owen County

12/4 Simon Kenton

1/9/09 @ Simon Kenton

 

These three teams will start to show their colors early, perhaps.

 

Gallatin could fly under the radar a bit...the Lady Cats didn't schedule SK, Anderson, Shelby, Oldham, or South Oldham this year, so we may have a difficulty getting a good handle on them for a while...

 

Kudos to Spencer County...the Lady Bears play in a tough district with Shelby and Anderson, and they look to try to toughen themselves with an aggressive region schedule that includes games with at Anderson, vs. Shelby, vs. Oldham, at Carroll, at Owen, and at home vs. South Oldham...

 

SK, with lots of 9th/10th region teams close by, is pretty much only playing 8th Region teams from the 32nd (Grant, Williamstown, W-V), but they will have a telling game at home vs. Shelby County on 1/17/09. They've played Oldham County in a fun boy/girl doubleheader the past two years, but this year, only the boys are playing each other...

 

 

 

A lot of the smaller schools won't schedule the bigger schools in the region or if they do they won't schedule more then one of the "big boys." I can certainly understand why, but if I was a small school I would want to see where I had to go to get to the top of the region......IMO it doesn't do the smaller schools any good to dodge the bigger schools in the regular season and then when the tournament rolls around have to play them. I think they would be better suited if their kids knew exactly what they were gonig against. But that's just my opinion.

Due to conference schedules and district seed games, there is only a handful of other games that some teams can play. Case in point for Williamstown or Walton in the 32nd. They have to play 12 conference games (conference teams are Gallatin Co., Henry Co., Carroll Co., Owen Co., Trimble Co., Walton and Williamstown) and 4 other district games (twice against GC and twice against SK). That is a total of 16 games. That leaves 5 games to schedule, taking if there is no reciprical games to fill. For W'town, they will travel to North Oldham, Harrison Co and Sayre and will have West Jessamine and Pendleton Co coming into Williamstown to fill out their schedule this year (excluding tournaments). Even though they are not in our region, 4 of the 5 are "bigger" schools.

 

Logistics can be another factor on why some teams in the region don't play each other. With raising costs, schools are limiting the distance that they want their teams to travel.