Matt Maresca (went on to play at WKU) & Lonnell Dewalt (went on to play football at UK) were the two big guys. Ryan Anderson was their PG, and I believe he was a 4-year starter. His little brother, Jeremy, was the 6th man & a freshman on that squad. The other two starters were Brock Whitney (Tourney MVP, if I remember correctly) and the other kids' name escapes me right now. DragonFire could help us out.

 

 

 

Warren Central accomplished more. They went to the state tournament something like 4 or 5 years in a row, and dominated the state tourney finals against Mason County (who was the defending champion, with Chris Lofton) in '04.

 

I think he is talking about for a season alone. Not 4 or 5 years.

When we are talking about the last 10 years are we talking about the 98-99 season? If so the most talented team maybe Ballard in 99. No one has accomplished what Scott Co. did in 07. No team has went undefeated in Ky since the 40s I believe. And they beat Huntington with OJ Mayo and Patrick Patterson.

 

:thumb:

I think he is talking about for a season alone. Not 4 or 5 years.

 

You're probably right, and if we're basing it on a single season, then it'd be tough to dispute the '07 Scott County team. Especially when they went undefeated.

 

My point was that Warren Central had pretty good success for 4 years with those guys being huge contributors all along the way. Finally, as seniors, they won the big one.

Let's make it more interesting and try to rank them.

I would go with:

 

1. 07 Scott Co.

2. 99 Ballard

3. 03 Mason Co.

4. 04 Warren Central

5. 99 Scott Co.

6. 04 Mason Co.

7. 07 Ballard

8. 01 E-town

9. 02 Lafayette

10. 08 Mason Co.

I would go with:

 

1. 07 Scott Co.

2. 99 Ballard

3. 03 Mason Co.

4. 04 Warren Central

5. 99 Scott Co.

6. 04 Mason Co.

7. 07 Ballard

8. 01 E-town

9. 02 Lafayette

10. 08 Mason Co.

 

I'd take '04 Warren Central over '03 Mason Co. Heck, Mason County had a very similar team in '04 and Warren Central handled them in the finals.

 

Also, wasn't the Lafayette team that won it all in '01? Lex Cath won it all in '02, with Demetrius Greene, William Graham & Harrison Morton as sophs. Brian Smith was a junior on that squad. Unfortunately for the Knights, those 3 sophs never made it back to the state tourney...

I'd take '04 Warren Central over '03 Mason Co. Heck, Mason County had a very similar team in '04 and Warren Central handled them in the finals.

 

Also, wasn't the Lafayette team that won it all in '01? Lex Cath won it all in '02, with Demetrius Greene, William Graham & Harrison Morton as sophs. Brian Smith was a junior on that squad. Unfortunately for the Knights, those 3 sophs never made it back to the state tourney...

 

I may have gotten my years mixed up. I believe I did. As for the 03 team, the Mason Co. fans can correct me if I am wrong, but there was a guard, I believe his name was Wes Jones, that played in 03, but not 04. Also I felt like Grutza was better as a junior. It seemed like he had bulked up a little and wasn't as good his senior year. Again, having just seen him in the Sweet 16, the Mason Co. fans can feel free to disagree with me.

Accomplished more? No. But how was competition that year? I'd like to see that team against the Russellvilles and Etowns of '99 and '00. I just don't see hardly anyone stopping the Tony Key's or Antwan Barbours.

 

Did you not read the part about them beating Kentucky's best player and the #3 pick in the draft last year, I would say there a little more accomplished then those teams you mentioned. Maceky was also the #35 player in the junior class that year. Also, Ballard's only state loss was to Scott County that year by 22, and the state championship game as well. But the thing that makes people around here the most proud about that team ... all the flack that Scott Co. catches over transfers this year, that team was all Scott Co. And their only other loss that year besides the other Huntington game was to A.J. Stewart and Arlington Country Day from Jacksonville down in Myrtle Beach.

I may have gotten my years mixed up. I believe I did. As for the 03 team, the Mason Co. fans can correct me if I am wrong, but there was a guard, I believe his name was Wes Jones, that played in 03, but not 04. Also I felt like Grutza was better as a junior. It seemed like he had bulked up a little and wasn't as good his senior year. Again, having just seen him in the Sweet 16, the Mason Co. fans can feel free to disagree with me.

 

Darius Miller was playing as an 8th grader on the '04 team. Wes Jones was on the '03 team and was kicked off of the '04 team, from what I remember.

I'd take '04 Warren Central over '03 Mason Co. Heck, Mason County had a very similar team in '04 and Warren Central handled them in the finals.

 

Also, wasn't the Lafayette team that won it all in '01? Lex Cath won it all in '02, with Demetrius Greene, William Graham & Harrison Morton as sophs. Brian Smith was a junior on that squad. Unfortunately for the Knights, those 3 sophs never made it back to the state tourney...

 

'03 Team was deeper with Nathan Myrick, and Wes Jones. (Jones was suspended in '04 run) Also the '04 squad played a triple OT game against Trinity in the quaterfinals, and a double OT game against Scott Co. in the Semis. They were worn out by the time the championship game came around and lost by 10pts to Warren Central. (I'm not trying to say that Mason would have won if they didn't play those OT games earlier) But I think '03 was better than '04.

Don't know about best of all time but they had some really nice players on that team with Mackey, Walls and Portwood. BTW, did Mackey ever end up playing in college. I know he had some personal issues but wasn't sure if he played at the next level or not.

 

Last I heard Bud was close to enrolling at Cincinnati St.

I know it's last ten years, but could we maybe make an 11th year exception to '98 Scott Co. ?

I'd be hard pressed to believe that 07 Scott Co team wasn't the best of the last 10 years. They were absolutely loaded and to go undefeated against Ky competition speaks volumes about that team. If you look at who Scott Co beat on their way to the championship, it becomes even more evident that they accomplished more than any other team during the last 10 years. They dominated Adair Co in the second round and then faced a loaded Holmes team in the semi's that featured two future JUCO All Americans in Greg Rice and Austin Hill, one of the best athletes in the state in Duran Jefferson, a future D1 signee in Arrez Henderson (who had shut down Notre Dame signee Ty Profitt the game before), and also a talented junior class that would lead Holmes to the state title game the following year, and a little known sophomore by the name of Jamel Riley. Then in the finals they took down a loaded Ballard team that featured probably the best guard in the state in Twanny Beckham.

 

That Scott Co team will go down as one of the best teams in KY history.

I'd be hard pressed to believe that 07 Scott Co team wasn't the best of the last 10 years. They were absolutely loaded and to go undefeated against Ky competition speaks volumes about that team. If you look at who Scott Co beat on their way to the championship, it becomes even more evident that they accomplished more than any other team during the last 10 years. They dominated Adair Co in the second round and then faced a loaded Holmes team in the semi's that featured two future JUCO All Americans in Greg Rice and Austin Hill, one of the best athletes in the state in Duran Jefferson, a future D1 signee in Arrez Henderson (who had shut down Notre Dame signee Ty Profitt the game before), and also a talented junior class that would lead Holmes to the state title game the following year, and a little known sophomore by the name of Jamel Riley. Then in the finals they took down a loaded Ballard team that featured probably the best guard in the state in Twanny Beckham.

 

That Scott Co team will go down as one of the best teams in KY history.

 

I agree Eta. That was a very good team and a pretty darn good Sweet 16 that year.

If I was looking at the best all-time team...

 

1979 Lafayette Generals, coached by Jock Sutherland, would be my pick. Lost just one game all season - to Henry Clay, I believe - in the first round of the district, then pounded HC in the region finals.

 

Dirk Minnifield and Tony Wilson were two studs who not only were awesome on the HS level, they also excelled in Division 1 colleges (UK and WKU).

 

Game was a little different then - no three point shot - but, having seen both teams, I'd rank them ahead of the 07 Scott County Cardinals. They were incredibly athletic, could hurt you inside and out, and were very smart.

 

I do agree that the 07 Cardinals were probably the best KY team of the past decade, though...