The Wildcats improve to 20-7 with the victory on Senior Night. It is the 6th time the Cats have won at least 20 games under Coach Jon Jones.

Congratulations to the wildcats and good luck in the 31st district tournament next week.

Good job Wildcats on a great season so far. Coach Jones gets lots of credit for consistent performance at GC. Good luck in the tourneys!

The Wildcats improve to 20-7 with the victory on Senior Night. It is the 6th time the Cats have won at least 20 games under Coach Jon Jones.

 

That probably didn't happen that many times in the 30 years before he arrived. Pretty impressive given GC's dismal sports history before '95 or so (whenever it was Johnny started coaching the Wildcats).

That probably didn't happen that many times in the 30 years before he arrived. Pretty impressive given GC's dismal sports history before '95 or so (whenever it was Johnny started coaching the Wildcats).

 

Is Gallatin still Class A? They've had a nice run for a public, Class A school.

 

I played against a Webb (Dewayne?) kid from Gallatin County in high school (1996) that was really good. They were decent back then, but they've had some really nice years of late.

Is Gallatin still Class A? They've had a nice run for a public, Class A school.

 

I played against a Webb (Dewayne?) kid from Gallatin County in high school (1996) that was really good. They were decent back then, but they've had some really nice years of late.

 

Still an All A Classic regular, yep. 2A in FB.

 

Dwayne Webb was a pretty good player, for sure. That was right around the time GC turned the corner. It's a far cry from when I went there and they went to the district draw praying to pull Trimble County out of the hat (and vice-versa) so they could avoid Oldham County (before the split) and Carroll County (who had some outstanding teams in those days).

Still an All A Classic regular, yep. 2A in FB.

 

Dwayne Webb was a pretty good player, for sure. That was right around the time GC turned the corner. It's a far cry from when I went there and they went to the district draw praying to pull Trimble County out of the hat (and vice-versa) so they could avoid Oldham County (before the split) and Carroll County (who had some outstanding teams in those days).

 

Do you attribute the turnaround to the coach? How long has he been there?

Do you attribute the turnaround to the coach? How long has he been there?

 

I'm not sure the exact year -- Mack The Knife could tell us for sure -- but it was right around 95 or so. I'm willing to give him full credit, but he also benefited from an increase in student population, as Gallatin County doubled in population soon after I left there in the late 80s because of a combination of new industry relocating there and suburban sprawl stretching down from Boone and Kenton counties. Still, many of the names on the Wildcats' rosters over the past 15-20 years have been the offspring of former quality athletes at GCHS, so I gotta give it up to Johnny. Seems like the extra population provided the depth GC never had in the past.

 

To add, it also shows glowingly how terrible the coaching has been at GC before Johnny got there.

Jon has COMPLETELY eliminated the loser mentality that permeated the GC basketball program for many years.

Is Gallatin still Class A? They've had a nice run for a public, Class A school.

 

I played against a Webb (Dewayne?) kid from Gallatin County in high school (1996) that was really good. They were decent back then, but they've had some really nice years of late.

Dewayne is a coach in the GC middle school now. He is not hard to find, usually sitting a few rows behind the GC bench cheering for his nephew and giving the refs a hard time.

The 1994-95 season was Jon's first.

AS far as I know from 1959 (the Sweet 16 year) until 1998 the only 20 win season was 1975 (26-9).

AS far as I know from 1959 (the Sweet 16 year) until 1998 the only 20 win season was 1975 (26-9).

 

I had originally put 40, but changed it so that I didn't overreach. Thanks for the clarification. :thumb:

I had originally put 40, but changed it so that I didn't overreach. Thanks for the clarification. :thumb:

 

It was 40 years between district titles (1959 to 1999).

Dewayne is a coach in the GC middle school now. He is not hard to find, usually sitting a few rows behind the GC bench cheering for his nephew and giving the refs a hard time.

 

That's good to know. He's one of the strongest players I've ever played against & very talented. Even though we won (narrowly), he went for over 30 against us. First time I ever saw him play was his freshman year in the All A state (@ Rupp).

 

I didn't realize Gallatin County had grown so much, but as Jim said, I'm sure that has aided their resurgence. Good for them that they've enjoyed some success!