RSkinner

Just a great coach and person. Loved my interactions with him over the years, along with Coach Hauck. RIP

When I coached middle school girls at Villa a few years ago I was always afraid of doing that so I got in the habit of gently tapping a kid on the head when they came out of a game or did something right in practice until one day I did it to a girl in practice the day after I broke my right ring finger and had a metal splint on it. I know the poor girl saw stars.

They played on Friday, but can't play on Saturday as Draud is playing in freshman semifinals and Jefferson is playing JV/Varsity against Holy Cross.

We did ask to play up and were denied. We have played several of the big schools already (Summit View - twice, Gray, BSS, Ockerman, Campbell County "A", IHM, Conner and Woodland) either in tournaments or because they were nice enough to schedule us and we will hopefully play a few more as we are in several different tournaments over the holiday and we are in the process of scheduling a few others.

He just continues to get better and better and he is a really nice kid. Every game I have coached against him (AAU and this year when Beechwood played BSS) he makes it a point to say hello and after games win or lose gives a firm handshake and says, "Good game." He actually tapped me on the shoulder during warmups before our game with BSS just to reach out his hand and say, "Hello." I really enjoy seeing kids who work hard on their game have it pay off for them and it really appears it has for him. He has gone from a standstill almost set shooter, to having the ability to drive, shoot off the dribble and even shoot a step-back. Glad he's getting kudos on here, because he is an emerging player and a terrific young man.

Jared is a great kid to coach and had a great summer, period. Just as an FYI: -- We rotate a lot of players throughout games so it really doesn't matter who starts -- We didn't always have all of our players at tournaments due to baseball and other things so we used a lot of different lineup combinations - a lot. -- In a normal game where we would have all of our players in the bracket portion of a tournament the starting lineup would normally be Kremer, Brycen, Isaac or Neil Green, Caleb and Hicks. Sometimes we went 5 for 5 subbing and Caleb would be the point guard with one group and Hicks the point guard with the other group. It was a luxury to be able to do it that way, but when push came to shove in brackets chance are pretty good Caleb and Hicks would be on the floor together. He is an outstanding athlete, gifted player, very coachable and extremely tough. We knew he was a few weeks too old for 13u when we asked him to play with us, but we played mostly in grade based tournaments and often played up so he faced very good competition and faced that same great competition in practice. He is a big reason we won a lot of tournaments that were grade-based and even some that were older grade and age based. I was disappointed for him that he did not a get a chance to go to nationals with us. but I told him on the phone right after we won that he was a huge part of this, because he provided great competition for our guards heading into the tournament. I look forward to seeing him play at whatever level he's at.

Just an FYI: The 9-5 team (Indy Cathedral) just won its fifth straight state title in 2014 (although it is moving up from Class 5A to 6A in 2015). You can find more here at Local12.com: Showdown could start Cincinnati-Indianapolis rivalry - Local 12 WKRC-TV Cincinnati - High School Sports

It was listed that way because the Legends 14U team had entered the tournament as well, but then dropped out due to scheduling conflict. It was listed that way just to differentiate the two teams on the initial schedule that was posted. We have two 14U players, which is why we played last week in the 14U DII and then this week as well just so all the kids could play together. Majority of our team is comprised of 13U players.

I should always wear sweats without a doubt, but they just aren't as comfortable as shorts no matter how bad my legs look...

Paul Kremer is in 7th, so to is the point guard you mentioned from Newport Caleb Jefferson. Both and Salter play for AAU team I coach with Chris McGuire. Great group looking forward to seeing them all play in school ball.

Howard Brownstein long-time boys coach at Cincinnati Country Day.

Frank, I believe if you aren't in for all sports you aren't in at all. Could hurt other sports from a scheduling standpoint.

Buttels.. as for meeting see my tweet from earlier today...

That is correct. Trying to cram it into 3 days and playing 30 games in those three days causes need for facility with multiple fields. Jack Fisher Park is a very nice complex, but is a men's slow-pitch/youth baseball complex. Perhaps they could do a sectional format where two regions play each other in best 2 of 3 and then eight sectional champs go to state tournament at fast-pitch softball complex and play double elimination there over 4 or 5 days.

It wasn't rosters in paper it was Coaches Association All-Star teams and Ninth Region Senior, Junior and Sophomore State All-Star/Showcase reps

No pitches thrown in bottom of third. CovCath's starter (Ben Heppler) was knocked out of game with two outs in top of second. Ruwe had pitched 1 1/3 innings in relief.

If it's the team I think it's Ally Niece (Scott), Lexi Held (Cooper), Mackenzie Schwarber (Campbell County) just to name the ones I know. A really, really good team.

Everything will 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 in all classes in 2015 and then Class 5A and 6A rotations will be re-evaluated after that.

All 3 were in 25 others to watch (second group). Not sure it got copied over, but since it's a couple of days old here you go: 25 Others to Watch (in alphabetical order): Sr. OF Adam Atkinson (Covington Catholic); Sr. 2B Trevor Booth (Beechwood); Sr. OF/P Josh Castleman (Scott); Sr. P Joey Cochran (Highlands); Jr. 3B/P Spencer Hackworth (Bishop Brossart); Jr. SS Ethan Harrison (Dixie Heights); Sr. OF/P Colin Hathorn (Cooper); Sr. C Blake Hart (Conner); Sr. P/3B Ben Heppler (Covington Catholic); Sr.P/OF Henry Kerns (Dixie Heights); Sr. C Joe Kremer (Campbell County); Sr. P/1B Tony LaCorte (St. Henry); Jr. P/IF Grant Moeves (Newport Central Catholic); Jr. P/1B Nick Niehaus (Dixie Heights); Sr. P/INF/OF Trevor Niehaus (Holy Cross); Sr. SS Zach Pouncy (Holmes); Sr. C/1B Tyler Smith (Simon Kenton); Jr. INF Brenden Stanley (Boone County); Sr. C Daniel Tilley (Walton-Verona); Sr. P/SS Geoffrey Thornsburg (Ludlow); Sr. IF/C Tyler Smith (Simon Kenton); Sr. IF/C Grant Wassom (Simon Kenton); Sr. SS Jared Williams (Conner); Sr. P/C/1B/3B Nolan Wilson (Gallatin County).

Actually print version has correct info for Verst: Kentucky Wesleyan signee; 15-7 record last two seasons; .385 BA last year. Looks like info for Ganns was copy and pasted for Verst for some reason (sigh)...

I just went back to look at original copy I sent because I thought I had it wrong, but I had Kentucky Wesleyan. Not sure why desk changed it....

He was running down player from behind and reached around him just as he was going up and appeared to actually pin the ball against the Montgomery County player. A few Montgomery County fans sitting behind me didn't think it was an intentional foul and neither did I. Game was over by that point anyway.

Just an FYI It may say final poll, because it's an outside vendor (SID Stats) that runs it and they accidentally had KY weeks timed with OHIO weeks (it was the final Ohio poll), so one more poll to go.

Tim Volpenhein from Holy Cross was listed at 7 feet when he played at Eastern Kentucky, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't that big in high school (close)...

Mayes kid I believe is only 7 footer NKY has had... Rhoden I believe grew to 7 feet after he graduated from Brossart. Had a buddy that tried to help him with some workouts and get him a chance to play in junior college, but it didn't work out.