heavy duty

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RCC9, with all due respect, you're contradicting yourself here...It seems to me your point is...THEY should come up with a way for Players from non-member schools to be considered, and to receive awards...( "...not having a solution to include the kids that have no control over whether their school decides to join the association...").... My point, and I surmise SF14's, is that ...nominations are open to ANY player in the State of KY, by any member coach, regardless if it is their player or not...you seem to agree with this when you state, "...Sure other coaches can bring them up...", i.e. "...Sure (KSCA member) coaches can (nominate players from other teams, INCLUDING those who's coaches are not KSCA members)..." Sounds like your just running in circles with all these other off-point, hypothetical what-ifs....if you want every player in the State of KY to be eligible for these awards and recognitions, you got it!!

It's an interesting hypothetical discussion for sure, however, since KHSAA has no State Awards/Recognition outside of the State Tournament Awards, the reality is that were it not for the KSCA and the efforts, and work they do, there would be NO individual recognition on such a level...and since the awards are, in fact, available to any player within the state of KY, then they are representative of that State-Wide tag...in the environment that exists, the responsibility of the coaches is to, for lack of a better term, do their part, which is join the KSCA per their guidelines, pay the dues (which are pretty minimal, I believe), and advocate, when needed, for their players they believe are deserving. The "fairness" when it comes to nominating, voting, etc., lies with the adults in the group beyond that point, and that's a well flogged horse on it's own. I hear what you're saying, though, and it sucks that the ball was dropped with your membership...I hope for the sake of the stud players coming up in the 9th in the future, that the 17 other R9 coaches who chose not to join the KSCA, will share your passion, and get in the fray moving forward.

Sums it up, right there....I would add that it doesn't END in HS, as well....as far as coaches "selling" their players, it is natural in an awards environment, IMO....HS stats are wildly inconsistent and inaccurate due to inconsistent, inaccurate, ignorant, and even unethical scorekeepers, so that just can not be used as a basis for any type of legitimate award, so there has to be a subjective element involved, as well...the whole "good ol' boy" mentality will always be there for and against certain teams, players and coaches...when my DD played, it was no different (she played for Bloomer, for god's sake :lol2:)...The only remedy is to join in, and be an influence for your players....the NKY area has a pretty unique thing going, and it is great, but as an outside observer (with a few connections), it seems to me that the area has isolated itself from the State, as a whole, in these regards...with the exception of a few that I have seen on here...even this site was pretty well exclusive to the 9th & 10th when I joined a few years back...KY HS softball is territorial, like about everything else...I'd love to see the NKY territory, which is already VERY organized, join in with the WKY Mafia, the Ballard Over-Hype Machine, the Louisville Area City Slickers, the Ashland Hill People, etc., and start "selling" these players statewide. Carry on

Reason I really like the "strength of Schedule" valuations on Max_____ & True_____. They may not be fool proof, but they do give a good indication of the level of play a team is involved in. This season only one team outside of California had a higher SOS than Male on Max___, and True____ had them at #1 SOS in KY the entire season. They didn't come into Owensboro with a bunch of hype and gawdy stats like some teams, but they didn't go home 0-2, either. I understand some will say it's tougher for teams out in the state, but the good teams are spread out across KY and in neighboring states, and they're willing to compete with you...got to go get 'em, though.

I know of one who was placed on a travel ball team with a phone call from college coach's office after offer was accepted. HS ball played no part in it, though. Strictly camps and connections.

Stats are only as reliable as the person making the call. I have done stats for last 3 years for daughter's team, even this year after she had graduated, and it's been a running joke with some of the parents how hard nosed I am on scoring a game. "Defensive Indifference" is not a stolen base, nor is a passed ball or wild pitch (unless they were stealing on the delivery), a ground ball single bobbled by the RFer is not a double, etc. I take great care in scoring a game properly, because it's just my nature. I believe I'm on one end of a bell curve, and "psycho parent scorekeeper" is on the other, and the bulk of scorekeepers fall in the middle. I think most try to score a game right, but just don't know all the rules, get caught up in the emotion and speed of the game, or tend to focus on what their kid is doing on a play while something else important is happening. HS and Travel Ball are no different in these regards, in fact, I would bet HS ball is MORE reliable. The only stat that really matters is "Team Wins/Losses", everything else is just to aid coaching, IMO.

In their 3rd consecutive game of the day, the Male Bulldogs ran out of steam in the heat at Jack Fisher Saturday afternoon. The game stayed knotted at 0-0 through 5 with shut down pitching from Male's Hannah Poynter and McCracken's Audrey Dodd, as well as solid defense from both teams. In the 6th Male broke through with 1 run on a SAC Fly following 3 straight singles, and a caught stealing. In the end, up 1-0 on McCracken in the bottom of the 7th, a 1-out E4 puts the tying run on, and 3 batters later, with 2 away, and runners at 1st and 2nd, Male's SS makes a nice running snag up the middle on a short hop, but rushed the throw just a bit, skipping it about 2' in front of the 1st baseman, allowing the tying run to make it home....a routine 5-3 ground out sent the game into extras. In the 8th, a 2-out ground ball single puts a runner on 1st, and then a line drive double short hops the fence, and RFer slides into and knocks down the temporary fence making a play on the ball...by the time she wrangles herself out of the fence to get the ball the runner from first scores. With 2 outs runner was going, and may have scored regardless, but still hate to see ANOTHER game at State Tournament (especially a Championship Game) end with a temporary fence play. It was a fantastic game by both teams, and all players from both dugouts can hold their heads high.

Male sophomore, Olivia Suski, silenced the highly touted MNH offense from the circle allowing just 3 hits, 2 BBs & 2 Ks. Conversely, Male tallied 9 hits. In a flurry of small balling in the bottom of the 6th, the Bulldog offense plated 6 runs on 4 hits while the pressure forced 4 errors by MNH. Coaches from UK as well as Coach Murphy from Alabama were there to see their recruits from MNH perform...didn't go as they may have hoped. Male plays Scott County in the AM, while MNH play Mercy in the loser bracket.

What the heck, I'll stick my neck out. :popcorn: 1st round winners: Male, Mercy, McCracken, Anderson Co., East Jessamine, Notre Dame (my heart edged out my head on this one), Johnson Central, Warren East 2nd round winners: Male, McCracken, East Jessamine, Warren East 3rd round winners: Male, Warren East 4th round winner: Male 1st 4 out: Scott County, Region 3 (Daviess County), Estill, Montgomery 2nd 4 out: MNH, Central Hardin, Blazer, John Centr Next 2 out: Mercy, ND (fatigue games) Next 2 out: Anderson Co., East Jessimine Next out: North Laurel 1st: Male 2nd: McCracken 3rd: Warren East This is only one homer's prediction. Stop by Camp Bulldog, and have a cold beverage with me this weekend to discuss *(if the current weather forecast holds true, this could all go to crap Fri. afternoon anyway)

Congrats to NDA...Sounds like a helluva game!!I was very happy when I got up this AM, and saw that they had won. I'm particularly happy for Haylee, and am looking forward to seeing her, Rob and Gina in Owensboro.

Assumption sophomore, Kalie Gish, pitched a 2 hit gem to defeat the host Ballard Bruins this evening. Gish is not a hard thrower, but does have great spin, and works in/out/up very well. Ballard pitched sophomore Sarah Brill. Assumption had 7 hits, but could only plate 1 run in, I believe, the top of the 2nd inning. Ballard had 1 hard hit ball, a line drive gap 2B by Lex Hall, other was a weak Texas-leaguer behind 2nd. Ballard looked very poor offensively, with at least 4 looking Ks, and 8-10 pop up fly outs. IMO, Assumption could have easily had at least 2 more runs had they laid down a bunt or two rather than swinging away, but as it stood, the 1 was all that was needed. Assumption will play Presentation tomorrow at UofL's Ulmer stadium in the nightcap, while Male faces off against C.A.L. in the first game. Very strong possibility of a rematch of last year's Male/Assumption Region Final.

Coach Randolph has had a heck of a run at OCHS through the years. I hear he is retiring, and if so, this was probably not how he wanted it to end, but that's why the games are played, and I bet no one respects that more than he. Apollo got a couple solid wins last year at State, so they're no slouches by any means. Meade has had some good wins this season, but from what I have seen as of late at the games I have been at, they better pull it together if they are to make it to Owensboro. Still like them to take the Region, but I am wavering.

Holy Cow! Is that Capt. Jean Luc Picard behind the dish calling balls and strikes?!?

Isn't that the way it goes? Male went across the river to play Floyd Central, IN, and was actually cruising along 7-0 into bottom of 7th, then hit a wall, gave up 7 hits and four runs, but a fielders choice put out at home ended it, as they held on to a 7-4 win with bases juiced. It's a funny game, and teenage girls make it even funnier...:ohbrother:

Male's Bishop makes it exciting with a 2 out double, and a steal advances the tying run to third base, but a swinging K, Male's first K of the night, strands her there. SC holds on for the 5-4 win, in an error free game that had combined 22 hits, 7 of the 9 runs plated via the long ball, 6 BBs and just 4 Ks. #3 Male.....2 0 0 0 0 0 2 ...4...12...0 #2 SC....... 1 2 0 0 0 2 X ...5...10...0

Male gets runners at 2nd and 3rd again with 1 out, plating both on a passed ball and a ground out. claws back to 5-4 with 1 out remaining.

Male runners at 2nd and 3rd with 1 out in top 6th, but can't convert. SC adds 2 with another 2-run Dinger, this time from Ricketts, to go to 5-2. Male has 3 outs to play with.

Tight game going on in Georgetown right now in a slug fest, so far. In top of 1st for Male, McIver and Suski went yard with back to back jacks for the 2nd night in a row to jump up 2-0. Scott Co. got 1 back in bottom of frame, with Luckett's triple plates a leadoff walk. In bottom of 2nd, SC's freshman pitcher, Sullivan, helped her own cause with a 2-run Dinger to center, to get on top, 3-2. Male has had 2 outs at home on plays, with 7 hits to SC's 8 hits. Going into top 6th now.

I thought last year's draw was a joke. This is even more ludicrous. One team from the bottom half of the bracket will take 3rd in the state, and 2 Top 15 teams will be 0-2. Still better than multiple classes, though.

She had a HBP in the 1st inning, which was only baserunner until her Dad was probably in the stands saying "Oh, my baby's gonna throw a No-Hitter!!" :lol2: I've thrown that hex before, once. Jess got her first college no-hitter against UT-Martin this past weekend, and I didn't even type it in text updates until the LF'er caught the last out!! None of the other parents would even look at me after the 5th inning. :whistling:

Friend called me with a some surprising news. Assumption Rockets went into Mercy Academy tonight, and not only beat the home Jags, 7-0, but Rockets pitcher, Sabrina Fusseneger, carried a no-hitter through 6.2, giving up a lone 2 out hit to Mercy pitcher, Thomas. This is a huge local rivalry, and I'm a little bummed I didn't get out to watch.

Madison Mudd (Male) - Campbellsville University Madison Sweeney (Assumption) - Campbellsville University Morgan Gailor - (Holy Cross-Lou) - Campbellsville University

So, did I just read this correctly? The lovely and talented Miss (Softball) Haylee Smith, gets her 100th HS "W" tonight by tossing a perfect game, AND tapping out 3 dingers.....Oh, Lort!! If I am mistaken, please wake me

I'd say the reference is to Parker. Glad to see her do well for NOHS. She is a fine player, that got a lot of positive vibes from the Ballard Hype Machine the past couple seasons playing there. Ironic. Overlooked? Maybe, but giving up a 1 hit shutout is more than overlooking in my book. After I saw the score last night, I figured there was a Brownsboro Rd rain dance going on in the face of a looming 3 day road losing streak going into Mercy tonight. Appears to have worked.