ConverseAllStar

Same situation with Collins, Spencer County and Woodford County. All will be solid; at least one will not make it to the region.

Indiana Patrick, I would think a lot of 8th Region teams will be playing in the Collins tournament June 21-23.

Cardsrule1972, if Roberts ends up transferring anywhere, I hear it will be Spencer County as they are weak at the point guard spot!

Trinity by 12. David Johnson is the difference-maker.

Walton Verona will be the smallest school to represent the 8th region in the Sweet Sixteen since Carroll County in 1972.

Oldham County on a last second three at the buzzer??

Kind of an ugly finish at Henry County. Spencer's Whitlock missed 4 straight free throws in the final seconds, but South Oldham missed two box outs and Spencer got two offensive rebounds. Hornback finally ices it for Spencer with two free throws.

From the few games I observed during the year, he didn't raise his voice at 8th region officials during the games in which he had a "personal interest." In fact, he appeared to be VERY friendly with his 8th region peers. Its disappointing he didn't extend that same courtesy to his 13th region counterparts.

The way Ballard played last night, I'll be surprised if they get by Waggener to face Trinity.

SHA swam alternates in all three relays on Saturday morning. Definite advantage to the larger teams in a one-day meet.

No way Spencer County holds more than Simon Kenton, unless lap-sitting is counted at Spencer!

KHSAA dropped the ball with the format/schedule change this year. Too much swimming in one day for high school kids. Rachel Klinker from Tates Creek had to swim two 500 Frees, two 200 Frees, and four relays yesterday. She wasn't the only one. Larger teams used alternates for relays in the morning to rest their "A" swimmers for the evening relays, but most don't have that luxury and it penalizes them in a one day prelims/finals format. The new format did not allow any more swimmers into the meet nor did it reduce the number of people on deck. KHSAA should go back the previous system for next year's state meet at UK.

I'll predict that Oldham County goes to the line much more than South, and that will be the difference in the game . . . an OC win.

How did Neece play for SK?

Swimming is primarily a club sport in KY. In fact, this year it is not required that a swimmer participate in a school meet prior to regionals. Lack of facilities pushes all the year-round swimmers to the USA Swimming teams. St. X is one of only two schools in Jefferson County with a pool. Expect St. X and Sacred Heart to dominate once again this year.

If Fleming is 100% and Male is clicking on all cylinders, I think they can make a run at Trinity this year. They do have a loaded junior class.

Good for them! It does make you appreciate the good referees when you watch one or two with a demonstrated bias. The game I watched on Tuesday had a good ref on the crew, and I started feeling sorry for him as the other two repeatedly made bad calls.

PP1, I appreciate your position and curiosity, but I think it is less about guts and more about having the brains to realize that if I identify the game, referees, etc. then I can only do further damage to a team I cheer for. After looking at your posts from last night, I can assure you that it was not the same game you were reporting on. Thanks for understanding.

And that has changed since the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s? I think most officials know what they’re getting into when they sign up. I would guess several high school officials aspire to move up to the collegiate level where they know they won’t be yelled at . . . Yeah, right!

I listened to the tape of the game by two neutral announcers who agreed the quality of officiating was terrible in the particular game I watched. There were multiple comments during the broadcast about this. What happens when the assignor is also a fellow official and peer of those officials being questioned/challenged? What happens when you get an assignor with an agenda or axe to grind with a particular coach? What happens when it is the assignor whose calls are questioned by a school? One bad call is a mistake, just like a bad shot, turnover, poor coaching decision, missed assignment, wrong defense, etc. Several bad calls on a single team or individual is more than human error. When one official makes multiple calls on a team while out of position, with a member of his crew in closer/better position, it raises questions by the players, parents, fans, and even impartial viewers with no "little Johnny or Sally" in the game.

I’d rather not identify the game, as I know refs monitor this site from time to time and I don’t want to bring even more adversity to a particular school.

I'm sure this post will draw the ire of all the referees and referee apologists on this site, but the first people to recognize bad and inconsistent officiating are the players themselves . . . the 15 - 18 year old kids. It's not the parents who see it first. It's the kids who are in the arena, on the front lines dealing with refs who are not in position, inconsistent, and sometimes appear to have an agenda based on familiarity with a particular coach or school who they have worked years with. Referees, just like any other workplace, form a bond and familiarity with their peers and that influences their decisions/calls as well. They cover for each other. This is accentuated this time of year when these kids are playing their last games as high school players, and sometimes their last games in organized basketball. You'd love to expect well-called, consistent officiating at the district and regional level . . . hopefully getting the best of the best to do these games. Unfortunately that is simply not the case. Blaming crazed parents is often a cop-out for referees who face little accountability and grading by supervisors or peers. Just like there is no place in high school basketball for a verbally-abusive, violent, cussing parent in the stands, there is also no place in the sport for a referee with an agenda, grudge, or skin too thin to survive an Upward Basketball game let alone a career-ending district or regional game. I'd much rather see a two-man crew of honorable, fair referees than a three-man crew with one weak link or hot-headed ref who makes the game about him/her or goes out of his way to affect the game.

Great article. Looks like a region with a marquee senior or two then a ton of talented underclassmen.

Hardin must have stayed out of foul trouble tonight. He has a great motor.

Did CNN broadcast the game?