CKSportsFan

DeSales is a reigning state champ, who last year, beat 5-A semifinalist John Hardin and 6-A runner-up Meade (in a scrimmage). DeSales beat Meade in a scrimmage again this year. ... fwiw, Meade is currently 2-0, has yet to give up a point and is ranked in the top 10 in 6-A in every major poll/ranking/rating. Meade and John were "top tier" 5-A/6-A schools last year and were not close to "blowing those schools out" last year. Bourbon's a good team. So is DeSales. DeSales appears to be a great team. And I'm not from Louisville. Have zero ties to the Colts. But respect is given where respect is due, too.

JH's non-district schedule would be tough for most 5-A teams, let alone for one which needs to grow and get some reps. This isn't like UK prepping for the SEC with Louisville and three cupcakes. How often have we seen Trinity or Central take some early season losses and then win titles? Central did it almost every season it won a title, while I believe Trinity was 0-4 won year after a tough tough schedule that many teams wouldn't touch. Ranking teams, at this point, SOLELY on wins and losses (and not taking experience or strength of schedule into account) is lazy and informed voting, IMO.

Seneca was first game starting for many JH players. Lots rebuilding this year. Also lost No. 1 running back to torn ACL in the game. Central Hardin was on THREE DAYS' rest (finished Seneca on Monday night, played at CH on Friday night). Not many teams can pull off that feat. Plus, this is CH's best team ever (returned 16+ starters from last year's team which went 10-2 -- with only losses to 6-A runner-up Meade -- and beat McCracken at McCracken and also beat Bullitt East and 4-A champ Collins). CH had never beaten JH before, so suffice it to say this was CH's Super Bowl (up to this point). JH also has Meade and Highlands, both on road, next two weeks. Could easily be 0-4. However, I'm not sure there are still 10 5-A teams better than John (Harlan County got the doors blown off it by a Bryan Station team that never does anything in the postseason and HC is still in top 10). Bullitt East, which JH hasn't lost to since whenever, is ranked in the top 10 and is in JH's region for the playoffs. I'm not sure BE is better than JH.

Boys' basketball went to state. Football had a great season. Girls' tennis was in the state final (maybe won). Softball was in the state final. Numerous other sports had good years. Not sure if McCracken had a losing record in any sport. Granted McCracken is huge and should be good, but not too many -- if any -- Paducah area schools had and overall sports year like McCracken did (talking Paducah area only, not statewide). School having best season usually gets most coverage. Papers are not, and have never been, about Title IX equality.

That's a STRONG possibility. I do NOT think the average reader understands the 'A' Section/News Section/Front Page has a much earlier deadline than sports does. Because the section is bigger in page count and usually has more color (ads) than sports section, it takes longer to trip. Thus, it goes first. That's the reason lottery results (which don't move on the Kentucky Lottery website) are in the sports section, but stories on lottery jackpots/lottery winners/ticket sales are always in news. By the time the lotteries are drawn each night, the 'A' section has already gone to press and is being printed. Other possible factors at play: - Don't blame the writer. Mike Stunson is very good. By his tweets, he never mentioned dominate, especially late. Doubt he wrote his story like that. ... Most reporters, especially at decent-sized dailies like Paducah, don't write their own headlines. - It's possible the paper was NOT even layed out by someone in Paducah. Many newspaper companies have gone to "universal desks" where you'll have upward of a dozen papers being laid out/designed/edited/paginated at a diffferent/central location. Saves money. Easier to hire people (because they know EXACTLY what they're doing instead of splitting time writing, editing, taking photos, etc.). However, errors arise when you CAN'T change things late (like in this instance). Once Paper A sends off its stories/info/photos to be laid out, once it is sent back in final form, it's hard to edit (if at all possible). - If it was REALLY about selling papers, the "dominate" tease would NOT have been listed second. Or in small point. It would have been six columns stripped across the top in like 40-point (instead of 12 or smaller as it appears). That being said, that's a very bad error or poor judgment. I've never used "dominate" in an overtime game, unless it is about a particular player or talking about the OT period itself (a basketball team outscoring the other 14-2 in OT, for example; or a soccer team scoring three goals in a mandatory OT period when it is fully timed and not sudden death). But never used "dominate" to describe the game itself if it went to OT.

It is hard to tell. John coming off a loss and only three days prep. Central coming off a win and playing at home. Central has never beaten John, but stat wise, returns far more than John does. This is a proving game for Central. CH is still making adjustments, on both sides of the ball, to new coach Tim Mattingly. JH's adjustments are more player related. Lots of unproven guys. Not a whole lot of returning starters. Part of me says although its a short break, CH is easier to prepare for. JH knows CH's offense and defensively Mattingly's defenses are always fundamentally sound, but very rarely are they gonna surprise you. JH had trouble with Seneca, which kept changing things up defensively. CH's more vanilla in that regard, but is probably deeper, more veteran and technically sound. CH's not going to give up too many big plays because of its own stupidity. I really don't know. The outcome of this game, unless it is an utter running-clock-in-first-half blowout, will not shock me.

Part of the heat injuries are due to poor preparation. Or getting used to it. You have to remember, the KHSAA has NOT always had these heat index rules. Some states still don't. I'm sure it gets hot in Cali, Texas, Zona, Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana, Alabama in July and August. I'm also pretty sure they have practices, scrimmages and games in July and August. Yup. Pretty positive. You can't schedule around a heat wave any more than you can April showers or winter blizzards (postseason football, regular-season basketball). And like I said before, pushing it back a week will NOT matter. Pushing it back a week means we would be starting this weekend instead of last weekend. And guess what? Weather's not going to be very friendly this week, either.

That's fine and dandy, but that does NOT explain how all these out of state kids find him without being contacted first. It's not even a top program in the state (you could argue its own region since it is still searching for a title). There are dozens/hundreds of places across America where the coach has college/NBA ties. Rhodes is faaaaaaaaaaaar from the only one (or even the only one in Kentucky). Lotts Creek is not known for its scenery, high-paying jobs, number of jobs or quality of education. So what (or who) exactly is responsible for the magical and sheer coincidental run of talent Cordia has had land on its doorstep like a stork dropping off a baby for a wanting couple? I'm not from Cordia. Not from a rival. Not from the same district/region. The schools I never play Cordia in anything (and would whoop 'em in EVERY sport except boys' basketball, but there's a few area schools I'd take my chances with). This isn't an axe to grind thing. This is a want-an-honest-answer-to-the-phenomenon thing.

After Sloan coming with the coach last year, Taylor County now has Thomas Nelson's top returning player, a transfer from Louisville Ballard and a foreign exchange kid/African who just so happens to be a pretty good basketball player. Four transfers in two years, to a program/area not known for its transient lifestyle or abundant jobs. Also interesting that Taylor was expected to be down after losing Wigginton and another starter (probably the team's 2nd/3rd best athlete) and then lo and behold, the cupboard is stocked instantly. Thomas Nelson was kind of like that last year, as only one or two in the top six had lived in Nelson County more than 3 years (Dixson 1, Dixson 2, Youngman, Canadian). But now Thomas Nelson has hired a young coach with ties to the area, so I doubt it continues. It's interesting that places this has happened recently (Cordia's rash of transfers, Thomas Nelson's run of transfers and now Taylor) are with coaches who DO NOT have ties to the area. Yet, when kids -- especially ones who just happen to play basketball, because those three schools aren't getting transfer after transfer in any other sport remotely close like they have in basketball -- start showing up in droves, it's all "by the book" and "coincidental." Um. OK.

Last year in Hardin County was fine. No games stopped for heat opening week 2013. At lets not kid ourselves: If teams didn't have regular-season games four days ago, they would have been scrimmaging, against another team, in the heat, with the same heat index regulations. Check the weather: This weekend is NOT looking good. Heat wise or weather wise. Should we just say NO scrimmages and NO games prior to first weekend of September? Pushing the season back a week will NOT matter if we get weather like is expected this weekend. Frankly, we've never had back-to-back weeks like this. Not that I can recall. So some people think we need to start the season LATER because of this heat. Yet we need to end it EARLIER because of last year's state mess. Without killing the bye week and knocking teams out of the playoffs (cut it to 16 instead of 32), how are we supposed to keep everyone happy weather wise? Like I said, you can't. No solution will fix everything and keep the majority happy.

I think this is a bit of an over-reaction. When's the last time we had an OPENING week like that weather wise across the state? It's not supposed to be great this weekend, either. And this is a week many, if not all, folks said the season should open by. I've seen playoff games get moved cause it was too cold. I've seen September-October games get poured and stormed on (I was in Louisville a few years ago when Elizabethtown was playing a district game -- so not August -- when a storm broke out. Lightning took out the scoreboard. Flash flooding shutdown I-65, Bluegrass Parkway and 31W/Dixie Highway. Without a GPS or a smartphone at the time, I had no idea how to get back to E'town. I had to stay the night at an uncle's house, who had to come get me because I couldn't get my truck out of the flooded parking lot). Bottom line is it's hard to blame the month as the SOLE reason for when these things happen. Football is an outdoor sport. Weather can be unpredictable -- especially in Kentucky.

Kid who could have been CH's JV QB this year, Rouse, quit before the season to focus on baseball (really good) and basketball (solid starter). So JV starter was No. 3 option from last year, if that. Central Hardin's juniors and seniors are very solid, but I've been told their younger classes just aren't there yet talent-wise, depth-wise, skill-wise (I stress yet; they could get there). So not too surprising of a win for Bullitt East, which has a solid football program all-around.

John Hardin has a LOT of replacing to do. Backfield is talented, but unproven. QB was making first start. Lost RB starter first game due to torn ACL on Friday. Would NOT be surprised if they lost Friday at Central Hardin. THREE days to prep (finished Seneca game yesterday/Monday). Central has never beaten John. Arguably CH's best team ever (returned most of team from last year's 11-2 squad). Game is at Central. And Central looking to prove it was better than its Week 1 win (never trailed, but North Hardin was 1-10 last year). John Hardin has a rough start to the season. Also plays Meade (away), Highlands (away) and PRP (home) before getting into non-district. JH could be sub.-500 in those games (that's four 6-A teams and, um, Highlands). But they'll cruise through their district, be at home in the playoffs until the region final, but I'm not sure J'town, North Bullitt or Bullitt East have enough to beat John. That means yet another semifinal date in Bowling Green or with a BG area team (Purples or Dragons).

I wouldn't put too much stock into Louisville Central losing to Manual. 1) Central always plays a bunch of 6-A schools to start the season. 2) Central should get the benefit of the doubt, since they always seem to bounce back from early losses to teams which would beat 80 percent of any team's schedule. 3) DuPont Manual is really, really good this year. Word out of Louisville is this is their best team in a while. Don't sleep on E'town, either. I expect them to be top-10 in 3-A this year, especially if they beat Louisville Central, South Warren and Glasgow. E'town beat Fort Knox 20-6, but it was in 13 min. E'town ran 8 plays total and had five possessions. Fumbled ball away in red zone first possession, then scored next three possessions. Was in red zone a minute into second quarter when game was called.

I know of some too. However, I've seen kids go from Bethlehem to Nelson and O'Cath to Owensboro and found ineligible.

When parents argue that, the KHSAA asks for proof. Cut in pay? Cut in hours? Major medical expense doing damage to family budget? Kids who go from private to public, i.e. home district, usually have a hurdle to overcome. ESPECIALLY if they don't move (like in this instance). If they don't, you're giving the kids a FREE PASS to decide they can return to their home district whenever they want for whatever reason. That's a slippery slope.

Good luck proving the bolded part. Lotts Creek isn't on many maps. Cordia is HORRIBLE in academic. Among the worst in a state. In a state NOT KNOWN for academics. So are non-athletes from Mississippi, New Jersey, Africa, Canada, Texas, New York seeking out Cordia? Or have been for a while (and no one cared)? I don't believe that for a second. Kids seek out Hargrave. Oak Hill. Patterson Prep. IMG. Mount Zion. Findlay. What in all that is sane is Cordia known for that people hundreds of miles away have learned about ... yet folks in Kentucky have no clue?

The Homers ‏@thehomers1027 Owensboro Area/3rd Region team sports Rob Herbst/Bowling Green Daily News Sports Editor ‏@BGDNsports Bowling Green area Zack Klemme/Ashland Daily Independent Sports Writer @zklemmeADI Ashland Area Central Kentucky News Journal Newspaper @cknjnews @sportsbrockman Campbellsville/Taylor County (sometimes Green and Adair, too) Kentucky Standard Newspaper/PLG TV @PLG_KYS_Sports Bardstown/Bethlehem/Nelson/Thomas Nelson

There's a huge difference in helping out boys and girls from the mountains .... and helping kids (WHO ALL JUST HAPPEN TO PLAY BASKETBALL) to come here from four states and three countries (U.S., Canada, Mali) in a three-year span with visas, housing, moving vans, etc. I'm not sure Red Bird, June Buchanan or OBI help the less fortunate, but it wouldn't surprise me. Don't know. Not from that area. But this is FAR MORE than about Cordia giving college scholarships to all grads. KHSAA doesn't have a bylaw against that. It's nice Cordia does it. Most schools don't. But that's NOT was this is about. AT ALL. Even when Cordia was doing that in the past "when no one cared" they were NOT getting THAT MANY transfers (especially athletes) from WAY OUT OF STATE. No way. No how. No sir. Good luck proving that. KHSAA keeps track of that. The "just a coincidence" and "everyone else does it" and "this is what Cordia has always done" arguments are laughable. They have about a week left to appeal, but they're gonna get fried in court if they do. Even if Cordia pulls off a hail-mary full-court buzzer-beating game-winner in court, it will still lose because now it's on the KHSAA radar. Every transfer, especially in boys' basketball, with Rhodes at the helm will be scrutinized.

@thenesports for Hardin/LaRue/Meade

Two. - Scott County - New School (not yet named) Fayette County is also getting another public school Elsewhere: - Taylor/Campbellsville merger talks - DOD looking to get out of education business due to cuts (so long Fort Knox and Fort Campbell) - St. James in Elizabethtown, currently K-8, has plans for a high school (would hurt Elizabethtown, Central Hardin and Bardstown Bethlehem, the closest Catholic school) - Meade County is debating building a replacement school or building another high school - Pending merger in eastern Kentucky (Allen Central is one of the schools IIRC) - What becomes of Cordia? Do they leave KHSAA and go prep? - Rumor of a fourth school in Oldham, also known as East Oldham

I didn't say I AGREE with seniors playing JV. I do NOT. I was just pointing out is technically NOT illegal in the eyes of the KHSAA. I'd rather have a senior play JV over a middle schooler because the senior is playing for ... well, a school he actually attends. In many places, I'll see MS girls play a whole season of MS girls basketball (some schools have separate 7th and 8th grade teams) in the fall and then turn around and play freshman/JV/varsity in the winter. No real other options for juniors and seniors who can't make HS varsity/JV (unless you count church-league basketball). On the flip side, why have a senior sit the bench varsity and barely play when a younger kid could have that spot and be practicing against the varsity every day. Younger kid likely to help you in future (and is helping you on frosh and JV levels), while a bench-sitting senior is ... a bench-sitting senior. I'm not seniors who play key roles off the bench and there are TONS of them in this state. I'm talking about 30-30 seniors, who don't play unless their teams are up 30 or down 30. In some states, MS kids can't play HS sports, so they don't have to worry about that "problem."

On the flip side of split-off schools weakening the previous school (like Collins has done to Shelby, like Cooper has done to Ryle, like Thomas Nelson has done to Nelson County, like North Oldham has done to the Oldhams), I present CENTRAL HARDIN: - Only baseball state title came AFTER John Hardin opened - Only softball top-eight finish came AFTER John Hardin opened - Only girls' golf state titles came AFTER John Hardin opened - Best football season (last year) came AFTER John Hardin opened - Only boys' tennis region title came AFTER John Hardin opened - Only boys' soccer final four appearance came AFTER John Hardin opened - Only girls' soccer quarterfinal appearance came AFTER John Hardin opened - Only boys' basketball region final appearance came AFTER John Hardin opened John Hardin did a lot more to weaken North Hardin (although North Hardin has a third-place finish in softball since JH opened, a Mr. Baseball, a two-time Miss Track, a D-I wrestling signee and a multiple-time Miss Golf all since JH opened) than it did Central Hardin. When CH folks tell me they would be better off without JH, I tell them to look at their results. They don't match it. CH is better with JH.

Seniors CAN play JV. No KHSAA bylaw against it at all. At least none I can find in handbook. And if the best argument someone can come up with for building/not building an XX size school is the "happiness of borderline varsity players" ... well, that's not much of an argument. Seniors aren't guaranteed anything. This isn't tenure like teaching. Plus, if you're borderline as a senior, you're not very good to begin with in basketball (since most teams will carry at least 12 kids). And if you're going to sit the bench 90 percent of the time anyway, do you REALLY want to play varsity? That's why many coaches aren't afraid to cut borderline seniors. Not worth the hassle. Young kids are OK sitting bench varsity (because they're getting plenty of minutes in frosh and JV and using bench time with varsity getting experience for future). Seniors, and parents of seniors, can become trouble for coaches because they think they're owed something. High school sports are a privilege. Not a RIGHT. Even for seniors. Big school, small school be darned. Also, several players who were so-so in some sports have turned out to be great in others/new sports. In my area, that's bowling (both genders) and lacrosse (boys). Sometimes you just have to close one door to have one open for you.

HCEC-TV HCEC-TV in Hardin County does a live game of the week on Channel 1 for Brandenburg Telecom subscribers. Game is shown on delay for BBTel/Comcast subscribers later in the week. While NOT streamed live, full games are put on the web. Sports