Youth Coach

As an '86 graduate, I appreciate the props MP10. As someone who faced (and lost) to a great Cawood team and the Senior Freddie Maggard Cumberland team (state runner-up I think), I would agree that both were tremendous.

Harlan's David Evans was named 13th Region COY, per the June 1 Harlan Daily Enterprise. Congrats to Coach Evans for the award after leading Harlan to what is believed to be a record 22 wins.

Several Southeast Kentucky high school teams played today at LMU and will continue tomorrow (June 1) in some of the first summer season games. For those that watched, were there any teams or players that surprised (good or bad)? Or was there any surprising news about any of the teams?

I like 8-2 also.

Congrats to all the new Panthers.

Soon to be 2 less when Evarts and Cumberland close as scheduled in 2008.

Hypothetical: Kid entering 7th grade this coming year (07-08)... 1) Is it correct that this new rule will not apply to him? 2) If he transfers from his independent, small city district to the larger surrounding county district (he lives in the county now and attends the city on a reciprocal agreement), would he have to sit out?

Glad to see Hensley and Link back out...both had shown too much ability as young players not to play in high school.

Haven't followed the thread much, but I just wanted to post a vote of support for Coach Jon Reynolds. I would consider him a under-rated and, with the cast he has back this year, I expect the Skins to have a pretty good run.

I like South Laurel's draw...top 2 challengers (Bell and Corbin) are in the other bracket. South should be able to get to the final of the region to defend their 13th region title without much heat (no disrespect to Knox Central, Cumberland or Clay County intended).

No question a girl can do more than one sport successfully. I definitely like the basketball/track option.

While maybe not tactful nor politically correct to say it in the paper, I'm not so sure Wright's comments were classless. His actual quotes as I'm reading are primarily stating facts.

Anyone have the information about the 13th Region Girls pairings and game times?

Read in the local paper that the Trojan Touchdown Club was starting up...anyone have information as to the attendance of the meeting and support the new coach is getting from the community early on?

While I realize he may not be Coach of the Year in the 13th in 2007, I submit Casey Lester of Harlan for Coach of the Year in the 52nd District. The team has only one real scoring threat (John Smith) and only one other player (Robbie Curtis) that has significant experience. The remainder of the team, outside of maybe senior Derrick Sheffield, either did not play significantly or did not have much success on the middle school or JV levels. Despite all this, he has kept the team right around .500 and very competitive nightly, even against the likes of Corbin late in the season. Especially if Harlan gets by Cumberland tonight and reaches the regional, he definitely deserves consideration based on what was achieved with the talent level available.

Les might be right on Harlan based on Cumberland's late season swoon...at the same time, the Redskins are playing at home. Of course, if I wasn't too lazy to flip on the radio, I could tell you the 3rd or 4th quarter score already. Regardless, I don't see Bell having any trouble in the 2nd game tonight.

Good win for Corbin...a true 13th regional contender...perhaps Harlan's strong showing and win against Lynn Camp earlier this week will squeak Harlan into Les' 13th region top 10.

You guys should never go against HDE with regard to Harlan County teams...he was called the "guru" in this area long before BGP got off the ground (Hope that doesn't get me suspended).

ttt

I agree with MP10 that Lungbuster has hit the nail on the head several times in this thread...

I've been reading this awhile, and against my better judgment, I'll take a stab at this 3-pronged thread (sorry about the book).. On recruiting, that's the first I've heard and therefore, I have no idea or reply. I would agree with "The Brain" that a discussion about a team needing a certain position or that a certain type of player would be in line for more playing time would not qualify as recruiting in my mind...simply assessing facts so that a kid or family can make an informed decision (if they are deciding schools on sports). Like another post said, if you were a guard in the days of Michael Jones and Charles Thomas and Casey Lester, you might have wanted to look elsewhere if you wanted to get in the game (see Nathan Blanton who sat 2-3 years despite being the caliber of an NAIA Conference Player of the Year). If a Cawood coach had told him in conversation that they needed a point guard much more than Harlan did and that he would likely start...how is that a bad thing? [Keep in mind...I am in no way saying that any local coach had such a conversation.] On middle school, Harlan 7/8 had 5 players returning from a team that won 1 game in 2005. They had 14 players total, 4 of which had never seen significant action and none of which had ever played in the backfield. With no experience, skill or depth, you can't blame them for softening the schedule. Even with the weaker schedule, Harlan won 1 game again in 2006. When Harlan High was down in 2000 or so, they played Betsy Layne. Last year when on an upswing, they played M'boro and Breathitt in non-district games. It would be no different than Cawood/Harlan Co. not wanting to schedule Highlands or Boyle County on a down year or not wanting to be 6A and face Trinity or St. X as opposed to 5A with Perry Central. No one was trying to play only guaranteed wins (or take the ball and go home as one person put it), but Harlan had to at least put its kids in a competitive situation to improve. Getting thumped 53-0 at halftime by New Harlan or Bell only serves to run more kids off which could not be permitted when you only have 14 to start with. It's likely only a temporary cycle typical of a small school as Harlan had 32 in the 5/6 grade. Harlan withdrew in plenty of time to allow for scheduling changes and in no way was it done to sabotage the league, which did just fine without Harlan. By the same token, if Harlan County believes it to be in its best interest to kick Harlan out of the other sports, then no one should have a problem with it. It's only when actions appear taken only to harm the other system that people get touchy. For example, not allowing Cumberland and Evarts to even schedule Harlan in non-conference games looks vindictive because that is a good game for the county kids at C'land and Evarts (very competitive, local and a possible win). How does this help the C'land and Evarts kids, especially when most of their coaches and parents wanted out of the league to for the same reasons as Harlan, but simply lacked the ability? Anyway, I digress...Harlan got out as a necessity and not to spite anyone else. Football has classes (unlike the other sports) for a reason because Jenkins could never get on the field with Bell or Rock or Henry Clay due to numbers, plain and simple. Forget an upset, there wouldn't even be a chance for competition. Most would say that if Rosspoint or Hall or Cawood (schools similar in enrollment to Harlan) fielded their own separate teams, then the games would be very close. Harlan's decision should be seen in light of the football facts and not linked to the other sports. However, If it helps the county in some way to boot them in the other sports, then it's a good decision for the county and there should not even be a discussion. Lastly, as to HHS in 2007, the point of this thread, they have district games against Hazard, Jenkins, Pineville, Cumberland and Evarts...non-district against Cawood...that's all I know for now. More about the schedule and how they might look can be set forth after spring practice.

I have heard 15-18 are coming to off-season workouts...of course, a few more are occupied with basketball and now baseball. The number is down a bit from last year, as expected. I have heard that those that are attending are making good progress.

Ok...I may have found the oddest record and then I'll shut up. Michael Ray Charles of Phelps is far and away the leader in consecutive stolen bases without being caught at 72 (2nd place is 48). The stat alone is amazing, but even more crazy is that despite 72 in a row, he fails to get 100 in his career and does not even show on the career stolen base leaders.

Just noticed William Campbell, also of Middlesboro, whom I do not remember, had 10 RBI in one inning, apparently in that same game against Pineville in 1984...obviously, there wasn't much on the field for Pineville and therefore even more reason such records are likely out of reach.

Another record to likely stand awhile is 5 hits in one inning by Lawrence Buell of Middlesboro in 1984...hard to get 5 AB in an inning on the best of teams, let alone getting a hit in each. I played against Buell (a terrific basketball player as well) but not in that particular game:lol: