Luv2Snap

What pitchers are available for tonights game?For both teams?

Bell has everyone but Ely available to pitch tonight. And with 7 Seniors who all start, they will leave it all on the field tonight. Good luck Bobcats! Break another school record by being back-to-back 13th Region Champs!!!

Final.

Don't everybody have their games in? Why don't they go ahead and draw and people can go ahead and make their plans.

I agree. I hate having to wait until the day before you are supposed to play!

This game was much closer than the score. Harlan County put up a fight, leading 7-4 in the fifth. They chased Greer from the mound in the 4th! HC just didn't have enough pitching to finish it off. Overall good showing by the Black Bears in the district tournament..........:thumb:

Congrats to Harlan County for making it to the 13th Region Tournament. Good luck next week.

Final. Bell wins back to back district championships.

I heard Greer got touched up pretty good on the mound and was jerked early.

Did you hear he hit a 3-run homerun in the bottom of the 6th and his run was the go ahead run, too?

I'm looking forward to watching this year's team and especially the 7 Seniors who all return as starters from last year's Regional Championship team. These players were also seniors on the 2008 4A State Championship team. It's a very tight group and all of them except for Merrick have played baseball together since 6th grade.

Bell's Seniors to watch:

#1 - Adam Overbay (OF / LHP)

#2 - Chase Ely (OF / RHP / 1B)

#6 - Shawnta Zachery (2B / SS / RHP)

#9 - Matt Simpson (C / 3B)

#11 - Monte Merrick (OF / RHP)

#15 - Spencer Greer (SS / RHP)

#17 - Robby Slusher (1B / RHP)

We don't have our new fields yet, but hope to soon (at least by next year). We scrimmaged Perry Central last night and looked pretty good. Of course everybody played and they were switching around but overall I think our Baseball Black Bears are going to do well. We did win against a good Perry Central team. They have some good size boys too.

So where will Harlan Co. play their home games this year?

Looks like a great group of guys. If Bell County does win I will wish them the best of luck in state. As for right now I got my rebels to worry about. I wish there was a picture of the senior boys for Boyle County. BTW that's a great picture Luv2Snap.

Thanks! Yes, I wish you or someone else would post one if you had it. Both team's Seniors should be honored. It is not an easy thing to go 13-0.

Have a safe trip down to Log Mountain and let's pray for a good game with no injuries.

Good Luck to the Seniors and the rest of the Bell County team! I know it's been said before, but you guys truly are special. I love each and every one of you like you were my own.

By the way....Kentucky is recruiting him....and we need to keep him in good shape....he knows how to execute ONSIDE KICKS!!! lol!

Yes he does! :thumb: Managed to capture the second one in this photo...perfectly executed.

^No need to be so sarcastic to my post. I wasn't implying that they wouldn't be able to compete. Why is it so many fans from Bell County have the I vs. the World attitude? I just simply stated a fact and you all want to dismiss it and act like I'm saying Bell County will struggle. I was just commenting on one post that said they ONLY lose 13 seniors. I felt like 13 seniors was a lot for a school like Bell County.

I'm a Bell County fan and a parent of one of the 13 seniors and I will agree with you. :thumb: That is a lot of Seniors for Bell County. In 2001 there were 12 seniors, but I don't think we've been in double digits since then until this year.

Here's the one that broke the state record. Congrats Monte! We're very proud of you and the rest of the team!

Here's one more (2 are missing)

Bell's 13 Seniors

It's Senior Night tonight against Tates Creek. Good luck to Bell's 13 Seniors! Biggest senior class in several years.

I think some on the other side might need the help. Corbin has a lot of pride, and I know it hurts them to have people think they are dodging Bell. That's why they are always trying to justify not playing.

 

We could talk about the 2A-4A difference all day, but that isn't a factor in any other sport. Corbin makes up for Bell's numbers with its socio-economic advantages and the fact that it doesn't have to pull players from all over a mountain county to field a team.

 

Harlan County teams haven't played Bell for a number of years either, and more than anything else it was because they couldn't play with them anymore. No one complained about Bell's size when they were beating them regularly in the 60s and 70s and most of the 80s.

My thoughts exactly! :thumb:

Final.

Don't know much about Churchill Volunteer. Anybody have any insight or predictions? Bell stepped it up somewhat against Rock, but IMO is still struggling on the passing game. They look like they can go really deep with the running game though. They look pretty banged up with ankle and shoulder injuries.

What passing game?

Need to pass more on 1st or 2nd down to take some pressure off the quarterback and receivers so they can get in a rhythm instead of only passing when you need a big first down.

Coach Hilton has a special bunch this year. This could be one of his best teams.

Yes, he does! :thumb: Here is a picture of the seniors accepting the UNITE Bowl Trophy after the game.

It was mostly a game of cheap shots and yellow flags. The refs let the game get out of hand from the start. Was very long and drawn out. Knox came to play tonight and in my opinion whipped Bell every where but the score board. Bell as usual came out in there arrogant and one man style of play and could have easily left with a loss. Dud has got a lot of work cut out for him finding a senior that is going to step up and say enough is enough. Could be, an under classman will have to do the job. Hopefully the post game butt chewing sank in for Bell.

Please do not take this the wrong way, but an underclassman will not lead this group of seniors. They may want to try...they may be encouraged to try, but it is not going to happen. The problem that Dudley is having with his Seniors is they don't fit into a nice predictable formula like years past. (One senior who he can call his leader.) This group leads as a group and controls each other and the rest of the team as a group and if that is not understood, or if it is manipulated in order to get one Senior to lead the team, then we are in trouble!

This group of young men have a swagger that cannot be coached. They take the field and expect to win. If the coaching staff thinks that they will get a leader out of one of the seniors by pitting them against one another or trying to look to an underclassmen for leadership, then they are making a grave mistake! This group plays off each others strengths and covers one anothers weaknesses. Their whole success since middle school has been their unity. There are a few coaches on the Bell staff that understand this and know how to work this group to their full advantage, but they are obviously not speaking up or being listened to?! Not sure which one it is?

What does that mean to be put on probation by KHSAA? Does that mean they are not eligible for post-season play?

Also narrowly missed a 60 yarder, or very close to it, at Leslie County last year, with kicking up a ton of dirt, and a bad hold. As to the Bell offense, I'm just not completely sold that Zachery has the composure and provides the type of ball security Kyle Nelson brought to the bobcats last year, 11 TD passes, and no INT's, now 11 doesnt seem like alot I know, but for Bell County, thats a huge season for a QB:lol: Nelson also very rarely fumbled, I've seen Zachery fumble several times, scrimmages and games, in his performance against Lex Cath. last year, he had I beleive 3 turnovers alone, where Nelson had 0, not taking anythign away from Lex Cath, great defense, just IMO, I think Zachery needs to protect the ball better, if he does this, the Bell Co. offense has the potential to be one of the most explosive in the state, this is by far one of the most athletic Bell Co. teams we have possibly ever had.

I've read several posts now where you are "hating" on Zachery?! Not sure where that is coming from, but I'm starting to get some ideas. Maybe you think we should have someone else at QB?

It was Thomas Walker and not Bell County they were scrimmaging. Don't have a link to this picture on the Middlesboro Daily News website, but here's a scanned picture from the paper.

Congratulations to the Bobcats for being the first team in school history to win a 13th Region Baseball Championship!