Week 4 Hot Stove: Basketball, Football and Soccer, oh my!
Lady Marshals keep on winnin’
Marshall County (8-1) moved its winning streak to eight games this past week – handing Graves County (9-1) its first loss of the season, 64-50, in a stellar contest at Reed Conder Gymnasium in Draffenville, before bouncing to Russellville on Jan. 30 for the Food Bank Classic against Russell County, in what was a 58-44 win over the Fourth Region foes.
The Lady Marshals haven’t given up more than 50 points since an opening-night loss to top-five Bethlehem (67-60, Jan. 8), in what has been a dominant, defining month.
Against the Lady Eagles, it was junior forward Halle Langhi leading the way with 20 points and 12 rebounds, including her 1,000th career point. It was absolutely needed, too, as Graves County senior Avery Myatt exploded for a season-high 24 points – in what should be an eye-opening performance for the rest of the region.
Marshall County has a sensational week ahead of itself, with Fourth District matchups against Murray (Feb. 2, away) and Calloway County (Feb. 5, home) before facing top-ranked Boyd County at Butler in the Statewide Mortgage Valentine Shootout on Feb. 6. The Lady Lions are 7-0 heading into Week 5 of the 2021 KHSAA basketball season, having “upset” Bethlehem 66-65 on Jan. 30 behind 19 points and 10 rebounds from Hannah Roberts, 18 points from Audrey Biggs and 14 points from Harley Paynter.
Murray’s Lawrence commits to Eastern Illinois
Murray’s Sebastian Lawrence, a rare three-time Paducah Sun All-Purchase football player, made his college football decision earlier this week when he verbally committed to the Eastern Illinois Panthers.
An FCS program within the Ohio Valley Conference, Lawrence (considered a two-star defensive tackle) had other Division I offers from Ball State, Indiana State, Murray State and Southeast Missouri State before opting with EIU.
This past year, Lawrence helped the Tigers motor all the way to the Class 2A KHSAA state semifinals by crashing for 82 tackles (23 tackles-for-loss), while adding four forced fumbles and one fumbled recovered.
EIU opens its 2020-21 football season on Feb. 21 with a matchup at UT Martin in Martin, Tennessee.
Trigg County’s Martin commits to Murray State
Originally verbally committed to the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers in Owensboro, Trigg County’s JaQuellus Martin is – instead – heading to Dean Hood and the Murray State Racers, in what many will consider another really strong local connection for MSU.
In nine games, Martin finished with 31 catches for 711 yards and 11 touchdowns at wide receiver, and 63 rushes for 515 yards and nine more TD’s on the ground. His yards per catch (22.9, seventh) and 11 receiving scores (sixth) were both top-10 marks in Kentucky, regardless of classification.
The Racers begin a unique 2020-21 football season on Feb. 21, when they open with a road game against SEMO in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
Christian Fellowship’s Howard cans 1,000th point
Briensburg’s best basketball player, and quietly one of the First Region’s finer players, is freshman guard Gracie Howard, who reached a significant milestone this past week when she notched her 1,000th career point in a 68-47 win over Community Christian Academy on Jan. 30.
In all, it was a sensational week for the small-school star: 24 points on 8-for-17 shooting in a 61-38 loss to Hickman County, 27 points on 9-for-23 shooting in a 66-48 loss to Mayfield, and 19 points on 6-for-14 shooting in a win against the Warriors. Teams know she’s going to handle the bulk of the Lady Eagles’ offense under longtime coach Trevor Jackson, and still she creates.
Where Howard has notably, and understandably, improved is her strength. In 10 games this year, she’s knocked down 18-for-46 from the arc (39.1%) and is averaging 6.4 rebounds – good for second on the team behind Lillian Burnett’s 8.0 boards per game.
Howard didn’t make a single 3-pointer her seventh-grade season, and made only nine a year ago.
On the year, she’s averaging 20.5 ppg on 42.3% shooting from the floor and 75% from the stripe. With those kind of numbers and 3 ½ years to go, the idea of approaching 3,000 career points can’t be out of the question.
CFS does have a strong dose of terrific teams still remaining on its schedule in 2021, too, with matchups against Calloway County (March 2), Lyon County (March 9), Ballard Memorial (Feb. 20, March 5) and Hickman County (Feb. 16) up ahead.
If Howard isn’t a household name by then, I’m not sure I know how to help you.
McCracken County, motoring
After a pair of single-digit losses to Evansville Harrison and Evansville Bosse on Jan. 15 and Jan. 16, respectively, the Mustangs have done nothing but rattle off five straight victories.
This past week’s victims: Graves County, 57-53, on Jan. 26; St. Mary, 69-36, on Jan. 29; Christian County, 55-42, on Jan. 30.
Burlin Brower’s defense has given up no more than 56 points this season (a 77-58 loss to ranked Bowling Green), with the Eagles, Vikings and Colonels all shooting less than 45% from the field in the defeats.
The Mustangs are getting critical rebounding efforts from junior guard Brant Brower, who averaged 4.0 rpg this past week, while senior guard Noah Dumas averaged 14.7 points by shooting 15-for-33 from the floor, 5-for-14 from the arc and 10-for-13 from the stripe.
The Mustangs (8-3) now have three scorers averaging double figures on the year in Dumas (15.3), Ian Hart (10.8) and Brower (10.4), with senior (and recent Mount St. Joseph basketball commit) Ian McCune close behind (9.5). This balance, combined with defensive pressure, is a perfect recipe for a First Region championship run.
A massive week lies ahead: Calloway County (Feb. 1, home), Carlisle County (Feb. 2, away), Paducah Tilghman (Feb. 5, at Otis Dinning Gymnasium) and Henderson County (Feb. 6, away).
And awaiting next week on Feb. 8? A lovely visit from the Murray Tigers – preseason favorites to claim what should be a dogfight for the lone berth to the 2021 KHSAA State Tournament at Rupp Arena in late March.
Calloway cruising, but Carson sidelined
The Lady Lakers (9-2) picked up three more wins this past week – two on the road – in matchups against Todd County Central (64-30, Jan. 25), at Christian County (64-45, Jan. 29) and at Owensboro (34-32, Jan. 30) – but at a tough cost.
In the third quarter against the Lady Devils, senior guard Elle Carson went down with what’s been officially diagnosed as a fractured collarbone (per the team)…a tough blow for the soccer star committed to Bethel (TN) for the pitch.
Carson was averaging 16.0 ppg on 35.1% shooting with 3.5 rebounds per game, as a terrorizing backcourt partner to budding star Skylar Waller (17.0 ppg, 40.5% shooting).
Somebody like Addi Schumacher (24-for-67, third-most shots for CCHS) will get an uptick in minutes and looks at the basket, but Carson – a potential All-Purchase candidate – will be extremely difficult to replace.
Tilghman’s Smith steps down as football coach
In what has already been four weeks worth of surprises in west Kentucky sports, Paducah Tilghman football coach Jonathan Smith officially announced his resignation from the post this past Friday – following three years of strong efforts from the Blue Tornado.
“As of this (Friday) afternoon, I am not longer the (head football coach) @ Paducah Tilghman,” Smith said in a personal message to myself and WPSD Local 6 sports anchor Adam Wells. “Tilghman has been my family’s football home in some form since 2005, and we wish them nothing but continued success and best wishes.
“I am honored to have been just a small part of a great program with rich tradition.”
Smith took over as interim HC mere days before the 2018 Class 3A football season was set to begin, following the unfortunate health concerns surrounding long-time respected coach Steve Duncan.
PTHS went 9-3 and made it all the way to the second round of the playoffs before coming up painfully, and questionably, short in a soft snowy night at Elizabethtown. A late block-in-the-back negated a kick-return touchdown that would’ve put the Panthers in peril late.
In 2019, Tilghman went 9-4 and marched all the way to the Class 3A regional finals, but lost at home (38-28) to a sensational Taylor County team that finished 11-3 and pushed Bell County in the Class 3A semifinals before falling 46-28.
In 2020, the Blue Tornado not only battled a three-week quarantine for COVID-19 protocol, but twice fell flat to district opponent Union County in Morganfield, took another lump on the chin against century-long rival Mayfield (36-6) and never truly recaptured the magic of wins experienced against Calloway County, Trigg County and Murray.
Injuries to the offensive line certainly did no favors for a team that predominantly ran the football and tried to create surprises in the playaction passing game, but an early-season quarterback change from senior Cam Marshall to freshman up-and-comer Jack James wasn’t as well received as some had hoped.
Furthermore, according to sources, a junior and senior class of PTHS athletes weren’t particularly thrilled with the idea of losing live snaps and practice reps to freshman and sophomores this past fall — which led to sideline tension, miscommunication and (quite frankly) coaching discord.
Bear in mind, none of this is on the fault of the incoming classes, and there is absolutely a bright future ahead for “Big Blue” and its young football talent. Maybe a state championship. Maybe a win against Mayfield. Maybe one of those. Maybe both. And, mathematically, maybe neither. But they’ll try, and they’ll have the pieces to give it an earnest effort.
One must hope, however, that these changes at PTHS are less about money and railroading the process, and more about the student-athlete and school experience, as well as the positive culture high school football can bring to young men and their growth into early adulthood.
For what it’s worth, Smith likely won’t stay out of football long unless it’s by his choice to remain close to his immediate family. The former Mayfield Cardinal played for longtime legendary coach Joe Morris, and the Morris “player-turned-coach” tree continuously bears successful fruit (see: Nick Kemp at Graves County, Jay Burgett at Madisonville-North Hopkins).
As for the vaunted Tilghman football program? Well, this changing of the guard means there will be a fourth new coach in five years following the resignation of Mike Rogers in late March 2016 — a list that now includes former Tilghman star and NFLer Kurt Barber, Duncan and Smith. This amount of turnover has obviously interrupted any continuity and consistency the program has been seeking since a scintillating and surprising run to the Class 3A state title in 2009 under Randy Wyatt, with a tradition-rich fan base full of alumni hoping and praying for more winning days than not.
Brown beats buzzer!
Since a tight 56-52 loss at Murray, Paducah Tilghman has won four straight: 86-37 against Community Christian Academy, 58-40 against St. Mary, 62-61 against Christian County and 68-55 against Marshall County.
The Blue Tornado had the buzzer-beating play of the week, too, when senior guard Eli Brown went coast-to-coast for the game-winning layup against the Colonels – stealing one away at Otis Dinning Gymnasium on Jan. 29.
In nine games this year, Brown is averaging 14.9 ppg and a shade over two 3-pointers per game — shooting 50.5% from the field, 38.8% from the arc and 77.3% from the stripe. He’s also one of five players averaging four or more rebounds for Greg Overstreet, with Jackson Goodwin, Mian Shaw, Brown, Landon Fitzgerald and Marshall (team-leading 5.6) all grabbing the glass.
Brown is actively seeking an opportunity to play college basketball. Somebody league this man.
Massa, former McCracken County keeper, has new opportunity
One of the First Region’s finer keepers in recent memory, Trevor Massa was recently selected to be a first-team representative for the inaugural season of the Bowling Green FC Golden Lions.
Based in the UPSL (United Premier Soccer League), Massa most recently was selected to the SLIAC All-Decade Team out of Spalding University — after earning 2019 SLIAC Defensive “Player of the Year” and 2019 SLIAC First Team All-Conference. He earned 2018 SLIAC Third Team All-Conference during his freshman season.
LWC honors two west Kentucky natives
Speaking of All-Decade teams, two former First District footballers have been named to the Lindsey Wilson 10-year squad: Murray native C.J. Dickerson and Princeton native Jaylen Boyd.
Dickerson, now an assistant coach and recruiter for LWC, was a three-time First Team All Mid-South Conference defensive tackle who played in 44 games (with 33 starts) and notched 166 total tackles, 10 sacks, two fumbles recovered and one blocked kick.
Boyd, meanwhile, roared at running back in 23 games (and 16 starts) from 2018-20…rushing for 1,795 yards while losing just 39 yards on 254 attempts. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry and 76.3 ypg with a rushing long of 86 yards. He also finished with 45 catches, 522 yards receiving and four receiving TD’s. As a returner, he took back 18 kickoffs for 527 yards and one touchdown — a 94-yarder during the 2019-20 season.
Racer WBB edged by Belmont, miss sweeping chance
Murray State women’s basketball (8-9, 5-7 OVC) nearly came away with the rarest of sweeps this week, before eventually falling in a tight 66-54 Saturday-night battle with Bart Brooks and the Belmont Bruins at the CFSB Center in Murray.
A 10-minute stretch between the first and second quarters in which the Racers didn’t score a basket spelled the ultimate doom, as the Bruins surged to a 31-11 lead.
MSU, however, employed a terrific full-court press in the third and fourth quarters – allowing the Racers to climb to within four points early in the fourth quarter.
But after outscoring the Bruins 23-13 right after halftime, the Racers went 5-for-13 from the floor and 0-for-6 from the arc in the final frame (and 3-for-20 for the game) – perhaps exhausted legs being the difference.
Conley Chinn (23 points, 11-for-18 shooting) added her name to a list of six-foot, three-level scorers (joining UT Martin’s Chelsey Perry and Tennessee Tech’s Mackenzie Coleman) proving to be difficult defensive covers for the Racers, and 15 steals thwarted MSU in the halfcourt.
Former Owensboro Catholic star Hannah McKay continued to build her early resume by leading the Racers in scoring (12 points, eight rebounds, 5-for-6 shooting), while junior Macey Turley (11 points, six rebounds, three assists) and freshman center Katelyn Young (11 points, six rebounds) added to their All-OVC First Team campaigns.
“We knew that we were going to try and buy a few minutes,” noted MSU coach Rechelle Turner, about the halftime decision to change defensive pressure. “But that’s all we talked about at halftime, was who was going to be where on the pressure, and how we were going to rotate out of, and then what we were going to rotate into in the halfcourt. We went back with our starting lineup (after halftime) knowing it might not be our best pressing lineup, but we wanted to try to get some stops by doubling on some ball-screens, and running some specific sets that we were comfortable.
“We scored some coming out in the third quarter, but they continued to score the basketball. I knew it was time to try and turn some defense into offense.”
for those who inquired. 