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Post by Local News on Mar 16, 2006 11:26:57 GMT -5
Repeat a hard featSouth Laurel can become the first repeat state champion since Fairdale in 1990 and '91. Louisville Holy Cross athletic director Stan Hardin coached those teams. Even with such talented players as Carlos Turner, Jermaine Brown and Maurice Morris, Hardin wasn't confident about winning the title. "The first time, I thought we had a chance," he said. "I'm sure our kids' goal was to win it all, but my goal was to play on Saturday morning. I knew then if you get to Saturday morning you had an opportunity. "Then the next year I felt like if we didn't win it I had probably been a failure, because I had three starters back, and probably had the three best players in the region. If I didn't win it, then I thought people would say, 'Well, he had all those players and he couldn't go back-to-back.' "I also worried about winning it because of the people prior to me who had won it and didn't go back-to-back. You take Pleasure Ridge with Andy Penick and Ballard with Allan Houston, even (Clay County's) Richie Farmer, he wins it one year and doesn't win it the next. So it takes a lot of luck to go back-to-back." Read the entire article at....
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Post by Local News on Mar 17, 2006 8:19:50 GMT -5
Doll features Farmer's likenessBy Mike Fields and Mark Maloney HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITERSThere's a whole lot of shakin' going on at Rupp Arena. A "Lucky Row Giveaway" contest during each game of the National City Boys' State Tournament has as a prize a Richie Farmer bobblehead doll. The same Richie Farmer who played in five consecutive Sweet Sixteens, leading Clay County to a pair of runner-up finishes and the 1987 state title. And the same Richie Farmer who remains an Unforgettable at the University of Kentucky, and who now serves as commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. "We were trying to think of ways that we could raise awareness of what the Department of Agriculture does," said Farmer, whose office is a tournament sponsor. "It touches the lives of every Kentuckian every single day. "Me being synonymous with the Sweet Sixteen, we just thought that it was a fit. I don't know about the look. But I've heard a lot of feedback from it, so we've accomplished our mission." Farmer watched part of yesterday's Mason County-Warren Central game seated next to former big-league infielder Doug Flynn. "I thought it was Ricardo Montalban at first," Flynn said, laughing, in reference to the bobblehead. "It's wonderful. You've got to be a good sport to have something like that done and, of course, Richie is." Aside from the 1987 title, Farmer is well-remembered for scoring 51 points in an 88-79 loss to Ballard in the following year's finals. That remains a tournament record. "Some of the best times of my life I spent right here at the Sweet Sixteen," said Farmer, who shoots a few hoops with his children, Trey, 9, Thomas, 7, and Faith, 3. "It's always good to be able to come back and expose them to this. And also, knowing what these kids are feeling. This is something they'll never forget." Read the entire article at....
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Post by Local News on Mar 17, 2006 8:36:15 GMT -5
Chadwell overlookedRussell Chadwell, a standout player for Clay County's state tournament teams in 1986, '87 and '88, has been overlooked as one of the top all-time scorers in the Sweet Sixteen. Chadwell had 193 points in nine tournament games, and should be listed in the record book as the seventh-leading scorer in tournament history. 'Coach' Deaton againMike Deaton is returning to the sidelines as boys' coach at Whitley County. Deaton has been principal at Pulaski County the last four years. Before that he coached for 16 years and compiled a 331-131 record at Greenville, Caverna, Corbin and Bowling Green. He led Corbin to seven district titles and two regional championships. "I feel like Whitley County is committed to building a competitive program," Deaton said. Read the entire article at....
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Post by Local News on Mar 18, 2006 10:26:24 GMT -5
This date in Sweet Sixteen history1944 - The Harlan Green Dragons, led by Wah Wah Jones' 23 points, beat the Dayton Green Devils 40-28 to win the state title. Jones finishes his career with 1,565 points. 1988 - Clay County's Richie Farmer has 38 points in a first-round win over Rowan County, which gets 12 points from sophomore Kelly Wells. Read the entire article at....
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Post by Local News on Mar 18, 2006 16:35:28 GMT -5
Farmer bobblehead is a big hitBy Jody Demlingand C. Ray HallOne lucky row of fans each game during the National City boys' Sweet 16 gets to take home a piece of state tournament history -- Richie Farmer. Well, not the real former Clay County star but a bobblehead with his likeness. Farmer, the Kentucky agriculture commissioner, said the bobblehead giveaway is to raise awareness for what the Department of Agriculture does. The department is one of the Sweet 16 sponsors. "Me being synonymous with the Sweet 16, we thought it was a good fit," Farmer said. "I don't know about the looks, but we have heard a lot of feedback. A lot of people are talking about it, which is what we wanted." The bobblehead looks somewhat like the mustachioed Farmer. One row was picked each game to receive the bobbleheads. "It maybe looks better than I do," Farmer said. Farmer played in five state tournaments with Clay County, including 1987 when the Tigers won. He still holds the Sweet 16 record with 51 points in the title game against Ballard in '88. Read the entire article at....
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Post by Local News on Mar 21, 2006 17:00:48 GMT -5
Basketball Team and Prayer Tradition Basketball has become a winning tradition at South Laurel High School, with the boys winning the state championship last year and making it to the quarter finals this year. But something that happens after the games has also become a tradition- one that players and coaches value even more than winning. The power of prayer can send cheers through a crowd of thousands, or silence an entire gym, especially when it's led by a high school senior basketball player. Walt Allen said a few years ago he felt led to start what's become a game-ending ritual. So after each game, players and cheerleaders from both teams gather on the court. "I just want them to see there's more to life than basketball, and Jesus is number one," Allen said. For a team that's tallied a 60-10 record in two years, including a state championship, these guys are used to celebrating wins. So losing is especially difficult. "It's really easy to give all the glory to God when you're winning. It's easy to say, 'Hey look what God's done,' but after a loss it's a little bit tougher, but it shows what kind of character you have," Allen said. Cheers fade and trophies tarnish, and while this team may have missed out on a state championship this year, they really haven't missed out at all. "If you give God all the glory and honor, you're a winner no matter what. The only winner there truly is... if you're written in the book of life, and that's when you get to spend eternity with God, and that's a true championship," Allen said. Read the entire story at....
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Post by Local News on Mar 21, 2006 20:33:50 GMT -5
Notebook - Day two and three While traveling down Main Street on the way to Rupp Arena for the Thursday sessions, I caught a radio interview by former WKU play-by-play man Wes Strader, who also does a UK call-in show with former Wildcat great Kenny Walker. Strader was chatting with another former Wildcat, current Kentucky Ag Commissioner and Clay County legend Richie Farmer, who in 1987 played on the last 13th Region club to snag a Sweet 16 title. As Farmer was reminiscing about the good times, I saw this older fellow, perhaps 55-60, on a bicycle waiting to cross the street. He was proudly sporting his "Clay Co" black jacket with gold letters across the back, looking as though he migrated to Lexington in the ‘80s when the Tigers were regular visitors to the big stage thanks to five consecutive region crowns. With South Laurel's current run of success, that may be J.R. Smith in a few years! In all seriousness, some teams do become accustomed to the big scene in Rupp. Matching Clay County's remarkable run this season was Warren Central out of Bowling Green, who South topped last season in the championship. Rupp is old hat for the Dragons and coach Tim Riley, so much so that the expectations have grown far beyond the "just happy to be here" way of thinking that most teams have. Some people on the Internet message boards could be found complaining about the lack of offense in the Sweet 16. I say suck it up folks. It's good defense, bottom line. And, to borrow the cliche, defense wins championships. Read the entire article at....
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Post by Local News on Mar 28, 2006 16:18:10 GMT -5
13th Region Boys Basketball StatisticsIndividual ScoringStuart Miller, Middlesboro 29.4 John Smith, Harlan 22.3 Derek Davis, Red Bird 21.6Chris Good, Barbourville 19.3 William Jones, Clay County 18.7Josh Crawford, Corbin 18.2 Chris Cahill, Oneida Baptist 18.1Ryan Whitaker, Bell County 17.3 Dustin Day, Pineville 17.2 Ryan Clem, Harlan 17.0 Derrick Watkins, Cawood 16.5 Desmond Swafford, Clay County 15.5Travis Roaden, Whitley County 15.1 Walt Allen, South Laurel 15.0 Jeremy Sanders, Bell County 14.9 Cody Dixon, Lynn Camp 14.7 Billy Carson, North Laurel 14.6 Joe Brock, Cawood 14.5 Shanade Allen, North Laurel 14.2 Adam Bray, Lynn Camp 14.1 Jordan Hammonds, South Laurel 14.1 Blake Hensley, Pineville 14.1 Aaron Grubb, Barbourville 13.9 Michael McRay, Williamsburg 13.8 Dustin Mefford, Evarts 13.3 C.R. Berry, Red Bird 13.1Ty Proffitt, South Laurel 13.0 Nick Brumback, Jackson County 12.8 Corey Williamson, Knox Central 12.3 Trey Smith, South Laurel 11.6 Desmond Johnson, Cumberland 11.4 Tyler Hatmaker, Middlesboro 11.2 James Strange, Pineville 11.2 Trey Goins, Bell County 10.9 Justin Howard, North Laurel 10.8 Matthew Cox, Barbourville 10.7 Chris Love, Oneida Baptist 10.7Paul Hembree, Knox Central 10.6 Shawn Asher, North Laurel 10.5 Billydean Shelton, Cawood 10.4 Kyle Simpson, Cumberland 10.4 Read the entire article at....
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