Published: March 26, 2008 01:17 pm            

Nice to be back from covering the Sweet 16

The Way It Is

Oh, what a couple of days off can do to a body. It’s back to work after spending a week in Lexington covering the 92nd annual National City Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16. With that said, it’s time to ramble on, my friends. • Sweet 16’s thumbs up and thumbs down Thumbs up - Paintsville coach Bill Mike Runyon deserves this. I was really pulling for the Tigers to make a run at another state crown, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Thumbs down - The performance of University Heights star Scotty Hopson. Hopson wasn’t impressive during the Blazers’ loss to Mason County. Thumbs up - Hazard’s Josh Whitaker — the kid is a winner. Take Whitaker off the Bulldogs’ squad and South Laurel wins by five or 10 points. Thumbs down - For South Laurel not getting center Matt St. John involved more during the Cardinals’ loss to Hazard. Thumbs up - To the play of Jordan Bortnem. Yes, it hurt losing the likes of Ty Proffitt, Jordan Hammonds and Trey Smith last season, but the departure of Bortnem is going to hurt South Laurel more than many people think. Thumbs up - To teams such as Mason County, Covington Holmes, Elliott County, Shelby County and Lexington Catholic for making the Sweet 16 fun to watch. Thumbs down - To the officiating in the Sweet 16. This has to be the worst overall officiated Sweet 16 that I have ever witnessed. And, folks, I’m being too nice about this. Thumbs up - To the Mason County Royals. The Royals outlasted teams such as Elliott County, Shelby County, Paducah Tilghman and Covington Holmes. Do I believe they were the best team? Maybe not. I liked Holmes, but the Bulldogs ran out of gas after playing Lexington Catholic in the semi-finals. Thumbs down - For the KHSAA playing the semi-finals and finals on the same day. Start the tournament on Tuesday and play the semi-finals on Friday and title game Saturday or keep the semi-finals on Saturday and move the title game to Sunday.. • Finishing touches on high school basketball Heading into next season, look for Tony Pietrowski’s Corbin Redhounds to be rated No. 1 in the pre-season with Clay County, Knox Central, South Laurel, Bell County, Lynn Camp, Middlesboro, Whitley County, Harlan County Central and North Laurel rounding out the top 10. After seeing what was at the Sweet 16 this season, the Redhounds have a shot to be rated in the top 15 statewide next year. • On to baseball and softball The first Fear ‘Les’ 13th Region Diamond Rankings will be released in the Thursday edition of The Times-Tribune. With that said, I’m not sure who should be the teams to beat in baseball. There could be five to six teams that could lay claim to being the team to beat. But in a single elimination game, I would have to go with Knox Central being the team to beat when senior lefty Jacob Scalf is on the mound. North Laurel, Middlesboro, Corbin, Whitley County, South Laurel, Williamsburg, Bell County and Lynn Camp have solid teams as well. In softball, both North and South Laurel will battle it out for the No. 1 spot the entire season, while Middlesboro, Corbin, Clay County, Williamsburg and Whitley County field solid teams, too.

        

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