The hungry Louisville Our Lady of Mercy Jaguars (love that picture, Tweeted out by @Mercysoftball10 yesterday) and 15 other teams convene today at Owensboro's Jack C. Fisher Park for the start of the Rawlings/KHSAA State Softball Tournament, western Kentucky's tournament. It's double-elimination, so the fun really ramps up Friday--with games starting in the morning and running the rest of the day. Rah!
Here are today's pairings:
- Nicholas County vs. Estill County, 5 p.m. Central, Blue Field
- Boyle County vs. Oldham County, 5 p.m., Green Field
- London North Laurel vs. Ashland Paul Blazer, 5 p.m., Red Field
- Christian County vs. Union Larry A. Ryle, 5 p.m. Brown Field
- Louisville Mercy vs. Mount Washington Bullitt East, 7 p.m. Blue Field
- Scott County vs. Bowling Green Greenwood, 7 p.m., Green Field
- Owensboro Catholic vs. Paintsville Johnson Central, 7 p.m. Red Field
- Lone Oak vs. Green County, 7 p.m., Brown Field
The 2011 champ, Allen County-Scottsville, is not back to represent the Fourth Region, so I'm guessing 2009 and 2010 runner-up Mercy and home-standing and record-five-time-state-champ Owensboro Catholic to be the favorites. Christian County, Greenwood, North Laurel and Ryle have also won one each of the 16 all-time state titles.
Man, every time I refresh the HP and see that bus, it makes me think of The Partridge Family--and that, in turn, makes me so, so happy.
ReplyDeleteOldham County Coach Jeff: "Post season play has been a continuation of your commitment to our team goal – 'What will you do today to take us one step closer to state ?' Today the goal was achieved but we can't be satisfied, we must be greedy and want more. From day one with this team there was something – there was a spirit that grabbed me and told me we had something special. And it's in every one of you girls as well. It’s inside of each one of us. The spirit that is telling each of us it's our time. It's your time. And now the question is what will you do to make sure it's your time? When your time is ready, will you be ready? Will you be the Champion that we need?"
ReplyDeleteMercy history: "In 1872, the Sisters of Mercy in Louisville began holding day classes at their Second Street location under the name of St. Catherine's Academy. In 1885, the first high school diploma was awarded under the name of Academy of Our Lady of Mercy. In 1901 the academy moved to 1176 East Broadway where it remained until the summer of 2007 when we relocated to our current location at 5801 Fegenbush Lane."
ReplyDeleteA passionate appeal for a day off in March from Nicholas County High's Bluejacket Buzz blog: "... Others would say, 'but we have so much to prepare for,' and to that I say SUCK IT UP! One day isn’t going to kill anybody! How many times have you NOT done something in a class? Just sat around and played cards, because there wasn’t anything to do in the first place? ..."
ReplyDeleteBullitt East history:
ReplyDeleteIn 1975, the idea of building a new high school in the Mount Washington community was originated by the facility survey team of the Kentucky Department of Education. Their report stated that if growth patterns continued in Bullitt County, there would be a need for a new high school in the area.
With the advent of busing in neighboring Jefferson County, enrollment in Bullitt County Schools skyrocketed. Construction on the new school began in 1979 on 21.75 acres purchased from Mr. Roy Swearingen.
The school bell officially rang for the first time on September 8, 1980, with the start of the school year actually taking place at Mount Washington Middle. Grades 9-11 were opened under the direction of Principal Ray L. Foster. Mr. Keith Collins served as assistant principal. "Chargers" was chosen as the mascot and red and gold were selected as the school colors.
Mount Washingtonians, fiercely proud of their community, welcomed the Chargers with open arms. From the beginning, booster clubs flourished, businesses willingly gave their financial support, and individual community members stepped in to help lay the building blocks for East.
Lone Oak (35-4) is on a 10-game win streak. Last loss? Christian County.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the favorite is Greenwood, per this Park City Daily News feature by Zach Greenwell. The Lady Gators have a pitcher, sophomore Elizabeth Moss, who is 32-5 with an 0.38 earned-run average. And that girl led Greenwood to a 4-3 victory over Allen County-Scottsville, the defending state champ, in the Region 4 championship.
ReplyDeleteThe favorite is Greenwood, by the way. The top two teams in the final coaches poll were AC-S and Louisville Ballard, who was also eliminated in its regional. No. 3 was Greenwood.
DeleteHeath finished No. 21.
DeleteRegion-by-region finals.
DeleteThe McCracken County Mustangs are going to be awesome.
Delete"Tickets are $5 today, when each team plays only once, and $10 Friday and Saturday, and you’ll get an armband each day that lets you come and go as you please. Armbands good for all three days are $15. There is no reserved seating, and fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs but must leave coolers and drinks in their vehicles."
ReplyDeleteIn the bottom of the seventh, Christian County is batting and trailing Ryle, 1-0. The Lady Cols have runners on first and second with two out ...
ReplyDeleteStrikeout. Final: Ryle, 1-0.
DeleteFinals: North Laurel 3, Blazer 1 ... Estill County 3, Nicholas County 2 (Estill came up with all three of its runs in the bottom of the seventh) ...
ReplyDeleteBoyle County 4, Oldham County 1.
DeleteSecond round of games underway: Lone Oak and Green County scoreless in the fifth ... Owensboro Catholic 1, Johnson Central 0 in the third ... (hungry) Mercy 7, Bullitt East 1 in second ... Scott County and Greenwood scoreless in the first ...
ReplyDeleteFinals: Mercy 16 (mercy!), Bullitt East 1; Greenwood 3, Scott County 0; Lone Oak 4, Green County 3 (western Kentucky's tournament).
DeleteJohnson Central and Owensboro Catholic are tied at 1, headed to bottom of seventh with the five-time champs coming to the plate ...
DeleteIndeed, Owensboro Catholic wins, 2-1. After an inning-opening strikeout, the Aces singled three times in a row to push the winning run across in the seventh.
DeleteI've got to remember to pay attention to the KHSAA state softball tournament this year.
ReplyDelete