15 Games Left

So the regional tournaments are finished and we are down to the Sweet 16.  Here are the last 11 regional finals. Thanks to Eric for his excellent coverage.  Congrats to Murray High School, which is going to State for the first time in 31 years.  Congrats to Buckhorn School, up in Perry County, which has only 350 students in grades K through 12:

1st Region Final (at Murray St. U.):
Murray 55, McCracken Co. 47

3d Region Final (at Owensboro Sportscenter):
Owensboro Catholic 51, Meade Co. 40

4th Region Final (at W. Kentucky U.):
(5) Bowling Green 49, Barren Co. 46

5th Region Final (at Nelson Co.):
Taylor Co. 69, Bardstown 53

7th Region Final (at Lou. Valley):
(9) Lou. Trinity 52, Lou. St. Xavier 48 (OT)

8th Region Final (at Henry Co.):
S. Oldham 81, Anderson Co. 44

10th Region Final (at Montgomery Co.):
Mason Co. 48, Augusta 41

12th Region Final (at Pulaski Co.):
(2) Mercer Co. 76, Casey Co. 60

14th Region Final (at Knott Co. Cent.):
Buckhorn 54, Perry Co. Cent. 51 (OT)

15th Region Final (at E. Kentucky Expo Center):
Lawrence Co. 75, Johnson Cent. 64

16th Region Final (at Morehead St. U.):
Elliott Co. 72, Boyd Co. 47

This gives us the following Regional Champions:

1st:  Murray Tigers (29-5)
2d:  (1) Christian Co. Colonels (29-2)
3d:  Owensboro Catholic Aces (22-9)
4th:  (5) Bowling Green Purples (30-2)
5th:  Taylor Co. Cardinals (24-8)
6th:  Lou. Doss Dragons (27-5)
7th:  (9) Lou. Trinity Shamrocks (29-6)
8th:  S. Oldham Dragons (28-5)
9th:  Newport Cent. Catholic Thoroughbreds (28-4)
10th:  Mason Co. Royals (23-10)
11th: (7) Lex. Dunbar Bulldogs (29-6)
12th:  (2) Mercer Co. Titans (33-1)
13th:  South Laurel Cardinals (27-6)
14th:  Buckhorn Wildcats (19-15)
15th:  Lawrence Co. Bulldogs (29-4)
16th:  Elliott Co. Lions (22-7)

We have Wildcats, Colonels, Thoroughbreds, two sets of Cardinals, two sets of Bulldogs, and -- oddly enough -- two sets of Dragons.  It all seems very Kentucky.  Seeing the Owensboro Catholic Aces, I am reminded that Evansville University's teams are the Purple Aces.  I have this image of a whole bunch of folks in that part of the Ohio Valley sitting around in the years before World War II, referring to each other as "Ace," and feeling extremely cool.

Now everyone has a week to celebrate, which they certainly deserve.