CORBIN — By Tim Branstetter / Staff Writer
It’s easy to look at the Corbin Redhounds and notice their senior class.
You have Isaac Wilson, Madison Johnson, Aaron Manns and Luke Stewart. But if you dig a little deeper, you will find key role players in Travis Smith and Matthew Taylor.
While Taylor has provided a solid defensive effort this season, Smith has made some clutch shots that helped the Redhounds stay alive in the postseason.
Taylor has became the lock down defender that Corbin coach Tony Pietrowski was looking for early in the season.
“Last summer, I saw that he could help us a lot,” he admitted. “He has turned into our defensive stopper. He can shut down the other team’s best scorer. He also has the ability to knock down shots.”
Taylor knew he had the opportunity to play a bigger role this season and he worked hard to achieve that. He feels his main job is to just not mess up.
“I knew someone would get a chance to step up this season,” Taylor said. “I’m just glad I could do that. Coach beat it in our brains all year that several players could step up and play a big role.”
Smith has also stepped up this season while still providing plenty of jokes for his teammates to laugh at. But he knows when it’s time to get serious.
“I feel like I always have to bring out my jokes and make people laugh,” he said. “I get serious around game time though. I have to get focused and ready to play.”
Smith feels he has been fortunate to play on a team with so much success.
“I got lucky last year and went to Rupp Arena,” he said. “I got lucky again this year and I am going back to Rupp during my sophomore year. I’m just lucky to be a part of this team. I just try to step in and play my role. I’m not much of a scorer, but I can when I need to.”
Pietrowski feels Smith has stepped up, but admitted his best years are still ahead of him.
“His willingness to pass the ball has made us a better team,” he said. “I think in the next two years we will see just how good this kid is.
“After losing so much talent last year to graduation, we had a lot of unanswered questions,” Pietrowski added. “We needed to define new roles and find the players that were willing to play those roles. The growth that Travis Smith, Matt Taylor, Luke Stewart, Taylor Jones, and Brody Freeman made throughout the season was special. That group made it hard on teams to key in on our big three.”
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Related Photos
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Corbin’s Travis Smith made some crucial free throws and shots during the Redhounds’ run to this year’s 13th Region championship. Corbin defeated North Laurel, 65-42. File photo
Discussion
Knowing their role
- Local Sports
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Getting close
Corbin coach Tony Pietrowski knew this season would be a work in progress as several players would be learning new roles and trying to figure out what they needed to do to get the Redhounds ready for the postseason — he was right.
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Taking a leap back
Just when it seemed as if the Lynn Camp Wildcats were going to snap their five-game losing skid, they went cold from the floor.
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13th Region district tournament schedule
North Laurel High School will be the host of the boys and girls 49th District Tournaments.
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Ready for a run
It’s been 27 years since the Whitley County Lady Colonels captured a 13th Region championship.
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Contenders
Not many people considered the Corbin Lady Redhounds to be a contender for the 13th Region championship coming into the 2011-12 season, but coach Jennifer Parsons did.
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Change of Pace
The old saying goes, “Where there is smoke there is fire,” and that was the case on Tuesday as Cameron Smoak led Williamsburg to a 43-33 win over a physical Berea team.
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Smith leads Redhounds past McCreary Central
The Corbin Redhounds made all of the right adjustments at halftime and managed to use a big third quarter to pull off a 50-46 road win over McCreary Central.
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Wildcats fall on the road to Jellico, Tenn., 85-67
The Lynn Camp Wildcats dropped their fourth game in a row after falling to Jellico, Tenn. Tuesday, 85-67.
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Lady Wildcats roll; Knox Central falls on the road to Pulaski Co.
The Barbourville Tigers traveled to Leslie County and picked up their fourth straight win as they handed the Eagles a 63-57 loss.
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Hill Topper
The Jaguars were looking for a little revenge after suffering a 61-54 loss to the Redhounds earlier in the season, but Trevor Hill was not going to let that happen as the eighth-grader from Corbin went up high to grab the rebound and tipped it back in at the buzzer to give his team a 52-50 win over North Laurel.
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