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October 7, 2009

High school basketball season getting closer

Les Dixon

A lot has gone on this past week, and with that said, it’s time to ramble my friends.

• The 13th Region high school boys’ landscape changed a bit after Clay County point guard J.V. Hooker went down with an injury during the Tigers’ football game against North Laurel a couple of weeks ago. From what I’ve been told, he will miss the rest of the football season and the entire basketball season.

Things should be interesting this year, as defending regional champion Corbin will try to repeat as region champs, while teams such as South Laurel, Knox Central, Clay County and North Laurel will try to unseat the Redhounds.

It looks as if South Laurel might have the best chance to unseat Corbin. Matt St. John is in tip-top shape and the Cardinals look to be more of an up-tempo type of team with two newcomers joining the team.

The 2009-10 season will be an interesting one to say the least.

• The Corbin Redhounds suffered their first regular season loss since Week One of the 2007 season, but the Redhounds still have another streak they hope to keep alive on Thursday — a 27-game district win streak. Corbin is 42-2 against district opponents this decade — that’s impressive.

• The Larkey family reunion will take place Friday at Harlan County High School when Chris Larkey and his North Laurel Jaguars will pay a visit to his father’s (Tom) Harlan County Black Bears. Not only will this be an interesting game, but I’ve also been told this game will be televised.

• The Corbin Middle School seventh and eighth grade football teams will host first round playoff games at Campbell Field on Thursday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Rival Rockcastle County will be the opponent in each contest. The seventh grade Redhounds are 7-1 on the season, while the eighth grade squad is an impressive 9-0.

• The University of Kentucky will continue to lose until quarterback Mike Hartline is benched. Randall Cobb was open plenty of times against Alabama and Hartline was either overthrowing or underthrowing the ball, but then again, the Wildcats will be lucky to win six games this season with or without Hartline in the lineup.

• How about them Bengals? The Cincinnati Bengals are tied in first place after a month of football and you’ve got to be happy with that — Cincinnati could very easily be 4-0, but a loss is a loss. If the Bengals can come away with a win over Baltimore on Sunday, then I will be a big time believer — oh yeah, Mike Brown needs to cut kicker Shayne Graham.

• The Atlanta Braves’ season is over, but the 2010 season looks very promising. Hopefully the Braves can re-sign Adam LaRoche and get another power hitter, while trading away pitcher Derek Lowe.

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