jj_sports

jj-wjms-girls-soccer-wins-conference-crown-20130523 WJMS girls' soccer wins conference crown May 23, 2013 West Jessamine Middle Schools' girls' soccer team defeated Mercer County on Monday, May 13, to win the Salt River Conference championship. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-519e3333/turbine/jj-wjms-girls-soccer-wins-conference-crown-20130523/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-519e3333/turbine/jj-wjms-girls-soccer-wins-conference-crown-20130523/400/16x9 West Jessamine Middle Schools' girls' soccer team defeated Mercer County on Monday, May 13, to win the Salt River Conference championship. The Lady Colts topped the Lady Titans by a score of 4-0. Head coach Kevin Wright and his team lost only once this season, finishing with a 17-1-1 record.     2013-05-23 08:31:49.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-wjms-girls-soccer-wins-conference-crown-20130523,0,2494494.story

jj-yeich-guides-colts-to-golden-pastures-20130522 Yeich guides Colts to golden pastures May 22, 2013 Whether it’s called a championship, title, crown or gold, West Jessamine has it and district foes East Jessamine, Mercer County and Burgin don’t. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-519ce9af/turbine/jj-yeich-guides-colts-to-golden-pastures-20130522/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-519ce9af/turbine/jj-yeich-guides-colts-to-golden-pastures-20130522/400/16x9 Whether it’s called a championship, title, crown or gold, West Jessamine has it and district foes East Jessamine, Mercer County and Burgin don’t. That “it” would be the ability to call themselves the 46th District winners, as the Colts baseball team (24-10) can now do after defeating Mercer 5-1 Tuesday. “It’s always been us and Mercer, and since Jeremy (Shope) has been over there, we’ve split districts,” West head coach Jody Hamilton said. “I knew it was going to be a tough game today. I think momentum helps us, and this win right here helps give us more confidence.” The Colts were guided in their win by the pitching of senior Matt Yeich, who struck out 12 Titans in doing his bidding for the win. “I thought Matt did a heck of a job,” Hamilton said. “He came out and from the get-go, he had good stuff. He had to battle through a lot of adversity there in a couple of innings.” Yeich pitched six and two-thirds innings and gave up eight hits and one earned run, the latter of which came in the seventh on a liner to the right-center field. Holding steady with Mercer in a scoreless tie, the Colts’ defense stepped up behind its pitcher. A walk, hit batter and single placed Yeich in an early jam with the bases-loaded. However, the senior shook off the situation by retiring the inning’s final two batters by strikeout, accompanying the inning’s first out. The third provided similar circumstance as two singles and a error placed two runners in scoring position. Yeich, as he did in the second, sat down the middle potion of Mercer’s lineup with consecutive strikeouts. West brought the stalemate to an end in the fourth when a passed ball at the plate scored senior Tyler Adams from third, moments after he swiped the base. The deficit was extended to three in the fifth with a bases- loaded walk scoring sophomore Troy Merida. Troy’s brother and, sophomore, Trey Merida, followed with a two-RBI double, further adding to the lead. A series of successful bunts added to West’s efforts in the sixth as sophomore Josh Blancet scored juniorJustin King, who also reached on a sacrifice bunt that moved eventual scorer Troy Merida over. “We bunted the ball extremely well, which you have to when you get this far along,” Hamilton said. “We had to have it, and they came through.” Sophomore Maxx Mahon entered the game in the seventh with two batters and a run already on the board. After battling with Mercer’ Jon Banks, Mahon forced a flyout that ended the game. “I was proud of our kids,” Hamilton said. “They battled; they finished.” 2013-05-22 08:50:55.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-yeich-guides-colts-to-golden-pastures-20130522,0,2586628.story

jj-easts-bats-sink-lady-colts-to-capture-district-title-20130522 East's bats sink Lady Colts to capture district title May 22, 2013 Two years removed from its last district title, the East Jessamine softball team won backs its hardware over West on Tuesday night. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-519ce7d9/turbine/jj-easts-bats-sink-lady-colts-to-capture-district-title-20130522/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-519ce7d9/turbine/jj-easts-bats-sink-lady-colts-to-capture-district-title-20130522/400/16x9 Two years removed from its last district title, the East Jessamine softball team won backs its hardware over West on Tuesday night. The Lady Jags (24-9), in a similar fashion to how they and West upended district foes to reach the title game, began a hit parade in Mercer County that resulted in a 16-2 win over the Lady Colts (13-22). Batting .642 as a team, East sophomore Sarah Rainwater, junior Haylee Hamm and senior Heather Welch wreaked havoc on the sloppy, rain-soaked outfields. “Hats off to them; they hit everything we threw at them,” West head coach Michelle Baker said. “They were on tonight at the plate.” Rainwater, Hamm and Welch have their confidence at a all-time high, East head coach Tom Hamm said. “Really all the way down the lineup ... they’re just a confident team,” he added. East combined for 17 hits that included two home runs (Welch and Hamm) and five doubles split among Hamm, Welch and Rainwater. Rainwater’s five RBIs led the team, while Hamm followed with four of her own. “We have done literally nothing for the last two weeks except hit ... It’s paying off,” coach Hamm said. On the mound, winning pitcher Haylee Hamm lasted the full five innings, in which time she tossed four strikeouts and walked one batter, on top of her performance on offense. “We just told Haylee, you got to go out and throw the way you have in the past and thrown it this year. If you do that, we’ll be alright,” coach Hamm said. West totaled five hits on the game. Seniors Ashley Brunty and Ali Cox scored the Lady Colts’ two runs. In addition to the hits by the two seniors, senior Alex Huffman, junior Alyson Archer and freshman Taylor Hendrix reached base on hits. “We struggled a little bit at the plate,” Baker said. “We swung at pitches a little bit out of the zone.” Baker said despite having a few balls not turn a double play, as they would in drier conditions, she was pleased with the play of her defense in the loss. “Defensively, I thought we played pretty well,” Baker said. “The balls that they hit that we were able to get to, I thought we made some good plays on; we were able to keep some kids from being in scoring position, which is something we worked on.” Since April 22, West has won 10 of its 16 games, after having won only three prior to that. The late-season shift has given Baker a reason to be optimistic, she said. “We’ve really reached our peak at a good time,” Baker said. “We played well these past few weeks ... so, looking at the teams in our region, it’s luck of the draw at this point, but I feel good about our chances.” For East, the Lady Jags trail 12th Region leader Boyle County in the standings by a single loss, making the two favorites as the region tournament approaches. “Everybody knows that Boyle is the team to beat,” coach Hamm said. “I feel that we’re one of the teams to beat ... we’re playing good ball right now.” 2013-05-22 08:44:14.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-easts-bats-sink-lady-colts-to-capture-district-title-20130522,0,6599576.story

jj-easts-rise-not-deterred-by-loss-20130521 East's rise not deterred by loss May 21, 2013 East Jessamine baseball entered Monday’s 46th District tournament on a six-game winning streak as part of a season of change. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-519bdd9e/turbine/jj-easts-rise-not-deterred-by-loss-20130521/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-519bdd9e/turbine/jj-easts-rise-not-deterred-by-loss-20130521/400/16x9 East Jessamine baseball entered Monday’s 46th District tournament on a six-game winning streak as part of a season of change. The Jaguars and head coach Kevin Clary won 13 games last season and turned that around with a 22-12 record in 2013 that included wins over many of the state’s top teams. Mercer County, riding a four-game winning streak of its own, did little to prevent East from continuing that trek with its early game defense on Monday. Led off in the first inning by senior Forrest Baldwin, the Jags connected for back-to-back singles and a successful bunt to open the game. A double by senior Jacob Overstreet brought in two runs, giving East a 2-0 lead. Damage to the Titans ensued with a RBI single by sophomore Barron Blackford driving in one run and another scoring when Mercer junior catcher Curry Brown called a timeout after the pitching motion had began. “I was really, really excited about the way we started the game,” Clary said. “We came out and jumped on them, 4-0, in the first inning. We played with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, and we were on a roll.” Junior pitcher Conner Lindsay’s pitching gave East a reason to expect to win, as Clary said they were doing approaching the game. “Conner Lindsay gave us a quality start. He’s been our best starter — most consistent starter all year. He gave us a great chance to win and we just picked a bad day to play bad,” Clary said. “He’s real clean with his mechanics ... He’s not a high strikeout guy yet. When he gets more velocity, he will be.” The tide changed for the Titans in the third inning as mishandled balls by East piled up. Mercer used the Jaguars’ misfortune to accrue a four-run inning of its own. “Quite simply, we didn’t catch the baseball in the fourth and fifth innings,” Clary said. “We just picked a bad day to not catch the baseball. I’m sick to my stomach over it. We had a wonderful opportunity to close them out, and we just didn’t do it.” Errors and Titans hits taking wild hops in the Mercer outfield helped pad a lead in the fourth and fifth innings. East junior John Hisle and Baldwin found themselves on the mound in those two innings, and according to Clary, “pitched their tail off.” He added that Baldwin was lights out. Curry Brown made up for his first inning mistake by putting the finishing touches on a Mercer win on a three-run home run in the fifth off Baldwin, that if not for the problematic defense, wouldn’t have had the opportunity to happen. The Jags added a run in the seventh when a passed ball on Baldwin’s hit scored Blackford. “Like I told our players (Monday), we’re not going to let one game define our season. We had tremendous growth this year. We won 13 games last year. This season we came out and won 22. We beat seven or eight teams in the top 25 in the state.” East’s season included wins over frontrunners such as 2012 state champion Woodford County, Harrison County and West Jessamine, along with having no-hitters and near no-hitters by senior Cody Eschrich and Hisle, respectively. “I’m just really proud of them — they’re a joy to coach. They came to practice everyday, they’re hungry to learn, we’re just like one big family,” Clary said. “They never quit playing. I’m pleased with the progress of our program. Our goal is to be a consistent program from year to year and try to sustain grown every year, and never be satisfied.” 2013-05-21 13:47:01.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-easts-rise-not-deterred-by-loss-20130521,0,5209344.story

jj-wests-hamilton-joins-800club-with-shutout-victory-20130521 West's Hamilton joins 800-club with shutout victory May 21, 2013 In a game that sealed his team’s fate for the postseason, West Jessamine baseball head coach Jody Hamilton entered a prestigious club. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-519bbb58/turbine/jj-wests-hamilton-joins-800club-with-shutout-victory-20130521/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-519bbb58/turbine/jj-wests-hamilton-joins-800club-with-shutout-victory-20130521/400/16x9 In a game that sealed his team’s fate for the postseason, West Jessamine baseball head coach Jody Hamilton entered a prestigious club. The Colts (23-10), heavily favored against first round district opponent Burgin, won 15-0 in five innings to earn their 11th-year head coach his 800th all-time victory. “It’s hard to put in words,” Hamilton said after being honored with a plaque on his achievement. “You look back over 31 years and it gets pretty emotional. You look at the great people I’ve met, coaches I’ve coached against and the kids that I’ve coached, the kids that I’ve seen play or coached against; they’re so many things that come back — memories, it’s just fantastic.” Win No. 800 made Hamilton just the seventh coach to enter the Kentucky High School Athletic Association record books for having 800 or more victories. Charlie Adkins, “a good friend” of Hamilton and former Paintsville head coach, was passed earlier this season. Adkins finished his career with a record of 785-316-0. While Hamilton said he couldn’t recall his first win, he said his first tournament win is something that did come to mind. That victory came over Adkins while Hamilton was head coach of Raceland. “We beat him on a three run homer in the championship game... by a freshman,” Hamilton said grinning. Hamilton said although he has seen some bad injuries and unforeseen circumastances occur on the diamond in his time coaching, it’s collectively “been a wonderful, wonderful experience, and I’m glad I get a chance to coach again tomorrow.” West’s win that moved Hamilton and the Colts one step closer to a district crown came with opportunistic batting by the team, which scored 15 runs on 13 hits. Sophomore Joe Ivey started for the Colts, impressing Hamilton with his delivery and command of his off-speed pitching. Ivey pitched three innings, allowing one hit and striking out seven batters. West’s offense was assisted with a game high two RBIs by sophomores Maxx Mahon and Josh Blancet and junior Justin King. “As a whole, I thought we just did a very good job of staying mentally sharp,” Hamilton said. “I’m glad we came out and played the game the right way ... I was proud of our guys, they kept a good attitude and got us to the next day.” The win sets up a rubber match between West and Mercer County in the district championship. “It’s going to be a war, it always is,” Hamilton said. “I feel over the last five or six years our two teams have shown we’re two of the better teams in the region. It’s going to be a heck of a game ... we’ll show up.” 2013-05-21 11:20:56.0 2013-11-20 21:00:00.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-wests-hamilton-joins-800club-with-shutout-victory-20130521,0,6023706.story

jj-no-mercy-in-mercer-east-west-softball-upend-opponents-in-district-play-20130521 No mercy in Mercer: East, West softball upend opponents in district play May 21, 2013 East and West Jessamine softball’s Monday night rout’s have yet again pitted the foes against one another. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-519ba06c/turbine/jj-no-mercy-in-mercer-east-west-softball-upend-opponents-in-district-play-20130521/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-519ba06c/turbine/jj-no-mercy-in-mercer-east-west-softball-upend-opponents-in-district-play-20130521/400/16x9 East and West Jessamine softball’s Monday night rout’s have yet again pitted the foes against one another. The Lady Colts (13-21) opened the 46th District softball tournament with a 17-1 win over Mercer County in five innings. West’s 10-run explosion in the first inning provided the Lady Colts an early opportunity for the onset of the mercy rule with defensive aid. Through the following two innings, the Lady Titans failed to score while West tacked on an additional three runs in the third. Senior pitcher Ashley Brunty went the distance as she allowed four hits and one earned run, which was scored in the bottom of the fourth by Mercer freshman Ashley Hatton on a single to prevent a four-inning mercy rule from going into effect. The Lady Colts went on to add two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings to reach their 17 run total. West’s batting was led by senior Kendall Anderson with three hits, four runs and two RBIs; freshman Samantha Cross with two doubles, two runs and three RBIs; three hits (two doubles) and three RBIs by Brunty; two RBIs, hits and runs by junior Taylor Slone; and the two hits, one run and three RBIs by senior Alex Huffman. Following West’s trampling of Mercer, the Lady Jags (23-9) shutout Burgin for the second time this season by a score of 15-0. “We got done what we needed to do,” East head coach Tom Hamm said. “I wish we could’ve hit a little better; I mean we hit ok, we batted .474.” Sophomore Sarah Rainwater continued her hot hitting at the plate with two home runs that combined for four RBIs. “I think if we can get Rainwater hitting we’ll be alright,” coach Hamm said jokingly. Rainwater’s two additional homers gave her 11 on the season, according to coach Hamm. “She’s seeing the ball good, and she’s swinging good,” he said. The Lady Jags’ 9-19 performance at the plate included four RBIs apiece by sophomore Olivia Day and freshman Allison Schubert, whose triple in the third setup a game-ending 15th run. “If we can hit how we can hit and Haylee (Hamm) throws the way she’s been throwing all year, I think we’ll be alright,” coach Hamm said of the district final against West. “The main thing is you can’t come out over confident. It’s always tough to beat the same team three times.” 2013-05-21 11:22:01.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-no-mercy-in-mercer-east-west-softball-upend-opponents-in-district-play-20130521,0,6402604.story

jj-west-jessamines-wiggins-sets-2a-state-record-in-300meter-hurdles-on-way-to-state-championship-20130517 West Jessamine's Wiggins sets 2A state record in 300-meter hurdles on way to state championship May 17, 2013 Abby Wiggins had a good day Friday. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-5196c4c3/turbine/jj-west-jessamines-wiggins-sets-2a-state-record-in-300meter-hurdles-on-way-to-state-championship-20130517/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5196c4c3/turbine/jj-west-jessamines-wiggins-sets-2a-state-record-in-300meter-hurdles-on-way-to-state-championship-20130517/400/16x9 Abby Wiggins had a good day Friday. Just hours after the defending champion in the 100-meter hurdles set a personal record in that event but came in third, the West Jessamine senior came back even better, setting a new state record as she took the state championship in the 300-meter hurdles in Louisville. Wiggins ran the 300-meter hurdles in 44.77 seconds, almost a half-second better than the four-year-old 2A state record of 45.25. "That's what I've worked for this year — I wanted to win the (300) and get the record, and I knew if I ran like I knew I could, I would get it no problem," Wiggins said moments after seeing her state-record time come up on the scoreboard. Wiggins stayed in front of Central High School's Jaylyn Johnson coming down the stretch toward the finish line; Johnson was the only hurdler who beat Wiggins in the 300-meter event at last year's state championships. Johnson was the winner of the 100-meter hurdles earlier in the day, with North Oldham's Brianne Brown coming in second. Wiggins' third-place time of 15.15 was better than her state-championship time last year of 15.26 and her region-championship time this year of 15.52. "I knew I had to shake it off and move on," Wiggins said. "Coming in, I knew the (300) was going to be my race. I was actually planning more on the (300) — the (100) would have been the icing on the cake, but it didn't happen; I just moved on." 2013-05-17 17:00:44.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-jessamines-wiggins-sets-2a-state-record-in-300meter-hurdles-on-way-to-state-championship-20130517,0,6661880.story

jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-county-competitors-at-2013-2a-state-track-meet-20130517 Photo gallery: Jessamine County competitors at 2013 2A state track meet May 17, 2013 Jessamine County athletes competed in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association's 2A track-and-field state championships at the University of Louisville on Friday, May 17. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5196a2c9/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-county-competitors-at-2013-2a-state-track-meet-20130517/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5196a2c9/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-county-competitors-at-2013-2a-state-track-meet-20130517/400/16x9 Jessamine County athletes competed in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association's 2A track-and-field state championships at the University of Louisville on Friday, May 17. 2013-05-17 17:16:57.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-county-competitors-at-2013-2a-state-track-meet-20130517,0,2773754.photogallery

jj-jessamine-county-results-at-khsaa-2a-state-trackandfield-meet-in-louisville-20130516 Jessamine County results at KHSAA 2A state track-and-field meet in Louisville May 16, 2013 Thirteen athletes from Jessamine County schools are competing in the Kentucky High School Athletic Associations 2A track-and-field state championships Friday. Below are the competitors and their respective events in the order they are scheduled to compete. The Journal will update results throughout the day. Follow @thejj_sports on Twitter for the latest news. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-5196a4cd/turbine/jj-jessamine-county-results-at-khsaa-2a-state-trackandfield-meet-in-louisville-20130516/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5196a4cd/turbine/jj-jessamine-county-results-at-khsaa-2a-state-trackandfield-meet-in-louisville-20130516/400/16x9 Thirteen athletes from Jessamine County schools are competing in the Kentucky High School Athletic Associations 2A track-and-field state championships Friday. Below are the competitors and their respective events in the order they are scheduled to compete. The Journal will update results throughout the day. Follow @thejj_sports on Twitter for the latest news. 2:30 p.m. — boys' shot put • Robbie Irgang — West Jessamine High School — 12th place (43 feet, 10.25 inches) 4 p.m. — boys' triple jump • Noah Daniel, East Jessamine High School — 18th (38 feet, 5.5 inches) • Robbie Irgang, West Jessamine High School — 22nd (37 feet) 4 p.m. — boys' pole vault • Joseph Kang, West Jessamine High School — 10th (11 feet, 0 inches) 4 p.m. — girls' long jump • Megan Voorhees, West Jessamine Middle School — 14th (14 feet, 11.5 inches) 4:25 p.m. — boys' 4x800-meter relay • West Jessamine High School (Isaiah Kang, Gavin Davis, David Keener, Young Koh) — 16th place (8:55.99) 4:50 p.m. — girls' 100-meter hurdles • Abby Wiggins — West Jessamine High School — 3rd place (15.15) 5:45 p.m. — boys' 4x200-meter relay West Jessamine High School (Keith Harmon, Carson Daniel, Robbie Irgang, Ryan Horne) — 14th place (1:36.55) 6:35 p.m. — girls' 400-meter dash • Mallory Osborne — East Jessamine High School — 15th place (1:04.17) 6:55 p.m. — girls' 300-meter hurdles • Abby Wiggins — West Jessamine High School — 2A STATE CHAMPION (44.77 — 2A state record) 7:20 p.m. — boys' 800-meter run • Isaiah Kang — West Jessamine High School — 8th place — 2:01.90 8:30 p.m. — boys' 4x400-meter relay • West Jessamine High School (Carson Daniel, Isaiah Kang, Joseph Kang, Keith Harmon) — 15th place (3:36.76) 2013-05-17 18:05:09.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jessamine-county-results-at-khsaa-2a-state-trackandfield-meet-in-louisville-20130516,0,4297968.story

jj-weekly-roundup-scores-from-51316-20130517 Weekly Roundup: Scores from 5/13-16 May 17, 2013 East Jessamine baseball Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-51963b77/turbine/jj-weekly-roundup-scores-from-51316-20130517/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51963b77/turbine/jj-weekly-roundup-scores-from-51316-20130517/400/16x9 East Jessamine baseball 5/14: W @ George Rogers Clark, 3-0 5/15: W @ Scott County, 5-4 <ul> <li>Pitching: Conner Lindsay (W) 10K in 7.0 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Jacob Burnight (2B); Jacob Overstreet (3 walks); Burnight, Barron Blackford (1 RBI).</li> </ul> 5/16: canceled (rain) @ Anderson County 5/17: @ Pulaski County (7 p.m.) 5/18: vs. Madison Central (12 p.m.) Record to date: 20-11 On the week: 2-0 East Jessamine softball 5/13: W vs. Rockcastle County, 10-0 <ul> <li>Pitching: Haylee Hamm (W) 2 hits, 1 K in 5.0 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Allison Schubert & Sarah Rainwater (2B); 3 run HR by Rainwater (4 RBIs).</li> </ul> 5/14:W @ Western Hills, 15-8 <ul> <li>Pitching: Haylee Hamm (W) 10 hits, 4 K in 7.0 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Allison Schubert & Sarah Rainwater (HR); Katie Fisher (3B).</li> </ul> 5/16: canceled (rain) @ Tates Creek Record to date: 22-9 On the week: 2-0 West Jessamine baseball 5/13: W vs. Garrard County, 5-4 <ul> <li>Pitching: Joe Ivey (W) 3K in 2.0 innings; Jarred Jones had 2K in 5.0 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Troy Merida & Drew Ward (2B); Troy Merida, Trey Merida, Lane Brooks, Tanner Graham (1 RBI). </li> </ul> 5/13: W vs. Garrard County, 6-5 <ul> <li>Pitching: Dakota Greer (W) 3K in 2.0 innings; Matt Yeich had 6K in 5.0 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Troy Merida, Drew Ward, Tucker Greer, Maxx Mahon (1 RBI). </li> </ul> 5/15: W vs. Lincoln County, 7-6 <ul> <li>Pitching: Maxx Mahon (W) 2K in 3.0 innings; Joe Ivey had 1K in 2.1 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Drew Ward, Mahon 3 (2B); Ward 2, Mahon 2, Lane Brooks, Lee Patrick (RBI).</li> </ul> 5/16: canceled (rain) vs. Somerset 5/17: @ McCreary Central (6:30 p.m.) 5/18: @ Rockcastle County (11 a.m.) 5/18: vs. Wayne County (@ Rockcastle Co.) (1:30 p.m.) Record to date: 21-10 On the week: 3-0 West Jessamine softball 5/13: W vs. Lincoln County, 10-8 <ul> <li>Pitching: Ashley Brunty (W) 4K in 7.0 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Taylor Slone 2 (2B); Slone 4, Alyson Archer 2, Samantha Cross, Brunty, Ali Cox, Taylor Hendrix (RBI).</li> </ul> 5/15: W @ Danville, 7-5 <ul> <li>Pitching: Ashley Brunty (W) 3K in 6.0 innings; Kelsey Garrett pitched 1.0 innings. </li> <li>Batting: Taylor Slone 2 (2B); A. Archer, S. Cross 3, Cox, Hendrix (RBI).</li> <li>Lady Colts completed a 3-3-6 triple play between 1B T. Slone and SS A. Archer. </li> </ul> 5/17: @ Somerset (6:30 p.m.) Record to date: 12-20 On the week: 2-0 2013-05-17 07:21:59.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-weekly-roundup-scores-from-51316-20130517,0,7044153.story

cky-kiblers-quarterfinal-showing-highlights-east-west-region-appearances-20130516 Kibler's quarterfinal showing highlights East, West region appearances May 16, 2013 Tennis players from East and West Jessamine schools took to the courts of Shillito Park and Lexington Christian Academy last week where they participated in the 11th Region tournament. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51952ef2/turbine/cky-kiblers-quarterfinal-showing-highlights-east-west-region-appearances-20130516/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51952ef2/turbine/cky-kiblers-quarterfinal-showing-highlights-east-west-region-appearances-20130516/400/16x9 Tennis players from East and West Jessamine schools took to the courts of Shillito Park and Lexington Christian Academy last week where they participated in the 11th Region tournament. East eighth-grader Casey Kibler, the tournament’s No. 8 seed, advanced the furthest of any of the school’s entrants, losing in the third round to LCA’s No. 3 seed, Christen Puckett, 3-6, 3-6. “Her work ethic and drive are such that she has a great tennis career ahead of her,” East coach Vonda Horton said. “I am very proud of her dedication to the game and the hours she plays to master it.” Kibler won her first match by default over West’ Sydney Sampson and followed with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Lexington Catholic’s Ashton Cole that propelled her to the third round. Horton said she sees some of the same qualities in Kibler as she does fifth-grader Katie Turner, who lost her opening match 4-6, 4-6. “I see those same qualities in Katie, so I know that East High tennis has 2 solid up and coming players to build their future teams,” Horton said. East boys’ doubles duo of Timmy Bradshaw and Dale DeVore also made it past first round play. The boys’ team earned a 6-1, 6-4 win over Bryan Station’s doubles team. They lost their second round matchup 0-6, 0-6 to LCA’s combo of Ludt and Slone. “This tennis season has been a challenging one due to the extreme cold later into the year than normal, rain, and very windy days,” Horton said.” “Even with the small amount of court time, I feel our girls played very hard every match and into tournament play.” West’s boys’ entrants, Andrew Monell and Grant Wells, each advanced to their second round matches with tie breaker wins over their opponents. Monell defeated LCA’s Jason Sonday  6-7 (6), 6-4, 11-9, in what boys’ coach Josh Yost called one of his player’s two “gritty” matches. “It was really funny because it was really like watching Andrew play a mirror image of himself,” Yost said. “They both put a lot of balls into play and it was about who could take advantage of the small opportunities they had to try to hit winners.” Wells defeated Dunbar’s Wade Bailey 6-0, 4-6, 10-7, advancing him to the second round. “(Grant) had handled that kid a little bit better in the regular season,” Yost said. “To (his) credit, he stepped up in the second set because Grant was really handling him in the first set. The kid really changed his tactics in the second set and was able to counter Grant’s game a little better.” “In the second round they just ran up against really good player,” Yost said. “Grant had to play the No. 1 seed, who ended up winning the region tournament pretty handily.” Wells fell in the second 0-6, 0-6 to Model’s Gus Benson while Monell lost 3-6, 2-6 to Ryan Crump of Lexington Catholic. According to Yost, such a tournament as region provided him the opportunity to help his players along with the ability to key in on what they’re doing right or wrong, in addition to some having a familiarity with their opponent through regular season meetings. “When it comes to the regional tournament, especially, it’s a different scenario because in the regular season, you know, you’ve got three or four matches going on at the same time so you’re not getting to watch any one kid the entire match,” Yost said. “In the regional tournament you have one, maybe two, kids playing at a time, so you can really zero in on that match and look at the very little things they have to do to win that match. One example was during Andrew’s match, he was coming in toward the net, and instead of coming on in and trying to close those points, he would go back to the baseline.” For the West girls’ team, Emily Ingram advanced beyond the first round with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Lexington Catholic’s Tori Canning. Double’s team Bailey Ludt and Leann Strait also advanced with a 6-1, 6-2 first round win. “I think Emily is a very strong player. However, this season when I put her in the No. 1 singles spot, that intimidated her. And I think it became a mental game for her, even though she has the skills,” girls’ coachKate McKenzie said. “Mentally, she psyched herself out. In the region tournament she was a totally different player. She came out very confident, very commanding on the court, and the other player was having to be defensive.” Ingram, like her doubles teammates, lost in the second round, but McKenzie said she saw many strengths show through despite the losses. 2013-05-16 12:11:23.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/cky-kiblers-quarterfinal-showing-highlights-east-west-region-appearances-20130516,0,3749037.story

jj-jcyflputs-focus-on-fundamentals-20130515 JCYFL puts focus on fundamentals May 15, 2013 More than 70 young athletes sharpened their skills at the first of three free Jessamine County Youth Football League summer camps Monday through Thursday at the youth football field at City-County Park. By Amelia Orwick http://www.trbimg.com/img-5193cc5c/turbine/jj-jcyflputs-focus-on-fundamentals-20130515/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5193cc5c/turbine/jj-jcyflputs-focus-on-fundamentals-20130515/400/16x9 More than 70 young athletes sharpened their skills at the first of three free Jessamine County Youth Football League summer camps Monday through Thursday at the youth football field at City-County Park. Designed to teach the fundamentals of football to children ages 5-12 before the season starts, the camp focused on skills such as blocking, tackling, feet movement and physical conditioning. “It’s for our community,” said Bobby Welch, a coach and organizer. “We’re just trying to educate our youth on the sport of football.” Welch and other JCYF coaches partnered with several West Jessamine High School football players to assist camp participants at five different stations. Two more camps will be held in June and July to re-emphasize and build upon skills developed at the May clinic. Children are welcome to register at any point during the camps. Around 40 children were present at last summer’s final camp, according to JCYFL secretary Amy Roberts, who was pleased to see increased attendance this year. “Basically, this year we’re just trying to really build the league back up and get as many kids involved as we can,” Roberts said. “It had kind of gone downhill for a little bit, and we’re just revamping and trying to get everything going again and back to where it needs to be.”   As part of the effort to revitalize the program, a classroom station was added to this year’s camp to teach younger athletes positions on the field and other football terms.     “We’re doing a little bit of classroom work because we had so many young ones last year,” Welch said. “We’re trying to get more in-depth on the technical training.” Ashley Kirk of Nicholasville watched her son participate in the camp for the third year in a row. “He loves being out there,” Kirk said. “His dad’s a coach. They love the interaction, and it helps get energy out.” The help JCYFL received from volunteers combined with cooperative weather left many feeling optimistic about the camp. “We’ve been here since 8 this morning painting, cleaning and trying to get everything set up,” Welch said. “It’s turned out really good.” 2013-05-15 10:57:23.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jcyflputs-focus-on-fundamentals-20130515,0,6077484.story

jj-east-west-archers-compete-at-nationals-20130515 East, West archers compete at nationals May 15, 2013 Jessamine County archers recently returned from the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Nationals in Louisville with expectation-breaking scores that exceeded those from state. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5193a59e/turbine/jj-east-west-archers-compete-at-nationals-20130515/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5193a59e/turbine/jj-east-west-archers-compete-at-nationals-20130515/400/16x9 Jessamine County archers recently returned from the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Nationals in Louisville with expectation-breaking scores that exceeded those from state. Archery head coach Eric Sowers’ highest team finisher, the Jaguars, shot a 3,227 for a program high. “East definitely, if we can arrange that to happen, may be shooting in the world tournament,” Sowers said. “West, hopefully, if East goes, will get a few slots in.” East sixth-grader Heather Barnes and sophomores Samantha Roddy and Ben O’Connell each shot a 275 or higher to lead the Jaguars on the range. Barnes’ 277 was two points above her nationals qualifying score of 275. Roddy contributed an East high of 280 and O’Connell shot a 275. “I think East exceeded my expectations and my goal for the year,” Sowers said. “We only used one score below a 260 for our teams from East.” Sowers said Heather Barnes was in attendance without her father, who he called her “rock” and was there for her throughout the season. “In the midst of all of that doubt and fear, she rose to the occasion and just did amazing,” Sowers said. “She’s just a brave young woman. She is just doing fantastic.” West’s shooting was once again led by freshman CJ Barnes, who shot a 288, placing him 18th in his grade and 86th overall. He was proceeded in the standings by sophomores Joseph Redmon and Joann Swintosky with their scores of 277 and 269, respectively. Collectively, the Colts shot a 3,194, six points shy of Sowers’ 3,200 team goal. The more than 10,000 archers set a new world record for the tournament. The 2013 NASP World Championship takes place June 28-30 in St. Louis, Mo., at the America’s Center — Edward Jones Dome. 2013-05-15 10:47:11.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-west-archers-compete-at-nationals-20130515,0,2914180.story

jj-east-west-participants-run-jump-to-state-with-region-results-20130515 East, West participants run, jump to state with region results May 15, 2013 East and West Jessamine track and field competitors competed on Saturday in Danville at regional championship. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5193a448/turbine/jj-east-west-participants-run-jump-to-state-with-region-results-20130515/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5193a448/turbine/jj-east-west-participants-run-jump-to-state-with-region-results-20130515/400/16x9 East and West Jessamine track and field competitors competed on Saturday in Danville at regional championship. There, West's Abby Wiggins continued her success as she took home regional champion honors in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles. Robby Irgang's 44' 2.5" in the shot put also earned him the nod as regional champion. Wiggins' scores earned her a spot at the state meet at the University of Louisville on Friday. They will be joined by 10 other Colts who earned spot in either individual or team competitions. East representatives include Mallory Osborne and Noah Daniel, whose time and distance in the 400 meters and triple jump, respectively, earned them a spot at state. State qualifiers are made up of top two from each of the seven regions, in addition to the top-ten at large performances, equaling 24 total competitiors from each event. The only exception to that was the 4x200 meter relay, where a team tied for 10th and final at large bid, allowing 25 teams to qualify. Found below are the region results of East and West track and field competitiors. West Jessamine Abby Wiggins - 100 hurdles: 15.52 (2nd fastest qualifier to state) <ul> <li>300 hurdles: 45.49 for a school and county record (fastest qualifier to state)</li> </ul> Megan Voorhees - long jump: 14' 3.25" (22nd qualifier) Robbie Irgang - shot put: 44' 2.5"  (7th best qualifier to state) <ul> <li>triple jump: 38' 5.5" (19th qualifier)</li> </ul> Joseph Kang - pole vault: 10' 6"  (13th qualifier) Isaiah Kang -  800 meters: 2:04.78 (14th qualifier) Boys' 4x400 relay: 3:40.35 (16th qualifier) - Carson Daniel, Isaiah Kang, Joseph Kang, Keith Harmon Boys' 4x800 relay: 8:45.03 (13th qualifier) - Isaiah Kang, Gavin Davis, David Keener, Young Koh Boys' 4x200 relay tied for 10th, 25th team entered - Keith Harmon, Carson Daniel, Robbie Irgang, Ryan Horn.                          East Jessamine Mallory Osborne - 400 meters: 63.44 (15th qualifier) Noah Daniel - triple jump: 38' 1.5" (22nd qualifier) 2013-05-15 08:04:23.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-west-participants-run-jump-to-state-with-region-results-20130515,0,1111143.story

jj-colts-drama-enough-for-doubleheader-sweep-20130514 Colts drama enough for doubleheader sweep May 14, 2013 West Jessamine baseball has a knack for drama. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51928441/turbine/jj-colts-drama-enough-for-doubleheader-sweep-20130514/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51928441/turbine/jj-colts-drama-enough-for-doubleheader-sweep-20130514/400/16x9 West Jessamine baseball has a knack for drama. Monday’s doubleheader sweep of Garrard County at home featured two wins that came with help from clutch batting in the bottom of the seventh inning. Game one’s 5-4 win came on a single by sophomore Troy Merida that passed beyond the grasp of Garrard’s right fielder, scoring junior Daulton Peters and freshman Tucker Greer. “We finally caught a break,” said West head coach Jody Hamilton. “We have not been catching many breaks lately.” The Colts held a 3-1 lead until the fifth when junior Jarred Jones allowed an RBI single up the middle and a sacrifice fly later in the inning that scored a runner from third. “I don’t think he was overly sharp,” Hamilton said of Jones. “He battled and kept us in the game.” Jones finished his five innings on the mound with two strikeouts and 13 first-pitch strikes. West got on the board in the second with a pitcher’s error moving juniors Drew Ward and Christian Beckley into scoring position after each singled to open the inning. Sophomore Tanner Graham’s groundout was enough to bring in Ward, which was followed by Lane Brooks’ RBI single. An RBI double by sophomore Trey Merida concluded the Colts’ inning run production. “We had some chances to score a few more runs and didn’t get it done,” Hamilton said. “Hopefully that’s going to change with the consistency of games with the weather being the way it is.” Garrard bounced back with opportunistic base running. Golden Lions runners were put in scoring position on consecutive sacrifices that scored sophomore Matt Wilburn from third. Ward led Colts batters with two hits in the game. Hamilton moved him to catcher for his first playing time behind the plate in quite some time due to Beckley’s back injury that is now preventing him from returning to the backstop. “Drew has been a catcher all of his life,” Hamilton said. “He did a great job really considering he hasn’t played there in a while.” West’s game two result was nearly the same with a seventh inning walkoff walk earning the Colts a 7-6 victory. “We had some productive at bats,” Hamilton said. “All the way down through the line up I thought we swung the bat pretty well.” The bottom of the seventh started and ended with work at the plate by the Merida brothers. Trey ledoff the inning with a walk and was moved into scoring position on a successful bunt by senior Tyler Adams. Sophomore Maxx Mahon’s single to left scored Trey from second. Ward followed with a walk that loaded the bases for Troy Merida, who mimicked his brothers at bat with a game-winning walk on four pitches. “We play on the edge pretty much all the time,” Hamilton said, alluding to how West has lost 10 games by a total of 16 runs. Senior Matt Yeich, who Hamilton said looked “sharp,” tossed 38 pitches and earned six strikeouts en route to his team’s win. “We missed a few balls, we didn’t square up and we just barely missed them, I think our hitting is coming. The more we play the better the hitting will be.” Before entering the district tournament, the Colts await games with Lexington Christian Academy on Thursday, McCreary Central on Friday, and a meeting with Wayne County on Saturday. “I think we got to continue to get better,” Hamilton said. “We got to work on some things for postseason, retouch on some things.” 2013-05-14 11:35:27.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colts-drama-enough-for-doubleheader-sweep-20130514,0,6703653.story

jj-running-with-colonels-osborne-declares-for-eku-20130514 Running with Colonels: Osborne declares for EKU May 14, 2013 The passion for furthering her future runs deep for East Jessamine senior Mallory Osborne. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-519260df/turbine/jj-running-with-colonels-osborne-declares-for-eku-20130514/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-519260df/turbine/jj-running-with-colonels-osborne-declares-for-eku-20130514/400/16x9 The passion for furthering her future runs deep for East Jessamine senior Mallory Osborne. Osborne, a state track and field competitor in her time as a Jaguar, signed Tuesday with Eastern Kentucky University, where she will compete in cross country and track and field. Osborne said pursuing a career in occupational therapy was her main goal, and it was when she learned of the EKU athletic programs’ success, she inquired about doing both. “I wanted to pursue my passion in helping people so I decided to go into occupational therapy,” Osborne said. “From there I found out (EKU) had a great track program, and I decided that I wanted to do both.” EKU coaches told Osborne to maintain her high grades and secondarily focus on track, she said. “They knew I was really involved in (occupational therapy) and that was the real reason I was going to Eastern.” In her time at East, Osborne said her coaches have helped push her on and off the track. “They’ve helped me really get involved in track and try to do my hardest and to not give up at the finish line because it’s really hard to stride and everything for a full 400 meters,” Osborne said. While track and field success for Osborne has shown through, competing in both sports provides its own advantages. “It’s a little difficult because there’s a lot more mileage,” Osborne said, “but it really helps in my running because it helps keep up my endurance and stamina.” Osborne’s senior year as a Jag is coming to a close, and with that her path to Eastern is drawing closer, which has her setting goals to maintain good grades in the classroom and shearing seconds on the track. “To get under a minute for the 400 and just push to go further than I’ve already have,” Osborne said of her goals before landing on campus. EKU cross country coach Rick Erdmann was named University Men’s Cross Country Coach-of-the-Year while junior distance runner Soufiane Bouchikhii earned University Men’s Cross Country Athlete-of-the-Year honors at the Kentucky Track and Cross Country Coaches Association awards banquet. The Colonels’ track and field team won six gold medals at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor track and field championships. The EKU women took home gold in events such as the 10,000 meters, 5,000 meters and 400 meters. 2013-05-14 09:07:26.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-running-with-colonels-osborne-declares-for-eku-20130514,0,2497536.story

jj-steven-brooks-golf-pays-off-earns-native-conference-accolades-20130512 'Steven Brooks golf' pays off, earns native conference accolades May 12, 2013 Wilmore native Steven Brooks’ journey to success took some detours, yet through its rough patches, his efforts culminated with a career first on April 30. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-518fc3e8/turbine/jj-steven-brooks-golf-pays-off-earns-native-conference-accolades-20130512/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518fc3e8/turbine/jj-steven-brooks-golf-pays-off-earns-native-conference-accolades-20130512/400/16x9 Wilmore native Steven Brooks’ journey to success took some detours, yet through its rough patches, his efforts culminated with a career first on April 30. A one-time basketball player at West Jessamine High School, Brooks had only dabbled in playing on the grasses of a golf course. His change to a new hobby, however, took a turn when he won the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament on that late April day, claiming the conference player-of-the-year award along the way with his play throughout the season. Brooks’ path after high school led him to Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia. There, Brooks redshirted as a member of the Blue Raiders’ golf team — a position he rarely found playing time. With thoughts of dropping golf lingering in his mind, Brooks soon learned he was an expecting father, which led him back home to Wilmore. Once there, Brooks chose to attend Asbury, where he got on the golf team. Some would have considered him an average player, but with guidance of recent coaching addition Ben Fuqua, Brooks found success in all aspects of his game. “I thought about quitting golf last year,” Brooks said. “It’s actually been pretty tough. The year wasn’t going great, and it ended up that we got a new coach and I got a new jolt in my arm.” Fuqua played collegiate golf at the University of Kentucky and was the state’s 2003 Mr. Golf. According to Fuqua, he and Brooks first met in passing at an initial team meeting, a time he could tell Brooks had potential through the way he carried himself despite not being captain. “I really noticed he had a huge upside,” Fuqua said. “You couple that with his work ethic and you have the making of a true champion.” Mark Perdue, the team’s interim coach prior to Fuqua’s hiring, said Brooks has “turned it on” since working with Fuqua. “Ben’s got his game going in the right direction, and that’s what all golfers need is a good coach to put them in the right direction,” Perdue said. The potential of Brooks with his new found guidance began to show at this season’s Berea Spring Tee-Off at the Battlefield Golf Club. Entering the tournament’s final round, Brooks was sitting on a one-shot lead. Never knowing that particular feeling, Brooks’ next day wasn’t what he would’ve hoped for as he opened with a bogey, par, bogey, double bogey, consequently leading to a second place finish, a career high. “Lesson learned, he didn’t know at the time it was a true learning experience,” Fuqua said. Fuqua’s lessons outside of that match continued to carry Brooks through this season’s play. Prior to the coach and player’s coupling, Brooks said he struggled with smaller aspects fo the game such as connecting for a straight tee shot. Part of Fuqua’s teachings helped Brooks acquire his own pre-shot routine, which led to the creation of “Steven Brooks golf.” “He wasn’t one of these kids who has been mentored since he was at a young age,” Fuqua said. “What I’ve helped him do is help take his natural athletic ability, his competitive spirit, and his love for the game of the golf, and help him structure his time and really manage his game.” That assistance followed with Brooks shooting a round of 67 at the Bluegrass Golf Club — a personal best. “With a kid like that, who if he catches fire, nobody at this level can play with him,” Fuqua said. “As a coach, you just let him play with his mind-set and skills ... He’s going to find that zone.” At the conference tournament, played at Richmond’s Gibson Bay Country Club, Brooks utilized all his recently acquired advice. “The first day, starting the tournament, I felt pressure to play well for my team because I had kind of underachieved since I’d been there,” Brooks said. “I came in with the mindset that I was going to grind as hard as I could no matter what for the (two) days.” Upon completing the tournament’s first round, Brooks found himself in a three-way tie for second, but with a round-two score of 71, he once again was sitting on a lead entering the final day. Now knowing the elation surrounding a round-one lead, Brooks had the chance to battle through potential struggles of holding a final-day lead. On the final day of play, Brooks maintained his lead, shooting some of his best golf as the end drew near. Fuqua said Brooks’ personality off the course matches who he is on the golf course, and that matters during “crunch times.” “Last two holes, he hit three of the best shots I’ve seen him hit all semester,” Fuqua said. His 73 in round three led to a 2-over in the tournament — four shots ahead of second place — earning him a conference championship. Collectively, Asbury shot 73-over, placing them third out of seven teams. Brooks, now the father of a 16-month-old son, said while he did initially have doubts about trying to manage golf and his personal life, winning his first match at the conference tournament “made it all worth it.” “To have something finally pay off really made me feel good,” Brooks said. The first Eagle to qualify for the national tournament, Brooks recently traveled to Salem, Ore., for the NAIA national tournament that began May 14. 2013-05-12 09:30:37.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-steven-brooks-golf-pays-off-earns-native-conference-accolades-20130512,0,6396444.story

jj-girls-on-fire-west-tops-mercer-in-district-action-20130510 Girls on fire: West tops Mercer in district action May 10, 2013 West Jessamine softball’s turnaround continued Thursday with a 3-1 win over district opponent Mercer County. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-518d4572/turbine/jj-girls-on-fire-west-tops-mercer-in-district-action-20130510/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518d4572/turbine/jj-girls-on-fire-west-tops-mercer-in-district-action-20130510/400/16x9 West Jessamine softball’s turnaround continued Thursday with a 3-1 win over district opponent Mercer County. Between collegiate signings and their recent play on the diamond, it’s safe to say these ‘girls are on fire,’ as goes the song by musical artist Alicia Keys (and head coach Michelle Baker). The Lady Colts have emphasized those lyrics as they are riding the momentum of seven wins in their last 11 games heading into the district tournament. “It’s exciting for them,” coach Baker said. “I’m proud of them. They’ve worked really hard here toward the end of the season trying to get ready for the district tournament.” While action in the beginning of Thursday’s win didn’t portray the aforementioned motto, senior pitcherAshley Brunty maintained consistent pitching to prevent Titans batters from duplicating their previous 7-1 win over the Lady Colts. “We played them the first time and made several errors, cost a lot of runs and we weren’t able to hit the ball really well,” coach Baker said. Mercer got on the board in the first inning with crafty base running by senior Taylor Schroeder, who swiped second and sneaked across home on a bunt by McKayla Carter. Brunty followed the run with a walk but rebounded with a forceout at second and an inning-ending groundout to third. Senior Kendall Anderson connected for a double in the bottom of the inning; however, strikeouts by batters in the top and bottom of the lineup were enough to bring any possible scoring to a halt. Mercer held its 1-0 lead through three, at which point the Lady Colts’ bats came alive, producing three runs in the bottom of the fourth to capture the lead. Leadoff freshman batter Samantha Cross drew a walk from Mercer senior pitcher Megan Hilbert. Brunty followed with a double that placed her and Cross in scoring position for senior Ali Cox. Trailing in the count, Cox found a pitch she could connect with, driving it to left-center field to score Brunty and Cross — her first of two hits in the game. With the lead in their possession, the Lady Colts didn’t let up. Cox found a window of time to swipe second base during the at bat of freshman Taylor Hendrix. Junior Taylor Slone lined a Mercer pitch to center, scoring Cox for West’s third and final run of the game. Through the final three innings, Brunty’s pitch repertoire forced opposing batters into seven groundouts en route to her two-hit win. “I think she’s full stride right now,” coach Baker said. “She’s gained confidence here in the last few weeks. Hopefully we can build that this next week heading into the district tournament.” Senior Jessica Baker and junior Alyson Archer also contributed hits in West’s win that was part of its own seven-hit offensive performance that included three doubles and two stolen bases. “(Thursday) we had (seven) hits — that’s decent, one big inning,” coach Baker said. “I told them after the game I’d like to see us hit more consistently throughout the game instead of all in one inning, but you’ll take what you can get.” When district-tournament play arrives May 20, the Lady Colts will be aware of their opponent, the Titans, and what they bring to the diamond in form. “I think it gives us a good opportunity to see what they’ve got. I feel like we’re pretty decently matched,” coach Baker said. “We’ve played what we got and (Mercer head coach Michael Shewmaker) played what he has, so I don’t think either of us are hiding a lot. It’s going to come down to who’s playing the hardest and who makes the least amount of mistakes.” 2013-05-10 12:05:59.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-girls-on-fire-west-tops-mercer-in-district-action-20130510,0,2044385.story

jj-west-softballs-fencetofence-signees-take-colts-moral-to-asbury-20130510 West softball's fence-to-fence signees take Colts morale to Asbury May 10, 2013 The so called “West Way” broadened in meaning Wednesday with a trio of softball talent taking their skills and friendship to Asbury University. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-518d3320/turbine/jj-west-softballs-fencetofence-signees-take-colts-moral-to-asbury-20130510/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518d3320/turbine/jj-west-softballs-fencetofence-signees-take-colts-moral-to-asbury-20130510/400/16x9 The so called “West Way” broadened in meaning Wednesday with a trio of softball talent taking their skills and friendship to Asbury University. From the West Jessamine High School library, senior pitcher Ashley Brunty, catcher Kendall Anderson and outfielder Jessica Baker announced their intentions to take head coach Michelle Baker’s 200 feet of defense to Wilmore. “Getting all three of them is going to be good for that program,” coach Baker said. The girls’ signing came together just recently after the three took their visit to the Asbury campus, where they were quickly offered a scholarship by Eagles softball coach Samantha DeMartine. “I sent them a few places to look at some different things,” coach Baker said. “They had asked me about some colleges and they kept begging me, begging me, ‘Get us a visit at Asbury, get us a visit at Asbury,’ so I called over there, sent them over for a practice and they loved it. The coach loved them and offered them right away.” Best friends and teammates during their four years as Lady Colts, the three girls said having the opportunity to play alongside each other in college played a part in their decision. “Kendall and Ashley are both my best friends, so getting to spend four more years with them is going to mean a lot,” Jessica Baker said. Brunty said the exhausting process was calmed with the opportunity to take the visit with her teammates. “I had looked around a lot and I was getting really frustrated and stressed about where I was going to go,” Brunty said. “I just went and everything felt right, and I think it really felt right because I was with my teammates and the people I loved. “Of course, I focused the most on the academic part, but once I got past that, knowing I was going to get to play with my teammates definitely sold me.” Cohesively, the girls provide the Eagles “three good players,” as coach Baker said, but beyond their on-field familiarity with one another’s games, they have the opportunity to advance their games as Eagles. “Brunty has pitched a majority of the time for me here, just because that’s where I’ve needed her,” coach Baker said. “She has the ability to play infield — she’s a solid third baseman. She’s the hardest worker I have on my team probably.” While Anderson has filled coach Baker’s need at catcher, she is hoping to align herself with Jessica Baker in the outfield. “They have one catcher already, and I think she is a freshman,” Anderson said. “I catch, so it’s going to be pretty even since we split games a lot. I kind of want to switch to the outfield a little bit, too, so we’ll see what happens.” According to coach Baker, that may be what’s best for the exuberant senior. “I felt like that’s probably her best position,” coach Baker said. “I wish I had the chance to get her out there, but I need her where I have her right now for our team.” “She’ll add a lot confidence wise there,” coach Baker said of her role at Asbury. The combination of Anderson’s energy with the mentality of Jessica Baker provides the Eagles with an abundance of new character. “Jessica’s just a gamer. She comes to play every single day,” coach Baker said. “We can be really needing something in the middle of a game and she can produce. She just has the instinct, and the kids will follow her.” The Eagles’ softball team finished its season with an 18-26 record while going 13-13 in Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference action. 2013-05-14 08:35:12.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-softballs-fencetofence-signees-take-colts-moral-to-asbury-20130510,0,5277665.story

jj-a-regional-spin-20130508 A Regional Spin: 11th Region tennis 1st and 2nd round results May 8, 2013 1st round results By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-518a73cb/turbine/jj-a-regional-spin-20130508/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518a73cb/turbine/jj-a-regional-spin-20130508/400/16x9 1st round results Boys’ singles A. Monell (WJ) def. J. Sonday (LCA) 6-7, 6-4, 11-9 G. Wells (WJ) def. W. Bailey (PLD) 6-0, 4-6, 10-7 A. Verlander (BS) def. T. Harper (EJ) 6-3, 6-0 D. Dabney (S) def. W. McDonald (EJ) 6-1, 1-4 Girls’ singles C. Kibler (EJ) def. S. Sampson (WJ) default E. Ingram (WJ) def. T. Canning (LC) 6-2, 6-2 K. Harris (BS) def. K. Turner (EJ) 6-4, 6-4 Boys’ doubles T. Bradshaw/D. DeVore (EJ) def. Lucas/Settles (BS) 6-1, 6-4 Puckett/Bilderback (LCA) def. S. Blue/G. Henson (EJ) 6-1, 6-1 Rodes/True (LC) def. J. Sanders/J. Mansur (WJ) 6-1, 6-4 Siddiqi/Zakhari (PLD) def. J. Bandy/N. Kulaga (WJ) 6-0, 5-7, 10-6 Girls’ doubles B. Ludt/L. Strait (WJ) def. Dattilio/Farah (PLD) 6-1, 6-2 Bardin/King (L) def. L. Mercer/C. Thacker (EJ) 6-1, 6-0 Vanwinkle/Bryan (LC) def. C. Graham/E. Smith (WJ) 6-4, 6-3 2nd round results Boys’ and Girls’ singles Kibler (EJ) def. A. Cole (LC) 6-3, 6-2 H. Frazier (LCA) def. Ingram (WJ) 6-0, 6-0 R. Crump (LC) def. Monell (WJ) 6-3, 6-2 G. Benson (M) def. Wells (WJ) 6-0, 6-0 Boys’ and Girls’ doubles Ludt/Slone (LCA) def. Bradshaw/DeVore (EJ) 6-0, 6-0 Mechas/Mechas (S) def. Ludt/Strait (WJ) 6-1, 6-3 2013-05-08 08:48:21.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-a-regional-spin-20130508,0,2999856.story

jj-wests-kang-wiggins-on-mark-for-region-state-competitions-20130508 West's Kang, Wiggins on mark for region, state competitions May 8, 2013 The make-or-break opportunity for many Jessamine County track and field competitors is approaching with the regional meet set for Saturday at Boyle County. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-518a66a8/turbine/jj-wests-kang-wiggins-on-mark-for-region-state-competitions-20130508/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518a66a8/turbine/jj-wests-kang-wiggins-on-mark-for-region-state-competitions-20130508/400/16x9 The make-or-break opportunity for many Jessamine County track and field competitors is approaching with the regional meet set for Saturday at Boyle County. West Jessamine, which is a part of Class 2A in Region 5, will send about 30 members of its boys’ and girls’ team to compete for their spot at state. The Colts’ head coach, Aaron Ames, said his relay teams have taken great strides since the beginning of the season. “As we were at the beginning of the season, we’re still trying to focus on relays,” Ames said. “Times have been coming down.” Ames said it’s the coaches’ hope that they can qualify all four relay teams — 4x100, 4x200, 4x400 and the 4x800 — adding that they all have the potential to do so. “As it stands right now, the (4x1), 4x4 and 4x8 are in the top 20, which they take 24 schools,” Ames said. “We’ll just need to run a little bit better this Saturday. “(The) 4x2 needs to probably take off about a second to a second and a half to make state, which is definitely a possibility.” Among the boys’ participants, junior Isaiah Kang has broken out for the Colts, displaying the talent that West coaches believed he had prior to the season. “Isaiah is at a place we thought he could be if he worked hard,” Ames said. “He’s been an incredible worker this year and pushed himself to where he’s been.” At the Henry Clay-hosted Heart of the Bluegrass meet, Isaiah ran 2:02.77 in the 800 as a solo participant, the eighth-fastest time recorded in Jessamine County school history. Brother Joseph Kang, a pole vaulter for the Colts, recorded an 11-foot vault that placed him in the state’s top 15 in that category. Ames said he expected each to be able to qualify for the state tournament. Although senior Robby Irgang has found his niche for the team as a shot putter, where he is placed in the state’s top 10, Ames said Irgang recently found success in a new event. “(Robby) has a new event he did for the first time in two years last week in the triple jump, and he has a chance to qualify in that,” Ames said. “He just wanted to see what he could do last week, and he got second in (Central Kentucky) Conference.” The girls’ team is scheduled to run in the 4x400 and 4x800 at Saturday’s region championship. “We’re hopeful for some personal bests this week,” Ames said. In having too few girls, the Lady Colts aren’t expected to have as heavy of a contingent at the state competition in team competitions, according to Ames. Individually, senior Abby Wiggins has maintained her success on the track. At the Heart of the Bluegrass meet, Wiggins set the fastest 300-meter hurdle time in the state and the fourth-fastest 100-meter hurdle time, an event in which she won in the state 2A championship in 2012. Her time in the 300 set a new school and county record. “Abby’s done well. She’s right where she wants to be,” Ames said. Ames said it’s his and and Wiggins hopes to eclipse the 15-second mark, which is a time she has run near all season. He added that with the competition he expects her to compete against, she’ll be running near “some personal bests” at region and state, “so she’ll have a good shot at winning state.” Possibly accompanying Wiggins is eighth-grader Megan Voorhees, whom Ames said needs to add 5 or 6 inches to her long jump to potentially qualify for state. Ames said she has achieved her goal for that andthe triple jump in practice but has come up short in competition. The state track and field meet is set for Friday, May 17, at the University of Louisville’s Cardinal Park Soccer and Track Stadium. 2013-05-08 07:51:57.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-wests-kang-wiggins-on-mark-for-region-state-competitions-20130508,0,2314144.story

jj-ejms-trailblazing-en-route-to-state-track-meet-20130508 EJMS trailblazing en route to state track meet May 8, 2013 East Jessamine Middle School’s track and field team set four records at the Tates Creek Invitational on Friday, April 26. By Cindy Reilly http://www.trbimg.com/img-518a6d7d/turbine/jj-ejms-trailblazing-en-route-to-state-track-meet-20130508/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518a6d7d/turbine/jj-ejms-trailblazing-en-route-to-state-track-meet-20130508/400/16x9 East Jessamine Middle School’s track and field team set four records at the Tates Creek Invitational on Friday, April 26. Head coach Jacob Kraschnewski, along with assistant coach Ben Rugg, have led the boys’ team to a  first place finish in three large meets this year, and had a strong showing of fifth place (out of 20 teams) at the annual Tates Creek meet. The boys’ 4x400 meter relay team set a state best and meet record of 4.57, breaking the meet record by four seconds. The team consisted of seventh-graders Austin Yates and John Beeghley, in addition to eighth-graders Mark Markovich and Mikah Bailey. “The Tates Creek meet really gave us an idea of what competition is like state wide this year,” Kraschnewski said. “I’m very proud of both are girls and our boys track team, they had an excellent showing overall.” Bailey set a meet record in the boys’ 400-meter dash with a time of 55.06. Markovich tied the meet record for high jump with a jump of 5 feet, 8 inches, maintaining his spot atop the state’s record books. East’s boys’ have also won Model Middle School All-Comers, Caudill Middle School five field event, and the West Jessamine Middle School All-Comers meet. “Our boys team has really worked hard this year and we expect an excellent performance at the Kentucky State Track Meet at the University of Louisville on May 25,” Kraschnewski said. Seventh-grader Jade Jenkins set the meet record for the girls’ turbo javelin while improving on her state’s best, with a throw of 80 feet, 8 inches. “The girls’ team has been battling numerous injuries but I’ve seen major improvement over the season, we just need a bit more depth,” Kraschnewski said. “Overall, as a first year coach I’ve been very impressed with both team’s performances this year.” 2013-05-08 08:23:37.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-ejms-trailblazing-en-route-to-state-track-meet-20130508,0,365874.story

jj-wests-wright-to-host-tough-as-nails-soccer-academy-20130506 West's Wright to host 'Tough As Nails' soccer academy May 6, 2013 West Jessamine girls’ soccer coach Kevin Wright is giving local youth an opportunity to learn the game just as his several championship clubs have throughout the years. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-518800b2/turbine/jj-wests-wright-to-host-tough-as-nails-soccer-academy-20130506/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-518800b2/turbine/jj-wests-wright-to-host-tough-as-nails-soccer-academy-20130506/400/16x9 West Jessamine girls’ soccer coach Kevin Wright is giving local youth an opportunity to learn the game just as his several championship clubs have throughout the years. On June 10-13 and/or June 17-20 (6-8 p.m.), Wright is hosting the Tough As Nails soccer camp for inviduals and teams consisting of boys and girls ages 4-14. The camp will be held at the Southland Christian Church soccer field on the Harrodsburg Road Campus. “I just like to see the development of soccer in Jessamine County and the surrounding counties,” Wright said. “You’re going to feel a lot better and enjoy the game a lot more when train and you work and practice.” Each of the camp’s sessions cost $65 and include a camp t-shirt. Participants can expect to be trained in areas such as ball control skills and technical training, heading and shooting, dribbling, passing and receiving, goalkeeping, and team play and formation. Wright, a four-year starter as goalkeeper at Asbury College, has six region championships to his credit between his time at Montgomery County High School and West. His coaching staff at the camp consists of Lexington FC Academy girls’ coach Kerry Cook and Lady Colts assistant Lewis Hale. “My proven track record is development,” Wright said. “Developing kids; just all facets of the game and knowing how to train them, making it fun for them.” Required equipment includes gloves (goalkeepers), water, a ball, cleats and shin guards. Application forms can be obtained by reaching Wright via email at kevin.wright@jessamine.kyschools.us. 2013-05-06 12:11:21.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-wests-wright-to-host-tough-as-nails-soccer-academy-20130506,0,6330595.story

jj-photo-gallery-east-welch-defeat-rival-west-in-rematch-20130506 Photo gallery: East, Welch defeat rival West in rematch May 6, 2013 Led by senior Heather Welch's first career home run, the East Jessamine Lady Jaguars defeated rival West Jessamine for the second time this season. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5187c1bb/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-welch-defeat-rival-west-in-rematch-20130506/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5187c1bb/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-welch-defeat-rival-west-in-rematch-20130506/400/16x9 Led by senior Heather Welch's first career home run, the East Jessamine Lady Jaguars defeated rival West Jessamine for the second time this season. 2013-05-06 07:44:27.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-welch-defeat-rival-west-in-rematch-20130506,0,6071643.photogallery

jj-east-rides-welchs-first-homer-to-40-victory-over-west-20130503 East Jessamine rides Welch's first homer to 4-0 victory over West May 3, 2013 In a game featuring two rivals looking to identify their post-season paths, East Jessamine softball came up with the big hits to defeat West 4-0 on Friday. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51845b3c/turbine/jj-east-rides-welchs-first-homer-to-40-victory-over-west-20130503/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51845b3c/turbine/jj-east-rides-welchs-first-homer-to-40-victory-over-west-20130503/400/16x9 In a game featuring two rivals looking to identify their post-season paths, East Jessamine softball came up with the big hits to defeat West 4-0 on Friday. Each team struggled to piece together anything offensively in the first and second innings, earning West senior Ashley Brunty one strikeout and East junior Haylee Hamm two strikeouts early in the game. In the top of the third, sophomore Olivia Day connected with a Brunty pitch, sending it to the outfield long enough to give her a double. The Lady Jags’ bats followed with two flyouts that were stalled in the game’s strong winds. Senior Heather Welch, with Day now at third, connected with a 1-1 Brunty offering, sending it just above the outfield fence for her first career home run, giving East a 2-0 lead. “Heather’s home run — that was big, that was two RBIs,” East head coach Tom Hamm said. “She’s hitting the ball well. She had a key hit (Thursday) (against Mercer).” The Lady Jags made quick work of the Lady Colts in the bottom of the frame as junior Alyson Archer’s fly ball to center was fielded by sophomore Sarah Rainwater, who caught senior Alex Huffman near second, completing an inning-ending double play. “It’s hard to get shot to the outfield with Rainwater out there,” West head coach Michelle Baker said. “It’s hard to score on those blooper hits with her out there, too.” West’s bats began to come together in the fourth as Brunty and senior Ali Cox reached on singles, but its efforts were halted with flyouts that also ended the ensuing fifth, sixth and seventh innings. The Lady Jags struck again in the sixth, padding their lead on RBIs by Haylee Hamm and freshman Allison Schubert. Junior Katie Fisher opened the inning with a single and was replaced by sixth-grade pinch runner Brylee Hage. Hage was able to cross home on an RBI double by Hamm, whose nab of second came on an errant throw to second base. Schubert scored sophomore pinch runner Genesis Robinson from second to give East a 4-0 lead the would hold to the end. Cox and freshman Samantha Cross singled in the bottom of the sixth, but the Lady Colts were again prevented from touching home. Hamm closed the game by forcing a groundout and consecutive popouts that gave East a win and the No. 1 seed in the district tournament. “I thought it was a good win. It pretty much sealed up the No. 1 seed in the district, so that was a positive,” coach Hamm said. “I thought our batters are still a little sluggish. We batted .200, went 5-25, so that’s not great.” Coach Hamm said his defense played great but his bats need to improve, mainly by getting their confidence up. For the home team, West, head coach Michelle Baker said she was pleased with their performance in spite of the loss. “Of course, you always want to win, but after the first outing we had against East, I thought we hit the ball extremely well tonight with Haylee on the mound,” Baker said. “We didn’t really bunt well this game, and that’s something we’re pretty decent at and can help us a little bit. “We were hitting the ball decently well tonight, so I was just going to let us swing it and see if we could drop a few in.” West’s fate remains with Mercer County, which the Lady Colts play Thursday, May 9, in their last district game of the season. The results of that game will divvy up the district’s No. 2 and 3 seeds. 2013-05-03 19:11:09.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-rides-welchs-first-homer-to-40-victory-over-west-20130503,0,3386942.story

jj-east-boys-tennis-edges-danville-20130503 East boys' tennis edges Danville May 3, 2013 East boys' tennis took a 5-4 win over Danville in its last match of the regular season on Wednesday. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5183ef44/turbine/jj-east-boys-tennis-edges-danville-20130503/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5183ef44/turbine/jj-east-boys-tennis-edges-danville-20130503/400/16x9 East boys' tennis took a 5-4 win over Danville in its last match of the regular season on Wednesday. While Jaguars top seed Taylor Harper fell 8-5 to Danville's Sam Welch, its remaining singles contenders claimed wins to supercede a sweep in doubles play. East boys' and girls' tennis next play Monday in the district tournament at Shilito Park in Lexington. Singles No. 1 Sam Welch (Dan.) def. Taylor Harper (EJ); 8-5 No. 2 Wyatt McDonald (EJ) def. Josh Joiner (Dan.); 9-7 No. 3 Timmy Bradshaw (EJ) def. Michael McChesney (Dan.); 8-2 No. 4 Sumner Blue (EJ) def. Michael Graves (Dan.); 8-5 No. 5 Zach Bruner (EJ) def. Johnathan Duvall (Dan.); 8-6 No. 6 Glenn Henson (EJ) def. Jimmy Weaver (Dan.); 8-2 Doubles No. 1 Welch/ Joiner (Dan.) def. Harper/ McDonald (EJ); 8-5 No. 2 McChesney/ Graves (Dan.) def. Blue/ Bruner (EJ); 8-5 No. 3 Duvall/ Weaver (Dan.) def. Bradshaw/ Will Prince (EJ); 8-4 2013-05-03 10:08:01.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-boys-tennis-edges-danville-20130503,0,1988900.story

jj-brown-daily-sign-lay-groundwork-for-future-colleges-20130502 Brown, Daily sign, lay groundwork for future colleges May 2, 2013 West Jessamine boys’ soccer lost two of its top players Wednesday as seniors Sam Brown and Logan Daily signed their college letters of intent. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5182a91a/turbine/jj-brown-daily-sign-lay-groundwork-for-future-colleges-20130502/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5182a91a/turbine/jj-brown-daily-sign-lay-groundwork-for-future-colleges-20130502/400/16x9 West Jessamine boys’ soccer lost two of its top players Wednesday as seniors Sam Brown and Logan Daily signed their college letters of intent. Brown, who scored 12 goals for the 14-11-1 Colts in 2012, signed his name to play at Anderson University (S.C.) while teammate Daily, who scored 18 to lead the team, signed with Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, W. Va. Head coach Brock Sutherland said he “was fortunate enough to be their first traveling soccer coach” with the Lexington Futbol Club, where each played until this season. According to Sutherland, when laying out a plan for a college coach, he envisions Brown and Daily as two players he would build a program around, albeit with different styles. “They both lead in different ways,” Sutherland said. Sutherland said he told Alderson-Broaddus head coach Dan Kelly that he would build the Battlers around Daily due to his “energy” and “excitement for life.” “He’s not the biggest of players, but he’s crafty and smart,” Sutherland said of Daily. Brown is more about using his strength, Sutherland said, which helped him on the pitch and in obtaining “guaranteed” playing time at Anderson in Anderson, S.C. While on the road with their club team in Raleigh, N.C., Brown was contacted by Anderson, who was inquiring about a visit. “Anderson University, where I’m signing, contacted me multiple times ... it felt like where home was,” Brown said. Brown said he was widely accepted on his visit, helping confirm his decision to attend Anderson. Brown had offers from schools from Division I to Division III, but the notion that he could play immediately was the largest draw for the Jessamine County native who has played the sport for much of his life. “It had a factor,” Brown said. “Soccer, of course, means a lot to me. I’ve never really not played, so playing time as a freshman was a big factor.” However, Brown felt pressure weighing him down during the 2012 season, Sutherland said. “Sam felt at the beginning of the season like there was all this pressure on him because he was a senior,” Sutherland said. “He had looked at other schools but he hadn’t been offered anything, and he was kind of getting disappointed early in the season.” Sutherland said he told Brown “it will all fall into place at the right time.” “He was worried because the other guys his age at other schools had already signed and committed to play places after their junior year,” Sutherland said. Likewise, teammate Logan Daily had already begun making his rounds at larger universities where he would possibly major in pre-law or pharmacy when Sutherland contacted Kelly at his alma mater. “I’ve been playing soccer my whole life. I guess I didn’t want to quit,” Daily said. “I wasn’t planning on playing college soccer; I wasn’t really pursuing it real hard. I didn’t visit too many colleges for anything other than academics.” During his visit, Daily had the opportunity to train with the team, displaying his skills to Kelly. “The coach said he really liked the way I played and I ended up liking the team — the comradery was great,” Daily said. “I just fell in love. They just ended up giving me the best package deal.” After having taken his visit, Daily said it was his sister who helped convince him he needed to take his offer to play collegiate soccer. “My sister really pressured me to become a student athlete,” Daily said. “She’s done it, and it’s really paying off in her job search with application and whatnot. I love the game and couldn’t do anything without it.” The Battlers, a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, finished the 2012 season with a 5-9 overall record and a 3-6 conference record. Brown’s Anderson Trojans finished record season with a 6-10-4 record and a 4-4-1 record in South Atlantic Conference play. 2013-05-03 11:51:21.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-brown-daily-sign-lay-groundwork-for-future-colleges-20130502,0,888815.story

jj-photo-gallery-east-west-spring-scrimmages-20130502 Photo gallery: East & West spring scrimmages May 2, 2013 East and West Jessamine took to the practice field Friday, April 26, to play its respective spring scrimmages that concludes each teams allotted practice days. http://www.trbimg.com/img-51827698/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-west-spring-scrimmages-20130502/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51827698/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-west-spring-scrimmages-20130502/400/16x9 East and West Jessamine took to the practice field Friday, April 26, to play its respective spring scrimmages that concludes each teams allotted practice days. 2013-05-02 07:20:39.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-west-spring-scrimmages-20130502,0,6227689.photogallery

jj-best-friends-hahn-howard-stay-true-to-home-20130501 Best friends Hahn, Howard stay true to home May 1, 2013 Jessamine County athletes continue to flock to Asbury University as the Eagles girls’ soccer program gained the commitments of two Lady Colts on Tuesday. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51812b41/turbine/jj-best-friends-hahn-howard-stay-true-to-home-20130501/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51812b41/turbine/jj-best-friends-hahn-howard-stay-true-to-home-20130501/400/16x9 Jessamine County athletes continue to flock to Asbury University as the Eagles girls’ soccer program gained the commitments of two Lady Colts on Tuesday. In the West Jessamine library, seniors Toria Howard and Maddye Hahn signed their letters of intent to Asbury in the presence of friends and family after school. West girls’ soccer head coach Kevin Wright told the crowd how vital the two were to the success of the Lady Colts during their high-school careers. “Being a winner and just being a leader like they are just doesn’t happen by chance,” Wright said. “All of their hard work, their attitude, effort and desire — they just want to be the best, and they do that on and off the field.” While under the tutelage of Wright, who has coached the pair since they were in middle school, Hahn and Howard have been a part of many individual and team accomplishments. In addition to being three-year starters, both were on the all-state team, a part of two regional championships, and members of the 2011 West state-semifinals team. “Both of their families have been big parts of our program and helped us in all our successes,” Wright said. “They would do anything for the program, and that’s kind of what their kids are like.” According to Hahn and Howard, it was important to play together despite having offers from the likes of Kentucky, Morehead State and Transylvania because they have been best friends since preschool. “It’s good to keep on graduating together,” Howard said. Howard, whom Wright called a playmaker for the Lady Colts, said Asbury’s distance to home and religious ties helped sway her to the Eagles. “I just wanted to go to a smaller school that had a nice spiritual aspect where I could go to church every week,” Howard said. For Hahn, it helped that Asbury is “literally” in her backyard. But, beyond that, her aspirations of becoming a teacher was a big plus for Asbury. “I really wanted to be an elementary education teacher, so that helped,” Hahn said. “I fell in love with Asbury when I went and visited.” Hahn and Howard are heading to a team that finished the 2012 season with a 5-12-1 record while going 3-3-0 in Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. Asbury defeated Midway College 5-0 in the first round of the conference tournament but was topped 1-0 by Carlow University in the second round on Nov. 6. “They’ll do a good job over there,” Wright said. “They’ll be a big plus for Asbury.” 2013-05-01 07:47:02.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-best-friends-hahn-howard-stay-true-to-home-20130501,0,7869418.story

jj-colts-edge-mercer-in-heated-district-affair-20130501 Colts edge Mercer in heated district affair May 1, 2013 There was tension at the plate and in the stands Tuesday as West Jessamine baseball earned a 2-1 victory over district foe Mercer County, obtaining a bye in the opening round of the 12th Region tournament. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51812923/turbine/jj-colts-edge-mercer-in-heated-district-affair-20130501/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51812923/turbine/jj-colts-edge-mercer-in-heated-district-affair-20130501/400/16x9 There was tension at the plate and in the stands Tuesday as West Jessamine baseball earned a 2-1 victory over district foe Mercer County, obtaining a bye in the opening round of the 12th Region tournament. “It’s a great win,” said West head coach Jody Hamilton. “It virtually means we got a chance to go to the region ... to sit and wait to see who we play the next day (as the No. 1 seed)." The Colts, who have recently been bringing their best stuff to the mound, needed three pitchers to get the job done against the Titans despite holding them to one run. Sophomore Maxx Mahon started, showing signs of what he produced in recent wins but struggled to find the strike zone. “He battled and made some good pitches in the (first, second and fourth innings),” Hamilton said. In that time, the Colts earned a 1-0 lead on a groundout by junior Jake Purkins that scored sophomore Trey Merida from third base in the third inning. Mahon’s pitch count at the top of the fifth had approached 70, which has been his limit on the season, leading to junior Dakota Greer entering the game in his favor. “We haven’t really gone past 70 pitches with (Mahon) this year, and we’ll let him build in to that as we go,” Hamilton said. Mahon exited the game with two strikeouts, three hits allowed and two walks. Prior to Mahon’s exit, West junior Drew Ward nearly padded the lead in the fourth but was tagged out diving into home following junior Daulton Peters’ flyout to center. Neither team could get anything going in the fifth with the Colts restraining the Titans’ speedy pinch runners. However, Greer found himself in a sixth-inning jam with the bases loaded due to two singles and a walk. An RBI on a groundout led to Mercer’s one and only run of the game, along with Greer’s exit. Junior Jarred Jones entered before the top of the sixth came to a close, finishing off remaining batters to maintain the 1-1 tie. Momentum for the Colts was gathered in the bottom of the inning with junior Justin King getting hit by a pitch after he and Mercer junior pitcher Jacob Long were warned about their bickering due to Long’s claims that King was too close to the plate. King backed his cause by consequently stealing second and third base, setting him up to score on the go-ahead run hit by Ward on a laser to center. Jones’ pitching in the top of the seventh was too much for the Titans as he struck out the inning’s first two batters. Mercer’s last opportunity grounded to senior shortstop Tyler Adams, whose rocketed throw to first narrowly beat the batter to first, earning Jones a win. “Jarred came in and was fanatastic — slammed the door,” Hamilton said. “Just what we need a guy to do.” West finished the game with six hits, and more importantly to Hamilton, seven strikeouts, something he said they just can’t do. “We definitely struck out too many times,” Hamilton said. “To be the team we’re capable of being, we’re going to have to put the ball in play more. We run well, so strikeouts do not help us.” 2013-05-01 07:38:08.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colts-edge-mercer-in-heated-district-affair-20130501,0,6479328.story

jj-west-baseball-tops-mercer-in-district-battle-20130430 West baseball tops Mercer in district battle April 30, 2013 West Jessamine and its pitching knocked off district foe Mercer County 2-1 on Tuesday. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51808594/turbine/jj-west-baseball-tops-mercer-in-district-battle-20130430/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51808594/turbine/jj-west-baseball-tops-mercer-in-district-battle-20130430/400/16x9 West Jessamine and its pitching knocked off district foe Mercer County 2-1 on Tuesday. The district battle was full of drama with an error in the seventh placing a Titans batter on second while they were facing two outs. Junior Jarred Jones sealed the victory when forcing a groundout to senior short stop Tyler Adams, whose throw barely beat the runner to first. The Colts two RBIs came from juniors Jake Purkins and Drew Ward. Ward's single in the bottom of the sixth scored King from third base after he had swiped it and second en route to scoring. West travels to Somerset Wednesday for a 5:30 p.m. meeting with its 12th region counterpart. Full story coming on Wednesday   2013-04-30 20:00:03.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-baseball-tops-mercer-in-district-battle-20130430,0,3430169.story

jj-west-boys-tennis-sweeps-east-20130430 West boys' tennis sweeps East April 30, 2013 West Jessamine boys' tennis defeated rival East Jessamine on Monday by sweeping the Jaguars in singles and doubles play. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-51800331/turbine/jj-west-boys-tennis-sweeps-east-20130430/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51800331/turbine/jj-west-boys-tennis-sweeps-east-20130430/400/16x9 West Jessamine boys' tennis defeated rival East Jessamine on Monday by sweeping the Jaguars in singles and doubles play. The win moves West's record to 6-4 ahead of their regular season finale Wednesday against Lexington Catholic at home. With their sixth consecutive year of defeating the Jags, West sealed their sixth straight winning season. Singles No. 1 Andrew Monell (WJ) def. Taylor Harper 6-1, 6-4 No. 2 Grant Wells (WJ) def. Wyatt McDonald 6-2, 6-0 No. 3 Isaac Horne (WJ) def. Glen Henson 7-6, 6-1   Doubles No. 1 Justin Sanders/Joel Mansur (WJ) def. Sumner Blue/Timmy Bradshaw 7-6, 6-1 No. 2 Jack Bandy/Nick Kulaga (WJ) def. Dale DeVore/Zach Bruner 6-3, 7-5   2013-04-30 10:44:10.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-boys-tennis-sweeps-east-20130430,0,2523702.story

jj-despite-early-baby-steps-colts-football-growing-in-spring-20130429 Despite early 'baby steps,' Colts football growing in spring April 29, 2013 Playing for a NCAA Division I-AA football program has its perks, some of which are translating to the football field at West Jessamine High School. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-517e9e22/turbine/jj-despite-early-baby-steps-colts-football-growing-in-spring-20130429/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517e9e22/turbine/jj-despite-early-baby-steps-colts-football-growing-in-spring-20130429/400/16x9 Playing for a NCAA Division I-AA football program has its perks, some of which are translating to the football field at West Jessamine High School. One-time offensive and defensive coordinator Yancey Marcum, entering his first season as head coach of the Colts, is using connections from his alma mater, Youngstown State, to help take his team beyond where they’ve recently been. Last season, West’s defense allowed the fourth-most points in class 5A with 426 given up on the season. However, ties to Purdue defensive backs coach Jon Heacock, Marcum’s head coach when he played at Youngstown, have aided in his transition to a new defense for the Colts under his reign. According to Marcum, the defense is the same as what Purdue runs: an under front, a two-safety look with a lot of split defense that will include running multiple coverages behind the line. “We’ve been teaching it all winter to our staff,” Marcum said. “Got them up there (to Purdue) and let them see guys at the higher level do it, and we’re going to transfer it to our kids.” Marcum acknowledged that it would be a tough transition given that his team has run a cover-three defense in the time since his move out of the defensive-coordinator position four seasons ago. Juniors Carter Hahn and Justin King were tabbed by Marcum as the two safeties who will be in charge of commanding the team’s defensive backfield. Offensively, the Colts will stick with their bread and butter: a power-style running game, aka “big boy ball,” as Marcum said it’s called. Although, unlike last season, Marcum said he has seen growth from his quarterbacks that will allow the 2012 leading rusher in the state, junior running back Devin Taylor, to potentially not have to carry the entire load on offense. Making note of Taylor’s estimated 30 carries per game, Marcum said, “The growth we’ve seen at quarterback and being able to throw the big ball ... we got some weapons.” Unlike in past seasons, the Colts now have a large enough coaching staff that the offense gains the attention it needs, leading to the improvements of sophomore quarterback Jackson Pearce, the “obvious” choice for the quarterback heading into the fall. “He’s started from really ground zero this spring,” Marcum said. Pearce’s ability to run makes him fit Marcum’s offensive scheme, but his knack for passing adds a wrinkle to the Colts’ offense. He was able to improve his passing through working with former second round NFL draft pick, and Louisville Cardinals quarterback, Browning Nagle, who he worked with via a connection toa family friend. “He’s throwing a big ball that’s really nice,” Marcum said. Blocking for Taylor and Pearce was Marcum’s main concern once the first few days of practice began as it took “baby steps early on” to help guide his offensive line through the motions of blocking. “I was pretty stressed out because after those first two or three days I got guys pulling to the right when they should’ve been pulling to the left,” Marcum said. Since that time, Marcum has found that players such as sophomore Conner Welch and James Mason, along with freshmen Daniel Weigle and Colby Canter, have fit their role much better after seeing tape showing linemen properly doing moves. “We got a chance to have an outstanding line,” Marcum said. Despite how things started for his team during the spring, Marcum believes his Colts have come a long way since the opening days of practice. “We’re pretty good,” Marcum said. “They’re learning how to compete every day at the highest level that they can. That was a foreign concept to them at the beginning.” West wrapped up spring practice with its intrasquad scrimmage Friday. According to Marcum, Taylor had five touchdown runs of 60 or more yards. Pearce threw for about 250 yards and junior Carson Ball threw for about 125. Wideout Carter Hahn had touchdown receptions of 25 and 70 yards, in addition to 40-plus yard touchdown receptions by juniors Blake Hammond, Hayden Keeton and Ian Kossick. 2013-04-29 10:25:43.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-despite-early-baby-steps-colts-football-growing-in-spring-20130429,0,453749.story

jj-recent-rhythm-leads-lady-colts-to-win-over-garrard-20130427 Recent rhythm leads Lady Colts to win over Garrard April 27, 2013 Nearly month and a half ago, West Jessamine softball opened its season with a nine error, seven-run loss to Garrard County, setting the tone for a 1-9 record through the season's first 10 games. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-517c0e98/turbine/jj-recent-rhythm-leads-lady-colts-to-win-over-garrard-20130427/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517c0e98/turbine/jj-recent-rhythm-leads-lady-colts-to-win-over-garrard-20130427/400/16x9 Nearly month and a half ago, West Jessamine softball opened its season with a nine error, seven-run loss to Garrard County, setting the tone for a 1-9 record through the season's first 10 games. Saturday, facing Garrard once again — this time in the Jaguars Classic at East Jessamine — the Lady Colts used momentum from consecutive victories (only time of the season) to outlast the Lady Lions 8-2. "I thought overall it was a good team win," said West head coach Michelle Baker. "These past few games our defense has been pretty solid and we've had pretty good days at the plate." Through one inning, West and Garrard were locked in a 0-0 tie, but in the bottom of the second, the Lady Colts surged to take a 3-0 lead. Headed by senior Ashley's Brunty's leadoff double off the top of the fence, momentum swept through the Lady Colts' dugout. Her double was followed by five straight batters who were able to reach base. Following the single of senior Ali Cox, freshman Taylor Hendrix found a gap to reach on an RBI single. The Lady Colts then had junior Taylor Slone reach on a walk, leading to back-to-back RBIs by seniors Jessica Baker and Alex Huffman. With the third resulting in another stalemate at the plate, it took the fourth inning to provide each team the opportunity to breakout, reaching their final of 8-2 with the fifth and sixth displaying improved defense by West. In the top of the fourth, a double by Garrard freshman Kenlea Norton, and ensuing passed ball in center field, allowed two runners to cross home plate, cutting the Lady Colts' lead to one. However, in the bottom of the inning they broke out the bats once again, tacking on five more runs. In the inning, Huffman collected her second RBI on a double — a near replica of Brunty's earlier home run miss. Brunty, who singled, also earned an RBI, in addition to that of Hendrix's, which was the final run of the game.  Two Garrard errors helped the Lady Colts add two more runs in the midst of their big fourth inning. On the mound, Brunty gave up four hits while also striking out four Lady Lions. Brunty, Cox and senior Jessica Baker all had two hits in the win that moved West softball to 6-16 on the season. 2013-04-29 12:02:04.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-recent-rhythm-leads-lady-colts-to-win-over-garrard-20130427,0,7092890.story

jj-lackadaisical-lady-jags-fend-off-knights-for-54-win-20130426 Lackadaisical Lady Jags finish even in Jaguars Classic April 26, 2013 East Jessamine softball’s win on Friday didn’t come easy. As a matter of fact, the reaction of the Lady Jags might have led you to believe they lost. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-517ebf32/turbine/jj-lackadaisical-lady-jags-fend-off-knights-for-54-win-20130426/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517ebf32/turbine/jj-lackadaisical-lady-jags-fend-off-knights-for-54-win-20130426/400/16x9 East Jessamine softball’s win on Friday didn’t come easy. As a matter of fact, the reaction of the Lady Jags might have led you to believe they lost. East, which won 5-4 over Lexington Catholic in the opening game of the Jaguars Classic, didn’t play with focus, according to head coach Tom Hamm. The Lady Jags put the first runs of the game on the scoreboard in the third inning with a passed ball and the bat of freshman Allison Schubert leading the way. Senior Heather Welch and junior Katie Fischer opened the third with back-to-back singles. Sophomore Genesis Robinson, running for Fischer, stole second during sophomore Sarah Rainwater’s at bat, placing two runners in scoring position. Moments later, a passed ball during the at bat of junior Haylee Hamm scored Welch from third. Hamm flew out, leading to Schubert’s plate attempt and ensuing RBI double. East went deep quickly and often during the top of the fifth with Fischer and Hamm hitting the fence on doubles in addition to Rainwater connecting for a home run, putting the Lady Jags up 4-0. Holding that four-run lead in the fifth, the Lady Jags’ lackadaisical play allowed the Knights to strike back, tying the game with minutes to spare in the one-and-a-half hour time limit. During the bottom of the fifth, two errors led to the Knights scoring two of their four runs. Lexington Catholic’s two other runs came on an RBI double and a sacrifice fly. Hamm cited careless throws and actions on behalf of his team for what led to the Knights’ rally. East put the game away in the top of the sixth. Led by the inning’s leadoff batter, freshman Malin Miracle, the Lady Jags were able to get their go-ahead runner in scoring position with passed balls by the Knights at home plate. Welch’s single during the inning’s third at bat brought Miracle home to take the lead before Haylee Hamm sealed the victory in the bottom of the sixth. “Overall I thought there was a lack of focus on our part, but they got the job done, got the win,” Hamm said. Coach Hamm said the team didn’t hit the ball as well as he had expected after a recent string of success at the plate. The Lady Jags finished their win 7-26 (.269) at the plate. Miracle and Fischer each went 2-3. Rainwater’s home run added two RBIs, in addition to a same inning double by Haylee Hamm. On Saturday, facing Marion County, another uncharacteristic effort resulted in a 9-1 loss to Marion County. “I don’t know if it was lack of focus or what it was,” coach Hamm said. “They usually play better than they did this weekend. They just didn’t play up to their standards.” En route to the eight-run loss, the Lady Jags produced five errors and only four hits, leaving coach Hamm questioning the result of his club during the weekend. Coming into the weekend, East adjusted its batting order, notably moving Fischer to second in the order in an effort to improve batting. However, results varied in the 1-1 weekend in the opinion of the coach. “We’ve still got to improve on our hitting,” coach Hamm said. “We got to get better on that if we want to compete for region this year.” 2013-04-29 11:41:21.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-lackadaisical-lady-jags-fend-off-knights-for-54-win-20130426,0,4877119.story

jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-defeats-boyle-county-20130426 Photo gallery: West Jessamine defeats Boyle County April 26, 2013 Riding a four-game winning streak, the West Jessamine Colts baseball team defeated Region 12 opponent Boyle County 2-1 with the help of pitching by Maxx Mahon. http://www.trbimg.com/img-517ad51b/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-defeats-boyle-county-20130426/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517ad51b/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-defeats-boyle-county-20130426/400/16x9 Riding a four-game winning streak, the West Jessamine Colts baseball team defeated Region 12 opponent Boyle County 2-1 with the help of pitching by Maxx Mahon. 2013-04-26 12:27:30.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-defeats-boyle-county-20130426,0,7248223.photogallery

jj-colts-show-grit-in-regional-win-over-boyle-20130426 Colts show 'grit' in regional win over Boyle April 26, 2013 Coming in on a four-game winning streak that included a 24-run win and a scoring advantage of 54-6, the West Jessamine Colts have began taking the mold of a 32-6 team from last season. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-517ac6f9/turbine/jj-colts-show-grit-in-regional-win-over-boyle-20130426/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517ac6f9/turbine/jj-colts-show-grit-in-regional-win-over-boyle-20130426/400/16x9 Coming in on a four-game winning streak that included a 24-run win and a scoring advantage of 54-6, the West Jessamine Colts have began taking the mold of a 32-6 team from last season. "I really like what we're doing," said West head coach Jody Hamilton. "This (past) weekend we scored a lot of runs and pitched pretty well ... I like us, we're young, so we got some time to get there." On Thursday against 12th Region opponent Boyle County, the Colts continued their recent success with a 2-1 win in a game marred with errors. Pitching for the Colts was sophomore Maxx Mahon who racked up an additional seven strikeouts days after throwing a no-hitter against Harrison County in a 10-0 win. The Colts movement on the base paths was aided by sophomore Troy Merida. Merida's leadoff single in the fourth inning helped move them closer to tacking on a run. With help from an error at third base, Merida was able to round third and take home to put the Colts up 1-0. According to Hamilton, Troy, who typically bats in the three spot, has batted in the four hole as he did against the Rebels on Thursday. "What we do, we usually put a guy in the four spot that can run, and the reason we do that is because if we go down one, two, three in the first inning, we got a guy in the four hole that can run," Hamilton said.  Troy Merida finished the game with a second inning triple, a single, a walk on a pitch that hit him, and one run. Freshman Tucker Greer scored the second run for the Colts in the sixth inning when he was able to step on home plate after Boyle's catcher allowed a pitch to get by him. Sophomore Joseph Ivey entered in the top of the seventh inning, striking out two Rebels en route to sealing the Colts' fifth consecutive victory, moving them to 14-6 on the season and 5-2 in the region. "Our pitching is settling in, we're getting key hits; tonight we didn't hit like we did before," Hamilton said. The Colts combined for 48 hits in their previous four wins, while the team's pitching held opponents to a combined 15 hits, with only one coming in two games. "I thought our pitching and defense was really good except the fielding of a couple of bunts," Hamilton said. "Everytime we play Boyle it's going to be a good game ... We got a lot of grit." The Colts travel Friday to Bowling Green to begin play in the South Warren Invitational. Their first game begins Friday at 8 p.m. against Logan County.     2013-04-26 11:26:35.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colts-show-grit-in-regional-win-over-boyle-20130426,0,3511872.story

jj-jessamine-co-football-youth-camp-forms-now-available-20130424 Jessamine Co. football youth camp forms now available April 24, 2013 Interested parents can now pick up a registration pamphlet for this summer’s youth football camp. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5177fdac/turbine/jj-jessamine-co-football-youth-camp-forms-now-available-20130424/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5177fdac/turbine/jj-jessamine-co-football-youth-camp-forms-now-available-20130424/400/16x9 Interested parents can now pick up a registration pamphlet for this summer’s youth football camp. Hosted by the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame Facilities Board, the camp will be held on June 4-6 for children in grades three through eight at the West Jessamine High School football field from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Registration pamphlets can be found at all Jessamine County elementary and middle schools, Town Square Bank, Thompson & Shearer Farm Supply Store, Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce, and Nicholasville Jessamine County Parks and Recreation. The three-day non-contact camp costs $35 and will include a staff comprised of East Jessamine football head coach Mike Bowlin, West’s Yancey Marcum, Kentucky Christian University kicking specialist Jared Cobb, and a special appearance by a KPFHOF member. Anyone with any additional questions can contact District Athletic Director Ken Cox at 859-885-4179, extension 3020. 2013-04-24 08:42:17.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jessamine-co-football-youth-camp-forms-now-available-20130424,0,4171266.story

jj-east-football-spreading-out-in-2013-20130424 East football spreading out in 2013 April 24, 2013 It’s no secret that East Jessamine has had its struggles on the gridiron. But after finding intermittent success with a new offensive package late last season, head coach Mike Bowlin has his Jaguars acquiring a new look this spring. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5177f5c2/turbine/jj-east-football-spreading-out-in-2013-20130424/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5177f5c2/turbine/jj-east-football-spreading-out-in-2013-20130424/400/16x9 It’s no secret that East Jessamine has had its struggles on the gridiron. But after finding intermittent success with a new offensive package late last season, head coach Mike Bowlin has his Jaguars acquiring a new look this spring. Traditionally a power running team, Bowlin said he is having his team work making the transition to a spread offense during the 15-day spring practice period. “We’ve gone to the spread,” Bowlin said. “We finished last season in shotgun trying to run more of a zone-read kind of thing; people may be familiar with what, you know, (Robert Griffin) and Tim Tebow’s done.” The spread, which Bowlin considers to be “probably our best method of attack,” is in the midst of a quarterback competition seekings its leader. “We got a quarterback competition, which is always helpful,” Bowlin said. “You always want kids to be able to push each other.” According to the Jags’ head coach, junior Skyler Rose and sophomore Ronnie Carson are getting the majority of the snaps at quarterback, with each bringing their own strength’s to the offense. “Ronnie’s pretty fast and does a good job of throwing the ball,” Bowlin said. “Skyler is probably more of a stable kid in the pocket. He’s going to stay in there and wait until the last second.” Rose opened the season as starting quarterback but was out after two games due to season-ending ankle surgery. East finished the 2012 season with a 2-8 record. “Skyler’s a student off the game, too. He’s a little bigger than Ronnie, maybe more of a power runner up the inside. They both give you something different.” Given what he’s seen, Bowlin said he can see a situation where both quarterbacks get reps at the position next season. “It wouldn’t bother me at all if we could play one and put him at quarterback and put the other at wide receiver, and then swap them back and forth,” Bowlin said. “If I’m being fair to both of those kids, that may be our best bet.” Outside of quarterback, the Jaguars look for current freshmen to step up as they move into their sophomore seasons. “We have a lot of freshmen from this past season that are going to be sophomores — especially among the linemen — that I feel can help us,” Bowlin said. “We’re trying to get those guys on the fast path to learning and trying to figure out who was in the weight room over the winter.” One of those freshman is Ricardo Ramos, who Bowlin expects to contribue on the line. “He’s a big lineman who’s really strong on both sides of the ball and could possibly play both ways for us this coming year,” he said. Current sophomores Spencer Maddon and Kendrick Reynolds have also impressed, Bowlin said. “We’ve got five or six guys there that we didn’t really have or didn’t get to use last year that we feel could make a big impact on what we do this year,” he said. The Jaguars’ spring scrimmage is scheduled for Friday after school. “When we get done we got to get in the weight room and continue to get stronger,” Bowlin said. "Academically, stay eligible, make sure none of those grades get away from us ...  Do the things we talked about in terms of character — do the right thing.” Look for coverage on West Jessamine’s spring practices in next week’s edition of the Jessamine Journal. 2013-04-24 08:08:30.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-football-spreading-out-in-2013-20130424,0,2822155.story

jj-lady-jags-top-the-bearcats-20130424 Lady Jags top the Bearcats April 24, 2013 East Jessamine softball’s recent trip to Bowling Green for the Greenwood Border Battle was a tough one, to say the least, with a 1-3 tournament record leaving the Jaguars licking their wounds. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5177fffc/turbine/jj-lady-jags-top-the-bearcats-20130424/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5177fffc/turbine/jj-lady-jags-top-the-bearcats-20130424/400/16x9 East Jessamine softball’s recent trip to Bowling Green for the Greenwood Border Battle was a tough one, to say the least, with a 1-3 tournament record leaving the Jaguars licking their wounds. On Monday, with 13-3 Anderson County in town, East responded for head coach Tom Hamm and his daughter, junior Haylee Hamm, hours after they left the funeral of a loved one in a 11-9 win. East collectively hit .379, which was made up of 11 hits, a home run and a slew of doubles. The Jags also took their share of hits early in the game, allowing eight runs through the fifth inning, but with what the team allowed on the defensive end, they made up for with their bats as the game reached its conclusion. Trailing 8-7 entering the bottom of the fifth, Haylee Hamm opened the side with a double, and was replaced by sophomore pinch runner Genesis Robinson. Junior Katie Fischer followed by connecting with an Anderson pitch, driving it to deep center to score Robinson, but she was tagged out attempting to take second on the hit. Junior Haleigh Fain’s double set her up to be scored by freshman Allison Schubert on a double of her own, giving the Jags a 9-8 lead. Anderson freshman Mia Aldridge was pulled in favor freshman Allyson Moore after Schubert’s go-ahead double. East’s rally ended with a RBI single by freshman Malin Miracle, who scored Schubert but was thrown out trying for a double for the inning’s second out. The Jags and Bearcats tacked on an additional run in the sixth. Anderson eighth grader Bailey Curry connected for a single to score her team’s ninth run but Hamm struckout the ensuing batter to end the inning. In the bottom of the inning, sophomore Sarah Rainwater tagged up during Fischer’s groundout to first, knocking the ball free to give the Jags breathing room in their two-run victory. Nine of Anderson’s 15 hits came in the two opening innings of the Jags’ win. “It’s been an emotional day,” Coach Hamm said. “Haylee started out a little shaky and they got some pretty good hits there early. “I think a six hour car ride, a funeral — she probably had to get her mind right — but she did good, came out battling and got stronger as the game went on.” While she did struggle early on the mound, Haylee Hamm regrouped for six strikeouts on the mound and a 3-4 effort at the plate that included a single and two doubles. Schubert, who had a key RBI double, also connected for a leadoff home run in the third inning that staged the Jags’ first comeback, tying the game at seven. “The girls said they were going to come out and play for Haylee, and they hit the ball,” Coach Hamm said. “It’s the best hitting performance we’ve had this year.” 2013-04-24 08:52:09.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-lady-jags-top-the-bearcats-20130424,0,5133624.story

jj-asburys-bond-leads-rocco-to-asbury-20130423 Asbury's 'bond' leads Rocco to the Eagles April 23, 2013 Certain thoughts don’t always come to be when confronted with a decision, and that was just the case for East Jessamine’s Jarod Rocco on Monday. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5176a363/turbine/jj-asburys-bond-leads-rocco-to-asbury-20130423/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5176a363/turbine/jj-asburys-bond-leads-rocco-to-asbury-20130423/400/16x9 Certain thoughts don’t always come to be when confronted with a decision, and that was just the case for East Jessamine’s Jarod Rocco on Monday. Rocco, a four-year starter for the Jaguars’ soccer team, signed with Asbury University with high school teammates and friends, Timmy Bradshaw and Taylor Harper. Despite family ties to the Eagles’ program, Rocco couldn’t see himself ending up so close to home. Growing up, I had always told myself I wasn’t going to end up at Asbury because I lived about five minutes away,” Rocco said, “but I went to one of their fall training sessions and recruiting trips and the bond the team shares as a family just brought me in.” East soccer head coach Tom Morgan called him “a rock for our team.” His comments were backed up with Rocco’s performance as goalkeeper on the pitch, which helped lead the team to a 28-8-7 record in his freshman and sophomore seasons. In his time at East, Rocco developed what Asbury head coach Ben Andrews considered to be Asbury quality traits. “We’re excited about the potential that he brings,” Andrews said. “You need character and you need to have talent. We only recruit kids that have both, and I think it says a lot about Jarod that he’s coming to play soccer at Asbury.” Rocco chose the Eagles over Morehead State, Eastern Kentucky University and Kentucky Christian University, and played a part in aiding his friends in his decision. “I knew Jarod’s mom had gone to Asbury before, so I knew that was an option for him,” said Bradshaw, who signed to play for the Eagles’ basketball team. The Eagles’ soccer team finished the 2012 season with a 12-7-1 overall record, in addition to going 2-1-1 in Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletics Conference play. Their season ended with a 5-4 loss to Point Park University in the KIAC Tournament finals. 2013-04-25 07:52:14.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-asburys-bond-leads-rocco-to-asbury-20130423,0,1906031.story

jj-harper-bradshaw-stay-home-sign-with-asbury-20130423 Harper, Bradshaw stay home, sign with Asbury April 23, 2013 Asbury University’s basketball team added two local talents on Monday with the signings of East Jessamine’s Taylor Harper and Timmy Bradshaw. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5176993d/turbine/jj-harper-bradshaw-stay-home-sign-with-asbury-20130423/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5176993d/turbine/jj-harper-bradshaw-stay-home-sign-with-asbury-20130423/400/16x9 Asbury University’s basketball team added two local talents on Monday with the signings of East Jessamine’s Taylor Harper and Timmy Bradshaw. The two Jaguars signed with the Eagles, along with their close friend and teammate, Jarod Rocco, who signed with Asbury’s men’s soccer team. “I think it just kind of came together,” Bradshaw said of the signing. “I kind of knew Taylor was going to go because he’s been talking about that for a while. It was a late thing for me. I didn’t decide to go there really early; not until after basketball season did I decide to go.” For Harper, his connection to Asbury basketball head coach Will Shouse helped lure him to Wilmore. Shouse has known Harper since he was in the fourth grade, when Harper attended a basketball camp Shouse helped with. “My decision was based on I had known Coach Shouse for a while and I know what his program’s all about,” Harper said. “I went to some different colleges and didn’t really see what I wanted to see and Asbury was just the right choice for me.” Shouse said he has seen plenty of Bradshaw and Harper, and believes them staying close to home shows a lot about the program’s advancement into the coming year. “It says a lot that two local guys really want to be a part of what we’re doing, and hopefully a part of history,” Shouse said. Bradshaw was a sharpshooter for the Chris O’Bryan led Jaguars, something Shouse said should allow him to fit right in with the high volume shooting Eagles. Timmy came on the scene really his Junior year and then had an excellent senior year.  He leaves East High as one of the purest shooters in our school's history,” O’Bryan said. “A lot of people didn't realize how much his shooting helped the 2012 team, preventing opponents from focusing on just one person.” According to O’Bryan, Harper’s strength showed when he adapted to playing out of position his first three years for the Jags, “he accepted that role, and made the most of it.” “Taylor really is just now coming into his own on the basketball floor,” O’Bryan said. “Last year we gave him the ball at the point and he absolutely flourished. So really he hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential.” But as with any player, there is room for improvement, something Bradshaw and Harper have already keyed in on for their appearance on campus this summer. “I plan to shed some weight and gain some muscle,” Bradshaw said. “Going into my junior year of high school, I came in in probably the best shape of my life, so I want to get back to that point.” Harper’s plans are the opposite, as he wants to try to get bigger and stronger for the fall basketball season. “I definitely want to put some weight on,” Harper said. “They’re a lot bigger and stronger than me, and I definitely need to work on ball handling. But other than that, I’m pretty confident going into freshman year.” “The college game is so much faster that they are going to have to be in the best physical condition possible,” O’Bryan said. “The speed alone takes time to get used to, but they are both more than capable.  Their best days on the court are ahead of them.” The Eagles finished the 2012-13 season with a 20-13 record, including going 9-6 in Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. 2013-04-23 07:21:21.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-harper-bradshaw-stay-home-sign-with-asbury-20130423,0,5319308.story

jj-east-hall-stave-off-scrappy-colts-in-rivalry-rematch-20130419 East, Hall stave off scrappy Colts in rivalry rematch April 19, 2013 It isn’t always the case that rivalry rematches end up being as big as their hype — see Ali vs. Frazier, Kentucky vs. Louisville, the Yankees vs. the Red Sox. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-517163fc/turbine/jj-east-hall-stave-off-scrappy-colts-in-rivalry-rematch-20130419/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517163fc/turbine/jj-east-hall-stave-off-scrappy-colts-in-rivalry-rematch-20130419/400/16x9 It isn’t always the case that rivalry rematches end up being as big as their hype — see Ali vs. Frazier, Kentucky vs. Louisville, the Yankees vs. the Red Sox. Nine days after taking a 13-2 gut check at home by the bats of West Jessamine, East Jessamine found its own storybook pitcher that helped the Jags edge out the Colts on their own diamond, 3-1. “I saw an outstanding effort from (junior) Sam Hall on the mound,” said East head coach Kevin Clary. “He’s a great competitor, had command of the strike zone; he had command of all three of his pitches ... He just went after it.” Hall, who went the distance for East on Thursday, also found the mound against West on April 9 in the Jags’ loss, pitching one inning of relief in which he allowed four hits and four runs. His chance to make up for that mishap Thursday began with a first inning that included giving himself run support. Hall, the second batter in the top of the frame, scored Jags leadoff senior Forrest Baldwin from third base on a groundout. West sophomore Trey Merida led off the bottom of the inning with a single and an ensuing swipe of second after senior Tyler Adams’ flyout to right field. Upon walking Trey’s brother, Troy, Hall’s mixed-bag pitching forced his next two batters into a flyout and groundout to end the inning, stranding two. West mimicked East’s plate appearances in the second, with each team quickly getting out of their frame with a strikeout and consecutive groundouts. The Jags found more support for Hall in the top of the third with two additional runs, their total for the game. Already having an out on the board, East senior Mike Jones earned a walk from West senior pitch Matt Yeich to get the Jags’ first base runner on. Baldwin followed with a single and a swipe of second once Hall was at the plate; Hall later earned a walk. Senior Jacob Overstreet’s chopper toward the mound allowed Yeich to prevent a run with a forceout at home, keeping the bases loaded. Senior Jarryd Settles, with a strikeout to his name after the first inning, connected for a liner that placed him on first and scored Baldwin and freshman pinch runner Chase Wozniak. Each team went scoreless in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. During the fourth, Hall’s pitching became somewhat wild, allowing two batters to reach via walks. West head coach Jody Hamilton made the move to junior pitcher Daulton Peters in the final frame. Peters opened with a walk but followed with two consecutive strikeouts en route to ending the inning by getting Baldwin out. Facing their last opportunity, the scrappy Colts, attempting to make a late rally for the third time in a week, placed two runners on the base paths to become a threat to East’s lead. Sophomore Maxx Mahon began Wesr’s move with a single, which was then followed with another by junior Lane Brooks. Junior Drew Ward followed with an infield groundout that prevented his teammates from moving closer to home plate. The Colts first and only run then came on a groundout by junior Justin King. King’s grounder brought in junior pinch runner Jarred Jones from second and moved Brooks into scoring position. Trey Merida became the final at-bat for the Colts. Facing a tired Hall, the sophomore quickly began going after him early in the pitch count. Merida finally connected on a liner toward first, which was snagged by Overstreet to end the game. Hamilton applauded Hall’s effort, but even in the loss loved to see the fight his team displayed late in the game. “I thought Sam Hall threw really well for them,” Hamilton said. “I like my team; we fought and scrapped tonight. I’m more pleased than I’ve been in probably a week. I think we’re getting things back on track.” Clary said his team has yet to produce offensively the way he think’s they’re capable, but if they play defense as they did for same, his team should win. “We played solid defense behind him. With a combination of good defense and good pitching, you usually come out on top,” Clary said. 2013-04-19 08:32:58.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-hall-stave-off-scrappy-colts-in-rivalry-rematch-20130419,0,1580893.story

jj-photo-gallery-east-hall-defeat-west-on-the-diamond-20130419 Photo gallery: East, Hall defeat West on the diamond April 19, 2013 Riding the pitching of East Jessamine junior pitcher Sam Hall, the Jaguars' baseball team defeated the West Jessamine Colts 3-1. West won the first game of the rivalry nine days prior, 13-2. http://www.trbimg.com/img-51714125/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-hall-defeat-west-on-the-diamond-20130419/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51714125/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-hall-defeat-west-on-the-diamond-20130419/400/16x9 Riding the pitching of East Jessamine junior pitcher Sam Hall, the Jaguars' baseball team defeated the West Jessamine Colts 3-1. West won the first game of the rivalry nine days prior, 13-2. 2013-04-19 06:04:14.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-hall-defeat-west-on-the-diamond-20130419,0,4849687.photogallery

jj-eastwest-418-20130418 Hall's pitching carries East to rematch win over West April 18, 2013 East Jessamine baseball showed just how quickly things can change after suffering a 13-2 defeat by rival West Jessamine nine days ago. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5170aec2/turbine/jj-eastwest-418-20130418/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5170aec2/turbine/jj-eastwest-418-20130418/400/16x9 East Jessamine baseball showed just how quickly things can change after suffering a 13-2 defeat by rival West Jessamine nine days ago. Riding the pitching of junior Sam Hall, the Jaguars staved off the scrappy Colts' late advance to claim a 3-1 victory. "I saw an outstanding effort from Sam Hall on the mound," said East head coach Kevin Clary. "He's a great competitor, had command of the strike zone; he had command of all three of his pitches ... He just went after it." Hall struckout only two Colts, but his mixed bag of pitches created many opportunities for his infielders to get textbook groundouts. Pop out opportunities, however, created an uneasy feeling for each squad due to heavy wind gusts. "I thought Sam Hall threw really well for them," said West head coach Jody Hamilton. Colts senior starter Matt Yeich threw three innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs. Juniors Dakota Greer and Daulton Peters also appeared on the mound for the Colts. East's first run of the game came across the plate in the first inning as Sam Hall scored senior Forrest Baldwin from third on his own groundout down the line. In the third inning, senior Jarryd Settles' single scored two for the Jags' final runs of the game. Full story coming tomorrow on the Jags' 3-0 win over the Colts. 2013-04-19 06:19:49.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-eastwest-418-20130418,0,516276.story

jj-ludt-captures-only-win-in-west-tennis-loss-to-woodford-20130418 Ludt captures only win in West tennis' loss to Woodford April 18, 2013 The West Jessamine girls' tennis team, coming off of a victory over East Jessamine, traveled to Woodford County on Tuesday, where they were defeated 4-1. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-517068d2/turbine/jj-ludt-captures-only-win-in-west-tennis-loss-to-woodford-20130418/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-517068d2/turbine/jj-ludt-captures-only-win-in-west-tennis-loss-to-woodford-20130418/400/16x9 The West Jessamine girls' tennis team, coming off of a victory over East Jessamine, traveled to Woodford County on Tuesday, where they were defeated 4-1. The Lady Colts' lone victory came in singles play. Sophomore Bailey Ludt, the team's No. 2 seed, defeated Woodford's Lindsey Sizemore 6-3, 6-1. Singles No. 1 Moni Porezcalva (WC) def. Sydney Sampson (WJ) 6-0, 6-0 No. 2 Bailey Ludt (WJ) def. Lindsey Sizemore (WJ) 6-3, 6-1 No. 3 Addison Beck (WC) def. Britt Fugmann (WJ) 6-4, 6-0 Doubles No. 1 Jane Watts/Lindsey Sizemore (WC) def. Leann Strait/Emily Ingram (WJ) 6-0, 6-3 No. 2 Leah Brown/Bethany Johnson (WC) def. Morgan Haynes/Caytlyn Stotts (WJ) 6-0, 6-0 2013-04-18 14:44:56.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-ludt-captures-only-win-in-west-tennis-loss-to-woodford-20130418,0,2091182.story

jj-dunbar-tennis-tops-west-colts-continue-discovering-strengths-20130417 Dunbar tennis tops West; Colts continue discovering strengths April 17, 2013 Fast-forward 30 days from the planned season-opener and the meeting between West Jessamine boys’ tennis team and Dunbar finally occured. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-516ee755/turbine/jj-dunbar-tennis-tops-west-colts-continue-discovering-strengths-20130417/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-516ee755/turbine/jj-dunbar-tennis-tops-west-colts-continue-discovering-strengths-20130417/400/16x9 Fast-forward 30 days from the planned season-opener and the meeting between West Jessamine boys’ tennis team and Dunbar finally occured. In that span of time, head coach Josh Yost’s group has went 4-3. Friday’s match continued to confirm Yost’s thoughts on his team — senior Andrew Monell can continue to hold his own against the strongest of area competition, and senior Grant Wells is becoming what Yost thought he could — a trustworthy No. 2 seed. “It was one of those matches where we played really well at one and two singles but have to keep improving the rest of the way down the lineup,” Yost said. Squared off against Dunbar’s No. 1 seed, Monell and his all-around tennis skill set took a 6-4 first-set win and was ahead 3-0 in the second set when his opponent had to withdraw due to a stomach injury. “He started off a little slower,” Yost said of Monell, “but really picked it up for the end of his first set, beginning of the second, and was really hitting his stride.” Wells continued his consistency in earning the team’s second win in the 3-2 overall loss on Friday. “Grant did everything he needed to do to win that match,” Yost said about Wells, who won 6-2, 6-2. “He’s getting a lot better at seeing what his opponent’s good at and what his opponent’s bad at and then really attacking the weaknesses of his opponent,” Yost said. “That’s good to see from a senior this time of year.” According to Yost, Wells has reached the potential he thought he could prior to the season starting. “I was looking at him to be our No. 2 coming into this year,” Yost said. “It’s one of those things where I’m finding I can trust him to go out and get wins for the team match in and match out.” Beyond the top two seeds, the Colts continue to tweak seeding configurations. Senior Justin Sanders and junior Joel Mansur will mainly play at the team’s third seed, but Yost wanted to try them as a doubles team Friday. “It was a combination I had been wanting to try out,” Yost said. “They looked really good at times, and then they looked like they hadn’t played together at other times ... I think with a couple of more matches under their belt, they’ll really be able to play together.” The new duo lost their first doubles match 6-2, 6-3. Taking their place as the No. 3 seed on the singles side was seventh-grader Sean Kidwell in his second opportunity in such a position. Kidwell lost 6-2, 6-1 an opponent that Yost simply called “a really good player.” “(Kidwell) is a young player, and he’s still learning a lot about match play,” Yost said. “He has no fear. He’ll go out against anybody, and he’ll go out and go after his shots and go after his serve no matter who he’s playing ... That mentality will serve him well as he continues to grow physically and develop as a tennis player.” West returns to the court Thursday at home against Woodford County. The Colts’ road match against Clay County is rescheduled for Saturday in Manchester. 2013-04-17 11:16:29.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-dunbar-tennis-tops-west-colts-continue-discovering-strengths-20130417,0,7778626.story

jj-photo-gallery-west-tennis-vs-dunbar-20130417 Photo gallery: West tennis vs. Dunbar April 17, 2013 On Friday, April 12, West boys' tennis, led by its top two seeds Andrew Monell and Grant Wells, took on the Dunbar boys' team at West Jessamine High School. The Colts lost 3-2, with Monell and Wells collecting the team's two wins. http://www.trbimg.com/img-516ee42c/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-tennis-vs-dunbar-20130417/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-516ee42c/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-tennis-vs-dunbar-20130417/400/16x9 On Friday, April 12, West boys' tennis, led by its top two seeds Andrew Monell and Grant Wells, took on the Dunbar boys' team at West Jessamine High School. The Colts lost 3-2, with Monell and Wells collecting the team's two wins. 2013-04-17 11:02:50.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-west-tennis-vs-dunbar-20130417,0,901141.photogallery

jj-photo-gallery-east-softball-defeats-mercer-133-20130417 Photo gallery: East softball defeats Mercer 13-3 April 17, 2013 In a game that saw East junior pitcher Haylee Hamm struggle with back spasms, the Lady Jags backed her with much run production en route to a 13-3 victory. http://www.trbimg.com/img-516ecea0/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-softball-defeats-mercer-133-20130417/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-516ecea0/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-softball-defeats-mercer-133-20130417/400/16x9 In a game that saw East junior pitcher Haylee Hamm struggle with back spasms, the Lady Jags backed her with much run production en route to a 13-3 victory. 2013-04-17 09:32:09.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-softball-defeats-mercer-133-20130417,0,2316878.photogallery

jj-newfound-confidence-lands-robinson-at-uc-20130415 Newfound confidence lands Robinson at UC April 15, 2013 It took a little recognition, friendly advice and support of his top fans, mother Latonya and sister Genesis, but East Jessamine athlete Derrius Robinson signed his letter of intent to college football at University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Ky.) on Monday. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-516c180a/turbine/jj-newfound-confidence-lands-robinson-at-uc-20130415/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-516c180a/turbine/jj-newfound-confidence-lands-robinson-at-uc-20130415/400/16x9 It took a little recognition, friendly advice and support of his top fans, mother Latonya and sister Genesis, but East Jessamine athlete Derrius Robinson signed his letter of intent to college football at University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Ky.) on Monday. Robinson’s fondness for baseball, where he starts as a outfielder, led him to believing he would be on the diamond after high school. However, when he was informed of an accolade by East head coach Mike Bowlin, Robinson’s interest in playing defensive back at the college level soared. “Originally after the season was over, I don’t think he was intending to play college football,” Bowlin said. “He kind of thought maybe it wasn’t for him. And then I informed him over Christmas break that he made (Courier-Journal) first-team all-state, and I think his confidence level picked up, like maybe I can do this.” “If I hadn’t been named all-state, I would’ve definitely played baseball in college instead,” Robinson said, “but I changed my mind once I was named.” The boost in confidence isn’t all it took. East’s Hayden Tatman signed on as a Patriot in early February and helped sell Robinson on the UC football program. According to Bowlin, after Tatman signed UC coaches were still looking to add players to the 2013 recruiting class. “Once I was named all-state, I talked to Hayden a little bit about it. He liked it a lot, and I went down there and visited and liked it a lot, too,” Robinson said. Bowlin said that with a little added weight for strength, Robinson can make an early impact for the Patriots on the gridiron as a cornerback, where his nod for all-state was earned. “He’s first-team all-state, so I think he’ll be noticed by that position, for sure. He’s got some speed, definitely got a nose for the football, and he’s going to be successful at whatever he does,” Bowlin said. “A ball-hawk was the way I described him to his college coach,” Bowlin said. “He does a lot of good things on the field; he’s like a quarterback of the defense, as far as calling the right coverages and getting you lined up.” The Patriots finished the 2012 season with a 10-2 overall record, 4-1 in the Mid-South Conference, and they went 6-0 at home. Their season came to an end with a loss in the second round of the NAIA Football Championship Series. “I think it’s a great school. They play competitive football,” Bowlin said. “It’s not too far from home for them to get back when they want to be. I think it’s a win-win for everybody.” 2013-04-18 08:01:30.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-newfound-confidence-lands-robinson-at-uc-20130415,0,3015248.story

jj-colts-get-bit-fall-to-gators-98-20130412 Colts get bit; fall to Gators 9-8 April 13, 2013 The return of chilly temperatures brought a bitter result to West Jessamine High School on Friday in the Colts' return to the diamond. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5168ea78/turbine/jj-colts-get-bit-fall-to-gators-98-20130412/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5168ea78/turbine/jj-colts-get-bit-fall-to-gators-98-20130412/400/16x9 The return of chilly temperatures brought a bitter result to West Jessamine High School on Friday in the Colts' return to the diamond. The game's back-and-forth dynamic in the line score concluded with the Greenwood Gators edging out West head coach Jody Hamilton's ball club, 9-8. Greenwood's five-run second inning created a troubled pattern for Colts pitchers. Junior Daulton Peters, who got the start for the Colts, opened the second inning by walking Gators senior Trevor Brewer. A walked batter and hit batter loaded the bases under Peters' command, which set up Gators' senior Tanner Kirby for an RBI single. Greenwood continued their success against Peters with a two RBI double, which were followed by consecutive passed balls that resulted in a 5-0 lead for the Gators midway through the inning. "He just lost it mentally; was all over the place, and never did recover," Hamilton said of Peters. The Colts, coming off of a game where early pitching woes were backed with heavy hitting, duplicated that particular occurance by putting seven runs on the board in the bottom of the second. After seeing its first batter strikeout, the Colts got junior Drew Ward on first base with help from a single.  Greenwood pitching followed with five consecutive walks; one of which was the hitting of sophomore Trey Merida. As a result of the walks, three runs come across home plate, cutting the deficit to two. Sophomore Sam Dralle's inclusion on the mound after the series of walks set up sophomore Troy Merida to do damage with the bat once again; reaching third and scoring senior Tyler Adams. An additional run came across on a double steal during sophomore Maxx Mahon's at-bat. At inning's end, the Colts led 7-5. The Colts and Gators returned to consistent pitching through the sixth, with each team plating only a run apiece. West's came in the fourth on an RBI single by junior Christian Beckley. Greenwood began the third with a walk and a single, placing two runners on base; one being in scoring position. That was enough for Hamilton to make the call to the bullpen for junior pitcher Dakota Greer, who had been warming up for a few innings by that point. Greer's first at-bat was forgettable, as the junior's command was off as the ball departed its target and found dirt, which allowed a runner to score. The Gators then found success off Greer with RBI singles by senior Chris Hardin and Brewer. West's sixth and seventh inning had them on the cusp of earning a seventh victory, but it was timely pitching by Greenwood that prevented baserunners on second and third from crossing home plate each inning. Drew Ward's two hits was a team high, and Peters tossed a team high five strikeouts. The Colts play Lincoln County on Saturday at 11 a.m. "I was pretty upset," Hamilton said. "This was one ugly game. "We fought. They fought." 2013-04-12 22:17:17.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colts-get-bit-fall-to-gators-98-20130412,0,6377358.story

jj-their-sisters-keeper-lady-jags-rally-around-hamm-for-10run-win-20130412 Their sister's keeper: Lady Jags rally around Hamm for 10-run win April 12, 2013 Originally scheduled to be at Mercer County on Friday night, the East Jessamine Lady Jaguars encountered a last-minute change that allowed them to host the Lady Titans — good news for a worrisome pitching situation. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5168a7c2/turbine/jj-their-sisters-keeper-lady-jags-rally-around-hamm-for-10run-win-20130412/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5168a7c2/turbine/jj-their-sisters-keeper-lady-jags-rally-around-hamm-for-10run-win-20130412/400/16x9 Originally scheduled to be at Mercer County on Friday night, the East Jessamine Lady Jaguars encountered a last-minute change that allowed them to host the Lady Titans — good news for a worrisome pitching situation. Having had one pitcher already struggling with back issues, East junior pitcher Haylee Hamm chose to trudge through back spasms, and with a newfound batting support system, earned a 13-3 win. The Lady Jags struck quickly with a bunt by senior Heather Welch going awry on the Mercer County throw, enabling Welch to speed around the bases for an in-the-park score. In the bottom of the second inning, freshman Malin Miracle’s hit deep to the outfield resulted in a sacrifice fly that scored junior Haleigh Fain from third, putting the Lady Jags up 2-0. Evidence of Hamm’s struggles showed after some early run support. During the third inning, she walked three consecutive batters, who all found their way home with help from an error at the plate and a single by Mercer senior Megan Hilbert. East couldn’t defend her cause in the bottom half of the inning as Hilbert retired three straight Lady Jags. “That’s a pretty good pitcher,” said East head coach Tom Hamm. “She’s one of the better ones we will see.” Facing a one-run deficit, East found its zone in the fourth inning, ripping pitch after pitch in the direction of Mercer’s outfielders, a skill they’ve been keen on improving since a spring break trip to Clarksville, Tenn. Junior Katie Fisher led off the fourth with a single and was replaced by sophomore pinch runner Genesis Robinson, who quickly stole second base after entering the game. Later in the inning, Fisher added two RBIs on a single to the outfield. Freshman Allison Schubert scored Robinson with a single two at-bats later, which was part of a three-RBI inning after Schubert connected for a two-run home run to deep center once the order cycled back around as part of the Lady Jag’s 10-run explosion. Their game-clinching inning was also aided by RBIs from junior Felicia Farmer, sophomore Olivia Day, sophomore Sarah Rainwater and Haleigh Fain. “I was very pleased with the way we hit the ball. We had 13 hits and 13 runs,” coach Hamm said. “We haven’t focused on anything since Clarksville but hitting. Overall, I was very happy with that.” In the sixth inning, Haylee Hamm again made quick work of Mercer’s batters, forcing three quick groundouts to the left side of the infield. Action came to a stop at the end of the sixth after singles by Fisher and Fain set up Miracle for a drive to deep left-center that resulted in two Lady Titans outfielders colliding, allowing pinch runner Robinson to score. Hamm, who collected the win on the mound, threw 77 pitches and earned three strikeouts. “Haylee got her job done,” coach Hamm said. “We just had to ride Haylee out. She got through.” Coach Hamm said that after the game he praised his team for how they supported Haylee at the plate. “Haylee had been hurting all day and struggling; we knew she would need some help,” he said. “I told them we can’t let her be in a one- or two-run game; she isn’t going to be able to finish it. They came through in the fourth inning.” 2013-04-13 06:34:05.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-their-sisters-keeper-lady-jags-rally-around-hamm-for-10run-win-20130412,0,6551478.story

jj-pride-growth-lead-easts-danaher-to-flagler-college-20130411 Pride, growth lead East's Danaher to Flagler College April 11, 2013 East Jessamine soccer’s Makensie Danaher opted for a route not often taken by her fellow Jaguars when she sat down for her signing ceremony Wednesday. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-516705d9/turbine/jj-pride-growth-lead-easts-danaher-to-flagler-college-20130411/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-516705d9/turbine/jj-pride-growth-lead-easts-danaher-to-flagler-college-20130411/400/16x9 East Jessamine soccer’s Makensie Danaher opted for a route not often taken by her fellow Jaguars when she sat down for her signing ceremony Wednesday. Danaher, wanting to grow with a program, signed her name to a letter of intent for Flagler College, based in St. Augustine, Fla., after having discussed her plans with her parents, Joe and Rita. “(Flagler coaches) had a lot of pride in their program,” Danaher said. “It’s kind of up and coming, and I don’t want to go to a program that’s solidly built. I want to be a part of the building, like this year at East Jessamine — we were always growing.” Planning to major in sports management, Danaher said Flagler having her field of study became part of the reason becoming a Saint intrigued her. “My club coach is really good friends with their coach, so it got me looking down there,” Danaher said, adding, “it just seemed like a really good fit.” Former East girls’ soccer head coach DeAngelo Wiser said Danaher’s choice to attend Flagler came down to staying nearby at Northern Kentucky University or moving to Florida, a move that ultimately came down to a decision between Danaher and her family. “They thought (Flagler) was where I was leaning,” Danaher said of her parents. “They were sad for them but happy for me.” Wiser said Flagler is getting “one of the most tenacious players that I’ve ever coached.” “She played in the midfield for us throughout her career,” he said. “(Danaher) played both sides of the ball, whether we had it or not. She was always trying to win it back, or if we had it, she was always attacking the goal. She was a key piece to the success we’ve had these last four years.” Flagler, which finished the 2012 season with a 7-7-3 record, competes in NCAA Division II women’s soccer and is part of the Peach Belt Conference. At the end of the season, Flagler players were recognized on the All-Peach Belt Conference second team and Academic All-Peach Belt Conference Team, and freshman midfielder Khyla Brangman was named the Bermuda Football Association’s Women’s League Young Player of the Year. 2013-04-11 11:52:20.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-pride-growth-lead-easts-danaher-to-flagler-college-20130411,0,3665454.story

jj-wests-tennis-trifecta-serves-up-backtoback-wins-20130410 West's tennis trifecta serves up back-to-back wins April 10, 2013 West Jessamine head coach Josh Yost's boys' tennis team claimed victories for the Colts on consecutive days, moving them to 4-2 on the season. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-5165ad4c/turbine/jj-wests-tennis-trifecta-serves-up-backtoback-wins-20130410/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5165ad4c/turbine/jj-wests-tennis-trifecta-serves-up-backtoback-wins-20130410/400/16x9 West Jessamine head coach Josh Yost's boys' tennis team claimed victories for the Colts on consecutive days, moving them to 4-2 on the season. Led by their top three seeds, seniors Andrew Monell, Grant Wells and Justin Sanders, West swept its singles competition on the road Monday and Tuesday at Madison Central and Scott County. Monday, the Colts defeated Central 4-1 as sophomore Nick Kulaga and junior Joel Mansur also picked up one of the team's two doubles matches. Singles No. 1 Andrew Monell (WJ) def. Derick Durham 8-0 No. 2 Grant Wells (WJ) def. Dustin Richmond 8-0 No. 3 Justin Sanders (WJ) def. Morgan Reagle 8-1 Doubles No. 1 Nick Kulaga/Joel Mansur (WJ) def. Lucas Glass/David Culatta 8-2 No. 2 Spenser Austad/Jimmy Curry (MC) def. Sean Kidwell/Gentry Fitch 8-2 Exhibition Ethan Barren/Grant Brown (WJ) def. Mason Delaney/Nick Talamantez 6-0 Again on Tuesday, West, led by their triple threat in Monell, West and Sanders, edged out the Cardinals to earn the Colts a 3-2 while the doubles teams fell. Singles No. 1 Andrew Monell (WJ) def. Matthew Wallace 8-6 No. 2 Grant Wells (WJ) def. Frankie Wallace 8-5 No. 3 Justin Sanders (WJ) def. Trevor Wrobleski 8-6 Doubles No. 1 Jim Dick/Dylan Renfrow (SC) def. Nick Kulaga/Joel Mansur 8-5 No. 2 Palmer Ward/Drew Crum (SC) def. Gentry Fitch/Isaac Horne 8-4 Exhibition Sean Kidwell/Ethan Barren (WJ) def. Trey Young/Nick Roman 6-3 Grant Brown/Talon Saunders (WJ) def. Nick Wrobleski/Josh Sexton 6-4 Colby Warren/Blake Warren (WJ) def. Paxton Turner/Ian Adams 6-3 2013-04-10 11:20:17.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-wests-tennis-trifecta-serves-up-backtoback-wins-20130410,0,4315265.story

jj-photo-gallery-west-baseball-tops-east-132-20130410 Photo gallery: West baseball tops East 13-2 April 10, 2013 The first meeting of East and West on the diamond Tuesday concluded with the Colts walking away 13-2 victors behind the team's heavy hitting a 'storybook' surprise Jarred Jones on the mound. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5165b74a/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-baseball-tops-east-132-20130410/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5165b74a/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-baseball-tops-east-132-20130410/400/16x9 The first meeting of East and West on the diamond Tuesday concluded with the Colts walking away 13-2 victors behind the team's heavy hitting a 'storybook' surprise Jarred Jones on the mound. 2013-04-10 12:02:28.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-west-baseball-tops-east-132-20130410,0,4114233.photogallery

jj-jones-pitching-writes-off-east-rally-in-11run-win-20130409 Jones' pitching writes off East rally in 11-run win April 9, 2013 East and West Jessamine took to the diamond Tuesday fresh off of a trip to Florida where they competed against some of the most talented teams on their schedule, sans each other. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164f5b6/turbine/jj-jones-pitching-writes-off-east-rally-in-11run-win-20130409/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164f5b6/turbine/jj-jones-pitching-writes-off-east-rally-in-11run-win-20130409/400/16x9 East and West Jessamine took to the diamond Tuesday fresh off of a trip to Florida where they competed against some of the most talented teams on their schedule, sans each other. Once squared off, West’s (8-2) two-year stanglehold on the rivalry continued with a 13-2 rout of the ever-improving Jaguars (7-3) behind the arm of junior pitcher Jarred Jones. “The tale of this story has to be Jarred,” said West head coach Jody Hamilton. “Jarred came in and pounded the strike zone with multiple pitches ... He was lights out.” Before Jones could put his name to this chapter of the East and West rivalry, he had to watch on as East used their bats in the second inning to build on its home-field advantage against West and starting pitcher senior Matt Yeich. The walking of senior Mike Jones and junior Stephen Treadway provided senior Brady Corman with a chance to connect for an RBI single to center field, scoring Jones in the second. Senior Brandt Redmon then laid down a bunt that the Colts’ defense couldn’t take advantage of, resulting in senior pinch runner Derius Robinson scoring from third base. Entering the third, East senior pitcher John Hisle’s command of the game had reflected his previous outings that Jags’ head coach Kevin Clary labeled “dynamite.” However, the opportunistic Colts used East errors to place a string of runners on the base paths, and ultimately drowning Jaguar’s morale for the remainder of the game. After reaching on a walk for the Colts’ first base runner of the third inning, senior Tyler Adams found himself as the core of the team’s energy as he lept from home plate after a call of “safe” put the Colts on the scoreboard. Staring down his two teammates in scoring position, first-year Colt, sophomore Maxx Mahon, ripped a Hisle pitch to the outfield as part of a two RBI single. Holding a one-run advantage at 3-2, Hamilton made the move to Jones entering the bottom half of the third, while Clary stayed true to the six-foot-five Hisle. “Anytime you’re coaching it’s a feel. You know your people,” Hamilton said. “I know them, and I just didn’t think Matt had it at the time.” Like Yeich, Jones struggled to find consistency early, resulting in singles by seniors Forrest Baldwin and Jacob Overstreet. But, headed by a forceout at third, Jones calmed down to end the inning with a strikeout and groundout; a pattern he found through the next four innings aided by eight strikeouts. “I’m just really disappointed,” Clary said at game’s end. “We jump out to a 2-0 lead, and should’ve made it more than that. “They may have tried too hard,” Clary said. “They didn’t channel their energy in a positive way and I thought they got tight, a little beat.” After three innings, the Jaguars had left five runners on base, compared to the four for West. Jones’ comfort with the strike zone was given run support in the fourth with a two RBI single from the bat of junior Christian Beckley. Jones’ pitching closed out the inning with back-to-back strikeouts. East failed to find that early game success yet again at the plate in the fifth as Jones’ three consecutive strikeouts sat down the Jaguars after a dropped ball by the first baseman allowed Baldwin to take first to start the inning. The Colts’ bats remained hot in the ensuing innings with two runs apiece being tacked on in the fifth and sixth, along with four more to close out the win. Sophomore Trey Merida’s drive to deep center in the fifth came shy of crossing the fence, but earned him a two RBI double as part of his 2-4 effort on the night. He, along with Mahon, Beckley and junior Lane Brooks made up a group who Hamilton credited for their timely hitting in the Colts’ victory. “I got to tip my cap to my coaching staff,” Hamilton said. “We can swing it ... That’s what it’s all about, having them come through when you’re needing them to come through.” Mahon finished the game 2-4 with two RBIs and a run; Beckley was 3-4 with one RBI and one run; and Brooks was 2-4 with three RBIs. “I really thought coming in they would be ahead of us given their age compared to us,” Hamilton said. “We lost six guys that had career years last year, and I thought we had a long ways to go to get back to where we were.” According to Clary, his team seemed to have lost its edge after committing their two errors in the third inning, sparking a Colts surge. “They took the lead 3-2 we started pressing and couldn’t get the momentum back, and then it sort of snowballed from there,” Clary said. “We couldn’t stop the bleeding.” East’s four pitchers combined for nine strikeouts, six walks, and allowed 13 hits. “We go back to the drawing board,” Clary said. “This is one game. We’re not going to let this ruin our season.” East Jessamine traveled to Mercer County to take on the 9-3 Titans on Wednesday. Hamilton and his Colts take to the road on Thursday as they go to Burgin (0-1) for a scheduled 5:30 p.m. opening pitch. 2013-04-10 07:51:55.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jones-pitching-writes-off-east-rally-in-11run-win-20130409,0,2498436.story

jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-vs-west-jessamine-softball-on-april-9-20130409 Photo gallery: East Jessamine vs. West Jessamine softball on April 9 April 9, 2013 The East Jessamine Lady Jaguars defeated the West Jessamine Lady Colts 10-0 at the East softball field Tuesday, April 9. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164b592/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-vs-west-jessamine-softball-on-april-9-20130409/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164b592/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-vs-west-jessamine-softball-on-april-9-20130409/400/16x9 The East Jessamine Lady Jaguars defeated the West Jessamine Lady Colts 10-0 at the East softball field Tuesday, April 9. 2013-04-10 10:20:41.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-vs-west-jessamine-softball-on-april-9-20130409,0,4316006.photogallery

jj-lady-jags-cruise-to-100-victory-over-rival-west-jessamine-20130409 Lady Jags cruise to 10-0 victory over rival West Jessamine April 9, 2013 It was an early start and an early end to the first softball game of the season between East Jessamine and West Jessamine on Tuesday night, with the Lady Jaguars finishing up a 10-0 victory in five innings. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164ab57/turbine/jj-lady-jags-cruise-to-100-victory-over-rival-west-jessamine-20130409/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164ab57/turbine/jj-lady-jags-cruise-to-100-victory-over-rival-west-jessamine-20130409/400/16x9 It was an early start and an early end to the first softball game of the season between East Jessamine and West Jessamine on Tuesday night, with the Lady Jaguars finishing up a 10-0 victory in five innings. With the varsity baseball game between East and West slated for later in the evening, the softball game began at the East Jessamien field just an hour and a half after school let out Tuesday. An RBI double from Haylee Hamm gave the Lady Jags (8-3) a 1-0 lead in the first inning after a single from Heather Welch and a sacrifice bunt from Olivia Day. West (3-12) threatened in the next frame, opening the top of the second with an Ashley Brunty double, but Brunty could not advance to third on a Samantha Cross bloop single, and Hamm promptly retired the next three batters, striking out two. East tacked on three more runs in the second with an RBI single from Allison Schubert and two Lady Colt errors. West finished the game with three errors, all of which led to runs for the Lady Jags. “I talked to them before the game and told them it was going to be the team that made the fewest mistakes that won the game, and we didn’t come out ready to play,” West coach Michelle Baker said. A two-run home run from Hamm and an RBI double from Malin Miracle helped the East lead balloon to 8-0 after three innings. The game ended in the bottom of the fifth when the Lady Jags took a 10-0 lead after a Katie Fisher home run and a run-scoring single from Felicia Farmer. “We hit the ball well one through nine, pretty much,” East coach Tom Hamm said. “Sarah (Rainwater) struggled a little bit, but Sarah’s a good hitter, and she’s going to come around. Everybody else in the lineup got a hit: Katie hit a home run, Haylee with the double and the home run; those things were big for us.” Rainwater made her presence known in the field after a bunt single from West’s Ali Cox in the top of the fifth. Alex Huffman popped the ball into the outfield, and Rainwater got over in time to make the catch and double Cox off first. The Lady Jags went 2-2 on their spring-break trip to Clarksville, Tenn., and came back with a 2-1 loss at Lincoln County on Monday night. “Sarah made a great play in the outfield; those kind of plays help, too,” Tom Hamm said Tuesday. “Everybody played well overall, much better than last night.” The Lady Colts also went 2-2 at the same event in Tennessee. Baker said West had hit the ball exceptionally well over spring break but that did not carry over to the rivalry game Tuesday. “We knew that we were going to see Haylee on the mound; she did a great job keeping us off balance and forcing us to hit pop flies; we just weren’t able to drive through the ball today,” Baker said. “I think that we just have to work on confidence. Our pitch selection wasn’t great with Haylee; we need to work on that. And keeping the ball in front of us in the outfield; we really struggled with that today. I’ll give it to them; they hit the ball today.” Haylee Hamm finished with five shutout innings and a two-hit, three-RBI night at the plate. Schubert also collected two hits. For West, Kendall Anderson went 2-for-3 and Cross reached base on a single and on a walk. 2013-04-10 08:04:45.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-lady-jags-cruise-to-100-victory-over-rival-west-jessamine-20130409,0,2300219.story

jj-yost-mckenzie-find-hope-in-spite-of-early-backspin-20130410 Yost, McKenzie find hope in spite of early backspin April 10, 2013 West Jessamine’s tennis coaches knew entering the season they had teams needing to rise to the occasion, but what they didn’t know was it needed to be done without their top singles acts. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51657ecd/turbine/jj-yost-mckenzie-find-hope-in-spite-of-early-backspin-20130410/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51657ecd/turbine/jj-yost-mckenzie-find-hope-in-spite-of-early-backspin-20130410/400/16x9 West Jessamine’s tennis coaches knew entering the season they had teams needing to rise to the occasion, but what they didn’t know was it needed to be done without their top singles acts. Thus far in the 2013 season, only head coach Josh Yost’s boys’ team has had its No. 1 seed (senior Andrew Monell) on the court. Yost said in his absence players such as senior Grant Wells, junior Joel Mansur and sophomore Nick Kulaga have relished the opportunity against formidable opponents. Wells, the team’s regular No. 2 seed, competed against Tates Creek’s No. 1. “It was truly a match where the player he was playing had one glaring weakness in his game, and for Grant to win he was going to have to attack that weakness, and he did it perfectly,” Yost said. That same day against Tates Creek senior Justin Sanders, the team’s regular No. 4 seed, who was playing as a No. 2, clinched the overall victory for the Colts with his win in match play. “He and I will both admit he didn’t hit every shot the way he wanted to,” Yost said. “What was impressive is that he kept fighting, and he pushed through and ended up winning that match, which ended up being the clincher for the team.” Girls’ head coach Kate McKenzie encountered a similar problem but to a larger degree with sophomore No. 1 Bailey Ludt having yet to play this season due to a back injury. In Ludt’s place, McKenzie promoted sophomore Katie Mitchell and junior Sydney Sampson to the team’s top two singles seeds, where they remain a constant for the Lady Colts. “So far it is looking really good and people are rising to their potential,” McKenzie said. The absence of the two teams’ top seeds also provided a shake-up for West’s doubles units. “We’ve got three different combinations that have played well at various points during the season,” Yost said. According to Yost, Monell and Wells are still undefeated, “but it’s really for the other two teams to find that consistency as a doubles team.” The other two teams are made up of Kulaga/Mansur and the seventh-grade duo of Sean Kidwell and Ethan Barren. Kidwell and Barren pulled out a three-set win over Tates Creek’s high-school players. “Really impressive for them this early in their careers,” Yost said. “It was really their first varsity match.” Coaching a team that is still largely new to the sport, Yost said he believed they continue to need to work on their serve and serve percentage. “It’s infuriating in a way, because it’s the one shot you can completely control,” he said. McKenzie finds herself in the same position with a team needing to improve on their game strategy and attack of the net. However, they’ve put the practice of strategic play into motion. “Something I think we’ve improved on tremendously from last year is strategy. We’ve worked a lot on how to set up a point and use it to your advantage.” That’s unlike their attack of the net, McKenzie said, which is showing in practice but not translating to match play. “They’re all very strong in volleys during practice,” she said. “They come to the net and execute, but in a match they’re still hesitant to come for the point at the net.” West’s boys’ team sits at 4-2 with wins over East Jessamine, Tates Creek, Madison Central and Scott County. McKenzie’s girls’ team is 2-3 with wins also over East and Madison Central. 2013-04-10 08:00:43.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-yost-mckenzie-find-hope-in-spite-of-early-backspin-20130410,0,42574.story

jj-west-jessamine-soccer-alum-gilliland-invited-to-u23-national-team-camp-20130410 West Jessamine soccer alum Gilliland invited to U23 National Team Camp April 10, 2013 Former West Jessamine soccer standout Arin Gilliland’s rise through the college ranks is beginning to show through as the University of Kentucky junior was invited to the US Soccer U23 National Team Camp on Monday, April 1. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-5165815e/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-soccer-alum-gilliland-invited-to-u23-national-team-camp-20130410/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5165815e/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-soccer-alum-gilliland-invited-to-u23-national-team-camp-20130410/400/16x9 Former West Jessamine soccer standout Arin Gilliland’s rise through the college ranks is beginning to show through as the University of Kentucky junior was invited to the US Soccer U23 National Team Camp on Monday, April 1. Scheduled to be held in Carson, Calif., the camp will run from April 13-20. Gilliland is one of 21 players invited to the camp coached by Randy Waldrum, who is entering his 15th season at Notre Dame and a two-time national champion. “This is really all just so surreal to me,” Gilliland said in a UK Athletics release. “This is the opportunity I have been waiting my whole life for, and I am excited to be able to go prove myself with the best players in the nation. I feel like I am back to the level I need to be at following my ACL injury a year ago. It is really nice to know after all this time, they still have the faith and confidence in me as a player and a person that I can compete at the highest level. I am going to go out there and give it my all and show them what I can offer to the team.” Gilliland led UK in scoring last season with seven goals and seven assists in her 1,900 minutes of playing time. Three of those scored were game-winning goals with three others leading to tied games on the pitch. Her performance last season for head coach Jon Lipsitz helped the team finish 14-7-1 and earned her a slew of awards. She was named a third-team All-American by CollegeSoccerMadness.com, as well as First Team All-SEC. Gilliland was also a member of the Tropical Smoothie Invitational All-Tournament Team, Cardinal Classic All-Tournament Team and NSCAA All-South. During her time at West Jessamine, and as a member of the Ohio Elite club team, Gilliand was named to the ESPN Rise All-American team, First Team All-State (2010), Kentucky Miss Soccer, 27th District MVP, Central Kentucky Soccer Conference MVP, and a 2010 Parade All-American. 2013-04-10 08:11:21.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-jessamine-soccer-alum-gilliland-invited-to-u23-national-team-camp-20130410,0,6580664.story

jj-sports-brief-lca-tennis-sweeps-east-20130409 Sports brief: LCA tennis sweeps East April 9, 2013 Spring break and match canceling cold weather is now cast aside. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164432a/turbine/jj-sports-brief-lca-tennis-sweeps-east-20130409/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5164432a/turbine/jj-sports-brief-lca-tennis-sweeps-east-20130409/400/16x9 Spring break and match canceling cold weather is now cast aside. With that being the case, tennis programs such as East Jessamine, who has only had two matches since the season began in early March, has the opportunity to mold its young team for what lies ahead. East's boys and girls team traveled to Lexington Christian Academy on Monday where they were swept by the traditionally successful Eagles. Boys Singles No. 1 Landon Puckett (LCA) def. Taylor Harper 6-1, 6-1 No. 2 Brody Bilderback (LCA) def. Sumner Blue 6-2, 6-2 No. 3 Jasen Sonday (LCA) def. Wyatt McDonald 6-0, 6-0   Doubles No. 1 Adam Slone/Ryan Ludt (LCA) def. Timmy Bradshaw/Zach Bruner 6-0, 6-0 No. 2 Clay Thornton/Austin Jones (LCA) def. Dale Devore/Glen Henson 7-5, 4-6, 1-0 (4)   Exhibition Chase Thornton (LCA) def. Will Prince 6-0, 6-0   Girls Singles No. 1 Christen Puckett (LCA) def. Kasey Kibler 6-4, 6-1 No. 2 Spencer Branham (LCA) def. Katie Turner 6-2, 6-2 No. 3 Emily Parks (LCA) def. Jennifer Terrazas 6-0, 6-0   Doubles No. 1 Katie Eden/Hannah Sither (LCA) def. Kasey Kibler/Katie Turner 6-1, 6-0 No. 2 Meredith Macy/Hannah Harris (LCA) def. Cherokee Thacker/Lindsey Mercer 6-0, 6-0 2013-04-09 09:33:18.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-sports-brief-lca-tennis-sweeps-east-20130409,0,5389770.story

jj-schedules-reveal-east-wests-challenging-visitnichcom-weekend-20130403 Schedules reveal East, West's challenging VisitNich.com weekend April 3, 2013 Schedules are in place and coaches can now begin team preparations for the 2013 edition of the VisitNich.com Soccerrama and Bowl. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-515c37cf/turbine/jj-schedules-reveal-east-wests-challenging-visitnichcom-weekend-20130403/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-515c37cf/turbine/jj-schedules-reveal-east-wests-challenging-visitnichcom-weekend-20130403/400/16x9 Schedules are in place and coaches can now begin team preparations for the 2013 edition of the VisitNich.com Soccerrama and Bowl. The upcoming football season will get underway Friday, Aug. 23, with East Jessamine High School hosting the third annual VisitNich.com Bowl, sponsored by the Nicholasville Tourism Commission. The Jaguars and head coach Mike Bowlin open the evening with South Oldham at 6:30 p.m. The Dragons finished the 2012 season 8-4 and defeated the West Jessamine Colts 43-32 in the first round of the KHSAA playoffs. Tentatively scheduled for 8:45 p.m., first-year head coach Yancey Marcum and the Colts play Scott High School out of Covington. The 5A Eagles concluded their 2012 season with a 5-6 overall record. Starting on Saturday, all attention turns to the second annual Soccerrama sponsored by VisitNich.com, which is expected to kick off the 2013 season. Games on Saturday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 25, get under way at 11 a.m. with each day anticipated to end with games at 5 p.m. The Soccerrama, to be held at the West Jessamine High School soccer field, will feature the East and West boy teams taking on Newport Central Catholic and Corbin. The Corbin Redhounds’ 14-8-1 record during 2012 led them to a second-round appearance in the boys’ soccer state tournament, where they lost to eventual state champion St. Xavier. Despite a 7-10-5 record, NCC made it to the 9th Region championship game, a loss to Boone County. Girls teams from East and West play host to Bishop Brossart (Alexandria) and Pope John Paul II (Hendersonville, Tenn.). The Bishop Brossart girls captured the 10th Region tournament crown, going 18-6-1 and 9-0 in their region. They lost in the first round of the girls’ soccer state tournament to runner-up Notre Dame (Park Hills). The girls of Pope John Paul II High School completed their prior season with a 6-7-6 record. “Probably one of the most exciting things about this is that it’s at the beginning of school,” district athletics director Ken Cox said. “It gives us the opportunity for the whole community to join together and support Jessamine County schools.” 2013-04-03 07:11:09.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-schedules-reveal-east-wests-challenging-visitnichcom-weekend-20130403,0,662744.story

jj-florida-all-but-breezy-for-hot-jaguars-20130403 Florida all but breezy for hot Jaguars April 3, 2013 Two days into their Fort Walton Beach, Fla., tournament the East Jessamine Jaguars baseball team sits at 1-1. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-515c2ef5/turbine/jj-florida-all-but-breezy-for-hot-jaguars-20130403/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-515c2ef5/turbine/jj-florida-all-but-breezy-for-hot-jaguars-20130403/400/16x9 Two days into their Fort Walton Beach, Fla., tournament the East Jessamine Jaguars baseball team sits at 1-1. With a box score removed from view, that notion would leave some scratching their heads. Yet, with offense being a premium, the Jaguars held tight to their pitching ways. Monday, against Fort Walton Beach, the Jaguars fell 1-0 in the 14th inning. Starting junior pitcher John Hisle threw a no-hitter through seven innings of action but was pulled after play continued beyond regulation times. Hisle was replaced by junior Conner Lindsay, who allowed only two hits and earned seven strikeouts, a game-high, through the remainder of the game. “(Monday) we should’ve won the game in the fifth or sixth inning,” said East head coach Kevin Clary. “Our inability to get a sacrifice bunt down, we made two crucial baserunning mistakes in the same inning, and we let that one slip away.” Fort Walton Beach’s walk-off hit in the 14th came on a line drive to center field, scoring a base runner from second. By comparison to Tuesday afternoon’s game, Clary said it came down to “when we got runners in scoring position, we were able to produce, and at a fairly high rate.” That game resulted in the Jaguars piecing together an entire game that resulted in a 9-1 victory over Owensboro High School. Pitching was yet again key with senior Forrest Baldwin throwing a complete game four-hitter with 12 strikeouts. Offensively, senior Jarryd Settles (3-3, two RBIs) and junior Stephen Treadway (three RBIs) set the rhythm. Unlike how the weather has recently treated his team, Clary said being in the warmth of Florida has allowed him to see how his team can truly perform. “This has been a godsend,” Clary said. “Now we can really focus on real baseball ... We’re trying to treat this kind of like spring training.” 2013-04-03 06:47:33.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-florida-all-but-breezy-for-hot-jaguars-20130403,0,4621526.story

jj-stiffer-competition-welcomes-west-on-spring-break-20130402 Stiffer competition welcomes West on spring break April 2, 2013 Spring break has been everything but easy for West Jessamine baseball head coach Jody Hamilton and his Colts. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-515b3715/turbine/jj-stiffer-competition-welcomes-west-on-spring-break-20130402/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-515b3715/turbine/jj-stiffer-competition-welcomes-west-on-spring-break-20130402/400/16x9 Spring break has been everything but easy for West Jessamine baseball head coach Jody Hamilton and his Colts. Entering the Vero Beach, Fla., tournament with a 2-1 record, the Colts were predominantly met with competition that kept the game hinged on the arm of the pitching staffs. The Colts trip opened with a 2-1 loss to Greenup County. “We had our chances; we just didn’t get it done,” Hamilton said. West held a 1-0 lead after the fourth inning and “kicked around a couple of times” and lost the lead, Hamilton said. Greenup used a two-run sixth to obtain a lead it wouldn’t lose. Sophomore Troy Merida finished the game with two hits for West. Sophomore Trey Merida had one hit, and junior Drew Ward collected the team’s fourth hit. Day two of West’s trip fared better with a 10-1 victory over Boyd County and a shutout of Johnson Central. The Colts’ nine-run trampling of Boyd was backed by two RBIs apiece by sophomore Josh Blancet and senior Lee Patrick in a game which had the Colts scoring their runs on an equal amount of hits in all but the sixth inning. Sophomore Maxx Mahon pitched four innings that culminated in his game-high six strikeouts. Monday afternoon’s game with the Johnson Central Golden Eagles once again returned the Colts to a pitching battle with a 1-0 win aided by senior Matt Yeich. “(Yeich) threw about as good of a game as you could possibly throw,” Hamilton said. “He almost had to be perfect in order for us to win.” Just as in game one of the tournament, batting was silenced until the fourth when Ward drove in the eventual game-winning RBI. However, pitching won out for the Colts with Yeich’s eight strikeouts and 19 first-pitch strikes setting the tone in the win. “I think pitching’s always going to be ahead of hitting right now at this stage,” Hamilton said. 2013-04-03 06:21:34.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-stiffer-competition-welcomes-west-on-spring-break-20130402,0,3963337.story

jj-photo-gallery-east-west-archers-practice-for-nationals-20130401 Photo gallery: East, West archers practice for nationals April 1, 2013 Archers from East Jessamine High School, West Jessamine High School and West Jessamine Middle School practiced Thursday at The Providence Activities Center (PAC). Many of the archers qualified for the NASP Nationals that take place May 10-11 In Louisville. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5159cf5a/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-west-archers-practice-for-nationals-20130401/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5159cf5a/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-west-archers-practice-for-nationals-20130401/400/16x9 Archers from East Jessamine High School, West Jessamine High School and West Jessamine Middle School practiced Thursday at The Providence Activities Center (PAC). Many of the archers qualified for the NASP Nationals that take place May 10-11 In Louisville. 2013-04-01 11:38:50.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-west-archers-practice-for-nationals-20130401,0,6271691.photogallery

jj-east-baseball-50-with-weekend-sweep-20130327 East baseball 5-0 with weekend sweep March 27, 2013 The East Jessamine baseball team used a narrow 4-3 home victory over Scott County (1-2) on Friday to start a rhythm for things to come for the Jaguars in a double-header on Saturday in Boyle County (1-2). By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5153131f/turbine/jj-east-baseball-50-with-weekend-sweep-20130327/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5153131f/turbine/jj-east-baseball-50-with-weekend-sweep-20130327/400/16x9 The East Jessamine baseball team used a narrow 4-3 home victory over Scott County (1-2) on Friday to start a rhythm for things to come for the Jaguars in a double-header on Saturday in Boyle County (1-2). “Saturday was really good,” said East head coach Kevin Clary. The Jaguars escaped what early was a tight game, 7-1, with the combination of batting and pitching by senior Forrest Baldwin. Following a stalemate in the game’s opening innings, East got on the scoreboard in the top of the third with Baldwin’s single to center, scoring junior Conner Lindsay. The second run of the frame came on a RBI double by senior Mike Jones. Clary’s squad tacked on their third run in the fourth on a grounder to short that scored senior Jacob Overstreet. The bottom of the inning presented Boyle’s only run of the game, which came after a walk and passed ball helped setup Boyle senior Scott Conyers for a RBI single to left. Baldwin added two additional RBIs in the seventh inning, but it was his pitching that earned him praise from his coach. “He was outstanding; had great command. He was able to locate his fastball and his breaking ball,” Clary said. Baldwin went the distance in the game, allowing only four hits, one unearned run, and striking out seven batters. His batting stats were paced by Jones’ two RBIs, Lindsay’s 1-2 effort with one run, and senior Jarryd Settles with one RBI. “It was a really good team win for us,” Clary said. “We moved runners when we had to, and we had two or three big two-out hits.” Lucky number seven stayed on the side of the Jaguars with a 7-0 win over Model (0-2) later in the day. Unlike game one, East peaced together runs throughout the game to claim their fifth victory of the season. “We kind of peacemealed it a little bit,” Clary said. The Jaguars struck in the top  of the first inning with two runs from the bat of senior Brady¿Corman, who drove two of the three previously walked batters on a single to right center. Junior Jacob Burnight collected an RBI in the top of the second after he drove in senior Brandt Redmon for his second run of the game. East added its fourth and fifth runs in the ensuing innings before temporarily running out of luck at the plate. Up to that point, junior Sam Hall held his own at the mound with five strikeouts and allowing a single hit. Hall also had 13 of his 16 first pitches go for strikes. The three remaining innings saw action from sophomore Josh Stinnett, senior Cody Eschrich, and Conner Lindsay, who all combined to allow two hits. Two more runs were had by East in the sixth on a liner to right by freshman Lain Hager, and sophomore Barron Blackford with a single, scoring Hager. During the course of the weekend, six East pitcher combined for 21 innings of play, 30 strikeouts and 11 hits. “Our pitching’s been outstanding,” Clary said. “They’re giving us a chance to win every game.” Clary said he’s “pleased” with where his team is prior to the team’s spring break tournament in Ft. Walton, Fla. “We’re doing a much better job of catching the baseball. We’re having timely hitting, and we’re having a alot of two-out base hits with runners in scoring position.” 2013-03-27 08:44:01.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-baseball-50-with-weekend-sweep-20130327,0,4360659.story

jj-east-west-jessamine-archers-find-their-tune-at-first-khsaasanctioned-tournament-20130327 East, West Jessamine archers find their tune at first KHSAA-sanctioned tournament March 27, 2013 It isn’t often the case that a team can produce competitive results in its first season. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51531106/turbine/jj-east-west-jessamine-archers-find-their-tune-at-first-khsaasanctioned-tournament-20130327/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51531106/turbine/jj-east-west-jessamine-archers-find-their-tune-at-first-khsaasanctioned-tournament-20130327/400/16x9 It isn’t often the case that a team can produce competitive results in its first season. However, after staking their claim at the regional competition, the East and West Jessamine archery teams showed they weren’t your typical first-year competitor as they shot national qualifying scores at the state competition. Held at Louisville’s International Convention Center on March 18-19, the state competition was the first the schools competed in under KHSAA sanction. “They shot the lights out,” head coach Eric Sowers said. The competition, comprised of the scores of the top 12 shooters on each team, consisted of students from East Jessamine High School, West Jessamine Middle School, West Jessamine High School, and a student from The Providence School. West freshman CJ¿Barnes, in his first season of competitive shooting, scored a 295. The score was good enough to claim first in his grade, eighth in the high school division and 10th overall. “(He) achieved a pretty incredible thing for the high school boys,” Sowers said. Barnes’ score was two points off that of the winner, and three points shy of matching a world record score shot at the Kentucky state tournament. “The world record at the Kentucky state tournament is 298. He was three points away from the world record in his first year as a ninth-grader,” Sowers said. “The kid is unbelivable. I’d love to say it’s the coaching, but the kid is just gifted.” Barnes’ scores on the range only barely outperformed those of East  sixth-grader Heather Barnes (no relation), whose score of 275 qualified her for the national competition. Heather Barnes placed third in her grade, eighth in the elementary division, and 140th overall. “She’s a national qualifier in her first year. That doesn’t happen very often,” Sowers said. “Those two did just amazing things.” KHSAA archery is one of the few sports where boys and girls compete alongside without either having an advantage in any way over the other. “What’s great is archery is the great equalizer. Girls can and do outshoot boys consistently,” Sowers said. East sophomore Samantha Roddy was another female student among the Jessamine County group to have one of the highest scores of her team. Roddy’s 276 placed her 20th in her grade, 76th in the high school division, and 121st overall at the Louisville-based tournament. Other notable scores included that of East freshman Chase Ardery and West seventh-grader Ethan Snider. Ardery’s score of 282 ranked 19th among students in his age, 70th in the high school division, and 103rd overall. Snider shot a 279 to place 18th in his grade, 47th among middle schoolers, and 170th overall. “The depth of the competition is incredible,” Sowers said. His Jessamine group competed among 46 elementary schools, 61 middle schools, 70 high schools, and 2,390 total entrants from all around the state. East Jessamine High¿School was the highest finisher of the Sowers-led teams. The Jaguars placed 30th in their division with a score of 3,214, making them a national qualifier along with West. “They scored better than any other first-year program in the state — significantly better,” Sowers said. “These schools that they’ve been beating have been shooting for a long time.” West’s score of 3,164 ranked them 37th in their division. West Jessamine Middle School ranked 18th overall in their category. “They’re 100 or 200 points better than the next first-year team,” Sowers said of his two high school teams. “That was my goal at the end of this year, after the national tournament, my goal for both these teams was to have a 3,200 at the end of this season,” he said. According to Sowers, East hit that early season goal with a couple of months remaining in the archery season, as the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) Nationals takes place May 10-11 in Louisville at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center. “Everything comes down to basics in every sport, and archery is no different. What I saw was a group of kids that matched up,” Sowers said. “There’s 11 steps that every coach tries to teach. I saw every one of our archers following these 11 steps as good as they could possibly do at this point in their career. So really they overperformed. They shot better than they should’ve given the year they’re in.” Even with his team’s success at the state tournament, Sowers said he takes even more pride in how a county with two primary teams can unite behind one in particular. “This is the only sport in the county that outside of competition day, these are Jessamine County kids and they are one team.” 2013-03-27 08:35:40.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-west-jessamine-archers-find-their-tune-at-first-khsaasanctioned-tournament-20130327,0,4072232.story

jj-youth-football-camp-in-works-for-kpfhof-funding-20130403 Youth football camp in works for KPFHOF funding April 3, 2013 Jessamine County’s up and coming football talent will soon get the chance to learn from some of the county’s best about how to play the sport. By Cody Porter Jessamine County’s up and coming football talent will soon get the chance to learn from some of the county’s best about how to play the sport. According to district athletics director Ken Cox, East Jessamine football head coach Mike Bowlin and West head coach Yancey Marcum “are donating their time to help put a youth football camp on.” “I really stress how appreciative we are that Mike and Yancey are donating their time just because of their passion for football and youth football,” Cox said. The three-day, non-contact camp will take place place on the West Jessamine High School field 9 a.m. to noon on June 4-6, and is open to campers in grades third through eighth. “I think it is something our community has needed for a long time to connect the youth programs to the high school.” Marcum said. “So I think that hopefully what we can accomplish here is an interest in the community in sports and football.” The camp will have a $35 sign- up fee, with proceeds going toward the operating expenses for the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame (KPFHOF) board. “I think it’s a great idea. It’s something we talked about as a staff just here at East,” Bowlin said. “The problem that you had with doing something from one school is you had so many kids that could be going to the other school. You know, if West tried to do something, there would be a lot of kids from East that might not attend because it’s not the school they’re feeding into.” Bowlin, who plans to have his entire staff and a “proportional amount” of his team, will also be accompanied by former East player Jared Cobb, currently a kicker at Kentucky Christian University. “Yancey and Mike will go into the fundamentals — blocking, tackling, catching — just the basic fundamentals of football,” Cox said. “In addition to passing, catching, blocking and tackling skills, we have a former East (Jessamine) High School graduate by the name of Jared Cobb, who’s going to be the kicking specialist.” A former long snapper at Eastern Kentucky University, Bowlin said it’s the kicking, punting and snapping skills that youths should focus on more due to the simplicity of the activity. “A lot of times kids are never exposed to either long snapping or punting, and those are activities that to me are the equivalent to shooting basketball and that you can do at home by yourself,” Bowlin said. “If those kids can work on those skills at an early age, then when they get to middle school they’re not trying to search for one, and then when they get to high school, I’ve got a good one.” “Kicking a ball’s fun,” Bowlin said. You take 10 guys out with a football and it won’t be 30 seconds before one of them punts it. It’s just one of the natural things ... We’re only going to throw it, catch it for so long. I’m going to try to punt it, kick it or something else with it.” Appearances from members of the KPFHOF are to be expected, Cox said, but exactly who has yet to be determed. Campers can also expect to be around some of West’s football players, as well as possibly attending a game, according to Marcum. “In a perfect world, this is the best way to work it where we’re coming together, working with everybody in the county,” Bowlin said. “Any time we can promote football in the county it’s obviously a good deal and great for our youth.” The three-day event will also give campers an opportunity to have fun, aside from just learning, Cox and Marcum said. “We”ll have a touch football game or two, and maybe just some shuttle-run competitions just for fun,” Cox said. “We want it to be a fun event to create an interest for this age group for football.” 2013-04-03 07:18:58.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-youth-football-camp-in-works-for-kpfhof-funding-20130403,0,3957668.story

jj-returning-lyons-seeking-new-roar-on-easts-track-20130327 Returning Lyons seeking new roar on East's track March 27, 2013 East Jessamine track coach Gina Lyons left the Jaguars’ program years back to seek other opportunities. Now, she’s returned and looking to use youth to her advantage to build a winner in years to come. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51530e97/turbine/jj-returning-lyons-seeking-new-roar-on-easts-track-20130327/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51530e97/turbine/jj-returning-lyons-seeking-new-roar-on-easts-track-20130327/400/16x9 East Jessamine track coach Gina Lyons left the Jaguars’ program years back to seek other opportunities. Now, she’s returned and looking to use youth to her advantage to build a winner in years to come. “This is really just a building year, as with any young team. We need to work on technique ... (but) the kids kind of get ahead of themselves,” Lyons said. “They all come out and want to run state times when they first hit the track. We want to focus on skills and technique, that’s what makes a good runner.” Lyons emphasized that while currently a small team, she’s optimistic about the program’s future with what she’s seen in limited outdoor practices. “We have several sophomores who are returning from last year,” she said. Some of which include Lauren Osborne, who runs the mile, Grayson Hearn, a distance runner, Cory Forman, who participated in both events, and hurdler Kyle Lyons. Coach Lyons used Kyle as an example of one of the team’s competitors who needed to improve small aspects of his skill set. “He’s an excellent hurdler. We just took him last year into a three-step,” Coach Lyons said. “Just starting the year we’re trying to get that back for him and get some speed between those hurdles. He’s got wonderful form, but what he needs to work on is that speed.” Even with its youth, the Jaguars do return two state qualifying veterans in senior Mallory Osborne and junior Christian Beazley. Coach Lyons said the team focuses “a lot on Mallory and Christian because they’re our team leaders. We have some high hopes for those kids specifically.” “We have a lot of high hopes for Mallory,” she said. “She went to state last year on the 400. She placed ninth. We’re hoping she’ll be back on the medal stand in Louisville.” Coach Lyons said Mallory has been speaking with Eastern Kentucky University, and “we hope that she’ll walk-on in the fall.” Co-team leader Beazley returns to lead his male counterparts this season. “He was a state qualifier on our cross country team,” Coach Lyons said. “He was a state qualifier in the 4x8 last spring. We’re hoping he shows a lot of promise this year in the mile and the 800.” Since practice got underway for the 2013 season, weather has prevented East’s track team from seeing getting much on-track practice — a costly factor for developing athletes. “When you’re practicing inside you can’t practice relays, you can’t practice field events, you just can’t practice,” Coach Lyons said. Approaching early season events makes things difficult not knowing what events newcomers belong in,Coach Lyons said. She said she must use a “ready, fire, aim” approach to have participants properly placed. “When you can’t get your team out on the track, you don’t know what you have, you don’t know what you can put together,” she said “When you have kids returning from the year before, you can say my 4x1, this is what I have.” She added the practice time allows her to “gel” with her team. And when it comes to the newcomers, those particular days on the track are more valuable than others. “Actually like not being on the track is very hard for the coach and the team to gel. So, you know, as we get more track time we’ll get to know more about where we’re at,” Coach Lyons said. “When you’re practicing inside you can’t practice relays, you can’t practice field events, you just can’t practice.” After having weather also cancel their first event at Boyle County, Coach Lyons said her team’s focus will be on all-around running, specifically the 4x800. “We got a few people who are new people coming out that are interested in sprinting, so we know we got that middle distance on our team,” she said. Being a sprinter, Coach Lyons said she has used their limited track days to work on sprinting. “It’s a lot about teaching kids how to run. It can take a lot off of their time,” she said. “That’s a place we really need to fill in the gaps.” 2013-03-27 08:24:29.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-returning-lyons-seeking-new-roar-on-easts-track-20130327,0,5438548.story

jj-tight-bonds-land-burnside-harrison-with-campbellsville-soccer-20130322 Tight bonds land Burnside, Harrison with Campbellsville soccer March 22, 2013 The coaching and guidance of former East Jessamine soccer head coach DeAngelo Wiser again yielded Campbellsville University a newly signed pair of Lady Jaguars. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-514cc814/turbine/jj-tight-bonds-land-burnside-harrison-with-campbellsville-soccer-20130322/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-514cc814/turbine/jj-tight-bonds-land-burnside-harrison-with-campbellsville-soccer-20130322/400/16x9 The coaching and guidance of former East Jessamine soccer head coach DeAngelo Wiser again yielded Campbellsville University a newly signed pair of Lady Jaguars. Minutes after school let out following an untimely fire alarm, seniors Devon Burnside and Carlie Harrison put their name on the dotted line of paperwork to play their collegiate soccer for head coach Thomas Jones and the Campbellsville Tigers. “Their coach spent a lot of time watching their club team, so it was sort of a natural fit,” Wiser said. “Somebody like him, who’s been around a while, you don’t have to watch some of these kids for very long to understand what they’re made of and what they can do. I think he saw right away that Carlie and Devon can fit into his plans and help his program be successful.” The Lady Jags decision came largely in part to their shared interest in the school, which is allowing them to take their friendship beyond high school. “They went for their visit together over there. They’re really close. You know, I think that will help them also,” Wiser said. “They’ll be there to support each other through their freshman year and get with the program, so to speak.” “Since we are going to be so far from home we wanted something that we felt comfortable with and it played a big part to play together,” Harrison said. Burnside said the Harrison’s decision to attend Campbellsville finalized her plans. “Carlie making her decision to come with me kind of pushed everything to 100 percent wanting to go there because I’d have someone I know there,” Burnside said. The two said during their visit that there wasn’t much they didn’t like, which sold them on playing for the Tigers. They each chose to play for Jones over attending St. Catharine College because the latter “wasn’t for us.” “We went down there for a visit and we loved the atmosphere, we loved the people, and we loved what the coach was about,” Harrison said. Harrison’s soccer career was put in question during the 2011 season when knee injuries forced her to the bench. “She had to sit out and I think that really developed even more of a love for the game for her having to sit and watch,” Wiser said. “She was our sweeper. She anchored everything in the back and did a tremendous job with her leadership and skills, and we would not have been as successful without her in the back.” Wiser credited Burnside’s offensive ability and attitude for having helped lead the Lady Jaguars during her high school career. “Devon, if you want someone to take over a game, if you need a goal with a second left on the clock, she’s the person you want to have the ball,” Wiser said. “She scored 30 goals for us this year. She’s just done everthing we’ve asked and more. I look forward to her having a great year over at Campbellsville.” The Tigers ended their 2012 season with a 7-2 record overall, and 11-9-1 in Mid-South Conference play. Their season came to a conclusion with a loss in the NCCAA Mid-East Regional Championship game at Finley Stadium in Campbellsville. 2013-03-25 06:01:35.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-tight-bonds-land-burnside-harrison-with-campbellsville-soccer-20130322,0,3050716.story

jj-late-bloomer-mcconville-signs-with-upike-20130322 Late bloomer McConville signs with UPike March 22, 2013 East Jessamine senior lineman Doug McConville may have got a late start on his football career, but that didn’t prevent him from finding a future on the gridiron. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-514c762e/turbine/jj-late-bloomer-mcconville-signs-with-upike-20130322/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-514c762e/turbine/jj-late-bloomer-mcconville-signs-with-upike-20130322/400/16x9 East Jessamine senior lineman Doug McConville may have got a late start on his football career, but that didn’t prevent him from finding a future on the gridiron. Friday in East Jessamine High School’s auditorium, McConville, accompanied by his parents, Russell and Shirl, and head coach Mike Bowlin, signed his letter of intent to the University of Pikeville and head coach Dudley Hilton. “I’m very excited for Doug,” Bowlin said. “He only played football his senior year. Doug came out a little bit late. He’s one of those kids we saw in the hallway and we really thought he had some potential.” McConville’s trek to Pikeville began only recently. According to Bowlin, UPike coaches spoke him about McConville in January, and it was then Bowlin advised them to take a serious look at him. “Doug, just wanting to take the bull by the horns, went up and took a visit,” Bowlin said, adding he also did a good job of “getting out and promoting himself.” Bowlin said McConville told him upon his return that he liked what he saw, which led him to suggesting McConville stick with it and maintain contact with the Bears. “I was waiting on somebody to come back and talk to me and they were real late getting back so I decided I’ll go to Pikeville,” McConville said. “It seemed like a great program.” Bowlin said he informed the Bears inquiring coaches that McConville could play really well despite picking up the game so late in his varsity career, and definitely had the size to help the Bears. “I think Pikeville’s going to be a good fit for him. I know the coaching staff personally up there. I’ve worked with them before and I think this is a really good fit for them and for him,” Bowlin said. The addition of McConville to a largely inperienced Jaguars team this past season provided them with not only experience, but size to fight in the class 5A trenches. “From day one he got better,” Bowlin said. “He was a really novice, green football player. But by the end of the year he was really a force for us. It’s a big strong kid coming off the ball and he got better in really every area of the game from day one through the end of the season.” According to McConville, some of the things that lured him to UPike was their workout and fitness plans, but his early goals while donning the orange and black are to “just play better as a player and help the team out.” “He’s been blessed with a lot of good things for football. He’s got good size, good footwork and really good strength,” Bowlin said. The new Bear is entering a program that finished the 2012 season with a 3-8 overall record, including going 1-4 in the Mid-South Conference. 2013-03-22 08:20:34.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-late-bloomer-mcconville-signs-with-upike-20130322,0,3431501.story

jj-west-girls-gives-tennis-program-20-advantage-on-east-20130321 West girls give tennis team 2-0 advantage on East March 21, 2013 The girls first rivalry match of the 2013 tennis season occurred Tuesday with West topping East's Lady Jaguars. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-514b0a63/turbine/jj-west-girls-gives-tennis-program-20-advantage-on-east-20130321/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-514b0a63/turbine/jj-west-girls-gives-tennis-program-20-advantage-on-east-20130321/400/16x9 The girls first rivalry match of the 2013 tennis season occurred Tuesday with West topping East's Lady Jaguars. Led by sophomore Emily Ingram on the singles and doubles fronts, the Lady Colts took the match 6-3. Singles C. Kibbler (EJ) def. S. Sampson (WJ) 8-5 E. Ingram (WJ) def. L. Mercer (EJ) 8-1 C. Graham (WJ) def. K. Turner (EJ) 8-1 J. Terrazas (EJ) def. M. Haynes (WJ) 8-6 B. Fugmann (WJ) def. C. Thacker (EJ) 8-1 C. Stotts (WJ) won def. L. Tingly (EJ) 8-0 Doubles S. Sampson/E. Ingram (WJ) def. J. Terrazas/C. Thacker (EJ) 8-1 C. Kibbler/K. Turner (EJ) def. L. Strait/K. Land (WJ) 8-2 C. Graham/B. Fugmann (WJ) def. L. Mercer/L. Tingly (EJ) 8-0 2013-03-21 06:30:15.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-girls-gives-tennis-program-20-advantage-on-east-20130321,0,3242173.story

jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-baseball-vs-casey-county-20130320 Photo gallery: West Jessamine baseball vs. Casey County March 20, 2013 The West Jessamine Colts knocked off the Casey County Rebels 18-0 on Tuesday, March 19, behind a "bevy of runs" from the Colts' starters and younger, more inexperienced players. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5149cec6/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-baseball-vs-casey-county-20130320/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5149cec6/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-baseball-vs-casey-county-20130320/400/16x9 The West Jessamine Colts knocked off the Casey County Rebels 18-0 on Tuesday, March 19, behind a "bevy of runs" from the Colts' starters and younger, more inexperienced players. 2013-03-20 08:03:29.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-baseball-vs-casey-county-20130320,0,6087786.photogallery

jj-west-tennis-enters-2013-with-new-faces-energy-20130320 West tennis enters 2013 with new faces, energy March 20, 2013 West Jessamine High School’s tennis team has paved the way for its state championship quality talent in recent seasons — talent that must now be molded anew. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5149be2a/turbine/jj-west-tennis-enters-2013-with-new-faces-energy-20130320/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5149be2a/turbine/jj-west-tennis-enters-2013-with-new-faces-energy-20130320/400/16x9 West Jessamine High School’s tennis team has paved the way for its state championship quality talent in recent seasons — talent that must now be molded anew. The Colts boys team only returns one of its top six players (senior Andrew Monell) from last year after losing Zach Meikle to graduation and their top two doubles players, Logan and Tanner Sparks, to a temporary move to Singapore. “We have a lot of new faces this year — more than we’ve had in the past few years,” said boys coach Josh Yost. “We’ve lost a lot of talent over the past few years, but we’ve got a lot of new players who are showing a lot of good ability early.” According to Yost, Monell entered the season as the team’s No. 1 seed, replacing Meikle, who held the title during the 2012 season. Senior Grants Wells and junior Joel Mansur also returned to compete for ensuing seeds behind Monell. But even with so many faces, it’s a challenge Yost enjoys having, just as once the case with Meikel and Scott Layton, now at Asbury. “One of the things that I love about coaching young players, and players that are new to the sport, is they improve so quickly,” he said. “So you’ll see a lot of rapid improvement in the team that we are from the team we are during our first match to the team we are at the end of the season.” Yost said if the newcomers will buy in, they can expect to improve, especially if they stick to his personal motto for the team: “Perfect practice makes perfect.” “I tell all of my players from day one that I can forgive mistakes on the tennis court. What I can’t forgive is lack of effort,” Yost said. “I use (Meikle and Layton) as examples all of the time of people who were willing to put in the time and effort to become great tennis players.” One thing Yost said is key to teaching them is not attempting to overhit the ball every time. “In tennis it is more important to put the ball wherever you want to put it, as opposed to as  hard as you can,” he said. “You have to have place before pace.” The duos of Meikel and Layton, along with the Sparks brothers, have been where much of the team’s success has come from lately for the Colts, but West will now have a clean slate to start from. “We’re looking to try a lot of combinations early in the year and we’ll find the set that works well together,” he said. Unlike the boys, second year coach Kate McKenzie returns her top girls doubles team, as well as seven of her 12 players from last season. “Last year my best two players were (sophomores) Bailey Ludt and Katie Mitchell,” McKenzie said. “This year as sophomores I think that they’ll both be playing singles and doubles. They’re very experienced players that know the physical and mental aspects of the game.” McKenzie said in singles her Lady�Colts will be led by Ludt as the No. 1 seed, Mitchell as the No. 2, and sophomore Emily Ingram in the third slot, who has impressed McKenzie with her development. “She has come a long way,” she said. “She’s put a lot of work and effort into her game, and it looks great.” McKenzie contributes a lot of her team’s success toward the teamwork and bonding she has emphasized to them in order to make a good tennis team. 2013-03-20 06:50:53.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-tennis-enters-2013-with-new-faces-energy-20130320,0,4020973.story

jj-not-so-quite-sharp-colts-claim-18point-opening-win-20130319 Colts claim 18-run opening win Still not 'sharp' enough for Hamilton March 19, 2013 There are just some nights when everything goes right. And that’s what happened to the West Jessamine Colts baseball team in their season-opening trouncing of Casey County on Tuesday. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51491331/turbine/jj-not-so-quite-sharp-colts-claim-18point-opening-win-20130319/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51491331/turbine/jj-not-so-quite-sharp-colts-claim-18point-opening-win-20130319/400/16x9 There are just some nights when everything goes right. And that’s what happened to the West Jessamine Colts baseball team in their season-opening trouncing of Casey County on Tuesday. Even then, though, the skipper spots things that has him believing otherwise in spite of winning 18-0 with a “bevy of runs on a number of hits,” in the public address announcer’s words. “I don’t think we’re real sharp,” said West head coach Jody Hamilton. “They helped us quite a bit. We didn’t take advantage of some of their mistakes.” The first inning displayed some of what Hamilton referred to with a strikeout here, a flyout there. But, the Colts did manage to put six runs on the Rebels in the bottom of the first with much help from senior Tyler Adams, who scored two base runners on a double. “I thought (Adams) swung the bat really well,” Hamilton said. “On his first at bat, he got the double that got us going really well. Then he come with the single up the middle.” Senior Matt Yeich allowed two runners to get on base in the top of the first but closed things out before being pulled in favor of junior Daulton Peters in the second. Peters, having just entered baseball after basketball season, “had good stuff,” according to Hamilton, “but didn’t locate it real well.” West bats supported his case in the bottom of the second as they reeled off nine runs to jump out to a 15-0 lead by the inning’s conclusion. The inning got under way with junior Justin King getting hit by a pitch. Junior Jake Purkins pushed him across during the next at bat with an RBI triple and followed up with a run on a passed ball by the Rebels. Adams and junior Jarred Jones also scored on passed balls. The ninth run of the inning came across when senior Lee Patrick connected on a pitch for an RBI single. The emergence of a new pitcher after each inning became a trend for Hamilton. Rebel batters saw sophomore Maxx¿Mahon in the top of the third, sophomore Joseph Ivey in the fourth, and Jones to conclude the Colts’ victory on a double play. “I just wanted to get them some work,” Hamilton said. “A lot of times it’s better to get your bullpen in this way, and everybody got to get an inning in and get ready for this weekend.” Mahon’s pitching in the third inning got the eye of the coach, who thought he in particular was “real sharp” while tacking on a strikeout to the Colts’ box score. The bottom of the fourth, West’s last inning of offensive production, became an opportunity for Hamilton to incorporate younger players such as sophomore Hunter Miner, who collected an RBI double, scoring sophomore Josh Blancet. Miner scored run number 17, and Mahon ended run production with an RBI single, bringing junior Jordan Ivey home. “Any time you can get enough runs to give everybody a chance to hit once or twice that doesn’t normally get a varsity at bat, it’s really nice,” Hamilton said. Before they make their way to Vero Beach, Fla., the Colts take to the road for what Hamilton considered three challenging games against Lexington Christian Academy, Woodford County and Ballard. The Colts dropped one of their six losses last year to LCA 3-2. “It’s going to get a little different here in the next three games,” Hamilton said. “We know we got to get better.” Of Tuesday’s win, Hamilton said, “We did what we had to do. They’re a very young team; that’s obvious just looking in their eyes.” With more difficult competition on the road ahead, Hamilton said the team’s focus remains due to the name on the opposition’s jersey. “Our schedule keeps us motivated,” he said. 2013-03-20 08:04:13.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-not-so-quite-sharp-colts-claim-18point-opening-win-20130319,0,4193179.story

jj-photo-gallery-west-softball-home-opener-vs-grc-20130319 Photo gallery: West softball home opener vs. GRC March 19, 2013 The West Jessamine Lady Colts fell to the George Rogers Clark Cardinals Friday, 7-2, despite a late comeback attempt. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5148a65c/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-softball-home-opener-vs-grc-20130319/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5148a65c/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-softball-home-opener-vs-grc-20130319/400/16x9 The West Jessamine Lady Colts fell to the George Rogers Clark Cardinals Friday, 7-2, despite a late comeback attempt. 2013-03-19 10:57:15.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-west-softball-home-opener-vs-grc-20130319,0,1962884.photogallery

jj-rainwater-east-douse-lincoln-run-with-late-rally-20130318 Rainwater, East douse Lincoln with late rally March 18, 2013 Rain water on Monday meant Rainwater on Saturday for East Jessamine softball. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51473d92/turbine/jj-rainwater-east-douse-lincoln-run-with-late-rally-20130318/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51473d92/turbine/jj-rainwater-east-douse-lincoln-run-with-late-rally-20130318/400/16x9 Rain water on Monday meant Rainwater on Saturday for East Jessamine softball. After moving Monday’s regularly scheduled game against Lincoln County to Saturday, the Lady Jaguars used the bat of sophomore Sarah Rainwater to emerge a 3-2 victor. East entered the sixth inning in a scoreless tie. However, Lincoln got on the board with two runs in the top of the inning with help of errors on the part of the Lady Jags. But, their late lead was short lived. Rainwater struck in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run, tieing the game and putting it in the hands of junior pitcher Haylee Hamm to give her another opportunity to allow the team to prevail. Hamm’s pitching in the top of the seventh stymied Lincoln, which was part of her 10 strikeout, four hit performance on the day. With two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, Rainwater returned to the plate, connecting for a single to win the game for East. She finished the game 2-4 with three RBIs. Junior Haleigh Fain also went 2-4 at the plate, reaching base on two singles. Other runs brought in by the bat of Rainwater included freshman Malin Miracle and senior Heather Welch, who each added single of their own during the game. Even with the clutch hitting, though, head coach¿Tom Hamm believes his team needs to improve at the plate. “I thought overall, obviously the pitching was good for us,” Coach Hamm said. “As far as the hitting, we didn’t hit as good as we had in our first two scrimmages ... but we did enough to win.” The Lady Jags hit .250 in Saturday’s win, but were batting “about .444 as a team going in,” Hamm said. “Our goals are to continue to pitch the way we’ve been pitching,” Hamm said. “We have several girls who had been hitting good who didn’t hit that well.” 2013-03-18 09:19:31.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-rainwater-east-douse-lincoln-run-with-late-rally-20130318,0,7835752.story

jj-errorridden-lady-colts-fall-to-grc-in-home-opener-20130315 Error-ridden Lady Colts fall to GRC in home opener March 15, 2013 The Lady Colts' erroneous ways from last season have carried over to 2013, showing through in West's opening loss to Garrard County, then again Friday at home in game one of their season kick off tournament against George Rogers Clark. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-514388e5/turbine/jj-errorridden-lady-colts-fall-to-grc-in-home-opener-20130315/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-514388e5/turbine/jj-errorridden-lady-colts-fall-to-grc-in-home-opener-20130315/400/16x9 The Lady Colts' erroneous ways from last season have carried over to 2013, showing through in West's opening loss to Garrard County, then again Friday at home in game one of their season kick off tournament against George Rogers Clark. "I think we are still trying to get things under control. Everyone is a bit tense, and for some reason we can't relax", said West head coach¿Michelle Baker, who added her team has "got some butterflies." West's 7-2 loss to the Lady Cardinals didn't come entirely to the credit of their mistakes, though. Baker said her team's defense has to put her pitchers and offense in position to win games, something unachievable Friday. Junior pitcher Kelsey Garrett pitched two solid early innings before GRC found a rhythm at the plate in the third to obtain an unsurmounted 3-0 lead. Garrett bounced back in the fourth with the help of senior catcher Kendall Anderson, who prevented one of the Lady Cards' baserunners from touching home plate, further expanding their lead. Senior pitcher Ashley Brunty, returning from an injury plagued 2012 season, replaced Garrett in the fifth inning after four more runs crossed the plate on her watch. But it was during the fifth that the Lady Colts errors played the biggest factor in aiding GRC's scoring efforts. "Errors is killing us right now," Baker said. She said if her team continues to make such errors, they just can't have the success to win games. Brunty's performance for the remainder of the inning was enough to stave off any additional damage, allowing the Lady Colts to stage a rally in the bottom of the fifth. "I though Kelsey did a great job today. She puts the ball across the plate. Not overpowering, but she has several different pitches that give us a chance," Baker said. "All I ask of Kelsey and of Ashley Brunty is to give me some fly balls and ground balls to give my defense a chance, and so far my defense hasn't been able to come through for them." Anderson opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk, her second of the game, and eventually got West in scoring position with a steal of second base. Freshman Samantha Cross accompanied her prior to freshman Taylor Hendrix keeping the inning alive with a two-run double. With runners on the corners, Brunty worked herself late into the count, setting up a bobbled grounder to second that the Lady Cards eventually handled and tossed for the game's final out. "Our batting lineup isn't to bad," Baker said. "We've not hit the ball as hard as I'd like." She said despite that, she enjoyed seeing her team's ability to rally late, and hoped it carried over to game two. "I think they can pull it together," Baker said. "We have to figure out a way to make them confident and make them believe. And that's not easy thing because hitting or something like that's easier to fix — something mechanical — but the mental side of the game's really tough." The Lady Colts returned to action later Friday with a 10-0 loss to Bullitt East. They split Saturday’s round with a 5-1 victory over Danville and a 9-4 loss to Sacred Heart Academy. 2013-03-19 10:59:15.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-errorridden-lady-colts-fall-to-grc-in-home-opener-20130315,0,4760044.story

jj-monell-wells-lead-west-tennis-past-east-in-season-opener-20130315 Monell, Wells lead West tennis past East in season opener March 15, 2013 West and East Jessamine opened their high school tennis seasons Thursday against one another after a series of weather related cancellations postponed their past events. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-51433c7e/turbine/jj-monell-wells-lead-west-tennis-past-east-in-season-opener-20130315/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51433c7e/turbine/jj-monell-wells-lead-west-tennis-past-east-in-season-opener-20130315/400/16x9 West and East Jessamine opened their high school tennis seasons Thursday against one another after a series of weather related cancellations postponed their past events. In an effort headed by its top two boys singles performers, West defeated the Jaguars 6-3. The duo also played a part in the Colts' doubles teams sweeping East 3-0 in that category. Singles No. 1 Andrew Monell (WJ) def. Taylor Harper 8-1 No. 2 Grant Wells (WJ) def. Sumner Blue 8-4 No. 3 Dale DeVore (EJ) def. Joel Mansur 8-3 No. 4 Justin Sanders (WJ) def. Wyatt McDonald 8-5 No. 5 Timmy Bradshaw (EJ) def. Nick Kulaga 8-2 No. 6 Zach Bruner (EJ) def. Jack Bandy 8-3 Doubles No. 1 Monell/Wells (WJ) def. Harper/Blue 8-6 No. 2 Sanders/Mansur (WJ) def. Bradshaw/Nathan Hudson 8-1 No. 3 Gentry Fitch/Isaac Horne (WJ) def. Will Prince/Glen Henson 8-0 2013-03-15 08:24:23.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-monell-wells-lead-west-tennis-past-east-in-season-opener-20130315,0,4644630.story

jj-colts-baseball-eyeing-checkmate-on-the-12th-region-20130313 Colts baseball eyeing checkmate on the 12th Region March 13, 2013 Baseball hasn’t had many constants in the past decade or so — in the majors or college scene. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5140a57f/turbine/jj-colts-baseball-eyeing-checkmate-on-the-12th-region-20130313/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5140a57f/turbine/jj-colts-baseball-eyeing-checkmate-on-the-12th-region-20130313/400/16x9 Baseball hasn’t had many constants in the past decade or so — in the majors or college scene. But in Kentucky, there has been West Jessamine High School baseball head coach Jody Hamilton and his Colts, who aim to once against finish atop the 12th Region after posting a 32-6 record last season. “Overall I think we’ll be very solid. We run really well as a team. We throw the ball over the plate,” Hamilton said. “Like any high school team, if we don’t throw the ball over the plate we’d struggle.” Returning to make those pitches for the Colts is senior Matt Yeich, juniors Dakota Greer, Jarred Jones and Daulton Peters, and sophomore Trey Merida. “Pitching wise we return 26 wins out of 32, so I feel confident in our pitching staff,” Hamilton said. Yeich’s effort on the mount resulted in a 7-1 record at year’s end, while Greer completed his season with a 8-1 record, leading the returning starters in wins. Hamilton said he believed the team should be pretty good on the mound given the amount of experience it returns. “A¿lot of guys pitched against very good competition,” he said. “It’s not like they should shy away from very good teams.” Despite returning much needed pitching experience, the Colts lost six seniors, four of which contributed to significant time on the defensive front. “We graduated six seniors total, who every single one of them had career years,” Hamilton said. “I mean they all had the best year they’ve had since they’d been here. They’re going to be hard to replace.” Moving into the backstop for West is junior Christian Beckley, who made his rounds last season in the field. “We kind of settled him into catching. He’s got a real strong arm,” Hamilton said. At first base, Hamilton said juniors Jake Purkins and Drew Ward, along with Lexington Christian Academy transfer Maxx Mahon, are vying for the spot and could see time there. Second base will be filled by Jones, with sophomore Troy Merida at third, and senior shortstop Tyler Adams returning to complete the infield lineup. The Colts outfield is “pretty wide open,” according to Hamilton, who has five guys looking to fill the spot to sure up his team’s defensive efforts. “Hopefully the guys moving in ... will take the place of those (seniors),” he said. Hamilton added he hopes the team’s role players can follow along the lines of last year’s juniors in working to improve and advance to where they are now as team leaders. “We got six guys that graduated who left a legacy on this year’s seniors and for this year’s seniors to say ‘we got to duplicate or get better from what we were last year,’ I don’t think it’s a coaching thing as much as it is a personal pride thing.” West will rely on that pride as they open the season against two of the three teams who beat them last season in Boyle County and LCA. “I think you’re measured by every competition that you have. Whether they’re a weaker team or a stronger team, it’s a measuring stick each time that you go out there,” Hamilton said. “Just because a team may be a little weaker than you, are you ready to play each day? In baseball, maybe more than any other sport, it’s not who you’re playing as much as the person who you’re playing against.” Although Hamilton said he doesn’t like to “look ahead, past any game, just because you end up getting snake bit,” the Colts make their way to Vero Beach, Fla., once again to take on some top talent, including several of Kentucky’s own baseball teams. He said such games provide the opportunity to pick out the things that the team is doing wrong. “Physically they’ve played through their mistakes,” he said, but the mental aspect is what they’re trying to keep corrected. “I try to instill in our players that you’ve got to coach yourself when a situation may arise in the game.” Hamilton said. “It’s like playing chess. If you’re looking at the person you’re playing against across the board, you’re going to have problems because you should be looking at the chess board and seeing the plays being made against you.” The Colts make their first move against an opponent on Monday when they travel to Boyle for a 5:30 p.m. opening pitch “We feel like we can be a pretty good team in the end,” Hamilton said. “In replacing so many guys that had great years last year, it’s going to be a question mark at the beginning to see who steps forward. If everybody plays up to their capabilities that we feel that they can, we should be pretty good.” 2013-03-13 09:15:04.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colts-baseball-eyeing-checkmate-on-the-12th-region-20130313,0,6163790.story

jj-2013-lady-colts-trying-to-set-the-past-ablaze-20130313 2013 Lady Colts trying to set the past ablaze March 13, 2013 It’s been four year since West Jessamine High School has saw a winning record for its softball team. In the span of those four years, a handful of 12th Region schools have been able to achieve more wins in a single season than the Lady Colts could in two. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5140a164/turbine/jj-2013-lady-colts-trying-to-set-the-past-ablaze-20130313/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5140a164/turbine/jj-2013-lady-colts-trying-to-set-the-past-ablaze-20130313/400/16x9 It’s been four year since West Jessamine High School has saw a winning record for its softball team. In the span of those four years, a handful of 12th Region schools have been able to achieve more wins in a single season than the Lady Colts could in two. However, such a stat hasn’t hampered head coach¿Michelle Baker’s drive in “trying to build that hope and belief back into the program.” “We just try to convince them that the things we are doing do work,” Baker said. “There were a lot of games last year that we lost by only a couple of runs, so we were right in a lot of games. We were playing real good offense and our defense was being a little bit down that day, or we were playing really good defense and our offense wasn’t there for us.” The first step toward progress for Baker and the Lady Colts is knowing that the team returns valuable leadership in seniors Ashley Brunty, Alex Huffman and Kendall Anderson. “It’s tough to get them to believe and keep working hard, but I have a really great group of kids,” Baker said. “Having those seniors to look up to, you know, they get a little bit more focused when they realize this could be it for them.” Baker said last season’s absence of leadership played a large part in the team’s 8-28 record, but it also coincided with a plague of injuries to key components of the Lady Colts. Pitcher Ashley Brunty, this season’s number one on the mound, was lost to an ACL injury, as was junior pitcher/infielder Taylor Slone, who Baker said will “add a lot to my offense.” Injuries to Huffman, sophomore Samantha Cross and junior Alyson Archer also created problems for the team’s depth. With injuries having played a role in the Lady Colts’ tumultuous 2012 season, Baker keyed in on conditioning for her team during the offseason. “Injuries, that really hurt us, and then just fatigue. You lose those first couple of games and that starts to lose just a little bit of hope,” Baker said. She later added, “We would play real good for like five innings, and then we just would become tired and lose our focus a little bit. That mental toughness wasn’t as strong as it needed to be.” The nagging injuries led to junior pitcher/infielder Kelsey Garrett pitching a majority of last season, and “probably more than was fair to her with all the injuries,” Baker said. Garrett’s gained experience and maturity on the mound last season created more opportunities for herself in the upcoming season, according to Baker. As the season wore on, the team, along with Garrett began to falter with it, due in large part by playing out of position and in an abundance of innings. “You’re going to make mistakes, that’s going to happen, but the recovery we worked a lot on,” Baker said. “That go and moving on to the next play and not letting one error turn into two errors, and that kind of thing.” Last season’s results took their toll, Baker said, leading to her trying to switch up the schedule so that new opponents such as Bourbon County and Henry Clay come across West’s path in 2013. “We’re trying to play some different people,” she said. “Trying to get them out of being fearful just because of their name. You play the Boyle Countys and you play the Scott Countys, and all they hear is how good those teams are. They are great teams but that’s hard for them to sometimes overcome mentally.” Prior to the problems that arose last season, the Lady Colts showed the ability to be competitive in winning five of their opening eight games, in addition to participating in the Play It Again Classic in Clarksville, Tenn., where they travel again during this year’s spring break. “My personal goal for the team for the season is I want to see them carry the fire they have at beginning of the season, and the belief in the fact that they can win” Baker said. “We’re right there competitive wise. The team is going to be good and we should have a shot this year at competing for that district title.” The Lady Colts open the season Thursday with a 5:30 p.m. opening pitch at Garrard County, then again Friday and Saturday in their own tournament at home. 2013-03-13 09:13:08.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-2013-lady-colts-trying-to-set-the-past-ablaze-20130313,0,2780434.story

jj-clary-jags-turn-to-seniority-for-a-changeup-20130313 Clary, Jags turn to seniority for a change-up March 13, 2013 The implementation of a new coach in any sport can often end with negative results, as was the case last year for East Jessamine’s high school baseball team. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51409a8d/turbine/jj-clary-jags-turn-to-seniority-for-a-changeup-20130313/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51409a8d/turbine/jj-clary-jags-turn-to-seniority-for-a-changeup-20130313/400/16x9 The implementation of a new coach in any sport can often end with negative results, as was the case last year for East Jessamine’s high school baseball team. Those negatives resulted in the Jaguars taking their fair share of bumps. However, those bumps at the same time can have positives dawn upon them. East head coach Kevin Clary said with the Jaguars returning a majority of the starters, he expects “to see remarkable improvement over last year.” “It’s been a lot easier this pre-season, especially when we can’t get outside much,” Clary said. “They know my system now. Last year was my first year there, at East, and I’m not having to do nearly as much teaching of the game as I did last year.” With the meet and greet not an issue this year, the Jaguars have been able to begin the process of teaching for advanced elements of the game, according to Clary. When the Jaguars take the field for their first game Monday against Montgomery County, they will do so with nine seniors in the dugout after losing only one to graduation. Clary said he is emphasizing defense entering the 2013 season after leaving 2012 behind with its 13-24 record, correspondent to the Jags 208 allowed runs. “We got to catch the baseball,” Clary said. “With our schedule last year, we only played five teams that weren’t in the top-20 in the state, and we’re going to play a demanding schedule again.” According to Clary, “10 or 11 games” were lost because the Jaguars simply didn’t catch the baseball, which has led to the team placing a lot of focus on infield play during the preseason. The biggest contribution to better defense can come in the form of pitching. Heading the Jags’ four-man pitching rotation is senior Forrest Baldwin, who¿Clary added will also play some shortstop and outfield. Baldwin tossed a no-hitter last season in a Jaguars win over Fleming County. “He’s been playing for East since he was an eighth-grader ... He’s one of our leaders,” Clary said. The rotation will be aided by juniors Sam Hall, who also plays shortstop, Conner Lindsay, also an infielder, and Tates Creek transfer John Hisel. “With different pitching combinations, we have holes to fill,” Clary said. “Some of our best pitchers are also some of our best position players.” Catching for the Jaguars is another junior, Stephen Treadway. Clary noted Treadway’s ability to catch and throw for the Jaguars, as he will be heavily relied on for helping improve East’s defense in 2013. “I think he’s a real prospect,” Clary said. In having so much veteran status, Clary said he expects signficant contributions from senior catcher/first baseman Jacob Overstreet and senior second baseman Jarryd Settles. The Jaguars also added another senior in Lexington Christian Academy transfer pitcher Brandt Redmon. Even with so much leadership, Clary said his up and comers, such as sophomore infielder Barron Blackford, freshman catcher Lain Hager, and junior outfielder Billy Russell, will see time to further develop their skills. “The first two or three weeks, since they haven’t been able to get outside, is going to be like spring training, so we won’t be able to settle into the linup,” he said. Much of that time Clary said he plans to try different combinations, different players, and “it’s going to determine who plays a lot.” Although they’ve had their bumps, Clary and his team’s focus remains on improving themselves, and not concerning themselves with how they compare to the likes of West Jessamine or Danville, the 12th Region’s leaders last season. “We don’t mold ourself after anyone else but us,” Clary said. “We want to build our own program.” 2013-03-13 09:10:08.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-clary-jags-turn-to-seniority-for-a-changeup-20130313,0,1233011.story

jj-lady-jags-find-identity-focus-set-set-on-claiming-12th-region-title-20130313 Lady Jags find identity; focus set set on claiming 12th Region title March 13, 2013 For some teams, identifying their problem is as simple as realizing they have a Jekyll and Hyde identity crisis. Wipe that slate clean and their potential can be endless. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51409e39/turbine/jj-lady-jags-find-identity-focus-set-set-on-claiming-12th-region-title-20130313/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51409e39/turbine/jj-lady-jags-find-identity-focus-set-set-on-claiming-12th-region-title-20130313/400/16x9 For some teams, identifying their problem is as simple as realizing they have a Jekyll and Hyde identity crisis. Wipe that slate clean and their potential can be endless. Take last season’s East Jessamine Lady Jaguars softball team, for example, who went 7-16 through April 26. Breakthrough the problem as head coach Tom Hamm, and you discover that it was a young team trying to find themselves after having their veteran leadership depart. “We had graduated four seniors who had been starting at East since they were in eighth grade,” Hamm said. “They were just looking for leadership, trying to see where they fit into on the team.” As Hamm said, about halfway through the season things began to “click,” resulting in a 11-4 record to closeout the season. “What I wanted to see, basically from last year to this year, is when we started the season last year, we had an astronomical like 130 errors or something in our first 20 games,” Hamm said. “We cut it down to like 40 in our last 20 games.” Fortunately for Hamm and the Lady Jags, much of last year’s team returns to try to improve on those stats and a narrow defeat by Boyle County in the first round of the 12th Region tournament. Junior pitcher Haylee Hamm is who Tom anticipates to start much of the season after becoming the team’s number one as a sophomore, and will be caught by junior catcher Katie Fischer, a West Jessamine transfer. “(Haylee) started on the varsity team since she was in eighth-grade,” Coach Hamm said. “Haylee’s going to hold her own. I feel like if we put up some points we’re going to be hard to handle.” Runs came few and far between for East during the season’s first 19 games when they produced two double-digit scoring games. But in the season’s second half, is when a bulk of their 218 runs — good enough for third in the region — came about. “I feel we’re going to be one of the better hitting teams around,” Coach Hamm said. “We started out kind of struggling at the plate last year. But, I think it was all just a combination of being young and nerves.” Senior Heather Welch will bat second for the Lady Jags this season, and with what Coach Hamm said was her “high on-base percentage,” expect to see her bat helping back his sentiments for the upcoming season. Batting in the three-hole for East is sophomore Sarah Rainwater. “She is a great contact hitter, she has good on-base percentage, and she’s just exceptional in the field,” Coach Hamm said. While she may be playing a big role in the batting order, defense wins games, and nothing is any different in softball. Coach Hamm said the team’s centerfielder, a varsity player since seventh grade, in one of the state’s best outfielders. “(Rainwater) is probably one of the top outfielders in the state of Kentucky,” Coach Hamm said. “And that’s not being overconfident or arrogant, she’s just that good.” The Lady Jags open the season¿Monday at home against Lincoln County, but the meat of their schedule will test if they can win region, which is what Coach Hamm believes to be the team goal. “We got without a doubt, what I would say is the toughest schedule East Jessamine has ever played in softball,” Coach Hamm said. “I wanted to challenge them ... I think we can win a lot of games, but it’s going to be a competitive schedule.” In order to win, East must dethrone last season’s region champions, Boyle, who Coach Hamm said is a team that the Lady Jags can use as a measuring stick to “gage” their level of play. “Several of the girls on our team and their team played on a summer team last year (Kentucky Crossfire 16-U), so they kind of became friends. So there’s that little friendly rivalry between them,” Coach Hamm said. “I think they’re a very good team. I think they ought to be the favorite to win our region, and from the hearsay ... I think a lot of people are expecting it to come down to us and Boyle.” Before it comes time to play Boyle, East will make their way to Clarksville, Tenn., to play in the Play It Again Classic, choosing to go against the norm of visiting warm, beach ridden coastlines as they did last season in Myrtle Beach. “We had no focus down there,” Coach Hamm said. “The girls were thinking about everything but softball, and it was one game that day so all they could think about was ‘we’re going to play this game today, and then where are we going?’” During that trip Haylee Hamm and Welch were injured during the first couple of innings of their first game, leading to them being sidelined for the tournament, which saw the Lady Jags go 0-for-5. With goals set, Coach Hamm said it was important to attend the Clarksville tournament “to play the better, most competitive teams, see the good pitching, see the good hitting,” so they’re better prepared at the district and region tournament. 2013-03-13 09:12:13.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-lady-jags-find-identity-focus-set-set-on-claiming-12th-region-title-20130313,0,2425731.story

jj-football-halloffame-group-seeks-funding-from-nicholasville-20130306 Football hall-of-fame group seeks funding from Nicholasville March 6, 2013 The Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame (KPFHOF) board has asked the city of Nicholasville to commit to $200,000 over the next five years for the first phase of the project’s completion. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-51377786/turbine/jj-football-halloffame-group-seeks-funding-from-nicholasville-20130306/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51377786/turbine/jj-football-halloffame-group-seeks-funding-from-nicholasville-20130306/400/16x9 The Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame (KPFHOF) board has asked the city of Nicholasville to commit to $200,000 over the next five years for the first phase of the project’s completion. KPFHOF chairman Jim Ed Shearer presented the board’s request during Monday’s city-commission workshop. The first phase of the project calls for the completion of a synthetic field at the field located at John Preece Park off Union Mill Road. “The synthetic turf is the biggest thing,” Shearer said. “We’re looking for a title sponsor to get that.” Shearer said the synthetic turf offers more flexibility and requires less upkeep than a grass field. “We chose a year or so ago to hold off on regular grass for a field because this is the route we want to go,” Shearer said. “We are wanting this stadium to be used every day (soccer, football, band competitions, any community activity).” Shearer told the commission that the KPFHOF has confirmed five-year commitments from nine stakeholders, including the city of Nicholasville. The Jessamine County Fiscal Court has committed to $300,000 and leasing 7.95 acres of land for $1 per year for 20 years. The Jessamine County Board of Education has theoretically committed to $250,000. “The board of education is in a position that they can't give us any money up front, but we do have an agreement with them to lease these facilities once they’re completed,” Shearer said. “Their commitment is $250,000.” Jessamine County Schools superintendent Lu Young said because the facility isn’t built, by law, the school board could not enter into any agreement. She added that once it is finished, the school board plans to enter into an “exclusive rights” agreement for its football and soccer teams. Young said the school board would enter into a 10-year agreement for $25,000 per year. The city of Wilmore has not committed a sum yet, but Shearer said Mayor Harold Rainwater said “he was sure that they were in, but they had to get some particulars worked out.” Shearer said Nicholasville Tourism and the Kentucky NFL players’ association had each committed to give $100,000 and that the project had commitments of $25,000 each from youth football, the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce and Nicholasville Now. Shearer also said he is targeting two more shareholders but has not received commitments yet. All told, the KPFHOF has a little more than $1 million in commitments for the project. Nicholasville Mayor Russ Meyer, who serves on the KPFHOF Board, suggested the group look at bonding the project. “Has there been any dialogue about what the fiscal court, the city of Nicholasville, the board of education, city of Wilmore would commit to if you were able to bond this project and finish the entire project and then have these entities commit to supporting that bond?” Meyer asked. “That would be something I think we ought to lay down on paper. What I’m interested in is the end result of the project — not just getting the field down, but the project as a whole being completed and finished, because that's when the community is really going to reap the benefits.” Shearer told the mayor that the possibility of bonding the project was brought to his attention after the KPFHOF board’s last meeting. “That's something we have not talked about,” Shearer said. “The bonding thing is a good idea, and we will be looking into that to see how that works. But right now, we’re just trying to get a commitment from our stakeholders.” Shearer said it is important for the stakeholders to be on board so when the KPFHOF’s marketing team goes out to solicit funding from private individuals, they can show the community-wide commitment to the project. The KPFHOF has been in the works for more than a decade, but Shearer pointed out the project is not just about a hall of fame for former football players who have Kentucky connections. “It goes back to investing in our youth,” Shearer said. “That’s what is all about. We have got too many of our young athletes going to other counties to play because of better facilities. When that happens, you’re not going to get them back when they become freshmen in high school, and they’re going to be competing against you.” In addition to helping Jessamine County’s youth, Shearer also pointed out the potential financial benefits to the community. “We have been told that we have an awful good chance to get the Kentucky high-school state soccer tournament games here,” Shearer said. “And that will mean a lot of traffic for Nicholasville and Jessamine County.” In addition, Shearer said the facility, whose total cost is $5.5 million, could bring in as much in as $60,000 a year for sports teams outside of Jessamine County that wish to practice on the turf. “All of our local teams, we’re not charging them any fees to use the field,” Shearer said. Because Monday’s meeting was a workshop, the city commission did not make any decision and will consider the KPFHOF for its upcoming budget. 2013-03-06 09:10:15.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-football-halloffame-group-seeks-funding-from-nicholasville-20130306,0,7272905.story

jj-jags-tennis-prepares-for-joint-effort-20130306 Jags tennis prepares for 'joint effort' March 6, 2013 East Jessamine High School tennis will have a new look this season when they take the court with former coach Vonda Horton, her brother, Ron Harper, and newly retired father, Dr. Tom Harper. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5137621f/turbine/jj-jags-tennis-prepares-for-joint-effort-20130306/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5137621f/turbine/jj-jags-tennis-prepares-for-joint-effort-20130306/400/16x9 East Jessamine High School tennis will have a new look this season when they take the court with former coach Vonda Horton, her brother, Ron Harper, and newly retired father, Dr. Tom Harper. “This year I spoke to Coach¿(Daniel) Sandlin ... about kind of teaming up with my father and my sister to coach the East Jessamine high school team,” Ron said. “I knew not one of us wanted to be committed to do the entire (season for) both teams ... It also allows us to have more on-court time due to the number of kids that come out.” Tom, a six-time tennis coach of the year at Asbury, said he believes working with his kids will be a great, beneficial opportunity for everybody because “each of us have the way we do things.” The Jaguars are coming off of a developmental season under former head coach Andrew Pickerill. According to Ron and Tom, that is the expectation once again as East brings in a slew of young inexperience for the coaching trio. “We’re not going to keep beginning tennis players,” Ron said. “That’s hard because that’s been the protocol for both institutions, the East and West schools, is that they can go out and play, you can keep score and have fun playing. Well, if you want the program to be an actual competitive program, instead of just checking it off as a sport that’s coached or played, then you’re going to have to up your level of expectations, maybe get them to go out and practice, learn the game on their own at some level, then you can come in and enhance their strategies and abilities as it comes.” Getting players that already know the game will allow the team to grow and develop those players instead of having to teach participant’s the game from the ground up. “Hopefully with the three of us, the more on-court experience that we bring, we can quit them from standing in line and get them in actual drills and game-like situations that allow them to be better tennis players,” Ron said. By the time of Thursday’s boys match at Lafayette, Ron said he hoped the team would consist of 14-16 total players made up of “five or six girls and seven to eight guys.” Among that group is Taylor Harper, Ron’s son, who is now a senior at East, and is expected to lead the boys as the team’s one-seed on Thursday for a second consecutive season. “(Taylor Harper) has a good serve, a ground stroke from the baseline, but it’s just as with anything else in tennis, it’s about consistency,” Ron said. “But he does have the temperament to play tennis. He does have really good hand-eye coordination. Football did a tremendous thing for him this year. It made him more self-aware.” The Harpers added that Sumner Blue and Wyatt MacDonald were also among the group of boys that impressed with their early season skill-sets. On the girl’s side, Tom said several of the girls were newcomers to the team, but sixth-grader Katie Turner and eighth-grader Casey Kibler were among the stronger of the group. Due to the limited number of girls, Ron said the coaches are working on a configuration suitable for 12 different people, making it so the team could play two doubles and three singles. “You could feasbily play a match with only four individuals because they would play doubles, and then three of the doubles players would play singles,” Ron said. With the season set to begin Thursday at 5 p.m., Ron said it’s his hope that in May the player’s development from the beginning  will show through, even if that means not winning a match. “What our barometer is going to be is how each individual player comes in and how they perform from the time we started here in February, until the time that we actually go compete for the state tournament in May.” 2013-03-06 07:42:21.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jags-tennis-prepares-for-joint-effort-20130306,0,2633758.story

jj-jessamine-archers-take-aim-at-state-20130306 Jessamine archers take aim at state March 6, 2013 Three Jessamine County teams are set to attend the 2013 National Archery in the Schools (NASP) state championship on March 18-19. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-51375e42/turbine/jj-jessamine-archers-take-aim-at-state-20130306/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51375e42/turbine/jj-jessamine-archers-take-aim-at-state-20130306/400/16x9 Three Jessamine County teams are set to attend the 2013 National Archery in the Schools (NASP) state championship on March 18-19. The event, held at the International Convention Center In Louisville, will host local’s East and West Jessamine High School, along with West Jessamine Middle School. “We’re anticipating about 3,500 student archers from more than 150 Kentucky schools,” said Patrick O’Connell, state NASP coordinator. “Elementary, middle and high school students will compete for individual and team awards.” This year’s event will be the 12th state tournament in the program’s history. Competition is set to begin each day at 9 a.m. Admission is $5 for those 12 years of age and older. “We’re still looking for that first perfect score of 300 points in the state championship,” O’Connell said. For those interested in acquring more information, e-mail Brenda Hill at: Brenda.Hill@ky.gov. 2013-03-06 07:21:13.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jessamine-archers-take-aim-at-state-20130306,0,3394895.story

jj-jessamine-native-holtmann-named-big-south-coty-20130306 Jessamine native Holtmann named Big South COTY March 6, 2013 Jessamine County native Chris Holtmann was recognized as the Big South Conference’s Coach of the Year on Sunday. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-51375ca6/turbine/jj-jessamine-native-holtmann-named-big-south-coty-20130306/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51375ca6/turbine/jj-jessamine-native-holtmann-named-big-south-coty-20130306/400/16x9 Jessamine County native Chris Holtmann was recognized as the Big South Conference’s Coach of the Year on Sunday. Holtmann, the head coach of the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs since 2010, led his team to a 20-11 overall record, including going 11-5 in conference play. The Bulldogs take the only 20-win record into the conference tournament that begins Thursday in Conway, S.C. Holtmann played for Jessamine County High School in the late 1980s before attending Taylor University in Indiana where he was selected for the NAIA All-American team for his efforts in leading Taylor to a 29-5 record and a No. 1 national ranking. 2013-03-06 07:13:58.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jessamine-native-holtmann-named-big-south-coty-20130306,0,4579743.story

jj-west-track-and-field-aims-to-develop-while-eyes-set-on-state-20130304 West track and field aims to develop, while eyes set on state March 4, 2013 Part of the process for a team reaching a championship level includes development, and that’s no exception for this year’s West Jessamine High School track and field team. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-5134d65a/turbine/jj-west-track-and-field-aims-to-develop-while-eyes-set-on-state-20130304/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5134d65a/turbine/jj-west-track-and-field-aims-to-develop-while-eyes-set-on-state-20130304/400/16x9 Part of the process for a team reaching a championship level includes development, and that’s no exception for this year’s West Jessamine High School track and field team. Colts co-head coach Aaron Ames didn’t hesitate to allude to that fact, acknowledging that his young squad “probably won’t be able to compete at a level where they’re going to qualify for state.” “It’s a young team this year,” Ames said. “We got a lot of ninth-graders and 10th-graders, so probably the core focus this year will be developing some of these younger athletes, preparing them to compete at a higher level.” Ames said the Colts do have a couple of ninth- and 10th-graders among that group who have improved since the start of last year that he believes have raised their personal expectations this season, and are more hopeful of being state level competition. Included in that mix are sophomores Jared Griffith and Keith Harmon, who are sprinters, and sophomore Kenneth Wireman. Wireman competed at state last season as part of the 4x400-meter relay team. “Our team is younger than it has been in previous years,” Ames said. “We got a pole vaulter that come back from last year that qualified for state; two guys that ran the 4x400; one that ran the 4x800; one that threw shot put, so I think we’re hoping to still qualify for a couple of relays and other events are our goal this year.” “One of the guys that does a little bit of everything is (junior) Isaiah Kang,” Ames said. Kang competed with Wireman on the team’s state-qualifying 4x400 team last season. According to Ames, senior Carson Daniels, who was injured last season, is in Ames and co-head coach Heath Crist’s plans to fill the team’s requirement for the 4x200 and 4x400 relay teams. “Our biggest strength right now is looking toward our 4x400 relay, and possibly 4x800 relay. So I think relays are probably more of a strength right now than individual events. We do have a two-miler (junior Gavin Davis) who did well in cross-country this year and is working pretty hard in the two-miles, so he has the potential to qualify.” The brother of Isaiah Kang, junior Joseph Kang, also competed at state last season, placing third in the pole vault. “The field events require a significant amount of technical ability and technique, so it’s something that comes with time,” Ames said. “It’s kind of the goal, is to get a feel for some of these younger athletes and see where they might be able to excel in field events, as well as running events, so that we can make sure we’re preparing for the future and have them be able to compete in almost every event.” The Colts girl’s team also returns a handful of state qualifiers, including senior Abby Wiggins, who won the girls’ state title in the 100-meter hurdle with a time of 15.50 seconds, good enough for second overall at the state level. She also placed second in the 300-meter hurdle. “It’s a good quality group, and it’s a group that’s willing to work hard,” Ames said. “With the size (10 girls), it’s a group we also look to use to focus on relay.” Returning for the Colts are eighth grader Megan Chaffin, freshman Sasha Stryker and sophomore Noel Endicott. The three, along with Kailey Brewster, placed fifth at state in the 4x800-meter relay. Ames said since the relay team has already competed at state, he just wants them to be able to improve upon their times as a means of development. “Our first outdoor meet is March 16, so we’re just looking forward to seeing how far we’ve come after we’ve been practicing for a little over a month,” Ames said. “It’s always exciting to see where kids are.” 2013-03-04 09:24:43.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-track-and-field-aims-to-develop-while-eyes-set-on-state-20130304,0,3347321.story

jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-wayne-county-in-12th-region-semifinals-20130304 Photo gallery: West Jessamine vs. Wayne County in 12th Region Semifinals March 4, 2013 West Jessamine was defeated by the Wayne County Cardinals, 67-66, Friday on a last second three-pointer in the 12th Region Semifinals at Lincoln County High School. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5134cf4f/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-wayne-county-in-12th-region-semifinals-20130304/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5134cf4f/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-wayne-county-in-12th-region-semifinals-20130304/400/16x9 West Jessamine was defeated by the Wayne County Cardinals, 67-66, Friday on a last second three-pointer in the 12th Region Semifinals at Lincoln County High School. 2013-03-04 08:46:30.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-wayne-county-in-12th-region-semifinals-20130304,0,1058458.photogallery

jj-time-escapes-colts-fall-to-wayne-in-region-semis Time escapes Colts, fall to Wayne in region semis March 1, 2013 The dawn of March brought its madness, and it spared no expense for the first game of the 12th Region semifinals as the West Jessamine Colts' (18-12) hopes of playing Cinderella were dashed by Wayne County (26-7), 67-66, at Lincoln County High School Friday night. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-513176c4/turbine/jj-time-escapes-colts-fall-to-wayne-in-region-semis/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-513176c4/turbine/jj-time-escapes-colts-fall-to-wayne-in-region-semis/400/16x9 The dawn of March brought its madness, and it spared no expense for the first game of the 12th Region semifinals as the West Jessamine Colts' (18-12) hopes of playing Cinderella were dashed by Wayne County (26-7), 67-66, at Lincoln County High School Friday night. The two teams needed every second of the eight-minute fourth quarter to decide which team would advance to the region finals on Saturday. But, the team with the last full shot clock, Wayne, continued to attack from behind the three-point arc when they found the bottom of the basket with three seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, taking a 67-66 lead, and eventual win over West. "Was it a tough shot? Was it a clutch shot? They've done it all year," said West head coach Damon Kelley. "They're a young team, but since day one of this year, they've won close games against everybody in the region. And they did it again tonight." The Colts' effort on the perimeter was felt by the Cardinals in the first half when they entered their locker room shooting 30 percent (3-10) from behind the three-point line. At that time the Colts led 33-30 behind the play of senior guard Chase Fain and senior forward Robby Irgang. Fain went about his normal attack of the rim, knocking down six of his 10 field goal attempts in the first half, including one three-pointer to earn a team-high 13 points at the half. It was the Colts' failed opportunities at the free throw line that hampered their ability to pull away in the first half after they went 4-of-10. Fain's drives failed to get calls, resulting in the senior managing only two missed attempts at that point of the game. Irgang made his way to the line six times, but was only successful on two occasions. "Obviously we struggled at the free throw line tonight," Kelley said. "We've been a good free throw shooting team all year." At game's end, the Colts shot 7-of-17 from the stripe, to the 13-of-16 effort by the Cardinals. Momentum in the third took a swift turn in favor of the Cardinals, who won the quarter 19-15 with much help from a raucous fan base. "For the most part I thought we played pretty good defense, except during the third quarter. I thought we lost our focus. We started gambling a lot and that allowed them to go from down five to up seven or eight points." The Cardinals' mid-quarter run flipped the script, placing the Colts behind 45-38, in addition to Irgang in foul trouble. The longer the game carried out, the more Fain's presence became profound. "The way he was playing, when you've got somebody that's as good of a ball handler, passer, shooter, scorer that he is, you know, as long as he's attacking and you're being successful with it, you just try to ride him, and that's what we did," Kelley said. A bucket by Wayne ensued with a bucket by the Colts. The heated exchange carried on and finally concluded with the Cardinal's lead-claiming three-pointer with three seconds remaining. Prior to the final horn, the Colts' heave to mid-court, accompanied by a timeout, gave them one last opportunity. The in-bound was further back than Kelley said he anticipated, resulting in the potential bracket-busting three by Fain to come up short of its mark. "We tried to get the ball to Chase (Fain) just inside the center line," Kelley said. "They did a good job of forcing him further out. He had to catch it further away from the basket, and we knew when he caught it he had enough time to get two dribbles and a shot. We just wanted to get it a little closer to the basket than we ended up getting in that situation." Despite his four fouls, Fain ended the game with 30 points, six rebounds and four assists, including making three of his team's five three-pointers in the second half. Irgang's foul trouble limited his success in the second half, resulting in an effort of 10 points and four rebounds. Junior guard Daulton Peters stepped up in Irgang's place, getting 11 of his 17 points in the second half, while also tacking on a team-high eight rebounds. "I'm proud of my guys. As a coach you ask that your team fight for you, believe in what you're trying to get them to do, and lay it on the line,” Kelley said. “I couldn't have asked for anymore from my basketball team tonight. They went out there and competed. We knew it was going to be a tough game. We knew it was going to come down to the wire. Unfortunately for us, they had the ball last." Emotions flared following the sound of the final horn. For some, such as seniors Fain, Irgang, guard Jack Bandy, guard Grant Wells and forward Justin Sanders, it's the last time they play in a West uniform. "There is nothing I can say to take the pain away," Kelley said. "I told them that I was proud of them, I loved them, I'm going to miss coaching them, and that it's a great game some nights and it's a cruel game other nights." Looking ahead, West returns six players outside of Irgang and Fain who recieved quality minutes, something that Kelley hopes to help progress his team next season. "We got a lot of kids coming back with good experience. At the same time, we're losing a lot in the seniors that we're losing," Kelley said. "We'll challenge these guys to be right back here next year, competing in the same spot, and hopefully take it a step further next year." 2013-03-04 08:46:36.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-time-escapes-colts-fall-to-wayne-in-region-semis,0,5939495.story

jj-mckinzies-career-night-highlighted-by-faith-morals-and-determination-along-the-way McKinzie's career night highlighted by faith, morals and determination along the way March 1, 2013 Ask your typical blue-collar Kentucky basketball fan where the pinnacle of college basketball is located and more often than not, their finger will point you north along Lexington Road, toward Rupp Arena in Lexington. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-51310503/turbine/jj-mckinzies-career-night-highlighted-by-faith-morals-and-determination-along-the-way/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51310503/turbine/jj-mckinzies-career-night-highlighted-by-faith-morals-and-determination-along-the-way/400/16x9 Ask your typical blue-collar Kentucky basketball fan where the pinnacle of college basketball is located and more often than not, their finger will point you north along Lexington Road, toward Rupp Arena in Lexington. A few local alumni have even ventured there during the years, but East Jessamine High School spawned its own hard working athlete, and the only from his team to play varsity college basketball. Located in Grayson, Kentucky Christian University watched on as its big man on campus, Clay McKinzie, recently closed the book on his basketball career. On the night of Feb. 5 at Ohio Christian University, McKinzie went in knowing he was four-points shy of placing his name along those in the 1,000-point club, but didn’t want to make it seem so significant in the best interest of the team. “It was in the back of my head,” McKinzie said. “It was a game where if I do the same thing I’d done the whole year, I mean it’s going to go, and it did.” As the moment approached, the 22-year-old McKinzie took himself back to a young teenager attempting to calm his nerves. “Coming down the court I knew I was there, getting close, and I just kept telling myself ‘it’s just another basket, it’s just another basket,’” McKinzie said. “If I just go out there, do what I know best — play basketball — then it’ll come to me.” Despite McKinzie’s 16 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal, the Knights couldn’t manage a victory that night. Prior to his arrival that night, what he didn’t know was that Knights head coach Ron Reed invited his parents, who drove six hours from their Indiana home to see their son. The Indiana native grew up just as many do in Kentucky: basketball-minded. “I grew up a big Hoosier fan, so what else is there to do but play basketball in Indiana,” McKinzie said. In 2008 he and his family moved to Nicholasville, where McKinzie attended East Jessamine. Walking into a school already boasting five seniors, McKinzie didn’t know if it was the place for him. “I was wanting to play ball ... I didn’t know if they’d want another with the congestion on the team already. One guy on the basketball team saw me play during (physical education), and he said we got to get him to play.” Once on the team, McKinzie said he “blossomed,” and it led to mutual interest with KCU. “(Coach Chris) O’Bryan told me, ‘I don’t know if you can play at a place like Alice Lloyd or Asbury, but maybe a smaller school. But I think your best basketball is still ahead of you,’” McKinzie said. Troubles arose during his sophomore year when began to worry about playing time with Reed’s arrival in Grayson. “My sophomore year, I played quite a bit my first semester. Then, second semester we had a kid come back, so he played more minutes and that set me back. When I was out there I felt like I had to do something right in order to stay in the game,” McKinzie said. “I knew my junior and senior year here I’d get to play and get to start and play a lot of minutes, so when I went out there, especially this year, it just came a lot easier. I let all that stuff just wash away and not get to me.” And when those minutes arrived during his junior and senior seasons, McKinzie took hold of the opportunity, becoming a more confident player who displayed leadership in a multitude of ways. “Clay could do one thing, he could shoot the ball from the perimeter,” Reed said. “This year he became a more well rounded player. Not only could he score from the perimeter, but he finally started taking the ball inside, became a more effective rebounder and a pretty good defensive player.” McKinzie said after his family returned to Indiana, he stayed in Lexington over the summer where when he wasn’t having to work, he was frequenting UK’s Johnson Center and the Kentucky Basketball Association to evolve his game. “When I’d play ball, I’d be like I know I can shoot so lets try to mix it up, drive it to the basket against guys who are pretty good,” McKinzie said. O’Bryan and Reed acknowledged McKinzie’s accolades as a player, but the facet of him they highlighted most was his character, where on and off the court,his Christian lifestyle influences his family and friends, and even the coaches. “Awesome”, “outstanding”, “great” and “genuine” were some of the words they used to describe him. “He really led by example. His teammates really fed off his work ethic and as a result, it pushed them all to higher levels,” O’Bryan said. “He always showed the utmost respect with yes sir,no sir, and doing exactly what was asked of him.” McKinzie said when he arrived at East he knew his impact stepping in as a senior had to be setting an example for the “younger guys on the team and whoever else.” “My grandson is 6-years-old and he thinks the greatest basketball player there’s ever been is Clay McKinzie,” Reed said. “If he’s the third person in the conversation and we’re talking about Michael Jordan or sombody, he’ll butt in and say ,‘You think he’s as good as Clay?’ Of course, if we say yes he’ll argue. So most times we’ll say Michael Jordan is almost as good as Clay.” The mark left by Reed’s grandson has been emotional for McKinzie, who said it was amazing to be the role model to someone of that age. “His grandson is something else, he’s a character. There was one game where he gave me a thumbs up during the game, and I gave him a thumbs up, and it almost made me cry,” McKinzie said. “He’s made an impression on a young boy and a lot of people in school,” Reed said. “He’s the consummate college athlete.” Life beyond basketball for McKinzie consists of living the right type of lifestyle, so that kids in the shoes he once filled, can see him the same as Reed and his grandson. “I just did what my dad raised me to do and have tried to be a Christian, tried to live a good life, and just want to show that to the freshmen and sophomores back in high school.” As of May 11, he will have his degree in business administration. He said his plans are to get a job in the Lexington or Richmond area with the help of those at KCU, and stay close to his girlfriend, who will be attending Eastern Kentucky University. 2013-03-01 18:04:38.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-mckinzies-career-night-highlighted-by-faith-morals-and-determination-along-the-way,0,6971716.story

jj-porter-joins-journal-staff-as-sports-editor-20130228 Porter joins Journal staff as sports editor February 28, 2013 The Jessamine Journal’s new sports editor knew what he wanted to do before he was a teenager. By Kelly McKinney http://www.trbimg.com/img-512f80d9/turbine/jj-porter-joins-journal-staff-as-sports-editor-20130228/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-512f80d9/turbine/jj-porter-joins-journal-staff-as-sports-editor-20130228/400/16x9 The Jessamine Journal’s new sports editor knew what he wanted to do before he was a teenager. “I loved writing and I loved sports, so I thought I would put the two together,” he said. Cody Porter, 22, graduated from the University of Kentucky last December. He worked for the student newspaper, The Kentucky Kernel, from the football beat up to the sports editor job. But he already had his major experience before college, he said, having worked as a sports writer for the Big Sandy News in his hometown of Prestonsburg straight out of high school. “I covered about seven to eight counties,” he said. “They kind of threw me out in the field. I had to kind of play it by ear.”¿ Porter said he is excited about his new position, which he started Feb. 22. “You can’t turn down just getting to watch sports as a career and then relating it to other people in the community,” he said. He also is eager to learn all about the community, he said. “Jessamine County is pretty new to me,” he said. “It’ll be a whole new experience getting to know the teams and the coaches.”¿ Journal managing editor Mike Moore said Porter was very impressive during his interview, and has good, clean writing. He said he believes Porter will fit in well at the Journal. Porter can be reached at cporter@jessaminejournal.com or 859-885-5381, ext. 245. 2013-02-28 08:10:14.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-porter-joins-journal-staff-as-sports-editor-20130228,0,6876055.story

jj-jaguars-place-10th-at-state-cheerleading-competition Jaguars place 10th at state cheerleading competition February 27, 2013 Among the participants at Saturday’s first-ever KHSAA sanctioned state cheerleading competition at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green was the East Jessamine Jaguars’ Coed squad. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-512e2f21/turbine/jj-jaguars-place-10th-at-state-cheerleading-competition/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-512e2f21/turbine/jj-jaguars-place-10th-at-state-cheerleading-competition/400/16x9 Among the participants at Saturday’s first-ever KHSAA sanctioned state cheerleading competition at E.A. Diddle Arena in Bowling Green was the East Jessamine Jaguars’ Coed squad. The Jaguars, who got to the state level by way of claiming the 12th Region title in class 2A, ranked No. 10 at the end of Saturday’s competition with a score of 237. Fellow 12th Region participants in class 2A included Southwestern and Pulaski Co, who ranked  No. 2 and No. 5 in the All-Girl Small and Medium categories, respectively. 2013-02-27 08:09:17.0 2013-08-26 21:00:00.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jaguars-place-10th-at-state-cheerleading-competition,0,5594456.story

jj-colts-part-water-swim-into-place-at-state Colts part water, swim into place at state February 27, 2013 Swimmers from West Jessamine High School overcame their 32nd seed to place in the top-30 during the weekend’s KHSAA state swim meet held at the University of Louisville’s Ralph G. Wright Natatorium. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-512e2f99/turbine/jj-colts-part-water-swim-into-place-at-state/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-512e2f99/turbine/jj-colts-part-water-swim-into-place-at-state/400/16x9 Swimmers from West Jessamine High School overcame their 32nd seed to place in the top-30 during the weekend’s KHSAA state swim meet held at the University of Louisville’s Ralph G. Wright Natatorium. Juniors Wyatt Lamb and Stephan Stryker, sophomore Austin Pasch and freshman Michael Peck finished 28th in the Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay that concluded Saturday, shaving 2.6 second off their time from the regional tournament to earn a 3:41.86. Pasch was the Colts’ frontrunner with total time of 53.39, followed by Stryker at 59.18. Peck finished at 55.41, before the boys’ relay culminated with Lamb clocking in at 53.88. 2013-02-27 08:11:34.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colts-part-water-swim-into-place-at-state,0,179522.story

jj-west-jessamines-irgang-opts-to-walkon-to-uks-football-team West Jessamine's Irgang opts to walk-on to UK's football team February 27, 2013 Morehead State came calling. So did Lindsey Wilson College. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-512e2bdf/turbine/jj-west-jessamines-irgang-opts-to-walkon-to-uks-football-team/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-512e2bdf/turbine/jj-west-jessamines-irgang-opts-to-walkon-to-uks-football-team/400/16x9 Morehead State came calling. So did Lindsey Wilson College. However, when it was all said and done, West Jessamine football standout Robby Irgang decided to take the road less traveled as a preferred walk-on to play for the University of Kentucky in the fall. “I had a lot of coaches who talked to (University of Kentucky) coaches for more, and they were really pushing me to go as high as I possibly could,” Irgang said. “When the opportunity became available, I chose to be a preferred walk-on at UK.” West football coach Yancey Marcum said Kentucky was getting a diamond in the rough and he suspects Irgang will quickly get noticed. “UK saw his film and saw some of the things he could do and called down and talked to me,” Marcum said. “They had filled their scholarships, and they offered him a preferred walk-on status. That’s about the biggest deal you can get, unless you can get a full ride to a D-I school. That means they want you there.” Irgang said he knows his work is cut out for him if he is to get the coaching staff’s attention and earn a scholarship. “I have to gain weight, and I have to get up to 230 or 235 (pounds) so I can really make an impact on the SEC (Southeastern Conference) level,” Irgang said. “And I need to keep my speed with that weight. I had a 4.68 (40-yard dash) time.” Irgang said he sees himself playing linebacker at UK but knows his first chance will come on special teams. “I’m going to try to work to get a position on special teams — just to get on the team,” Irgang said. Irgang said he plans on studying business or marketing while at UK. Marcum said Irgang’s biggest challenge will simply be the speed and size of players at the SEC level. “Everything has to improve,” Marcum said. “What he’s going to have to deal with is the size of these players he’s playing with and the speed that the players of that size move. It’s going to be a big adjustment, (but) he’s such a hard worker, and I think he will do the things he needs to do.” Irgang made his announcement at West Jessamine High School’s media center Wednesday, Feb. 20, surrounded by teammates and family. Kentucky finished last season with a 2-10 record, going winless in conference play. 2013-02-27 08:04:40.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-jessamines-irgang-opts-to-walkon-to-uks-football-team,0,714506.story

jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-lincoln-co-in-12th-region-1st-round-20130226 Photo gallery: West Jessamine vs. Lincoln Co. in 12th Region 1st round February 26, 2013 West Jessamine knocked off the Lincoln Co. Patriots in Monday's opening round of the 12th Region tournament behind the score of Chase Fain and Daulton Peters. http://www.trbimg.com/img-512cdeb0/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-lincoln-co-in-12th-region-1st-round-20130226/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-512cdeb0/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-lincoln-co-in-12th-region-1st-round-20130226/400/16x9 West Jessamine knocked off the Lincoln Co. Patriots in Monday's opening round of the 12th Region tournament behind the score of Chase Fain and Daulton Peters. 2013-02-26 08:17:04.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-west-jessamine-vs-lincoln-co-in-12th-region-1st-round-20130226,0,2662524.photogallery

jj-colts-defeat-lincoln-county Consistent Colts attack their way to 1st round victory February 25, 2013 Some teams live and die by the three-point shot. Others simply attack, attack and attack some more — Think John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats in years past. By Cody Porter http://www.trbimg.com/img-512ccae9/turbine/jj-colts-defeat-lincoln-county/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-512ccae9/turbine/jj-colts-defeat-lincoln-county/400/16x9 Some teams live and die by the three-point shot. Others simply attack, attack and attack some more — Think John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats in years past. Monday night at Lincoln County High School, the West Jessamine Colts stuck to their method of being the latter of those two styles as they advanced to the 12th Region semifinals with a 79-69 victory over the host Patriots. Early and often, Colts junior point guard Will Henderson found their leading scorer in senior guard Chase Fain, who opened with the Colts' first three baskets. However, it was after that in which production began to slow, not only for the Colts, but for their opposition. Drive after drive Colts scorers failed to connect with the bottom of the net, resulting in a 14-point first quarter and a 13-point second quarter. Easy putbacks were no longer so simple, although the 46th District champions clearly had strength on their side in the interior. On the other end of the court, much of the same lackluster offense prevented the Patriots from using homecourt momentum to their own fortune. "I told them that we had a frustrating half offensively but we we're up (three), we're in the regional tournament on their home floor, we need to come in the first four minutes and make a statement," said West Jessamine head coach Damon Kelley. During the two teams' first meeting in December, it was a jumper by Fain at the buzzer that claimed West’s victory. Kelley said the key for he and his team this time was to limit the three-pointer for the Patriots after their impactful use of the shot during the first meeting. "They shot the lights out in the first half that night, so we really tried to take the three away from them," he said. "We shot well but were never really in rhythm that night. I thought tonight, even in the first half when we were struggling to score, we were still executing like I wanted." Execution on the defensive end limited the Patriots to three made three-pointers on 10 attempts. The Colts' own 4-of-6 effort from behind the line was halted as they found success attacking the Patriots' interior during the second half. "I thought for 28 minutes we played great defense. We finally got our offense going in the third quarter, and that allowed us to extend our lead." Once the clock began rolling during the third — in stride with the words of their coach — the shots of Fain and junior guards Daulton Peters and Will Henderson began to fall at a similar rate. So much so that the Colts found themselves ahead 52-36 lead at the conclusion of the third quarter thanks to shots finally falling in the paint. "We've got to take advantage when we got mismatches inside. It doesn't always have to be a post play,” Kelley said. “It can be penetration, it can be somebody flashing into the high post. If all you do is shoot threes, you're going to look great some nights, and you're going to die the other nights." Despite obtaining a 23-point lead, the pesky Patriots fought their way back to a respectable margin in the game's waning minutes, cutting it to seven at one point. With help from Henderson, the likes of Fain, Peters and company maintained their composure, fought their way inside, and found scoring from the free throw stripe. Four of junior forward Tanner Richards' six points came when he knocked down game securing foul shots at the end of Monday's game. "(Henderson) knows in that situation we got to handle pressure better,” Kelley said. “I think other guys when they caught the ball were looking to get it out of their hands as quick as possible and he just took it upon himself to take control of it, get in there drew some fouls, knock down some free throws, to keep it from getting too close." The Colts were led in scoring by Fain, who finished with 26 points and nine rebounds; Peters with 19 points and 10 rebounds; and Henderson with 11 points and six assists. "I never look at a kid and say you need to step up, but Chase is our senior leader and he just knows to do that," Kelley said. "He was feeling it." With the win in the tournament's opening round, the Colts advance to play Wayne County Friday at 6 p.m. at Lincoln County High School. The Cardinals defeated the Colts 66-61 in Monticello on Feb. 8. "They can shoot it. They're young, but they don't play like a young team," Kelley said. "We went down there and fought them good a couple of weeks ago. I've watched their last two games and they're playing awfully good right now ... It's a tall order for us." 2013-02-26 09:50:26.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colts-defeat-lincoln-county,0,5027332.story

jj-coltsdraw Colts draw Lincoln Co. in Region 12 opening round February 23, 2013 Saturday's 12th Region tournament draw from Lincoln Co. High School resulted in head coach Damon Kelley's West Jessamine Colts (17-11) once again meeting the Lincoln Co. Patriots (15-17) in Monday's opening round. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-5128eaaa/turbine/jj-coltsdraw/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5128eaaa/turbine/jj-coltsdraw/400/16x9 Saturday's 12th Region tournament draw from Lincoln Co. High School resulted in head coach Damon Kelley's West Jessamine Colts (17-11) once again meeting the Lincoln Co. Patriots (15-17) in Monday's opening round. The game, slated for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff, will be the second game of the two day opening rounds of the tournament. The semifinals take place Friday at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., respectively. Saturday's 12th Region championship game is slated for a 7:30 p.m. start. During their past appearance in Stanford, the Colts escaped with a 64-62 victory over the Patriots behind 18 points and six rebounds from senior guard Chase Fain, including two of which were his game winner. Junior guard Daulton Peters tacked on an additional 22 points to help lead Kelley's squad to victory. 2013-02-23 08:16:07.0 2013-08-22 21:00:00.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-coltsdraw,0,2805893.story

jj-west-jessamine-cruises-to-46th-district-crown-in-win-over-mercer-county-20130221 West Jessamine cruises to 46th District crown in win over Mercer County February 21, 2013 Just fundamental basketball. That was West Jessamine's recipe for success as it controlled the game for the final three quarters and won the 46th District championship over Mercer County on Thursday at East Jessamine High School. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-5126db8e/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-cruises-to-46th-district-crown-in-win-over-mercer-county-20130221/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5126db8e/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-cruises-to-46th-district-crown-in-win-over-mercer-county-20130221/400/16x9 Just fundamental basketball. That was West Jessamine's recipe for success as it controlled the game for the final three quarters and won the 46th District championship over Mercer County on Thursday at East Jessamine High School. The Colts (17-11) got off to a slow start but came back with strong inside play and consistent defense against the Titans (16-13), building a 12-point halftime lead and never looking back in the third and fourth quarters en route to the 77-57 victory. West moves on to the 12th Region tournament next week in Lincoln County. The schedule for that tournament will be determined Saturday. With a game plan to go inside strong against the Titans, West faced an early challenge as Colts big man Robby Irgang picked up his second foul just three and a half minutes into the game with his team trailing 12-6. That was where Ian Kossick came in. The junior transfer from LCA made an immediate impact with a block and the Colts' next three points. He had seven at the half and 10 on the game. "We played seven guys tonight the bulk of the minutes, and I thought every one of them gave us good contributions," West coach Damon Kelley said. "I told them before the game, when you're playing in a game of this magnitude, no one can try to do everything; that's going to hurt you. Everybody's got to contribute; everybody's got to do something, and I thought we got good production out of everybody tonight." Trailing 20-19 after one quarter, the West defense took over, holding Mercer County six minutes without a field goal in the second period as the Titans turned the ball over 12 times in the first half. "They were beating us down the floor (in the first quarter), and we were getting back enough to stop the layups, but because we were not matched up, they were rotating it to open men and knocking down shots," Kelley said. "We started doing a better job with our transition defense getting back to where we were getting matched up quicker, and they weren't able to get the looks as well." On the offensive end, it was senior Chase Fain who took over, streaking to the goal time after time to score 11 straight points for West and give the Colts a 40-28 halftime advantage. Fain had five assists in the first half, all in the first quarter as West struggled to keep pace with Mercer. "He's a special player, and he's really played well for us here lately," Kelley said. "He's our money man, but we've got good players around him, too, that are accepting of that. The best thing about Chase is that yeah, he can score, but he's a phenomenal passer, too, and when teams start doubling him and putting all their focus on him, he's going to find other guys open for good shots, as well." The West Jessamine student section's halftime "Harlem Shake" was the flashiest thing on display the rest of the night as the Colts used basic inside basketball and solid defense to put the Titans away. West hit only one three-pointer on the night and scored 50 points in the paint while holding Mercer County to 31-percent shooting. "We didn't do anything fancy defensively; we just played fundamental basketball: We kept the ball in front of us; we pinched to help from guys that were one pass away," Kelley said. "We still have to get better on the defensive glass; we still are not rebounding as well as we need to, but it didn't hurt us tonight like it has in some other games." Fain led West in the scoring column with 24 on the night to go with nine rebounds and seven assists. Fellow senior Daulton Peters tallied 12 including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw stripe. Irgang went 5-for-6 from the field for 11 points in just 12 minutes on the floor. Fain, Peters and junior Will Henderson were named to the all-district team for the Colts. They were joined by East Jessamine senior guard Taylor Harper; Mercer County's John Ingram and Russell Sims; and Burgin's Nick Beckerson. West Jessamine's boys' team is the only county basketball team going to the 12th Region tournament next week. The boys' draw will be determined at 10 a.m. Saturday at host Lincoln County High School. West and Mercer will be joined in the tournament by Lincoln County and Boyle County from the 45th District, Pulaski County and Somerset from the 47th, and Wayne County and Southwestern from the 48th. Those three districts all have their championship games Friday night. "There's probably six or seven teams capable of beating anybody — not necessarily that can win the whole thing, but on one night could knock any of us off," Kelley said. "It's going to be very competitive; I don't know that there is an easy draw. Some years you're going to the meeting hoping to get this runner-up, but it's not like that this year. It's going to be a dog fight for somebody to come out of there next week." 2013-02-22 09:40:29.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-jessamine-cruises-to-46th-district-crown-in-win-over-mercer-county-20130221,0,6770385.story

jj-mercers-press-proves-too-much-for-lady-colts-20130219 Mercer's press proves too much for Lady Colts February 19, 2013 For a quarter, the West Jessamine Lady Colts (5-19) held on to a hope that they could knock off the Mercer Lady Titans (23-8) in the first round of the 46th District tournament Tuesday night at East Jessamine High School. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-5124475a/turbine/jj-mercers-press-proves-too-much-for-lady-colts-20130219/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5124475a/turbine/jj-mercers-press-proves-too-much-for-lady-colts-20130219/400/16x9 For a quarter, the West Jessamine Lady Colts (5-19) held on to a hope that they could knock off the Mercer Lady Titans (23-8) in the first round of the 46th District tournament Tuesday night at East Jessamine High School. But when it was all said and done, the Mercer County press was merciless as it forced 34 turnovers en route to a 73-42 victory. “Early on we did OK against it; then the physical pressure just started wearing on us and wearing on us,” West coach Stephen Greene said. “We were not getting any kind of foul calls like we did at the end of the game.” Having already lost to Mercer 84-37 in late January, the Lady Colts came out and matched the Lady Titans’ physical style of play to start the game. “Both teams weren’t going to let up at all, no matter how the officials called it,” Greene said. “Both teams were going to keep pushing and pushing.” After Mercer took a 12-6 lead following a bucket by Heidi Huffman with 3:53 left in the opening period, the Lady Colts responded by cutting the lead to 12-10 following a score by Shelby Hawkins with an assist from Ashlee Rose with 3:02 left in the quarter. Mercer County extended the lead to 18-10 before Emma Baxter cut it to 18-12 with a jumper to end the first. In the second quarter, Mercer’s press really became a factor as it forced turnover after turnover — nine total in the second quarter and 19 in the first half. “It hurt our ball handlers, and it caused issues with our passes, and it led to a lot of turnovers,” Greene said. With West struggling, Mercer took advantage and pushed its lead to double digits, where it stayed for the remainder of the game. While Mercer’s offense surged, the Lady Colts’ offense was stumped in the second quarter, as West managed just four points, and found itself trailing 37-16 at halftime. Greene said the problems were turnovers and an inability to execute the offense when West did beat the press. “We had trouble getting settled on the half court after getting through the press, and we went away from the basket when we needed to go toward it in the second quarter,” he said. Mercer opened up the second half by stepping on the proverbial gas pedal as it quickly pushed its lead out to 52-19 following a pair of foul shots by Catheryne Claunch with 4:49 left in the third quarter. Defensively, the Lady Titans kept up the press for the first six minutes of the half as West’s offense continued to struggle to find its rhythm. From that point, the Lady Titans cruised to the 31-point victory. West Jessamine was paced by Hawkins and Baxter, who each finished with nine points. Rose tossed in six points, and Kendall Anderson and Rachel Monell finished with five points each. Mercer County was led by Claunch, who finished with a game-high 23 points. Kandace Gash added 11 points in the Lady Titans’ win. 2013-02-20 06:53:07.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-mercers-press-proves-too-much-for-lady-colts-20130219,0,7770484.story

jj-burgin-ends-lady-jaguars-season-4831-20130219 Burgin ends Lady Jaguars' season 48-31 February 19, 2013 Going into Tuesday night, the East Jessamine girls’ basketball team was enjoying a season to remember as the Lady Jaguars had posted a school-best 17-win season. On Tuesday against the Burgin Lady Bulldogs (14-14), East Jessamine (17-9) had a game it would rather forget as the Lady Jags fell 48-31 in the first round of the 46th District tournament. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-512440af/turbine/jj-burgin-ends-lady-jaguars-season-4831-20130219/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-512440af/turbine/jj-burgin-ends-lady-jaguars-season-4831-20130219/400/16x9 Going into Tuesday night, the East Jessamine girls’ basketball team was enjoying a season to remember as the Lady Jaguars had posted a school-best 17-win season. On Tuesday against the Burgin Lady Bulldogs (14-14), East Jessamine (17-9) had a game it would rather forget as the Lady Jags fell 48-31 in the first round of the 46th District tournament. “It was just one of those nights where nothing went right,” East coach Jacqueline Coleman said. “It was one of those things where you don’t really know how to coach them out of it.” East opened the game searching for rhythm on offense, but when freshman Emma Young went to the bench with foul trouble midway through the opening quarter, the Lady Jags found themselves in a quick hole at 8-2 following a bucket by Burgin’s Summer Burke. Coleman said Young’s early exit hindered the Lady Jaguars’ game plan. “Emma Young got into foul trouble early, so she had to sit for most of the first half,” Coleman said. “She had to sit for half of the first quarter and all of the second quarter.” With Young on the bench, East managed to scrap and claw its way back into the game and tied it at 10 following a basket by Sarah Rainwater. Turnovers plagued East throughout the first quarter as it had seven miscues in the first quarter and 19 for the game. The second quarter was played at a snail’s pace as both teams combined for 16 points. A three-pointer by Burgin’s Taylor Sanders gave the Lady Bulldogs their largest lead of the first half at 21-12. East countered moments later with a three-pointer by Rainwater to trim the lead to 21-15 at the break. During the game, East Jessamine players seemingly couldn’t buy a basket as near-misses flirted with the rim only to bounce out. This carried over into the second half for the Lady Jags once Young re-entered the game. “When she came (in the game) in the second half, things weren’t really clicking,” Coleman said. “We had a lot of shots that didn’t fall, and we missed a lot of layups that we don’t usually miss. Normally our defense creates our offense, but we had a tough time getting set and on the same page.” Defensively, East Jessamine went to a zone in an attempt to slow down Burgin’s inside game. But the Lady Bulldogs countered that move with a three-pointer by Sanders to open up a 26-17 advantage. Following the three-pointer, Burgin guards began to find cracks in the Lady Jags defense and rattled off three straight buckets to seize a 32-17 lead following a score by Libby Dismeaux. “When we (went) zone, that was to defend the paint, and that didn’t happen,” Coleman said. “By that point, you’ve got to change your defense again, and it was one of those things where it really didn’t matter what we did; nothing was going our way.” With East reeling, the Lady Bulldogs pushed the lead to 36-19 following a layup by Liz Marcinek with 1:48 left in the quarter. East Jessamine trimmed the lead to 12 at 36-24 following a Young three-pointer and layup just before the quarter ended. With its season on the line, East began using trapping defenses in the final period, but time and again, Burgin managed to defeat the trap, and when East did come up with a turnover, the ball simply refused to go in. East Jessamine never got any closer than 11 points in the final frame as Burgin eventually pushed the lead out to a 17-point victory. Emilie Hatfield led East Jessamine with 12 points, while Young finished with nine. Rainwater chipped in five points. Burke and Dismeaux lead Burgin with 11 and 10 points, respectively. 2013-02-20 06:48:31.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-burgin-ends-lady-jaguars-season-4831-20130219,0,1296423.story

jj-west-jessamine-pressure-wears-down-burgin-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130219 West Jessamine pressure wears down Burgin in 46th District semifinals February 19, 2013 Burgin boys’ coach Brian Kirk must have been giddy in the locker room at halftime of his team’s 46th District semifinal game against West Jessamine on Monday night. The Bulldogs had played to a 30-30 tie after 16 minutes against a team that beat them twice in the regular season by an average of 42 points. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-5123a021/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-pressure-wears-down-burgin-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130219/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5123a021/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-pressure-wears-down-burgin-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130219/400/16x9 Burgin boys’ coach Brian Kirk must have been giddy in the locker room at halftime of his team’s 46th District semifinal game against West Jessamine on Monday night. The Bulldogs had played to a 30-30 tie after 16 minutes against a team that beat them twice in the regular season by an average of 42 points. But the Colts (16-11) pulled it together and looked much more like themselves in the second half en route to an 84-60 victory over the Bulldogs (9-18) and a berth in the district championship Thursday night. West came out with a lot of defensive pressure, forcing a Burgin timeout just two minutes in and the Colts up 7-2. West would build the lead to 11 before the Bulldogs responded with a 6-0 run. And just when the Colts had built the advantage back to 11 again at 27-18 soon after a Daulton Peters two-hand slam dunk, Burgin rattled off 12 straight points to take a brief lead 28-27. “Burgin got control of the tempo late first quarter,” West coach Damon Kelley said. “They got us to where we weren’t scoring so we couldn’t get into our press; they were being patient on the offensive end and getting the ball where they wanted it, and then we’re walking the ball up the floor against their packed-in zone; we weren’t very smart.” The West pressure forced 19 Burgin turnovers in the first half. Kelley said it was Burgin’s effort on the glass, outrebounding the Colts 28-16 in the first half, that allowed the Bulldogs to stay in the game. “You look at the stat line, and there were some stats that made you wonder how we were tied; there were some stats that made you wonder how they were tied, and that’s why it was even,” Kelley said. Burgin junior forward Nick Beckerson found the basket often in the first half, pouring in 14 of his team’s 30 points but also picking up three fouls. The Bulldogs had no options to deal with fouls or fatigue; their five starters played the whole game, with the only substitution coming with 33 seconds left to let fans salute lone senior Alex Beckerson as he left the game. “We knew that would be a factor,” Kelley said. “They’ve got a nice group, but they don’t have much depth. We knew that we had to make them play faster than they wanted to; we had to make depth be an issue with fatigue.” The Colts continued their full-court press in the third quarter and began to find their rhythm on the offensive end, with senior Chase Fain and Peters scoring West’s first 16 points of the half. The top seed in the district pulled away, leading 56-40 after three quarters and taking a 31-point lead at 76-45. Fain led the Colts in the scoring column with 27 and added seven steals. Peters finished with 23. Junior point guard Will Henderson packed the stat sheet with 18 points, six rebounds, six steals and five assists. Both Beckersons had double-doubles for Burgin, Nick with 18 points and 10 rebounds and Alex with 10 points and 13 rebounds. West moves on to the district championship Thursday night at East Jessamine High School against Mercer County (16-12). With a berth in the 12th Region tournament already claimed, Kelley said Thursday’s game is for district pride. “You don’t want to lose against a rival, whether it’s East or Mercer,” he said. “We’ve been through the first-round jitters, and I think we’ll be ready to play Thursday night.” 2013-02-19 08:08:10.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-jessamine-pressure-wears-down-burgin-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130219,0,6458961.story

jj-east-jessamine-loses-doubleovertime-thriller-to-mercer-county-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130218 East Jessamine loses double-overtime thriller to Mercer County in 46th District semifinals February 18, 2013 The buzzer on the East Jessamine boys' basketball season sounded three separate times Monday night. The Jaguars survived the first two but fell short on the third, losing a double-overtime thriller to Mercer County 89-80 in the 46th District semifinals at East Jessamine High School. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-5122fb80/turbine/jj-east-jessamine-loses-doubleovertime-thriller-to-mercer-county-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130218/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5122fb80/turbine/jj-east-jessamine-loses-doubleovertime-thriller-to-mercer-county-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130218/400/16x9 The buzzer on the East Jessamine boys' basketball season sounded three separate times Monday night. The Jaguars survived the first two but fell short on the third, losing a double-overtime thriller to Mercer County 89-80 in the 46th District semifinals at East Jessamine High School. The Jaguars (23-8) saw eerily similar scenarios play out in the closing seconds of regulation and overtime, as twice they held a three-point lead that was erased by a John Ingram three-pointer for the Titans (16-12) and twice they failed to get a potential game-winning shot off. Ingram's first big three came with 4.3 seconds left in regulation and tied the game 67-67. The ball was then tipped out of bounds, forcing another East inbounds play with just 2.7 seconds left, but the over-the-top pass to senior Timmy Bradshaw ended up in the hands of Titan senior Jordan Duncan, who called timeout with 1.7 seconds left. Mercer couldn't convert on the full-court play. In overtime, Ingram's three tied the game 74-74 with 1:08 remaining and East held the ball until calling timeout to set a play with 14.4 seconds left. The Jaguars turned the ball over and Mercer County missed a half-court shot, forcing the second extra period. "We had our opportunities; there's no doubt about that," East coach Chris O'Bryan said. "We could have won that game in regulation; we could have won it in the first overtime. You have the ball with a minute to go, call timeout with 15 seconds left, and you don't get a good shot off." Sophomore Ronnie Carson and senior Taylor Harper gave the Jaguars the chance to get to overtime and then to a second overtime. East was down 61-53 with less than four minutes left when Carson took over, going on a personal 10-2 run to tie the game 63-63. Carson, who scored 26 points on the night, fouled out moments later. Harper was a one-man wrecking crew on the offensive end in the extra periods, scoring five of East's seven points in the first overtime and all six in the second overtime. Most of his points came on relentless drives to the hoop, with a huge three-pointer that gave the Jaguars a momentary 72-69 lead in the first overtime. "When he hit that three and hit the driving bucket, I thought, 'Wow; he's a senior taking over in the moment,'" O'Bryan said. "He did everything he could." Harper finished with 20 points in the game. Along with fellow seniors Bradshaw, Mike Jones, Kameren Reed, Austin Dean and Jarod Rocco, Harper was part of the only back-to-back-to-back 20-win seasons in school history. "They have everything in the world to be proud of; there's no reason to hang their heads," O'Bryan said. "They came up a little bit short; it happens, unfortunately. I told them not to let this be their defining moment ... This is by no means the highlight for them." Mercer County moves on to the 46th District championship game Thursday, where the Titans will meet West Jessamine (16-11), who blew out Burgin (9-18) in the second half of the other semifinal game at East High, winning 84-60 after the Colts and Bulldogs played to a 30-30 tie in the first half. 2013-02-19 09:10:36.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-jessamine-loses-doubleovertime-thriller-to-mercer-county-in-46th-district-semifinals-20130218,0,5344.story

jj-photo-gallery-east-boys-vs-danville-20130218 Photo gallery: East Jessamine boys vs. Danville February 18, 2013 The East Jessamine boys' basketball team defeated Danville 60-51 on senior night Friday, Feb. 15, at East. http://www.trbimg.com/img-51223826/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-boys-vs-danville-20130218/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51223826/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-boys-vs-danville-20130218/400/16x9 The East Jessamine boys' basketball team defeated Danville 60-51 on senior night Friday, Feb. 15, at East. 2013-02-18 09:21:30.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-boys-vs-danville-20130218,0,5590981.photogallery

jj-east-jessamine-recovers-from-shaky-start-and-holds-on-to-top-danville-on-senior-night-20130215 East Jessamine recovers from shaky start and holds on to top Danville February 15, 2013 East Jessamine overcame a slow start and poor shooting Friday night to take a scrappy game against Danville 60-51. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-511effd0/turbine/jj-east-jessamine-recovers-from-shaky-start-and-holds-on-to-top-danville-on-senior-night-20130215/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511effd0/turbine/jj-east-jessamine-recovers-from-shaky-start-and-holds-on-to-top-danville-on-senior-night-20130215/400/16x9 East Jessamine overcame a slow start and poor shooting Friday night to take a scrappy game against Danville 60-51. The Jaguars (22-7) will enter the postseason having won 11 of their last 12 games. They struggled early Friday as the Admirals (10-14) came out in a zone. East trailed 12-10 after the first quarter. "They weren't ready," East coach Chris O'Bryan said. "They were in that 3-2 zone, and we didn't have anybody cutting; we didn't have anybody flashing; we were just looking at people we were trying to throw the ball to." With the district-tournament bracket for next week already set and six seniors honored before the game, O'Bryan said his players may have been distracted early. The first half continued to grind on, with sophomore Ronnie Carson getting a steal and a bucket to tie the game 22-22 at the break. Carson scored half of East's points in the first half and finished with 21 to lead the Jaguars. The Jaguars picked up a full-court press in the third quarter and got three straight steals and scores to force a Danville timeout with the Admirals down 14 points at 37-23. The East defense held Danville to just four points — one field goal and two free throws — in the third period. O'Bryan said his team could have put the game away at that point. "In the third quarter, we came out and changed our defense up a little bit — obviously that gave us a little bit of a spark, but then we didn't respond after the timeouts like we needed to do," O'Bryan said. "... At that point, you've got to really go for the jugular, and we didn't." The Admirals came storming back early in the fourth quarter, running off seven straight points and then five more moments later to pull within three points 41-38 with 4:42 left in the game. The tension in the gym hit its high point with 4:03 left when East senior point guard Taylor Harper was called for his fourth foul and then received a technical while he stood on the side of the lane waiting for the free throws. Admiral senior forward Alex Burnside knocked down the technical free throws to pull Danville within two points, and the Jaguars were looking at the final four minutes of the game without their floor general. "Whenever your leader goes out in any situation, you're curious as to how the team's going to respond. At that moment, that's when you think, 'Wow — who's going to do what?'" O'Bryan said. "They did a good job handling the ball ... (senior guard) Mike Jones played a great game, did a great job with the ball, and that's what you've got to have in those situations." East scored its final 17 points on the free-throw line, with senior Timmy Bradshaw converting 7-of-7 in the closing minutes. Bradshaw did not score a point in the first half but dumped in 11 in the fourth quarter to hold Danville at bay; he finished with 14 points. "He didn't get frustrated — he kept playing, kept digging, kept clawing, and still ended up scoring all those points and hitting those free throws down the stretch; he's a valuable member, an asset to the team," O'Bryan said. Jones tacked on 11 points on the night. Sophomore guard Hayden Smith added five; Harper scored four; and senior Kameren Reed scored a bucket and a free throw. The Jaguars recognized their six seniors before the game — Jones, Harper, Bradshaw, Reed, Austin Dean and Jarod Rocco. Rocco has been out for the season with an injury but was well enough to start the game and get a bucket the Admirals conceded to him. "Every one of (the seniors) has dedicated their heart and soul to this program — you can't ask for more as a coach," O'Bryan said. "Every single one of them, in their own way, has brought something to this team, to this program, that's going to last. There are very few teams that can say they've won 22 games in the regular season; they rank themselves up there with the best of the best." East could meet cross-county rival West Jessamine for a third time this season in the district championship next week if both teams win their semifinal games Monday at East. The Jaguars match up against Mercer County (15-12) at 7:45 p.m. Monday. "I like where we are mentally; I like where we are physically," O'Bryan said. "We're going to go out there and give it our best shot." 2013-02-19 12:28:41.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-jessamine-recovers-from-shaky-start-and-holds-on-to-top-danville-on-senior-night-20130215,0,7213681.story

jj-lady-colts-secondhalf-rally-falls-short-on-senior-night-20130215 Lady Colts' second-half rally falls short on senior night February 15, 2013 After being on their heels for much of the first half, the West Jessamine Lady Colts turned the tables on the Lexington Christian Lady Eagles after halftime Friday and nearly pulled an upset. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-511efc4b/turbine/jj-lady-colts-secondhalf-rally-falls-short-on-senior-night-20130215/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511efc4b/turbine/jj-lady-colts-secondhalf-rally-falls-short-on-senior-night-20130215/400/16x9 After being on their heels for much of the first half, the West Jessamine Lady Colts turned the tables on the Lexington Christian Lady Eagles after halftime Friday and nearly pulled an upset. But the Lady Eagles played stall-ball in the fourth quarter and took care of business from the foul line, winning 55-47. “I knew they were going to start trying to hold the ball, but I didn’t think they’d start doing it with six minutes left in the game,” West coach Stephen Greene said. “My girls knows how that works; when a team is up on the road, they’re going to try to hold the ball and make us foul them.” The stall tactic forced West to foul LCA, and the Lady Eagles responded by going 7-of-12 in the final quarter. LCA finished 16-of-26 for the game; West knocked down 11-of-17 foul shots in the game. LCA opened the game by jumping out to an 8-2 lead. For much of the first half, LCA’s full-court press proved troublesome for the Lady Colts, as the visitors built a 16-6 lead following a three-pointer by Katelin Bundy early in the second quarter. Throughout the second quarter, LCA held a double-digit lead and led by as many as 14 at 28-14 following a bucket by Carah Burdette. From there, West Jessamine began to neutralize the press and started converting on opportunities. Over the final three minutes of the half, West outscored LCA 10-5. The run was spurred by four foul shots by Katelyn Quillen and a pair of buckets by Shelby Hawkins. Greene said once West figured out LCA’s press, it was the Lady Eagles who started to play defensively. “LCA dictated things in the first half with their press,” Greene said. “It gave us a little bit of trouble, and we didn’t capitalize on some of our opportunities in the first half. We were able to get through the press, which caused them to pull it off after halftime.” After the break, West turned up the intensity and quickly cut the nine-point deficit to one following a jumper by Rachel Monell, prompting a LCA timeout. West’s momentum continued following the timeout when Ashlee Rose found Hawkins with a long distance pass that Hawkins converted into a layup, giving West’s its only lead of the night at 39-38. “After halftime, we came out with a sense of urgency and really determined to score and do well, and we ended up taking the lead on them,” Greene said. At that point, LCA began to assert itself on the foul line, as the Lady Eagles finished the third quarter by knocking down five free throws, coupled with a bucket by Burdette. West continued to be the aggressor in the final quarter, coming up with three steals, including a theft by Rose, who converted it into two points with a layup, cutting the LCA lead to 48-45 with 3:42 left in the game. “We forced a couple jump balls, but we couldn’t capitalize on those opportunities,” Greene said. From there, LCA stalled and sealed the game from the foul line. Hawkins led West with 14 points. Rose finished with 12, while Quillen added six. LCA was paced by Bundy’s game-high 19 points, while Burdette finished with 9. The game also marked the final home game for seniors Kendall Anderson, Emma Baxter, Hawkins, Rebekah Hulsing (who has been out for the year with an injury), Allison Mims, Hannah Parsons and Quillen. Greene said the group has been together for a long time and they’ve meant a lot to the program. “This group has been here since they were sixth-graders,” he said. “They are a really great group.” Next up for West Jessamine is a 46th District tournament match-up against Mercer County. The game will be played at East Jessamine High School on Tuesday at 6 p.m. 2013-02-15 19:29:08.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-lady-colts-secondhalf-rally-falls-short-on-senior-night-20130215,0,7274198.story

jj-east-jessamine-girls-win-record-17th-game-20130215 East Jessamine girls win record 17th game February 15, 2013 The East Jessamine girls' basketball team made history in its regular-season finale Friday night in Lexington as the Lady Jaguars won their 17th game of the season. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-511ef22c/turbine/jj-east-jessamine-girls-win-record-17th-game-20130215/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511ef22c/turbine/jj-east-jessamine-girls-win-record-17th-game-20130215/400/16x9 The East Jessamine girls' basketball team made history in its regular-season finale Friday night in Lexington as the Lady Jaguars won their 17th game of the season. East defeated Sayre 52-37 and finished the regular season with a record of 17-8, only the second winning season in the program's history, the other occurring in 2002 when this year's seniors were in first grade. Freshman Emma Young led the Lady Jaguars with 17 points. Sophomore Sarah Rainwater added 14, and sophomore Emilie Hatfield scored 8. East Jessamine won only three games last year and only five the previous year. The Lady Jags take the court Tuesday night at home in the 46th District semifinals against Burgin (13-13), a team they lost to by one point on the road in January and beat by eight at home just eight days ago.   2013-02-15 18:45:08.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-east-jessamine-girls-win-record-17th-game-20130215,0,1534233.story

jj-pulaski-spoils-west-jessamines-senior-night-20130215 Pulaski spoils West Jessamine's senior night February 15, 2013 A 30-9 first quarter deficit proved to be too much for the West Jessamine Colts (15-11) to overcome as the Maroons of Pulaski County (21-6) cruised to an 84-65 victory on senior night. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-511e5672/turbine/jj-pulaski-spoils-west-jessamines-senior-night-20130215/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511e5672/turbine/jj-pulaski-spoils-west-jessamines-senior-night-20130215/400/16x9 A 30-9 first quarter deficit proved to be too much for the West Jessamine Colts (15-11) to overcome as the Maroons of Pulaski County (21-6) cruised to an 84-65 victory on senior night. “They took over the game early, and we put ourselves in a tough position, but I thought we fought and fought and did some good things to get back in it, but give Pulaski credit; they always answered any run and any challenge we made,” West coach Damon Kelley said. “They’re one of the top teams in our region. They’ve got three seniors that have been starting ever since they’ve been freshmen, and they’re an excellent ball club.” Pulaski controlled the tempo from the opening tip and quickly jumped out to a 9-0 lead following a layup by Kody Johnson, prompting a quick timeout by Kelley. The timeout did little to quell the Maroons’ momentum, as they continued to pile up the first-quarter points. Twice in the first half, West was saddled with technical fouls. Midway through the second quarter, Kelley was T’d up after strongly disputing a no-call against one of his players. During the first half, Pulaski connected on six three-pointers, finishing the half 6-of-12 from long-range, compared to West’s 1-of-5 effort. West opened the third quarter by chipping away at the lead and eventually cut it to 14 at 64-50 at the end of the period following a bucket by Chase Fain. Fain finished with a double-double, with 36 points and 10 rebounds. Will Henderson added 15 points for the Colts, while Daulton Peters finished with four points. Pulaski was paced by 22 points from Johnson and 15 each from Sean Ross and Tyler Goins. But each time West trimmed the lead, the Maroons pushed it back out, and midway through the final period, Pulaski increased its lead to 22 at 78-56. Thursday’s game also marked the final game for seniors Fain, Robby Irgang, Jack Bandy, Grant Wells and Justin Sanders. Kelley said the five players have more than left their mark on the program. “They’re great kids,” the coach said. “Chase is as talented as any player that I’ve had the privilege of coaching. Robby Irgang — it’s the toughness he brings to us on the floor defensively and the hustle and giving every bit of energy he has for us. That’s been a key to us the last two years. “Jack, Grant and Justin — they don’t get to play a lot, but you could not ask for three better people to represent your program,” Kelley said. “They are tremendous teammates; they come to practice every day and work hard.” 2013-02-15 07:41:34.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-pulaski-spoils-west-jessamines-senior-night-20130215,0,2224166.story

jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-swimmers-at-region-3-competition-in-russell-springs-20130213 Photo gallery: Jessamine swimmers at Region 3 competition in Russell Springs February 13, 2013 Swimmers from Jessamine County competed in the Region 3 finals at Russell Springs High School over the weekend. http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf41e/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-swimmers-at-region-3-competition-in-russell-springs-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf41e/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-swimmers-at-region-3-competition-in-russell-springs-20130213/400/16x9 Swimmers from Jessamine County competed in the Region 3 finals at Russell Springs High School over the weekend. 2013-02-13 12:16:35.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-jessamine-swimmers-at-region-3-competition-in-russell-springs-20130213,0,3588596.photogallery

jj-easts-robinson-named-to-allstate-team-as-defensive-back-20130213 East's Robinson named to all-state team as defensive back February 13, 2013 East Jessamine defensive back Derrius Robinson, center, was named to the Courier-Journal's first team all-state. East head coach Mike Bowlin, left, presented Robinson with a plaque at halftime of the boys' basketball game between East and West on Feb. 1. http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf0c5/turbine/jj-easts-robinson-named-to-allstate-team-as-defensive-back-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf0c5/turbine/jj-easts-robinson-named-to-allstate-team-as-defensive-back-20130213/400/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf0c5/turbine/jj-easts-robinson-named-to-allstate-team-as-defensive-back-20130213/600 East Jessamine defensive back Derrius Robinson, center, was named to the Courier-Journal's first team all-state. East head coach Mike Bowlin, left, presented Robinson with a plaque at halftime of the boys' basketball game between East and West on Feb. 1. East Jessamine defensive back Derrius Robinson, center, was named to the Courier-Journal's first team all-state. East head coach Mike Bowlin, left, presented Robinson with a plaque at halftime of the boys' basketball game between East and West on Feb. 1. 2013-02-13 12:02:22.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-easts-robinson-named-to-allstate-team-as-defensive-back-20130213,0,6384232.photo

jj-colt-swimming-relay-team-races-in-region-3-championship-20130213 Colt swimming relay team races in Region 3 championship 400-meter freestyle team is first alternate in state competition February 13, 2013 West Jessamine swimmers are on the edge of competing in the state finals later this month. The 400-meter freestyle relay team of Michael Peck, Austin Pasch, Wyatt Lamb and Stefan Stryker is the first alternate for the state competition after their fifth-place finish in the Region 3 competition over the weekend. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-511beff7/turbine/jj-colt-swimming-relay-team-races-in-region-3-championship-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511beff7/turbine/jj-colt-swimming-relay-team-races-in-region-3-championship-20130213/400/16x9 West Jessamine swimmers are on the edge of competing in the state finals later this month. The 400-meter freestyle relay team of Michael Peck, Austin Pasch, Wyatt Lamb and Stefan Stryker is the first alternate for the state competition after their fifth-place finish in the Region 3 competition over the weekend. The West boys’ team finished ninth out of 22 teams at the meet at Russell Springs High School. Peck, a freshman, was in three championship-final races. He came in fourth overall in the boys’ 100-yard backstroke and teamed with juniors Lamb and Stryker and sophomore Pasch to place fifth in the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays. Pasch was in an individual championship final of his own, coming in fifth in the 500-yard freestyle. Lamb finished ninth in the 100-yard breaststroke. The East Jessamine boys’ relay team of eighth-graders Timothy Keathley and John Fonoy, freshman Chris Nielson and sixth-grader Garett Harter qualified for the consolation races in the 400-yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard medley relay, placing 12th and 13th, respectively. The East boys’ team finished in 20th place overall. On the girls’ side, West Jessamine senior Hannah Moles led the way, taking 10th in the 100-yard butterfly and 14th in the 200-yard individual medley. Moles also teamed with seventh-grader Anna Disponette, junior Olivia Wackerly and freshman Jenna Siekmann to take 14th place in the 200-yard medley relay. The West girls’ team finished 18th overall. 2013-02-13 12:17:10.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-colt-swimming-relay-team-races-in-region-3-championship-20130213,0,5788668.story

jj-west-jessamine-girls-bowling-team-loses-in-state-tournament-20130213 West Jessamine girls' bowling team loses in state tournament East's Hukle finishes 21st; West's Cheek 30th February 13, 2013 The West Jessamine girls’ bowling team made the state tournament for the second year in a row but came up short in the first round last week. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-511beed7/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-girls-bowling-team-loses-in-state-tournament-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511beed7/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-girls-bowling-team-loses-in-state-tournament-20130213/400/16x9 The West Jessamine girls’ bowling team made the state tournament for the second year in a row but came up short in the first round last week. West was seeded sixth out of the 16 teams who made it to the Executive Strike & Spare in Louisville on Friday, Feb. 8, and was matched up against 11th-seeded Boone County. In the best-of-five match, the West girls lost the first game 156-142 and took the second one handily 195-155. After dropping the third game 192-185 and tying the fourth 161-161, West came through to win game five 171-158 and force a sixth and deciding game, which Boone County took 193-157. Two bowlers from Jessamine County were competing in the individual finals in Louisville a day earlier. Chester Hukle of East Jessamine High School placed 21st in the boys’ state bowling individual championships in Louisville on Thursday, Feb. 7, throwing games of 213, 168 and 213 for a total of 594. West Jessamine’s Robyn Cheek had games of 141, 145 and 158, a total of 444 that earned her 30th place in the state on the girls’ side. The west team includes  Cheek, Kelsey Couch, Bayleigh Lowery, Hannah McFadden, Olivia Boggs, Kaitlin Duff, Kayla Morris, Kerrigan Welch and Sarah McFadden. 2013-02-13 11:54:25.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-jessamine-girls-bowling-team-loses-in-state-tournament-20130213,0,331666.story

jj-jessamine-county-archers-hit-the-mark-during-preregional-at-the-providence-school-facility-20130213 Jessamine County archers hit the mark during pre-regional at The Providence School facility February 13, 2013 Archers from West Jessamine and East Jessamine high schools placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in The Providence School’s pre-regional tournament Saturday at the Providence Activity Center. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bee31/turbine/jj-jessamine-county-archers-hit-the-mark-during-preregional-at-the-providence-school-facility-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bee31/turbine/jj-jessamine-county-archers-hit-the-mark-during-preregional-at-the-providence-school-facility-20130213/400/16x9 Archers from West Jessamine and East Jessamine high schools placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in The Providence School’s pre-regional tournament Saturday at the Providence Activity Center. More than 900 archers representing 31 central-Kentucky schools participated in the event. The event was a pre-qualifying tournament for this weekend’s KHSAA regional qualifying tournament, which will also be at the PAC center. CJ Barnes of West Jessamine came in fourth overall for high-school males with an impressive score of 288. Barnes came in third place at the Fayette County Invitational Jan. 21. More than 2,500 people attended the event, according to Grace Burns with TPS. East Jessamine archers totaled 3,142 points, led by Chase Ardery’s 284. Hunter Barnes finished with 265 points. Ashley Cravens was East’s top girls archer with 265 points, while Kyla Gelston was not far off the pace with 263 points. In addition to Barnes’ performance, West Jessamine’s Jon Mark Bickert finished with 248 points. Audrey Fitch paced West girls’ archers with 249 points. As a team, West finished with 3,153 points. Anderson County’s team placed first with 3,373 points, followed by Western Hills with 3,354. Dunbar High School finished third with 3,216. 2013-02-13 11:51:50.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-jessamine-county-archers-hit-the-mark-during-preregional-at-the-providence-school-facility-20130213,0,7998352.story

jj-miller-becomes-east-jessamines-second-di-mens-soccer-player-20130213 Miller becomes East Jessamine's second D-I men's soccer player February 13, 2013 Sam Miller fulfilled a lifelong dream last week as he officially signed to play soccer at the University of Kentucky. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bed34/turbine/jj-miller-becomes-east-jessamines-second-di-mens-soccer-player-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bed34/turbine/jj-miller-becomes-east-jessamines-second-di-mens-soccer-player-20130213/400/16x9 Sam Miller fulfilled a lifelong dream last week as he officially signed to play soccer at the University of Kentucky. Miller is only the second East Jessamine boys’ soccer player to compete at the NCAA Division I level, joining 2002 graduate Jacob Isenhour, who played at Western Kentucky University. “I chose UK because I've looked up at not only the soccer program but the university as a whole ever sense I was a little kid,” Miller said. “Also I've always wanted to go to a bigger university.” Miller scored 37 goals and tallied 15 assists during his freshman through junior years at East; a torn ACL in August 2012 kept him off the pitch for his senior year. He led the team in scoring his sophomore and junior years, tying with brother Cam for that title his sophomore year. “For my previous teams, I do whatever that gives my team the best chance to win,” Miller said. “It just so happens that my role has always been scoring. My role for UK is ambiguous but I am planning on doing whatever is needed to help my team get the W.” Local and regional soccer leagues also gave Miller a lot of experience. He started playing in Jessamine Youth Soccer Association at age 4 and moved up to Bluegrass Soccer Club and then Lexington Futbol Club at age 12. Miller credited LFC coaches Mike Donnelly, Jonathan Kinchloe and Matt Vogel along with former East High coach Tom Morgan for his development through the years. “They have all contributed to player and person I am today,” he said. Miller said he hopes to be back to 100 percent by June and ready for his freshman season at UK. "If you did not get the chance to see Sam Miller play soccer this past season, then come to a UK game,” Vogel said, “because the best of Sam Miller is yet to come.” UK’s men’s soccer team went 10-9-2 last year, losing to 19th-ranked Xavier 1-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. 2013-02-13 11:49:24.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-miller-becomes-east-jessamines-second-di-mens-soccer-player-20130213,0,7458950.story

jj-hulsing-to-play-collegiate-soccer-at-morehead-state-20130213 Hulsing to play collegiate soccer at Morehead State February 13, 2013 A West Jessamine High soccer player who helped bring her team to state multiple years has signed to play for Morehead State University. By Kelly McKinney http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bec73/turbine/jj-hulsing-to-play-collegiate-soccer-at-morehead-state-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bec73/turbine/jj-hulsing-to-play-collegiate-soccer-at-morehead-state-20130213/400/16x9 A West Jessamine High soccer player who helped bring her team to state multiple years has signed to play for Morehead State University. Rebekah Hulsing, 18, will serve as goalkeeper for the Ohio Valley Conference Division-I school. Hulsing said she is happy to sign with Morehead. “I’m really excited,” she said. “I’ve known where I wanted to go since my freshman year.” Hulsing’s family, fellow soccer players, the West Jessamine girls’ basketball team, and many others attended the signing Feb. 6 in the school’s library. Hulsing, who also has played basketball for West Jessamine,  injured her meniscus and ACL and has been unable to play this season, though she has been a continual presence on the bench. “I’m kind of been afraid to do basketball, but we’ll see how that goes after I’m recovered,” she said. Hulsing’s soccer coach at West, Kevin Wright, said Morehead has been recruiting her for a while. “It’s a great fit,” he said. “She’s going to do great things at Morehead.” Hulsing said she hopes she has recovered enough to play the last month of preseason with Morehead but doesn’t yet know how it’s going to work out and is grateful the coaches have been understanding. “They’ve really been standing by me,” she said. “We’re playing it by ear right now.” 2013-02-13 11:43:56.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-hulsing-to-play-collegiate-soccer-at-morehead-state-20130213,0,1529171.story

jj-easts-tatman-headed-to-university-of-the-cumberlands-20130213 East's Tatman headed to University of the Cumberlands February 13, 2013 East Jessamine’s Hayden Tatman signed on to play football at NAIA powerhouse University of the Cumberlands last week. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-511beb70/turbine/jj-easts-tatman-headed-to-university-of-the-cumberlands-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511beb70/turbine/jj-easts-tatman-headed-to-university-of-the-cumberlands-20130213/400/16x9 East Jessamine’s Hayden Tatman signed on to play football at NAIA powerhouse University of the Cumberlands last week. “They’re good; they run stuff in the NAIA,” Tatman said. “I just want to play for a good team.” After playing all over the field on both sides of the ball at East Jessamine, Tatman will settle into the defense at University of the Cumberlands, red-shirting as a freshman and hoping to get onto the field as a linebacker the following year. Tatman said his teammates at East in previous years had helped him be prepared to move on to the college game. “All the guys that I played with above me have all went on (to play in college), and they were all pretty tough and pushed me hard,” he said. The Cumberlands football team went 10-2 last season, losing in the second round of the NAIA playoffs. 2013-02-13 11:40:10.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-easts-tatman-headed-to-university-of-the-cumberlands-20130213,0,1240563.story

jj-hinkle-goes-back-to-scott-county-to-play-college-football-20130213 Hinkle goes back to Scott County to play college football February 13, 2013 East Jessamine running back Blake Hinkle is going back home. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bea79/turbine/jj-hinkle-goes-back-to-scott-county-to-play-college-football-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bea79/turbine/jj-hinkle-goes-back-to-scott-county-to-play-college-football-20130213/400/16x9 East Jessamine running back Blake Hinkle is going back home. Hinkle signed on to play football with Georgetown College last week; he grew up in Scott County. “They’ve always been in my sights since I was a little kid; I grew up around the program,” he said. “What really drew me to the program is really the feeling you get when you’re on campus, the closeness and the atmosphere.” Hinkle ran for an 86-yard touchdown in his first varsity game with East in 2010 and closed his career out with a 99-yard touchdown run against Wayne County. He will settle into a familiar role in the backfield with Georgetown, and he said the coaches have told him he has a good opportunity to play his freshman year. “It’s just hard work,” Hinkle said. “I’ve just got to prove to the coaching staff and the players that I can play, and I got to go in there and make the most of whatever role they give me.” Georgetown plays in the Mid-South Conference in the NAIA and has been attempting to become an NCAA Division II school. Georgetown has three national titles and 15 conference championships in the past 22 years. “It’s just a good fit. It feels good; it feels comfortable,” Hinkle said. “I just feel like it’s going to be a good school for me.” 2013-02-13 11:36:04.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-hinkle-goes-back-to-scott-county-to-play-college-football-20130213,0,5665561.story

jj-west-jessamine-kicker-little-signs-with-lindsey-wilson-20130213 West Jessamine kicker Little signs with Lindsey Wilson February 13, 2013 During his sophomore year, West Jessamine’s Derrick Little was just another player among the masses, according to his coach, Graham Heasley. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-511be98a/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-kicker-little-signs-with-lindsey-wilson-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511be98a/turbine/jj-west-jessamine-kicker-little-signs-with-lindsey-wilson-20130213/400/16x9 During his sophomore year, West Jessamine’s Derrick Little was just another player among the masses, according to his coach, Graham Heasley. “Derrick’s sophomore year, my first year here, you couldn’t give me a plug nickel for him,” Heasley said. “I watched him play; he wouldn’t try very hard; he didn’t seem very good.” But over the next few years, Heasley watched Little transform himself from a bit player to a starting lineman and kicker, and on Monday, the former coach of the West Jessamine Colts watched his player sign to play college football at Lindsey Wilson College. “After his sophomore season, he made up his mind in the weight room that he was going to be a football player and he was going to start for West Jessamine,” Heasley said. “That winter in the weight room, he worked his tail off and last winter he worked his tail off.” It wasn’t just the work Little did in the weight room and on the field that made the biggest difference, Heasley said. Little’s tale of achievement began in the classroom. “Derrick is the sixth (player) to sign to play college football in the last three years, so this is a pretty big deal,” Heasley said. “Every one of them put themselves in position academically to make this happen, and that’s where it all starts. None of this matters unless you put your academic house in order.” Little, who is going to be a place kicker for the Blue Raiders, said he chose Lindsey Wilson based on his recruiting trip to the school located in Columbia, Ky. “I really liked the campus,” he said. “It’s smaller, but it’s big enough where you get that big-city feel. Their facility is really nice, and the coaches do a great job down there.” Heasley said Little’s signing to play at the next level is a testament of what hard work and determination can do. “He went out on his own to kick to become a better kicker, and he turned himself into an excellent high-school offensive tackle at 5-foot-9 and 240 pounds,” Heasley said. “He did it through sheer will and desire. He learned to do everything exactly right; he was a technician. He didn’t fit the part (to play left tackle), except that he did it right.” Little will be playing for a Blue Raider program that finished 3-8 in 2012. 2013-02-13 11:31:46.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-west-jessamine-kicker-little-signs-with-lindsey-wilson-20130213,0,5753175.story

jj-davis-wins-jysa-soccer-raffle-20130213 Davis wins JYSA soccer raffle February 13, 2013 Brent Davis of Wilmore won the 46-inch LCD television and Blu-Ray disc player from the Chevrolet Youth Soccer raffle through the Jessamine Youth Soccer Assocation and Southerland Chevrolet. The dealership partnered with JYSA during its 2012 fall season. The Chevrolet Youth Soccer Program is funded through equipment sales, T-shirt sales, raffle tickets and a $500 donation from Chevrolet to help organizations like JYSA raise money for coach training and resources, equipment and preparation of the fields. JYSA registrations have started for the upcoming year. Go to www.jysa.org to register online and to find out more details about JYSA. For more information about the Chevrolet Youth Sports, visit www.youthsportswired .com. Photo submitted http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf1a4/turbine/jj-davis-wins-jysa-soccer-raffle-20130213/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf1a4/turbine/jj-davis-wins-jysa-soccer-raffle-20130213/400/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511bf1a4/turbine/jj-davis-wins-jysa-soccer-raffle-20130213/600 Brent Davis of Wilmore won the 46-inch LCD television and Blu-Ray disc player from the Chevrolet Youth Soccer raffle through the Jessamine Youth Soccer Assocation and Southerland Chevrolet. The dealership partnered with JYSA during its 2012 fall season. The Chevrolet Youth Soccer Program is funded through equipment sales, T-shirt sales, raffle tickets and a $500 donation from Chevrolet to help organizations like JYSA raise money for coach training and resources, equipment and preparation of the fields. JYSA registrations have started for the upcoming year. Go to www.jysa.org to register online and to find out more details about JYSA. For more information about the Chevrolet Youth Sports, visit www.youthsportswired .com. Brent Davis of Wilmore won the 46-inch LCD television and Blu-Ray disc player from the Chevrolet Youth Soccer raffle through the Jessamine Youth Soccer Assocation and Southerland Chevrolet. The dealership partnered with JYSA during its 2012 fall season. The Chevrolet Youth Soccer Program is funded through equipment sales, T-shirt sales, raffle tickets and a $500 donation from Chevrolet to help organizations like JYSA raise money for coach training and resources, equipment and preparation of the fields. JYSA registrations have started for the upcoming year. Go to www.jysa.org to register online and to find out more details about JYSA. For more information about the Chevrolet Youth Sports, visit www.youthsportswired .com. 2013-02-13 12:06:04.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-davis-wins-jysa-soccer-raffle-20130213,0,378118.photo

amn-getting-to-know-jarrod-polson-jessamine-native-enjoying-a-bigger-role-with-this-years-uk-team-20130211 Getting to know Jarrod Polson: Jessamine native enjoying a bigger role with this year's UK team February 11, 2013 LEXINGTON - Jarrod Polson not only made his first 3-pointer in Southeastern Conference play in Saturday’s win over Auburn, but he also played 20 minutes, a career high in conference action for the junior guard from West Jessamine High School. He finished the 72-62 win with three points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal. By ASHLEY SCOBY http://www.trbimg.com/img-51191912/turbine/amn-getting-to-know-jarrod-polson-jessamine-native-enjoying-a-bigger-role-with-this-years-uk-team-20130211/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-51191912/turbine/amn-getting-to-know-jarrod-polson-jessamine-native-enjoying-a-bigger-role-with-this-years-uk-team-20130211/400/16x9 LEXINGTON - Jarrod Polson not only made his first 3-pointer in Southeastern Conference play in Saturday’s win over Auburn, but he also played 20 minutes, a career high in conference action for the junior guard from West Jessamine High School. He finished the 72-62 win with three points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal. He has now scored in six of the last seven games and has two or more rebounds in five of the last seven games. “He was great. He’s just energy,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari after Saturday’s game. “All I¿need is energy.” Here is what Polson had to say about his play, the team and more after UK won its fifth straight game Saturday. On if he sees this team getting better in the last few weeks of the season… Polson: “Yeah I think so. I think we’ve definitely improved a lot. We’ve been practicing a lot harder so hopefully that’ll pay off.” On if he’s surprised when Calipari reads a book to the team at practice… Polson: “We’ve been reading that book for a while, so I guess he can do whatever he wants.” On if he’s surprised by the amount of playing time he’s gotten this year… Polson: “Maybe a little bit. When I came here, I was wanting to get minutes eventually. It wasn’t that big of a surprise but I’m happy.” On importance of Tuesday when UK¿plays at Florida… Polson: “It’s big obviously. They’re number one, number-two in the country. But really we’re just focused on getting better ourselves. As we get better ourselves, maybe we can beat them.” On key to getting better… Polson: “Just defining our roles more. Cal’s telling us every day what our roles are, and we’re just really working hard in practice. The practices, especially the past couple of days, have been really intense. I think that’s working for us.” On having a different level of confidence after practicing against Ryan Harrow for second year in a row instead of a new point guard… Polson: “Not really. I was always just trying to go at whoever I was going against in practice. Ryan’s a really good player. We’re really good players. We just try to push each other, and we’ve really been doing that in the past few practices. It’s definitely helping us both out.” On if he had a comfort level this year as opposed to the previous seasons… Polson: “Yeah. Just getting more playing time – that’s making me more comfortable.” On if he thought there would be playing time available after all the turnover from last year’s team… Polson: “Yeah, definitely I knew that the roster might be a little shorter this year. I was just trying to take advantage of that opportunity so it worked out so far.” On importance of taking a five-game win streak into the Florida game… Polson: “It’s really important. We’re on a little streak. We’ve got a little streak going on so hopefully we can take that on the road. We know we’ve got to play even better than what we played today or the past five games. We’re going to try to be tough and practice hard and see what happens.” On if he consciously thinks that he has to bring energy to the court or if it’s just “what he does”… Polson: “I’m consciously thinking about it. Probably in high school, I wasn’t the most energetic guy so I just tried to change my mindset once I got to college. It’s working out and getting me more minutes.” On how much the Maryland game was a turning point for him… Polson: “I think more than anything (it was) just a confidence booster really. I thought I always could play at this level but I guess that just kind of showed me I really could — a real example.” On if he and Willie Cauley-Stein talk on the bench about having to be the “hype” guys when they go in… Polson: “Me and Willie always talk about it. We just try to bring energy. We’re coming off the bench.  We kind of like that. We both like to dive on the floor and stuff like that. We just like to do it.” On what it takes to break through against Florida… Polson: “Shoot, I mean, we’ve just got to play our roles really. That’s Cal’s biggest thing. We’ve just got to do what we’re best at. If we all play our roles and all play hard, I think we could be one of the best teams in the country.” On if the physical games are a problem for him… Polson: “Not really. I kind of like the more physical games to be honest. I kind of bring that in and I like it more.” On if he’s always been that way… Polson: “No, in high school I was pretty skinny and weak, so the weight room’s helped a little bit in college.” On if he thought there was a chance this game would get out of control… Polson: “You all saw it get out of control a little bit but I don’t think anything crazy would have happened. The refs did a good job of getting everything under control. There were a few plays that happened but we’ve just got to play our game and not worry about that stuff.” On if the physical way Auburn played is the standard approach to playing a young team like Kentucky… Polson: “Yeah. I think that’s what most teams are doing to us right now. Just trying to be really physical with us and beat us up. I think we’re doing a lot better playing against that.” On if the team expects more of that approach…. Polson: “Yeah. Every game from now on, it’s going to be physical. We expect it every game.” On if the reason teams play Kentucky physically is that Kentucky is more athletic… Polson: “I definitely think so. We do have two 7-footers who are more athletic than little guards. I think teams have to do something to negate that talent and length and athleticism we have.” On if it’s frustrating to play against that style of play… Polson: “It’s (college basketball) gotten a lot more physical. I think we embrace it. Maybe not during the beginning of the year but I think we’re embracing it more and more, so that’s going to help us out.” On how he can tell the team is embracing that style of play more now… Polson: “Less turnovers. We’ve been doing more physical stuff in practice, getting at each other on defense. Just all of that stuff.” On if there’s a fine line between handling flagrant fouls with composure and being too passive… Polson: “Yeah, you can’t be soft. No one can, but you can’t go crazy. On the other hand, you can’t go out of control. We might get kicked out of the game or something. We’ve got to let them know we’re not going to back down but at the same time, we’ve got to keep our heads straight. I think we did a good job of it today.” On if Calipari has given him the green light to shoot… Polson: “I’ve always had the green light pretty much. It just felt good so he kicked out to me and I was open. I just figured I’d shoot it.” On why he likes more physical games… Polson: “I don’t really know. I just like it. I think it’s more fun.” On if he thought Auburn played a “clean game,” as coach Tony Barbee said… Polson: “I think for the most part it was clean – a few plays here and there but for the most part, yeah I agree.” On what about this team makes opponents go for the physical style of play against them… Polson: “I just think we’re really long and athletic. They’ve got to do something to combat that. Usually that’s just being physical and that’s what most teams are doing to us.” On what former Wildcat Derek Anderson said to the team on Friday… Polson: “His main topic was just attitude. He kind of told his story – where he came from a really bad background. He just said he’s always had a good attitude in life and that was his main point. Just having a good attitude in life no matter what life throws at you.” On why that was a theme this team needed to hear… Polson: “He kind of talked about his team, the ’96 team, about how all of them had good attitudes toward each other. That’s kind of what he’s trying to get at with us sometimes. People were talking about us throwing our heads down or something like that, not having a good attitude, so it was kind of a wake-up call. I think it was good for us.” 2013-02-11 08:18:24.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/amn-getting-to-know-jarrod-polson-jessamine-native-enjoying-a-bigger-role-with-this-years-uk-team-20130211,0,219620.story

jj-lady-jags-even-season-series-with-burgin-on-senior-night-20130208 Lady Jags even season series with Burgin on senior night East tops Lady Bulldogs 66-58 in district-tournament preview February 8, 2013 Carlie Harrison and Maddie Haney were freshmen the last time the East Jessamine girls earned a trip to the 12th Region tournament. If the Lady Jags can bottle their performance from Harrison and Haney’s senior night Thursday and unpackage it in a week and a half, they’ll be headed back to the region tournament again this year. By Jonathan Kleppinger http://www.trbimg.com/img-511531ab/turbine/jj-lady-jags-even-season-series-with-burgin-on-senior-night-20130208/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511531ab/turbine/jj-lady-jags-even-season-series-with-burgin-on-senior-night-20130208/400/16x9 Carlie Harrison and Maddie Haney were freshmen the last time the East Jessamine girls earned a trip to the 12th Region tournament. If the Lady Jags can bottle their performance from Harrison and Haney’s senior night Thursday and unpackage it in a week and a half, they’ll be headed back to the region tournament again this year. East (15-7) defeated district foe Burgin (13-11) at home 66-58 on Thursday; the Lady Jags and Lady Bulldogs will meet again on the same court in the 46th District semifinals later in February. A third senior for East, Heather Welch, was out with the flu Thursday. The Lady Jags raced out to a 13-point lead early and had the game in hand at 24-14 near the beginning of the second quarter when East coach Jacqueline Coleman said her team “decided we were going to not defend.” Burgin guard Summer Burke started torching the Lady Jags defense, taking the ball to the rack and scoring 11 of the Lady Bulldogs’ next 17 points, including five free throws. “(Burke) has a field day against us every game; I’m sure she’s so excited to play us, because we make her look like a superstar,” Coleman said. Burgin took its first lead at 29-28 on a Randi Burke bucket with two minutes left in the half. East stayed in the game with four free throws from sophomore Emilie Hatfield, who Coleman said came up huge in place of Welch. Freshman Emma Young nearly nailed a half-court shot at the buzzer that would have tied the game at the half; the Lady Jags went into the locker room down 33-30. “We weren’t setting up on defense; we were playing into what they wanted us to do instead of staying with our agenda, so that was the big halftime talk,” Coleman said. “We went back through the personnel; we went back through what we were going to ask them to do. When they do that in the first quarter, we’re up 11; when they don’t in the second, we’re down three.” Sophomore Sarah Rainwater converted her third old-fashioned three-point play midway through the third quarter to reclaim the lead for the Lady Jags. Haney scored the last five points of the quarter for East, including a long three-pointer off an inbounds pass with 3.1 seconds left in the period that gave the Lady Jags a 48-46 advantage. Coleman said the defensive effort from her two seniors was crucial in the second half. “They hit some big shots, but more importantly, those two were so great defensively,” she said. “Maddie Haney is a great defensive player; Carlie is always the on-ball defender, and once we got her focused back in, she was able to get down and prevent (Summer Burke) from doing what she wanted to do. Their defensive presence on the floor is what gets us going offensively.” The fourth quarter turned physical, with Burgin coach Ray Daniels even confronting referees on the other end of the court after one of his players came up hurt. East never gave the lead back, scoring its final 12 points from the free-throw stripe, including going 8-for-8 in the final 1:02. Young tallied 15 points in the second half alone and totaled 21 points on the night. Rainwater and Haney also reached double figures with 16 and 12, respectively. East and Burgin will meet again in the district semifinals at East. Coleman said she hopes Thursday’s victory will build her team’s confidence after the Lady Jags fell by one point at Burgin in January. “I think it was a good showing on our part,” she said. “I really want our girls to feel like they can compete and go into the district tournament with a little bit of confidence. We’re 1-1 with them, so neither team should be too confident going into it, but there’s a little bit of ‘I believe we can do it’ now, especially down a starter — we’re out a starter and you win by eight points; that’s pretty big for these kids.” 2013-02-08 09:14:41.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-lady-jags-even-season-series-with-burgin-on-senior-night-20130208,0,1291960.story

jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-girls-top-burgin-on-senior-night-20130207 Photo gallery: East Jessamine girls top Burgin on senior night February 7, 2013 The East Jessamine Lady Jaguars defeated Burgin 66-58 on senior night Thursday. One of East's three seniors, Heather Welch, was out with the flu, but all three will get to play at home again when East hosts the district tournament. http://www.trbimg.com/img-5114622b/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-girls-top-burgin-on-senior-night-20130207/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5114622b/turbine/jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-girls-top-burgin-on-senior-night-20130207/400/16x9 The East Jessamine Lady Jaguars defeated Burgin 66-58 on senior night Thursday. One of East's three seniors, Heather Welch, was out with the flu, but all three will get to play at home again when East hosts the district tournament. 2013-02-07 18:30:52.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-photo-gallery-east-jessamine-girls-top-burgin-on-senior-night-20130207,0,639626.photogallery

jj-easts-hukle-places-21st-in-state-bowling-wests-cheek-gets-30th-20130207 East's Hukle places 21st in state bowling; West's Cheek gets 30th West girls compete in team championships tomorrow February 7, 2013 Chester Hukle of East Jessamine High School placed 21st in the boys' state bowling individual championships in Louisville Thursday afternoon, throwing games of 213, 168 and 213 for a total of 594. Journal staff report http://www.trbimg.com/img-511416d2/turbine/jj-easts-hukle-places-21st-in-state-bowling-wests-cheek-gets-30th-20130207/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-511416d2/turbine/jj-easts-hukle-places-21st-in-state-bowling-wests-cheek-gets-30th-20130207/400/16x9 Chester Hukle of East Jessamine High School placed 21st in the boys' state bowling individual championships in Louisville Thursday afternoon, throwing games of 213, 168 and 213 for a total of 594. West Jessamine's Robyn Cheek had games of 141, 145 and 158, a total of 444 that earned her 30th place in the state on the girls' side. The team championships are tomorrow; the West Jessamine girls' team will be competing in that event at the Executive Strike & Spare in Louisville. 2013-02-07 13:06:36.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-easts-hukle-places-21st-in-state-bowling-wests-cheek-gets-30th-20130207,0,7534503.story

jj-dunbar-ends-jaguars-eightgame-winning-streak-20130206 Dunbar ends Jaguars' eight-game winning streak February 6, 2013 Going into the locker room with a 35-32 lead over No. 19 ranked Dunbar, East Jessamine coach Chris O’Bryan told his team to be prepared for a more aggressive Bulldog attack in the second half. By Mike Moore http://www.trbimg.com/img-5112b04e/turbine/jj-dunbar-ends-jaguars-eightgame-winning-streak-20130206/187/16x9 http://www.trbimg.com/img-5112b04e/turbine/jj-dunbar-ends-jaguars-eightgame-winning-streak-20130206/400/16x9 Going into the locker room with a 35-32 lead over No. 19 ranked Dunbar, East Jessamine coach Chris O’Bryan told his team to be prepared for a more aggressive Bulldog attack in the second half. O’Bryan proved to be a soothsayer, and Dunbar (15-8) did turn up the intensity and quickly took over the game in the second half en route to an 88-77 win. “They really started getting after us, and we talked about that at halftime that their intensity was going to pick up,” O’Bryan said. “They’re in the top 20 for a reason.” From the opening tip, the Bulldogs zeroed in on their inside game, taking advantage of their size. In the first quarter, Dunbar put up eight second-chance points by collecting five offensive boards. But the Jaguars (20-6) held their own, and using the three-ball, East changed an 18-14 first-quarter deficit into a three-point halftime lead, as senior Timmy Bradshaw knocked down three second-quarter three-pointers while scoring 16 first-half points. Sophomore point guard Ronnie Carson dropped in 12 first-half points en route to a game-high 23 points on the night, including going 13-of-17 from the foul line. Bradshaw finished with 19 points. East Jessamine’s fixation on the three-ball continued in the third quarter as senior guard Taylor Harper connected with a three-pointer just 10 seconds into the second half. From there, Dunbar’s defense, led by seniors Eric Trigg and Mike Smith and junior Donnie Lewis, took over. Following Harper’s 3-pointer, Dunbar went on an 18-9 run over the next six minutes to seize control of the game. During that stretch, Trigg scored seven points, and ended the night with a team-high 21. O’Bryan said the Jaguars suffered lapses on both sides of the ball during Dunbar’s run. “We hit a three there early to go up six, but then they go on an 8-0 run and we turned it over and we didn’t get the shots we wanted on the offensive side, and I had to burn a timeout to get the kids to understand that’s what they’re going to do; you’ve got to expect that kind of thing,” he said. But East scrapped its way back and managed to close the gap to two at 52-50 following another Harper three-pointer with 55 seconds left in the third quarter. Following Harper’s bucket, the Bulldogs went on a 17-8 run to push their lead to 12 at 70-58 with 3:48 remaining in the game. Down by double digits, East was forced to foul, sending the Bulldogs to the line. Dunbar responded by hitting 23-of-40 from the line for the game, including 18-of-30 in the second half. East also visited the charity stripe often during the game, knocking down 28-of-35 attempts from the line. “There were a lot of fouls called, but we had to start fouling with three and a half minutes to go,” O’Bryan said. “We put them on the line, and give them credit; they hit their free throws and ended up winning the game.” East managed to cut the Bulldog lead to 82-75 with 54 seconds left following a bucket by sophomore Hayden Smith, but the rally was not to be as the Bulldogs continued to take care of business from the foul line. The loss snapped East’s eight-game winning streak. The Jaguars will travel to London to take on North Laurel in a battle of Jaguars on Friday at 7:30 p.m. 2013-02-06 11:37:35.0 http://www.centralkynews.com/jessaminejournal/sports/jj-dunbar-ends-jaguars-eightgame-winning-streak-20130206,0,3411797.story

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May 22, 2013 |Story| Baltimore Sun

'You don't replace' Boldin, but Tandon Doss will try

“You don’t replace Anquan” Boldin. Those are the words of Tandon Doss, the man who is expected to be one of the leading combatants in the offseason royal rumble to replace the veteran receiver who was traded to the San Francisco...

Tags: San Francisco 49ers, Joe Flacco, Tommy Streeter, Tandon Doss, LaQuan Williams

May 21, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Former UCLA safety Rahim Moore is putting past, well, behind him

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — To hear his head coach tell it, no one on the Denver Broncos made a bigger one-season leap than safety Rahim Moore did last year. But the leap most people remember is Moore's shocking season-ender — his badly mistimed...

Tags: Shaun Phillips, Jackie Smith, John Fox, Rahim Moore, Jacoby Jones

May 6, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

Watch Tom Brady go nuts after Orb's Kentucky Derby win

Tom Brady may seem to have it all -- Super Bowl rings, a supermodel wife, a house with a moat -- but he's really just a regular guy, like you and me. You know, the kind of who appreciates the little things in life ... like winning a reported $25,000...

Tags: Barack Obama, NASCAR, Dan Koppen, New England Patriots, Tom Brady

May 7, 2013 |Story| Baltimore Sun

Talking fantasy football with blogger Dan Ciarrocchi

The Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore sports scene is blessed with a bunch of talented bloggers who bring their unique perspective to the conversation. Each week, I hope to chat with one of them in a regular feature called Blogger on Blogger. This week, I exchanged emails with...

Tags: Social Media, Reggie Bush, Danny Amendola, LeSean McCoy, Doug Martin (football coach)

Apr 18, 2013 |Story| Baltimore Sun

Ravens news, notes and opinions

As you probably know by now, the NFL will release its regular season schedule tonight at 8 p.m. on the NFL Network. You most certainly know by now that the Ravens will open up on the road on Sept. 5 after they failed to work out a scheduling conflict with...

Tags: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Elvis Dumervil, Steve Bisciotti, Minnesota Vikings

Apr 20, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

NFL draft preview: AFC and NFC East

The draft will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday in New York. Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines team needs by division. Today, the East divisions: AFC East The Buffalo Bills are once again in search of a quarterback, and might reach for one...

Tags: Osi Umenyiora, NFC East, Danny Amendola, Tom Brady, Sean Smith

Apr 24, 2013 |Story| Los Angeles Times

NFL draft preview: AFC and NFC West

The draft will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday in New York. Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines team needs by division. Today, the West divisions: AFC West Now that they have their quarterback in Alex Smith, the Kansas City Chiefs need...

Tags: Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett, Danny Amendola, Carson Palmer, Elvis Dumervil

Apr 17, 2013 |Story| Baltimore Sun

After starring at Arundel and Syracuse, Alec Lemon ready for NFL draft

Rob Moore had just watched Missouri open up a 14-3 first quarter lead on the Syracuse football team, and the wide receivers coach knew the Orange was in desperate need of a spark. So he pulled Alec Lemon aside and implored the senior wideout to will the...

Tags: NFL Scouting Combine, NFL Draft, Missouri Tigers, Radio City Music Hall, Big East Conference

Apr 28, 2013 |Story| Hartford Courant

Patriots Draft Wrap: Run On Rutgers; Three Scarlet Knights Selected

With Bill Belichick holding just five selections heading into the 2013 NFL Draft -- and no picks in the third, fourth or fifth rounds - speculation was that New England would be looking to trade down from the 29th selection in an effort to add more picks....

Tags: Deion Branch, Marquice Cole, Tommy Kelly, Danny Amendola, Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Apr 25, 2013 |Story| Baltimore Sun

Tavon Austin in St. Louis could be the next 'Greatest Show on Turf'

The Baltimore Sun
One of my favorite assignments in the past year or so was the feature I did this week on former Dunbar and West Virginia star Tavon Austin, who for weeks has had talent evaluators in NFL organizations and in the media salivating about what he might do...

Tags: Darren Sproles, San Francisco 49ers, Danny Amendola, NFC West, St. Louis Rams

Apr 25, 2013 |Story| Baltimore Sun

St. Louis Rams trade up to select Tavon Austin in the first round

Representing Dunbar High with a maroon suit and maroon tie, Tavon Austin strolled into Radio City Music Hall around 7 p.m. Thursday night to see his lifelong dream fulfilled. At 7:34 p.m., he and 22 other top prospects were introduced to the crowd....

Tags: Darren Sproles, Danny Amendola, NFL Draft, St. Louis Rams, Radio City Music Hall

Apr 24, 2013 |Story| Chicago Tribune

NFL draft: Team-by-team needs

Tribune Newspapers
The NFL draft is Thursday through Saturday in New York. Tribune Newspapers NFL reporter Sam Farmer examines team needs by division. NFC North Lions: It's an (almost) instant replay for the Lions, who like last year are looking for players to bolster...

Tags: Chicago Bears, Danny Amendola, Michael Bennett, Brandon Weeden, Rex Ryan

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