This week in Kentucky high school sports history
Posted by Mike Fields on April 28, 2008
1973
Clark County’s Bart Mahan shoots a 74 at Longview Golf Course to take medalist honors in the Mid-State Conference tournament . . . Woodford County basketball star Larry Blackford, who averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds in his senior season, signs with Eastern Kentucky . . . Most of the 1,173 students at Male High School are boycotting classes to protest the suspension of basketball coach Jim Huter. The city schools’ council suspended Huter after reports surfaced that a man indicted on gambling charges had contact with Male basketball players . . . Tates Creek’s baseball team is led by defensive standouts Kevin Foster (second baseman) and John Vandermale (shortstop), centerfielder Butch Schneider, pitcher/outfielder Bob Bunting, and sophomore catcher Chuck Ross.
1983
Lexington has three players make the Kentucky All-Stars’ boys’ basketball team — Gary Butcher and Vince Sanford of Lafayette, and Greg Bates of state champ Henry Clay. Winston Bennett of Male is Mr. Basketball, and Clemette Haskins of Warren Central is Miss Basketball. Three UK Lady Kat signees make the all-star team: Julie Duerring of Boone County, Debbie Miller of Casey County and Melissa Napier of Knox Central . . . Jon Shepard of Henry Clay shoots a 73 to edge Rob McNamara by a shot to win region medalist honors at Longview Golf Course. Jill Mattingly of Lafayette shoots an 86 to win girls’ medalist honors at Woodford Hills . . . Henry Clay’s Mark Ward throws a three-hit shutout to beat Lexington Catholic 3-0 in the opening game of the 40th District baseball tournament. LexCath senior Rodney Martin, who pitched only 4 innings in the regular season, throws a five-hitter in going the distance against Henry Clay. Martin also has 2 of the Knights’ 3 hits.
1993
Former UK star Patty Jo Hedges-Ward is named girls’ basketball coach at Lexington Catholic. Asked about a possible matchup with husband, Steve Ward, who coaches Bryan Station, Hedges-Ward quipped, “I’d probably wind up hollering at him to sit down and fix his tie.” . . . Pineville boys’ basketball coach Marc Dukes, upon leaving to coach at Northwest Mississippi College, says of Kentucky high school hoops: “These kids getting shopped around is not what high school athletics is supposed to be about. There’s no way to stop it unless the KHSAA enforces the rules.” . . . Trinity assistant Dale Anderson is named head football coach at Southwestern, a new school in Pulaski County . . . Raceland pitcher Ryan McKenzie has thrown 42 consecutive scoreless innings, and has 90 strikeouts and 14 walks during the streak . . . Defending state baseball champ and No. 1-rated Lafayette improves to 24-3 with a win over Bryan Station. Rob Hauswald homers for the winners; Darron Ingram homers for the losers. Lafayette hasn’t lost to a city opponent in two years.
