Vol. 140 No. 9

SPORTS

Senior athletes recognized at last

home game

Senior Cheerleaders are: Kaitlin Johnson, Teddy McEntire and Echo Cummins

By BRIAN BLAIR

NH Correspondent

It was two nights of flowers, videos and applause for the senior basketball players of Owen County High School. It was a fitting send-off for the nine young men and women who played their final home games at OCHS. Three senior cheerleaders were also cheering for the last time in the home gym.
On Monday night, three Lady Rebels were in the spotlight. Shea Green, Emma Lowe and Shadoe Perry were all recognized. Each was honored with their parents and given a large replica ticket to commemorate the occasion. Green said after the game the night was “very emotional.”
The next night it was the cheerleaders and the boys’ turn to salute the seniors. Kaitlin Johnson, Echo Cummins and Teddy McEntire all received flowers for their time as Owen County cheerleaders. Then six Rebel basketball players were all acknowledged. Jordan Downey, Daniel Neeley, Zack Miller, Danny O’Toole, Chad Perkins and Jared Perkins all had their chance to stand at midcourt with their parents and remember their days as a Rebel.
To make both nights even better was the fact that both teams came out winners in their respective games.
For the girls, they took on Spencer County. All three seniors were in the starting lineup as the Lady Rebels knocked off the Lady Bears 53-39. Green led all scorers with 16 points including four three-pointers. She also had four rebounds and two assists. Coach Osborne said about Green after the game, “When she gets rolling, we roll.” Junior, Kelsey Williams had 15 points, nine boards and two blocks.
The Lady Rebels held a four point lead at halftime. They then opened up the second half by scoring the first seven points. The Lady Bears were able to keep the game close into the fourth quarter. In the final quarter, the Lady Rebels took control of the game and outscored the Lady Bears 15-6. All six Spencer County points came from the free throw line as the Lady Rebels held them without a field goal in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
The boys welcomed in South Oldham on Tuesday night. The Dragons came in ranked fourth in the latest 8th Region rankings. They did not go home with that ranking. The Rebels took control of the game early and then held on for the 86-78 victory. Neeley connected on six three-pointers and finished with 29 points. As a team, the Rebels made eight from behind the arc. Downey finished with 13 points.

Senior Rebels are: Dan Neeley, Jordan Downey, Zack Miller, Jared Perkins, Danny O’Toole and Chad Perkins

While the Rebels were getting the job done from the outside, it may have been their play in the paint that was more impressive. Against the bigger Dragons, the Rebels did more than just handle their own. Miller, O’Toole and Perkins all played impressive games in keeping the Dragons in check. All three also ended up in double figures. Miller finished with 19 points. O’Toole finished with 11 points and 9 rebounds and Perkins totaled 13 points and 10 boards. Neeley talked after the game about how special the night was. He spoke of how you only get one chance to play on senior night and you want to make the most of it.

Senior Lady Rebels are: Shea Green, Shadoe Perry and Emma Lowe

Before both the boys and girls games, First Farmers Bank presented the teams with a check for the First Farmers Three Point Challenge. By the time the games were over the bank owed them a little more. For the season, the girls received $530 and the boys racked up $420.

Darryl Traylor presents Coach Duvall and Principal Tim Hitzfield with a check for the Athletic Fund. The boys’ team received $340.

. Mike Keith holds one of the checks presented by First Farmers Bank. The bank presented both basketball teams with a check at their last home games. First Farmers gives $10 to the Athletic Fund for each 3-point shot. The girls team receieved $460.

Lady Rebels fall

in overtime

Senior Shea Green takes a shot in the Lady Rebels’ last home game against Spencer County. They won that game 53-39 before falling to Grant County in their last regular season game, 56-51. The 31st District Tournament started Monday and goes through Saturday.

By BRIAN BLAIR

NH Correspondent

Some refer to the free-throw as the charity stripe. Unfortunately for Owen County, it was not very charitable on Friday night at Grant County.
The Lady Rebels came back from an early nine point deficit and then battled out of a ten point hole in the second half to send the game into overtime. It was not enough, however, as they were able to go only 7 of 23 from the free-throw line to seal their fate. Grant County won the game 56-51. The game saw six lead changes and five ties.
Late in the third quarter, the Lady Rebels found themselves down 38-28. The rest of the way Owen County was able to outscore Grant County 17-7. The last three minutes of regulation proved to be full of exciting action. Kendall Cochran nailed a three-pointer to trim the lead to 43-38 and then made two free-throws to cut the lead to three with 2:30 to play. After two Lady Braves’ free-throws and a Jensen Wainscott short jumper with just under a minute to play, the stage was set for Shea Green. The senior banked in a three-pointer with 15 seconds to play to tie the score. Owen County was able to get the ball back, but was unable to score at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime. Cochran said the play was designed for her to take the last shot, but she passed to Eko Kemper after she found herself cut off from the basket.
In overtime, Grant County scored first and never gave up the lead. The Lady Braves were able to hit from the free-throw line late in overtime to put the game away.
After the game, Green said she was surprised her game-tying three-pointer found the bottom of the basket. Both Green and Cochran said they need to do a better job of converting from the free-throw line. Cochran said playing Grant County so competitively on the Lady Braves’ home court gives them confidence heading into the 31st District Tournament.
Coach Osborne said after the heartbreaking loss that he thought his players outplayed Grant County. He said he continues to believe that his team is getting better with each outing. He told the players how proud he was of their intensity and their heart.
Cochran led the Lady Rebels in scoring with 18 points. Green had 10 while Kelsey Williams scored five points and pulled down ten rebounds. Wainscott added seven points and Kemper tossed in four. Lowe and Shadoe Perry each had three points while Emma Lowe scored one.
The Lady Rebels finished the regular season with a record of 14-11. They took on Gallatin County last night in the 31st District Tournament at Henry. With a win Owen County would assure themselves of a berth in the 8th Region Tournament to be held at Owen County High School.

The Owen County Lady Rebels Junior Varsity team won the 31st District Tournament last weekend.
The Lady Rebels knocked off Gallatin County in the opening round 32-28. Against the Lady Wildcats, Eko Kemper connected on critical free throws down the stretch on her way to scoring 14 points. Lauren Lowe tossed in 11 points while Jensen Wainscott scored four. Dani Hutchinson tallied two points and Morgan Green scored one. Owen County then held off Carroll County in the championship game 37-36. Five players scored for the Lady Rebels led by Lowe and Kemper who each had nine points. Hutchinson totaled eight points and Wainscott added seven points. Mary Kennedy rounded out the scoring by contributing four points.
The girls finished the season with a record of 13-5.

Rebels wrap up

regular season

Dan Neeley reaches to try and block a South Oldham shot at the last boys home game on Feb. 20. The Rebels won that game 86-78. They faced off against Grant County on Friday, winning that game 54-53. The Rebels will face Gallatin County tonight in the 31st District Tournament at Henry County.

By Brian Blair
NH Correspondent

The Owen County Rebels finished the last week of the regular season on a winning note.
On Monday night, the Rebels traveled to Trimble County and defeated the Raiders 60-53. Coach Duvall said his team struggled to get things going as Trimble County played a gimmick defense on Daniel Neeley for most of the game. The Raiders put two players on Neeley which meant the Rebels played four-on-three. The strategy worked, at least on Neeley, as they limited him to only nine points. The Raiders forgot about Jordan Downey. The senior guard scored 16 points and dished out four assists. Neeley was able to contribute in other ways as he added six rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Danny O’Toole added 12 points while Zack Miller and Collin Gamble each scored eight points.
Friday night the Rebels headed to Dry Ridge to conclude the regular season against Grant County. Grant County entered the game with a record of 10-18 but you could not tell by the way they played. The Braves played inspired basketball on Senior Night but it was not enough as the Rebels made the plays down the stretch to win 54-53.
Grant County held a 14-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. Owen County took its first lead of the game on a Neeley jumper with 3:15 left in the first half. The Rebels held a one-point advantage at the half at 17-16.
Owen County led at the end of the third quarter, but Grant County retook the lead at the beginning of the fourth and did not relinquish it until O’Toole scored on a driving lay-up with 2:46 to play. The Rebels increased the lead to five with two minutes to go. Grant County trimmed the lead to two points when Lucas Sharp hit a jumper with less then 20 seconds to play. Neeley then made a pair of free throws to give the Rebels a four-point lead. Kyle Roundtree’s three-pointer at the buzzer proved too little too late for the home team.
Neeley’s 21 points led the Rebels in scoring. Miller finished with 12 points and said after the game that he and his teammates “needed a game like that to prepare for the tournament.” O’Toole scored nine points and had three blocked shots. Perkins tossed in eights points while Downey and Clint Hamilton each had two points.
Coach Duvall was quick to give credit to Grant County after the game for the way they played. He said the team would spend the next few days preparing for the 31st District Tournament to be held at Henry County.
The Rebels will play Gallatin County at 7:30 tonight. It will be the fifth time this season the two teams have met. The Wildcats have one three of the previous four meetings, including the championship game of the 8th Region All “A” Classic. Coach Duvall said the Wildcats are exactly who everyone on his team wanted to play. Since the loss to Gallatin County, the Rebels finished their regular season by winning six games in a row.
The Rebels had the chance to practice in the gym at Henry County on Saturday. Coach Duvall said his team would put up a lot of shots during the workout and said “depth perception in that gym was a concern.” He felt the Rebels did not shoot the ball well in an earlier game at Henry County this season. Back in December, the Rebels lost at Henry County 51-48. Gallatin County will enter tonight’s game with a record of 22-6. They closed out the season by dropping a home contest to Oldham County 66-54.

Class of 2016 wins

NCKC Tournament

(Front — left to right) Blaine Forsee, Preston Forsee, Patrick Osborne, Vince Toftness, Chad McDonald and Tyler Hendricks. (Back) Coach Heidi Williams, Garrett Cobb, Carson Williams, Mason Borchers and Coach Matt Toftness.