16th District race ends for teams in blue this week

Although we’re staring the All “A” Classic tournament straight in the face with the opening rounds set to be played next Monday night, there is some other very important business to get behind us first – the race for that coveted top seed in 16th District play.

Clinton County travels to neighboring Russell County this Friday night, and for our Lady Dawgs and Bulldogs – it’s a big outing. Clinton County is the first school of the four 16th District teams to finish the regular season games within 16th District play and that’s a nice spot to be in.

After Friday night’s contests, we can sit and watch the rest of the standings play out, up until the final contest between 16th District teams take place next month when Russell County and Metcalfe County are set to tip it off on February 7.

Most often, and mostly likely this year it will be the case, the actual lineup will have already been decided when that final game between Russell and Metcalfe is played, but still being the first to get the 16th games finished is a nice place to be.

All of that said, Friday night’s game is huge for both C.C.H.S. squads, and since Russell joined the 16th District a few years back, the rivalry between our two schools has become one of the biggest in the region.

Bottom line – we need a nice crowd to make the 30 minute trip to Russell County Friday night and get behind our Lady Dawgs and Bulldogs in this ever-important lineup. Girls tip at 6:00 p.m.

All “A” time is here

Clinton County will host Monroe County on Monday night of next week in the first round action of the 4th Region All “A” Classic tournament, and then the fun will head to the far western portion of our region for semi-final play at Todd County Central.

Pack a snack for that trip.

A set of brackets can be found this week in Sports and while it’s a little confusing to be able to say where the championship games will be played – it all depends on which teams advance – all in all, it’s a great tournament for small sized schools such as ours and it’s been one of my favorite events since it went statewide several years ago.

Of course the ultimate goal is to take the Lady Dawgs and Bulldogs to the state level, which will once again be held in Frankfort, January 30 – February 2.

Regional tournament changes

Speaking of regional tournaments, the “real” post-season 4th Regional tournament will undergo some serious changes this year – don’t be expecting to grab a meal in Bowling Green come regional tourney time.

A recent meeting of Athletic Directors from the 4th Region, with the KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett, resulted in the decision being made by Tackett to move the 4th Region Tournament out of WKU’s Diddle Arena for both girls and boys play.

With, of course, money being the bottom line, it was indicated that Western was perhaps overcharging in several areas in connection with hosting the tournament, and while the Athletic Directors were unable to decide with a necessary consensus vote on where to have the tournaments, Tackett stepped in and made the decision himself.

The boys will play in Barren County Wednesday 3/5, Thursday 3/6, Monday 3/10 and Tuesday 3/11; and the girls’ tournament will be set for Allen County Scottsville High School, with play to be conducted on Monday 3/3, Tuesday 3/4, Friday 3/7 and Saturday 3/8.

I’ve been told that if Western should re-consider some of their charging practices for the 4th Region, things could move back to Diddle the following year (2015).

There was nothing definitely said in Tackett’s decision as to whether this could affect the KHSAA’s future decisions on holding the Girls’ Sweet 16 basketball tournament or the KHSAA Football State Championships at WKU in the future, but his memorandum wording could certainly be considered to have been a “shot across the bow” that Western will have to view as more than an idle threat.