Matthews, Stearns to be inducted onto Wall of Fame

High school basketball fans are beginning to feel as if they can finally see light at the end of the long, dark tunnel known in Kentucky as the “off-season” with the scheduled start of the 2014-15 season just a couple of weeks away.

Locally, fans will be treated to an even earlier reprieve from the off-season blues this Friday night when the traditional pre-season party is held at Clinton County High School that offers a look at the teams we will be cheering on for the next four months or so.

Meet the Bulldogs and Big Blue Mania have long been a tradition in Clinton County that sees fans, players and coaching staffs get together prior to the start of a new basketball season to celebrate the new, as well as pay tribute to some of the players from yesteryear.

Player introductions and cheerleader introductions give those attending individual looks at everyone on this year’s squads, and intra-squad scrimmages by both the Lady Bulldogs and the Bulldogs will also afford fans attending the event to get an idea of the kind of basketball action that will be in store this winter.

At the conclusion of the night’s lineup, the newest members of the Basketball Wall of Fame will be honored.

Friday night’s event is set to begin with the traditional meal that also serves as a fundraiser for the Basketball Boosters Club and this year, the offerings will be going back to the traditional chili supper.

The meal serving gets underway Friday at 4:00 p.m. and continues in the Clinton County High School Cafeteria until 6:00 p.m.

Donations for the meal are $5.

From there, the action moves into the Lindle Castle Gymnasium at 6:00 p.m. for the remainder of the night’s festivities.

There is no admission charge to the Meet The Bulldogs portion of the program inside the gymnasium.

During the festivities, players, coaches and support staff will be introduced individually, the cheerleading squads will lead the crowd though a series of sideline routines and the varsity basketball teams will each play brief intra-squad scrimmages, providing those on hand their first look at the teams that will be wearing the blue and white uniforms this season

The final feature of the night will be the introduction of the two newest members of the Clinton County High School Basketball Wall of Fame members.

The two members who will be added to the Wall of Fame this season include a former Lady Bulldog, Rachel Matthews, and a former Bulldog, Charlie Stearns.

Among the accomplishments that will be noted during Friday’s Wall of Fame induction ceremony for these two new members will include:

Rachel Matthews

A graduate of 2002, Matthews, at the time of her induction, is the 20th leading scorer in school history with 848 points and is 10th on the All-Time list of most games played during her career with 134.

Known as one of the fiercest defensive players an opposing player could face, Matthews helped lead the Lady Bulldogs to four 16th District Tournament Championship titles, including 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.

She also helped lead Clinton County to 4th Region All ‘A’ Classic Championships in 1998, 1999, 2001 and 2002 and she helped lead the Clinton County Lady Bulldogs to a 4th Region Championship in 2002 and an appearance in the KHSAA Sweet 16 Girls State Tournament.

Charlie Stearns

A graduate of 2005, he is the 12th leading scorer in school history with 1,252 points and has played in the fourth most games of any Bulldog with 115.

He holds the position of making the ninth most 3-point baskets in a season with 50 in 2004 and also the fifth most 3-point baskets in a career with 102.

He is ninth in career rebounds pulled down with 594 and is seventh in the category of most free throws made in a career with 310.

In the category of blocked shots, Stearns is currently ninth with 39 and he ranks 10th in most charges taken in a career with 23.

Stearns scored a career high 37 points in a game against Todd County on January 30, 2004 and he was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder in 2005.

He was selected as amember of the 16th District All-District Team in 2004 and 2005 and was a member of the 4th Region All ‘A’ Classic All-Tournament teams in 2003, 2004 and 205.

He helped lead the Bulldogs to a 16th District Championship title in 2005 and he helped lead the team to four regional tournament appearances in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 and he helped lead the Bulldogs to three All ‘A’ Classic 4th Region Championship games.