Clinton County High School coach moves to the next level

Word comes this week congratulations are in order for a Clinton County High School head coach who has taken the next step into coaching in the college ranks.

Assane Ndiaye, who last year completed his first year as head coach for our Soccer Dawgs at CCHS, will move on to become a volunteer assistant coach at Danville, Kentucky’s Centre College Colonels men’s soccer program.

Ndiaye, who is married to Clinton County native and CCHS teacher Jessica Scott Ndiaye, will be responsible for heading the Colonels’ video analysis program as well as managing the team’s statistics and assisting in the coaching, recruiting and administrative duties with the program, according to a press release issued by the Colonels’ athletic department on Monday of this week.

A native of Senegal, he spent his youth playing soccer in academies there as well as in France. Prior to coaching at Clinton County, he spent two years on the soccer coaching staff at Cookeville High School.

Monday’s announcement from Centre College also noted that Ndiaye will be joined on the Colonels coaching staff by Tim Masthay, who will also become an assistant coach for the program.

Of course Masthay is a former University of Kentucky Punter who went on to enjoy a career with the Green Bay Packers, that included a Super Bowl winning season.

Last year, our Soccer Dawgs won their first ever berth in the regional tournament after a runner-up finish in district play, losing in the district championship game to Glasgow. Clinton County defeated Logan County in the first round of regional tournament action last year, before falling to eventual regional champions Warren Central.

Congrats to Assane – and thanks to his mother-in-law, Lynn Scott Stearns, for pointing us to this accomplishment in his continuing soccer career.

Derby field gets shaken up daily – could be wide open

Spring weather – or rather the lack of it in this part of the country, has us looking out the window for the most part, rather than taking part in the outdoors.

So, with some extra time to look ahead, we get the chance to talk an extra week ahead about the upcoming May 5 running of the Kentucky Derby.

Looking over the daily bits of news that come out of Louisville and the Churchill Downs, this year’s lineup of hopefuls continue to change almost as quick as a list can be compiled.

News Monday came that two horses, Gronkowski and Quip would no longer be included with the horses that would make their way to the starting gate for the race.

Gronkowski, named for NFL star Rob Gronkowski, apparently developed an infection and was immediately pulled as a hopeful for the Derby and put on a regimen of antibiotics.

Quip’s owners and trainers say they needed more prep time for their horse in order to insure a good run in the Preakness on May 19.

As all horse racing fans know, health developments can warrant changes on a daily basis.

A quick look over the field, with 10 days still in front before race day, shows favorite Magnum Moon and Good Magic in the top two spots, respectively, with Audible in third position rankings wise.

One of my favorites and a horse I’ve heard a lot about, My Boy Jack, is still on the list, at No. 13 – more about him later.

One statistical note I found interesting as we look for reasons to get interested 10 days away from racing. We’re beginning to start talking about the 25 horses that will be possible entries in this 2018 Run for the Roses, as three-year old thoroughbreds. Those 25 hopefuls are out of 25,000 thoroughbreds that were born in 2015.

In the meantime – if we can get some spring weather!

Let’s take it outside for a few months!