It’s the most wonderful time, of the year – II !

You win some, and you lose some.

Clinton County’s Bulldogs have won some this year – 23 to be exact so far, and they’ve lost some – seven going into this week’s trip to Bowling Green and our berth in the 4th Region Tournament.

Friday night’s 66-61 win over Cumberland County in a hard fought, down to the wire 16th District Championship was a great win, but it wasn’t the biggest win so far this year.

That biggest win so far this year came against Metcalfe County on Monday night in the semi-final round – a do or die contest that allowed the Bulldogs to head into Friday night’s championship game and also into this week’s 4th Region tournament.

If you don’t think that semi-final win was bigger, go ask any Lexington Henry Clay Defender fan how important the semi-final win is. They’ll tell you that their previously No. 3 ranked team went home to get the baseball equipment out after an upset loss at the hands of the Lexington Frederick Douglass Broncos, ranked No. 64 when its 42nd District Tournament got underway last week.

So, getting back to our Bulldogs and their feat of capturing the 16th District Championship again last Friday night in Russell Springs, as was noted on this week’s front page, the back-to-back title win for Clinton County was the first time since the Dawgs had achieved that since the 1960 and 1961 District championship title years, both coached by Lindle Castle.

Before that, you go back to the World War II era of 1943 and 1944, with district tournament wins earned by Coach L.H. “Prof” Robinson, although the 1943 season started under the coaching of Raymond Reneau, who left mid-year to join the U.S. World War II efforts.

So, now our Dawgs take their championship title to Bowling Green and WKU’s Diddle Arena where the eight contenders for the 4th Region crown will compete for the right to advance to the KHSAA Sweet 16 in Lexington March 18-22 – the Greatest Show in Hoops.

Clinton County will face the Franklin Simpson Wildcats on Wednesday night (03-04-20) in the final game of the semi-final round with a 7:45 p.m. tip.

From there, the 4th Region Tourney schedule moves to a semi-final round on Monday, March 9, with the championship game slated for Tuesday, March 11.

Last week, we were watching 285 teams going after the same prize – to be the last team standing on March 22 in Rupp Arena.

This week, we’ve worked that number down to double digits, somewhere around a group of 64 teams.

By next week, we’ll be down to those final 16 who will be packing their bags for Rupp Arena.

Like every team still putting it all on the floor, Clinton County hopes to be one of those 16 teams, and on Tuesday morning, we were one of just eight 4th Region squads still working toward that dream.

Hit the road and make it to Diddle Arena and get behind our Dawgs and let’s push them across that line!

Wear Blue and Go Dawgs!

In the meantime – I’m in the gym until March.