by

Alan B. Gibson

Big Blue Mania – another huge success

A dozen days, or so, and counting, we watch the Lady Bulldogs step to center court and tip-off to mark the start of the 2011-12 season.

In preparing for that season start, a host of fans gathered last Friday night in the Lindle Castle Gymnasium for the annual Big Blue Mania pre-season kick-off.

One of my favorite nights of the year, the Mania always turns out to be a homecoming/reunion of sorts and Friday night’s crowd was one of the best we’ve ever had.

Fans and former players clustered for a long time after everything was over, catching up and reminiscing and enjoying the night, which is what makes the Mania night so much fun.

Of course there were plenty of people gathered around the two of three Wall of Fame inductees who were able to attend Friday night’s ceremony, former Bulldog Jason Gibson and former coach Ronnie Guffey.

Gibson still lives in the area, farming in both Clinton and Pickett, while Guffey still lives in the Murray, Kentucky area.

The third Wall of Fame inductee wasn’t able to attend Friday night – Paige Guffey is teaching at a school just outside of Memphis and couldn’t make the seven hour drive to accept her induction plaque, according to her father, Ronnie.

Ronnie also reported that daughter Amber was also unable to attend this year as she is once again on the bench with the Murray State Lady Racers as a Graduate Assistant Coach and the team’s first game was Friday night.

Big Blue Preview this week

Readers will find an especially thick issue of the Clinton County News in their hands this week – with the presentation of our annual pre-season look at the Lady Bulldogs, Bulldogs and the support teams and coaching staffs we’ll be watching this basketball season.

Our Big Blue Preview offers up a host of photographs as well as outlooks for the season and individual profiles of the players who will be wearing the blue and white this season.

We hope you enjoy.

Schedules are ready

Several have stopped by already to pick up basketball schedules for the upcoming C.C.H.S. season, but for those of you still needing one (or several), they’re ready and available either here at the Clinton County News office, or at the high school.

The season opens Monday, November 28 when the Lady Dawgs play host to Franklin Simpson in a JV/Varsity night with a 6:00 p.m. tip-off, while the Bulldogs follow the next night, Tuesday, November 29, with their season encore contest when they play host to North Laurel. JV tip-off for that game is set at 5:30.

We get the first week of action off to a fast start – five games in six days.