With high school football coming to an end this past Thursday night following Clinton County’s berth and loss to top rated Lexington Christian Academy in the opening round of the KHSAA – UK HealthCare Sports Medicine State Football Finals, local sports fans’ thoughts are turning to the next direction of play, the start of the 2023-24 basketball season.
Fans of the roundball sport can get a jump-start on their yearning for high school basketball season this Friday night with the return of the annual Meet the Bulldogs and Wall of Fame inductions at Clinton County High School.
This year’s pre-season gathering will once again give fans an early look at the players, cheerleaders, coaches, band and support staff members who will be the center of local sports action beginning later this month and continuing through March.
Meet the Bulldogs, this 2023-24 edition, gets underway with the traditional meal in the Clinton County High School cafeteria, the only part of Friday night’s program that involves a fee.
According to CCHS Athletic Director Darrell Thompson, the serving of the meal will get underway at 4:30 and continue until 5:45, featuring a choice of either shredded port or shredded chicken, including chips, dessert and a drink, catered by Rolling Smoke.
Cost of the meal will be $10 per person.
At 6:00 p.m., the activities move into the Lindle Castle Gymnasium for the remainder of the program, beginning with the presentation of colors by the Clinton County High School JROTC Bulldog Battalion, followed by a special recognition ceremony – in connection with Veterans Day directed at local veterans who have served our country.
Fans who have not been to the Lindle Castle Gymnasium since the end of the 2022-23 season, will also get their first look at the newly installed playing floor and the updated seating in the facility.
As has been the case for the past several years, fans on hand will not only be introduced to the players and others involved in the program this season, but will also get an introduction to those who will be the future of Big Blue roundball.
In addition to our high school teams, the introductions will also include showcasing of the middle school cheerleaders, girls’ and boys’ team players and coaches before the high school squad and teams are brought onto the floor.
Following the introductions, the varsity cheerleaders will be featured with a series of cheers and routines fans will be seeing and hearing throughout the season, both on the floor and during the various cheer competitions.
Both the Lady Bulldogs varsity girls and boys will give fans a real-time glance at what can be expected with respective intra-squad scrimmages.
Finally, the night will come to an end with the traditional honoring of two former standout players who wore the blue an white Clinton County uniforms in past years, with the induction ceremony of the latest CCHS Basketball Wall of Fame members.
This year the Wall will see Breonia Thurman and Lee DeForest joining the membership list with bronze plaques that will be placed inside the Wall of Fame showcase in the gymnasium lobby.

Lee DeForest
A graduate of 1996, DeForest will be inducted as one of the 2023 class of members.
DeForest is currently 44th on the All-Time Scoring list with a career 780 points.  Known during his playing years for his intense rebounding, he finished his high school career with 289 rebounds.
DeForest was named to the 16th District All-District team in 1995 and 1996.
Coming from a well-known family of athletes, DeForest will join his father, the late Jim DeForest, and a brother, David DeForest, as a member of the CCHS Basketball Wall of Fame.

Breonia Thurman
The Lady Bulldog inductee in this 2023 Class to the Wall of Fame is Breonia Thurman.
Thurman is a 2012 CCHS graduate and began her varsity playing career while still in middle school.
A member of the 1,000 Point Club, she is 11th on the All-Time Scoring List for the Lady Bulldogs with 1,230 points and is also 11th on the All-Time Rebounding List with 640.
In addition, Thurman is eighth in All-Time Number of Games Played with 144, fifth in All-Time Number of Blocked Shots with nine.
Thurman was named to the 16th District All-District team in 2011 and 2012 and was named to the 4th Region All “A” Classic team in 2012.

Come out in time to enjoy the meal, take in the introductions, watch the intra-squad scrimmages and honor two well-deserved inductees onto the Wall of Fame and get ready for what should be another fun and exciting season of CCHS roundball action.
Both the Lady Bulldogs and Bulldogs will see their seasons get underway later this month, beginning with the Lady Bulldogs traveling to Marion County for their season opener on Tuesday, November 28, for a girls’ junior varsity / varsity night of action, followed by the boys’ opener on Thursday, November 30, when the junior varsity and varsity teams play host in “The Castle” to Cumberland Christian.

Breonia Thurman

Lee DeForest