Football Team

When Alex Otte was standing in line with about 100 other fans waiting in line hoping to get an autograph from Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari during his summer camp, a man she did not know asked her what happened that caused her to have a prosthetic leg. That's when the 14-year-old Lexington girl explained she was hit by a drunken boater while sitting on a jet ski during the summer of 2010. That's when UK¿football strength and conditioning coach Ray “Rock” Oliver told Otte who he was. “He explained that it wasn't the prosthetic leg that caught his attention, but rather Alex's infectious smile,” said Laura Otte, Alex's mother.  “He asked Alex if she would be willing to speak to the UK football team on overcoming adversity.” That's a subject she certainly understands because her injuries were so serious that even her mother and father, who helped get her out of the water and waited for an ambulance to arrive at Herrington Lake, weren't sure she would survive the air lift to St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington.

The Centre College football team has received 35 commitments from six different states, the school announced. “We are excited about this years Centre football incoming freshman class for the fall 2011 season and the fact that six different states are represented. This is the largest freshman class to come in the fall since 2002,” Centre coach  Andy Frye said. “Our need to bolster our depth and competition on the offensive line was definitely met in this class. Our skill set is very athletic and they are expected to compete for playing time as well.” Centre Football Class of 2015 Tami AderobaI    LB    Columbia, Tenn.

Dear Editor: I would like to congratulate the Boyle County football team for another great season. You all gave it your very best again this season. The 10 seniors should get an extra pat on the back for all their hard work! John Sullivan Danville

Morehead State came calling. So did Lindsey Wilson College. However, when it was all said and done, West Jessamine football standout Robby Irgang decided to take the road less traveled as a preferred walk-on to play for the University of Kentucky in the fall. “I had a lot of coaches who talked to (University of Kentucky) coaches for more, and they were really pushing me to go as high as I possibly could,” Irgang said. “When the opportunity became available, I chose to be a preferred walk-on at UK.” West football coach Yancey Marcum said Kentucky was getting a diamond in the rough and he suspects Irgang will quickly get noticed.

LEXINGTON - If there is one thing John Calipari appreciates, it is effort. Always has, always will. The Kentucky basketball coach liked a lot his team did - only four turnovers, 20 assists, five players in double figures - in Saturday's 87-63 win over Portland exactly one week before the highly anticipated showdown with No. 1 North Carolina in Rupp Arena. However, there was something Calipari liked even better on this day - UK's 10-7 win over Tennessee in football that snapped a 26-year losing steak to the Vols, even though the Cats had to depend on receiver-turned-quarterback Matt Roark to lead the way (and apparently the Rupp Arena faithful felt the same way, considering Roark's midcourt appearance got the biggest ovation of the game)

LEXINGTON — It may have taken him a trip across the country to do it, but Brandon Ford said he has become a better and different type of football player. The former Harrodsburg and Mercer County running back spent the last two seasons at junior college powerhouse City College of San Francisco, but he is back in Kentucky and will walk on to the Kentucky football team this season. “I had to leave the nest and I had to grow up and depend on myself,”¿Ford said Thursday during the Dennis and Derrick Johnson Football Camp at UK. “I didn’t really have any family (in California)

The Bate Middle School football team has started practice, but any player in grades 6-8 still interested in playing should call coach Kenny Young at (859) 236-4877.

The Boyle County High School football team has cancelled its state championship ring ceremony scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the high school gymnasium. The event was cancelled because all of the rings were not received from the vendor. It will be rescheduled later.

The George Rogers Clark football team had its annual preseason picture and press day Thursday at Cardinal Stadium. Jeff Childre of Visual Sports was busy snapping photos of the session and lined the players up for the team picture. The Cards open the season on Aug. 19 against Corbin at Cardinal Stadium.

Golf - The George Rogers Clark High School football team will have a golf scramble at noon June 24 at Old Silo Golf Course in Mount Sterling. The cost is $100 per player and $400 per team and includes green fees, cart, lunch and prizes. For more information, contact coach Steven Collins at steven.collins @clark.ky schools.us. - The George Rogers Clark boys golf team will have tryouts at 9 a.m. July 15 at the Winchester Country Club. - The George Rogers Clark High School girls golf team will have a benefit scramble at 8 a.m. July 13 at Cassell Creek Golf Course.

Rex Burkhead received the call of a lifetime over the weekend. The Nebraska running back was drafted in the sixth round as the 190th overall pick in the NFL Draft Saturday by the Cincinnati Bengals. Burkhead's father Rick and mother Robyn are graduates of George Rogers Clark High School and both set of grandparents still reside in Winchester. Rick Burkhead played college football at Eastern Kentucky University. Burkhead was elated after learning of his professional destination. “It's awesome - it's a dream come true,” Burkhead said.

Dozens of business owners, local politicians and community members turned out Tuesday night in the cafeteria at West Jessamine High School after the simple invitation to come learn more about the school. The idea for the event came from Marci Smith, the school's technology coordinator and a math teacher, as she worked toward her principalship certificate. “In a lot of my classes, they talk about the stakeholders of your community and that as schools, one of our newest big goals is to reach out more to our community and get a lot more people involved in our school,” Smith said.

Morehead State came calling. So did Lindsey Wilson College. However, when it was all said and done, West Jessamine football standout Robby Irgang decided to take the road less traveled as a preferred walk-on to play for the University of Kentucky in the fall. “I had a lot of coaches who talked to (University of Kentucky) coaches for more, and they were really pushing me to go as high as I possibly could,” Irgang said. “When the opportunity became available, I chose to be a preferred walk-on at UK.” West football coach Yancey Marcum said Kentucky was getting a diamond in the rough and he suspects Irgang will quickly get noticed.

East Jessamine's Hayden Tatman signed on to play football at NAIA powerhouse University of the Cumberlands last week. “They're good; they run stuff in the NAIA,” Tatman said. “I just want to play for a good team.” After playing all over the field on both sides of the ball at East Jessamine, Tatman will settle into the defense at University of the Cumberlands, red-shirting as a freshman and hoping to get onto the field as a linebacker the following year. Tatman said his teammates at East in previous years had helped him be prepared to move on to the college game.

Sam Harp, who guided Danville to seven state championships in 25 seasons as its head football coach, is leaving the school to become the coach at Lebanon (Tenn.). Harp was in Lebanon on Wednesday for the announcement that he will become that school's coach. The Wilson Post of Lebanon reported that he was introduced at the school by its athletic director. Harp did not return calls seeking comment, and Lebanon school officials could not be reached for comment, either. However, Harp told a Nashville, Tenn., newspaper that he felt it was time for a change.

LEXINGTON - Scoring touchdowns certainly would help the University of Kentucky football team next year, but former UK quarterback Tim Couch says he believes there is an even bigger priority for new coach Mark Stoops. “I am not taking a shot at the former staff or anything like that. I just think that this program over the last few years has gotten away from being a physical football team,” said Couch, now a college football analyst for FOX Sports. “I really believe that and that is one thing that really sold me on Mark is his defensive background and his ability to come and put toughness back into this program.

The senior football members of the George Rogers Clark football team have one last shot at ending a 12-game losing streak. The Cardinals haven't won since a 34-14 victory over Tates Creek more than a year ago and will attempt to avoid a winless campaign against Rowan County Friday night at Cardinal Stadium in the regular season finale for both teams. Clark (0-9) will honor its cast of seniors prior to the contest before opening the playoffs at top-ranked Louisville Trinity on Nov. 2. “Our focus is on nothing but Rowan County this week,” Collins said.

The George Rogers Clark football team took a step backward Friday night at Cardinal Stadium. The Cardinals fell behind 23-0 in the first nine minutes and never recovered in a 50-18 loss to Madison¿Central in the district finale for both teams. The¿Cardinals (0-9) finished as the No. 4 seed in the district and will take on either Louisville Trinity or Louisville St. Xavier in the opening round of the playoffs on Nov. 2 in Louisville. The Indians earned the second seed and will play host to duPont Manual or Louisville Male to open the postseason in two weeks.