Rebels

Amy Woolum knew having a new coach in Brian Deem would be a big change for the Boyle County softball team, but the junior outfielder has been pleased with the results. “It's a lot different. We've bought in to a lot of the things he's brought in. He's changed the program around completely. Even practices, we'll go all out and I don't think I've ever gone through a harder practice in my life,”¿Woolum said. “We're more competitive, the intensity is higher and the velocity of the game is just increasing.

It's a whole new ballgame for Danielle Mason. The Boyle County sophomore is playing a new position on defense and taking a new approach on offense, and for the most part she's pleased with the way it's working out. She's starting to hit consistently after an early-season slump, she's becoming more at ease every day in left field and best of all, her team is winning. “We were real excited (about this season), and I think we're playing pretty good right now,” Mason said. Boyle is 15-9 and riding a six-game winning streak following a 3-0 weekend in Tates Creek's tournament, and Mason has played a key role in the Rebels' success of late.

LIBERTY - Changing coaches is nothing new for the Casey County baseball program, but the latest change has brought the Rebels an infusion of something that has been in short supply for years: confidence. Casey has gone through five coaches in the last seven seasons and has gone through some long seasons during those years of transition. But now the Rebels are off to a good start in their first season under Greg Hammond, who said one of his first priorities is to convince his players they can compete.

Sarah Nolan has made her way up the rungs for the Boyle County tennis team. Now the Rebels junior is ready to show she is ready for competition. Nolan is playing at No. 2 singles for Boyle this season, behind doubles partner AnnaÃ?¿Duncan, and has been pleased with how the season has started. “This is definitely an important year for me where I”m playing one of the higher seeds,” said Nolan, who earned an 8-4 win over Danville's Mey Mey Kong and teamed with Duncan four doubles win Tuesday in the Rebels' 5-4 win at Danville.

STANFORD - The Casey County girls took the long way to where they thought they would be all along. The Rebels thought they would have a chance to play for the regional championship, and they'll get that chance after rallying to beat Wayne County 54-46 in a girls 12th Region Tournament semifinal Saturday night at Lincoln County. And their oponent today will be Lincoln County, the team that coach Randy Salyers told them last summer would be waiting for them. “We played Lincoln County in a summer game, and after that summer game I told the kids, 'Listen, girls, right there's the team we're going to be playing in the finals of the region,'” Salyers said.

By Nancy LeedyLIBERTY - Trenton Edgington and Carl-Lewis Cummins combined for eight 3-pointers as Lincoln County shot its way past Casey County 69-31 Friday night.Lincoln (18-12) made good on 16 of 29 attempts from 3-point range, with six different players stepping behind the arc for triples as the Patriots closed out the regular season. Edgington had four treys for 12 of his game-high 16 points and Cummins tallied all of his 12 points from 3. Jacob Conway also went long for Lincoln, draining three treys for his nine points, Timmy Taylor and Shade Jacobs had two 3s each and Micah Ward, who finished with 11 points, nailed one 3-pointer.While Lincoln's 16 treys falls way short of the state single-game record of 41 (Jan.

STANFORD - The Lincoln County girls will gladly take a do-over. The Patriots know they were not at their best Wednesday night as they settled in at home for what they hope will be a long postseason run, but they were good enough to earn at least a couple more chances to get it right. A solid showing on defense carried them to a 50-34 victory over Boyle County in a girls 45th District Tournament semifinal, the first of what could be as many as five tournament games in their own gymnasium.

Austin Baxter and Kody Ross were looking for the same thing, and they found it at the same place. A visit to Shawnee State was all it took to convince both Baxter, a Danville pitcher, and Ross, a Boyle County infielder, that that was where they wanted to play college baseball. Both local players have committed to the Portsmouth, Ohio, school, and they plan to sign in separate ceremonies today at their respective high schools. The two worked out for a Shawnee State coach in Danville just before Christmas, and both were invited to visit the school.

By Nancy LeedyThe Lincoln County girls maintained their firm hold on No. 1 in the 45th District standings by collecting a second lopsided win over rival Boyle County.The Lady Patriots, who defeated Boyle by 51 points on Jan. 13, completed their sweep of the Lady Rebels in the first game of Friday night's doubleheader here as they cruised to another 51-point victory, 84-33.Lincoln (15-6, 4-0 district) took control in the first quarter, jumping out to a 21-10 lead. By halftime the Lady Patriots had increased the margin to 28 points, 47-19, and they never looked back.

By Hal Morrishmorris@amnews.comLincoln County coach Jeff Jackson has been impressed with Boyle County's defense all year, and now his squad knows why.The Rebels used a stifling defense which limited the Patriots' offense to 30 percent shooting in the second half of a 54-36 loss Friday. “I think they're the best defensive team in our region, I've said that all along. I think their record's very deceiving. They had some issues early, but one thing they've done is they're stuck together,” said Jackson, whose team suffered its first loss in the 45th District.