Rockcastle County

MOUNT VERNON - Lincoln County used a 17-3 scoring run over the second and third quarters to open up a close game and set the Patriots on course for victory Friday at Rockcastle County. Lincoln, beset by poor shooting and a lack of rebounding, fell behind early and trailed for most of the first half, but the run ignited by a BJ Hoover layin late in the first half turned those early struggles into a double-digit lead as the Patriots moved on for a 58-42 win, their first of the season.

Not only did Sara Hammond leave a legacy at Rockcastle County, but she helped establish that 12th Region girls basketball could hold its own with any region in the state. The talented Rockcastle senior not only led the Rockets to a 36-1 season and the school’s first state championship, but she was also named Kentucky’s Miss Basketball, The Associated Press Player of the Year and Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year. Her final high school honor was recently being named a Parade Magazine All-American — the same honor Boyle County’s Lamar Dawson earned in football.

For the first time in 31 years, Lincoln County will be represented in the state house by one of its own. Stanford resident David Meade won the Republican primary Tuesday for the District 80 seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Without a Democratic challenger in the race, there will be no general election competition. Meade's 1,843 votes in Lincoln, Rockcastle and Pulaski counties gave him an edge over his closest competitor, Rockcastle preacher Mark Eaton, who garnered a total of 1,642 votes.

MOUNT VERNON - The Lincoln County girls' basketball team picked up its second big road win of the week Friday night, handily defeating Rockcastle County 68-35 at Rock Arena. Lincoln fell behind to start the game, but senior Kourtney Belcher sparked a 16-4 run with a steal and a basket that would eventually earn the Lady Patriots the lead - one  which they would never relinquish. “I thought we did a good job. From top-to-bottom, everybody that played tonight contributed in some way,” Lincoln coach Cassandra McWhorter said.

Number one ranked Rockcastle County brought Lincoln's hoops season to an end Saturday, knocking the Lady Eagles out of postseason play. It was a low-scoring effort in the semifinal round of the 7th Grade Central Kentucky Middle School Athletics Conference Postseason Tournament with Rockcastle emerging with a 26-22 victory. Lincoln (13-7) struggled from the opening falling behind 12-5 in the first quarter. The Lady Eagles did outscore Rockcastle 4-2 in the second quarter to make it 14-9 at the break but the points wouldn't come in the third quarter.

Wayne County barely beat his team and then was upset by Southwestern, a team with a losing record in the district championship game, but Boyle County coach Steve Adams still thinks Wayne is the team to beat in the 12th Region Tournament. “They are so experienced and play so well together,” said Adams. Yet even the Boyle coach wouldn’t go all-in with the Cardinals in the tourney that starts Wednesday at Lincoln County. “Pulaski County can do something that Wayne County can’t — they can turn you over.

Boyle County coach Larry French knows this: There is no way his team can fumble the ball away five times and win two weeks in a row. The Rebels did that last week and got past Knox Central. But if they cough up the ball like that this week against Rockcastle County, it could mean an early exit from the playoffs. “I think they slipped in and put something on the ball,” joked French, whose team will play Rockcastle on Friday in Mount Vernon in the second round of the class AAAA playoffs.

SOMERSET — The Garrard County girls are growing up fast this postseason. They’re getting an education in how to play under pressure, and the fact that they’re still alive in the girls 12th Region Tournament indicates that they’re learning their lesson well. Garrard rallied to win a second straight elimination game, coming from behind twice to beat Mercer County 49-45 Tuesday night in a regional first-round game at Pulaski County. The Golden Lions erased Mercer leads in the fourth quarter and the first overtime before capturing first regional win since 2006.

Football fans following the Patriots to Rockcastle County Friday night as they get back into action will find a fairly easy road to Mt. Vernon, home of the Rockets. To reach the Rockets football field, which is located at Rockcastle County Middle School, take U.S. 150 east to Mt. Vernon. Turn left onto KY Hwy 461 at the first traffic light near Mt. Vernon. Go approximately one mile, then make a right onto KY Hwy 1326. The middle school is situated just up a hill on the right.

The Danville Admirals should know exactly what they’re up against this week. Their opponent is a team that saw a long string of winning seasons snapped last year and that can’t wait to prove that 2009 was an aberration and that 2010 will mark a return to form. Sound familiar? It does to Danville coach Sam Harp, because Rockcastle County comes into Saturday’s game in the Bob Allen Pigskin Classic at Admiral Stadium almost exactly where the Admirals were a week ago. The Rockets are still smarting from last year’s 5-7 finish — the same record Danville had — that included three losses in the fourth quarter or overtime, and like Danville, they return a number of experienced players but are still relatively young.