Varsity

After a season getting their feet wet playing junior varsity games last season, the Danville volleyball team is taking the next step in the program's evolution this fall. The Admirals will play their first varsity game Aug. 24 against Boyle County. They have eight varsity matches scheduled this season and will participate in the district tournament for the first time. "It's going to be very nice to be part of a system that's got strong coaches and a strong tradition of athletics, so it will be a lot of fun," coach Scott Johnson said.

BURGIN - Maggie McKnight had been pushing for a volleyball team at Burgin since she arrived at the school three years ago. The Bulldogs fielded a junior varsity squad last year, and now are read to take the next step and will play its first varsity season this fall. "I was pretty consistent about being on superintendent (Dick) Webb about starting a volleyball team," said McKnight, who played volleyball at Boyle County with Webb's daughter. "I was always asking why we didn't have a team yet, and he didn't think there was interest.

The Danville Admirals are helping celebrate "Youth Soccer Month" in September. Admission to the games Sept. 12 and 14 is free for the players in the Bluegrass Youth Soccer Association who wear their jersey to the game. The Admirals host Woodford County Tuesday, varsity at 7 p.m. in the stadium, junior varsity at 5:30 p.m. at the Bate field. The Lady Admirals host East Jessamine on Thursday, varsity at 7 p.m. in the stadium, JV at 5:30 p.m. at the Bate field.

STANFORD ? Samantha Torres had never heard of the Lincoln County volleyball team five years ago. Now she is glad she found out what the sport is all about. Torres, a junior, is right in the middle of a team growing up together and trying to make its mark at a new level this season. She and the other players in Lincoln's starting lineup were together on the junior varsity team last year, and they have moved up together this season to replace those lost to graduation. "Our varsity was our JV last year, and all our JV played varsity last year, so I really expect us to do very well," Torres said.

George Rogers Clark High School white varsity cheerleader Evan Sams was head and shoulders above the crowd while cheering for the Cardinals during a district tournament game last week at Montgomery County High School. The Cardinals will defend their 10th Region title in a rematch of last year's regional final against Mason County. The game will be held at noon Saturday at Montgomery County High School.

There isn't much that Andrew Lasure would rather be doing than playing baseball. And this season, it's a good thing. Lasure could play in 50 or more games for varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams at Danville this spring. That's more than he expected, but he said it isn't more than he can handle. "I'd do it a hundred times," he said. The most surprising part of Lasure's busy baseball schedule is that he has cracked the starting lineup at Danville as an eighth-grader, and that makes him stand out even on a very young Danville team this season.

Recovering Wilkinson takes second; Frith fourth in Boyle Invitational By Nancy Leedy Lincoln County may not have posed a serious threat as a team in the Boyle County Invitational, with only four competitors registered for the varsity runs, but the Patriots and Lady Patriots did make people take notice. Jordan Wilkinson, an LCHS junior, ran a strong race and seriously threatened to take the win in the boy's varsity 5K while Emily Frith, an eighth grade runner, came on strong in her first varsity race.

Lincoln County cross country runners had to battle more than a tough field of competitors at Saturday's Dunbar Bulldog Invitational with heat and hilly terrain taking its toll. The 5K varsity and reserve varsity course at Woodford Park in Versailles has its challenges with steep inclines a bane of the race. Add in glaring heat and humidity and runners start to fall out. Lincoln had two of its own runners to fall victim to the conditions with Kwan Shim and Aaron Roemisch both listed as DNF (did not finish)

Candice Taylor has long been an integral part of the Danville's successful track and field team. Now it turns out she may be just what the Danville volleyball team needs as well. Taylor is a relative newcomer to volleyball, but she has proved to be a quick study in her two seasons. The junior has earned the admiration of her coach with her combination of natural athletic ability and good instincts for the game. "If we had another six or 12 like her, we'd be all right," Danville coach Scott Johnson said.

Jonathan Priddy wasn't confident with his decision to play college football at first, but now he's certain he is in the right place. As he tries to earn a spot on the depth chart in his second season at the University of the Cumberlands, Priddy said he's very happy with where he is and where he's headed. He admits to having doubts about whether he wanted to play after his career at Lincoln County ended in 2006, but those doubts are long gone now. "It's one of the best decisions I've ever made," he said.

Tyler Beldon threw a no-hitter in his first varsity start as Danville defeated Burgin 10-0 Tuesday in a 12th Region All “A” Classic semifinal at Admiral Field. Beldon, a junior, struck out five batters and walked only two, completing the five-inning game with only 65 pitches. “His first career varsity start and he threw a no-hitter,” Danville coach Paul Morse said. “He threw a lot of strikes, mixed in his off-speed pitches, and he did a great job.” Danville (4-2) ended the game with a five-run fifth inning that included a three-run home run by Hunter May. Andrew Lasure hit two solo home runs and a double for the Admirals, and Hunter Terry hit a two-run homer.

DANVILLE – Brian Carlson emerged as a regional standout in track last spring, and now the Lincoln runner has found a niche for himself in cross country. Carlson, a Lincoln County Middle School eighth-grader, led the LCHS varsity Patriots Saturday in the annual E.G. Plummer Invitational at Admiral Stadium, racing to a third-place finish in a field of 108 runners with a time of 17:57.3. Although competing against a field loaded with junior and senior runners, Carlson had high hopes for his first full 3.1-mile varsity run. “I was hoping to maybe get first or second, but the dude in front took off a little bit and I couldn’t catch up to him,” said Carlson, who competed in a 2K at Lincoln’s first meet.

STANFORD ? Samantha Torres had never heard of the Lincoln County volleyball team five years ago. Now she is glad she found out what the sport is all about. Torres, a junior, is right in the middle of a team growing up together and trying to make its mark at a new level this season. She and the other players in Lincoln's starting lineup were together on the junior varsity team last year, and they have moved up together this season to replace those lost to graduation. "Our varsity was our JV last year, and all our JV played varsity last year, so I really expect us to do very well," Torres said.

BURGIN - Maggie McKnight had been pushing for a volleyball team at Burgin since she arrived at the school three years ago. The Bulldogs fielded a junior varsity squad last year, and now are read to take the next step and will play its first varsity season this fall. "I was pretty consistent about being on superintendent (Dick) Webb about starting a volleyball team," said McKnight, who played volleyball at Boyle County with Webb's daughter. "I was always asking why we didn't have a team yet, and he didn't think there was interest.

The junior varsity game for the Boyle boys basketball team tonight is canceled. The varsity game will be played at 6 p.m.

Lincoln County distance runners Alex Bunch and Eric Sanders both ran to first-place finishes in an all-comers meet at Anderson Dean Park in Harrodsburg. Bunch captured the girls' win with a time of 21:21 while Sanders led the boys' field with a time of 18:41. A 1-2 finish for the Lady Patriots in the meet helped Lincoln win the team title. Emily Frith followed Bunch across at the finish, turning in a time of 23:19. Rounding out the team of Lady Pat runners were Alaina King in 17th place in 30:22, Shelby Meece in the 20th position in 32:55 and Brittany Sperry running 23rd in 35:09.

Candice Taylor has long been an integral part of the Danville's successful track and field team. Now it turns out she may be just what the Danville volleyball team needs as well. Taylor is a relative newcomer to volleyball, but she has proved to be a quick study in her two seasons. The junior has earned the admiration of her coach with her combination of natural athletic ability and good instincts for the game. "If we had another six or 12 like her, we'd be all right," Danville coach Scott Johnson said.

Jonathan Priddy wasn't confident with his decision to play college football at first, but now he's certain he is in the right place. As he tries to earn a spot on the depth chart in his second season at the University of the Cumberlands, Priddy said he's very happy with where he is and where he's headed. He admits to having doubts about whether he wanted to play after his career at Lincoln County ended in 2006, but those doubts are long gone now. "It's one of the best decisions I've ever made," he said.

There isn't much that Andrew Lasure would rather be doing than playing baseball. And this season, it's a good thing. Lasure could play in 50 or more games for varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams at Danville this spring. That's more than he expected, but he said it isn't more than he can handle. "I'd do it a hundred times," he said. The most surprising part of Lasure's busy baseball schedule is that he has cracked the starting lineup at Danville as an eighth-grader, and that makes him stand out even on a very young Danville team this season.

The George Rogers Clark High School had their cheerleading awards ceremony. Here are the cheerleaders who won awards: CO-CAPTAIN AWARD - Kayla Burton, Bianca Cooper, Stevi Haskins, Baesha Waltermire. LEADERSHIP AWARD - Burton, Cooper, Haskins, Waltermire. ACADEMIC AWARD (3.84) - Cooper. MOST IMPROVED TECHNIQUE - Allie Coleman. GYMNASTICS AND JUMPS AWARD - Katherine Lindsay. BEST DANCE - Katie Ledford, Katie Seger. BEST STANDING TUCKS - Waltermire. BEST VOICE - Kyra Chenault.