LOUISA —
Bill Mike Runyon didn’t mince words Friday night.
Paintsville’s legendary coach was upset as his team, in his words, were “out played, out hustled and out worked” in a 76-70 loss at Lawrence County.
“You can’t give this kind of effort and expect to win games,” said Runyon. We were lucky, very lucky, to be this close. Defensively, we absolutely stunk, and they (Lawrence County) played with much more intensity and desire.”
The youthful Bulldogs (14-10) are perhaps one of the hottest teams in the region, but they will have their work cut out for them in the 57th District Tournament. With a 2-5 district mark – with one more district game left at Sheldon Clark – Lawrence County will likely fall in the dreaded fourth spot, meaning the team must win two games to earn a spot in the regional tournament.
“For us to be competitive, we have to play at a high level of intensity, and I believe we did that tonight,” said first-year Lawrence County coach Josh Cook. The Bulldogs played extremely well in the 15th Region All A Tournament, and was a shot away from winning the championship. “I think we are back to being hungry and humble. We had some success, but we also had a lot of setbacks and disappointments. We are realizing that we have to come on the floor and put it all out there night in and night out.”
All five Lawrence County starters scored in double figures as brothers Robert Dalton (freshman) and Timmy Dalton (eighth-grader) led the way with 18 points apiece. Freshman Austin Chaffins followed with 16, freshman Brandon Richardson had 11, and freshman Grant Kiser finished with 10.
“I told our kids before the game that they keys to the game were defense, rebounding and intensity,” Cook added. “I thought our kids were aggressive in going to the basket, and showed composure as [Paintsville] made a few runs late.”
The Tigers (11-8) got to within two at 42-40 with 4 minutes, 26 seconds left in the third quarter, but Lawrence County answered in a hurry with eight unanswered points, including three-pointers by Chaffin and Richardson to push its lead to 50-40.
Senior Trevor Tiller had 13 points to lead four Paintsville players in double figures. Quinton Hensley followed with 12, while Matt Daniels and Matt Miller finished with 11 each.
The Tigers are 3-3 in district play with games next week with Magoffin County and Johnson Central. Wins there could propel the Tigers to the second or third seed in the post-season.
“Those games are must-wins, plain and simple,” said Runyon.
PAINTSVILLE 16 17 17 25 – 70
LAWRENCE CO. 19 21 18 18 – 76
Paintsville (70) – Trevor Tiller 5(1) 0-0 13; Matt Daniels 1(3) 0-0 11; Matt Miller 3(1) 2-4 11; Kash Daniel 4 0-0 8; Luke Trimble 1 2-5 4; Payton Smith 0(1) 2-2 5; Quinton Hensley 3(2) 0-0 12; Luke Daniels 1 2-2 4; Zac Collins 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19(8) 8-13 70.
Lawrence County (76) – Austin Chaffins 3(2) 4-5 16; Robert Dalton 7 4-7 18; Brandon Richardson 2(1) 4-4 11; Grant Kiser 5 0-0 10; A.J. Cyrus 1 0-0 2; Joe Wallen 0 1-2 1; Timmy Dalton 7 4-5 18. Totals: 25(3) 17-23 76.
Local Sports
Balanced bite
Dawgs land 5 players in double figures, beat Paintsville
- Local Sports
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Boyd’s Fraley commits to Herd
Boyd County sophomore basketball player Logan Fraley has announced her commitment to Marshall University.
The 5-foot-11 shooting guard informed Marshall women’s coach Matt Daniel of her decision on Monday morning, which was confirmed by Boyd County coach/father Pete Fraley via text message. -
63rd softball: Greenup leans on bunting, baserunning; Russell wins
Immersed in another district contest with little breathing room, Greenup County softball coach Eric Keeton resorted to the strengths of his lineup: bunting and baserunning.
Two bunts and a swinging bunt helped the Lady Musketeers scratch across three runs in the fifth inning of a 6-2 victory over Raceland in the 63rd District Tournament opening round on Monday night at Russell High School. Top-seeded Russell defeated Lewis County, also 6-2, earlier in the evening. -
Boyd pounds out 11 hits to go along with Grimm’s shutout, 14-0
Robbie Shivel might be a little sore after Monday night, but it was Fairview that left the game battered and bruised.
Boyd County belted out 11 hits to go along with Dylan Grimm's complete-game gem as the Lions roared past Fairview, 14-0, in the opening round of the 64th District Tournament at Ashland's Alumni Field. The game lasted five innings. -
Different look, same results for Lady Lions
A longtime fixture in the 64th District softball championship game, Boyd County looked different this return trip.
The Lady Lions defeated Fairview 10-5 in Monday’s district semifinal, which doubled as an Autism Awareness Night. Boyd County players wore light blue shirts and colorful, jigsaw puzzle socks for the event, which had to be rescheduled more than once due to weather problems. -
Musketeers explode in final 2 innings to beat Raceland; good times continue for Lewis
Through the first four innings of its 63rd District Tournament opener, Greenup County found itself hitless. The Musketeers made up for it over the next two innings.
Greenup County scored eight runs on eight hits in the final two innings to defeat Raceland, 9-1, at Russell High School on Monday. -
The will to win
Opponents get the same look from Emily Stewart whether it’s softball, basketball or soccer season.
Steely eyed and lips pursed, the Boyd County senior is keenly focused and all business between the lines. -
THE WEEKLY CYCLE: Holding the key to upset city?
It takes only one game. Few are more firm believers in that fact than the small schools that find themselves in underdog roles year after year.
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Locals struggle to make impact
Some days you are the windshield and some days you are the bug.
It is a saying that proved to be all too true for Rowan County on Friday night at the KHSAA Class 2A State Track and Field Championships at the University of Louisville’s Owsley Frazier Cardinal Park. -
Womack eliminated in state semis; Rose Hill, Russell doubles also ousted
Fairview senior Kennedy Womack wasn’t her consistent self in Saturday morning’s state tennis semifinals at the University of Kentucky’s Hilary Boone Tennis Complex.
As a result, the top seed fell to Lexington Sayre sophomore Madeline Rolph 6-1, 6-0.
Womack was obviously disappointed with her finish, especially after losing in last year’s state finals, but she was happy for her good friend Rolph. -
FLYING HIGH
If Fairview could have fielded a combined track and field team at Saturday’s Class A State Track and Field Championships, the Eagles and Lady Eagles would have had a record day. Instead, the Fairview girls had to “settle” for fifth, while the boys’ claimed 10th.
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