Kiwanis Bowl tonight at Putnam

Local Sports

Discussion

October 30, 2009

Aaron Snyder The Daily Independent Fri Oct 30, 2009, 03:57 PM EDT

Ashland — For Ashland and Russell’s freshmen football teams, the entire season revolves around this rivalry game.

“It’s like the Super Bowl,” said Ashland sixth-year coach Jack Harris. “It’s as good as it gets for a freshman game.”

The Kiwanis Club hosted a luncheon at the Chimney Corner Cafe on Wednesday in preparation for tonight’s Kiwanis Bowl, the annual meeting between the two schools at Putnam Stadium.

Each coach and several players from each team expressed what the game means to them.

Logan Salow, the Tomcats’ quarterback and safety, has been named a game captain for Ashland. He remembers the 1998 Kiwanis Bowl most fondly, which happened to also fall on Oct. 29.

The 4-year-old Logan trick-or-treated in neighborhoods near Putnam Stadium before witnessing a remarkable game by his older brother, Eric.

Eric Salow scored five touchdowns, including a return of a blocked punt, a fumble recovery return and three TD receptions. Former Tomcat great Arliss Beach also rushed for a score.

Drew Walters, whose father Phil played in the 1978 Kiwanis Bowl and whose brother was captain of a winning Ashland team recently, also spoke in front of a crowd that included members of the Kiwanis Club, both schools’ athletic directors, players, coaching staffs, and the elected queens from each school.

C.J. Johnson, Cody Watts and Matt Tillett also each spoke from the Ashland side.

Preston Herring, Austin Heaberlin, Dylan Howard, Gage Stevens and Troy Huffine each spoke for Russell.

“These players talk about it in the offseason, during the summer and all season,” said Russell coach Buford Hurley II. “They almost wish the season away sometimes.”

The Kiwanis Bowl squared Ashland junior highs Coles and Putnam against one another for 27 years before Coles and Putnam merged into one school, Verity, in 1979.

Since then, Russell and Ashland freshmen have combatted, and Russell leads the series 20-10.

Harris hopes Ashland can avenge for a close loss last season, which ended with a botched extra point. The Tomcats coach is just 1-4 in the rivalry.

“Every time we go in thinking we have an edge, we go in and stub our toe,” Harris said. “The records don’t matter.”

Tonight’s matchup kicks off at 7 and involves an undefeated Ashland team and Russell, which is 5-3.

AARON SNYDER can be reached at asnyder@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2664.

Text Only

Local Sports

16th Region baseball: Hunter zeroes in
For much of Sam Hunter’s stellar career, he was the unquestioned ace of the Ashland pitching staff.

May 29, 2012
THE WEEKLY CYCLE: Who’s heading west and who’s heading home?
A different 16th Region school’s bus has merged onto I-64 en route to Lexington the past three baseball seasons.

May 28, 2012
ALL-AREA BASEBALL: Toss-up, Turnaround
As he trailed behind their tracks in preparation for the photo shoot, Lewis County’s baseball coach declared, “Man, I’d like to coach this team.”

May 26, 2012
16th Region baseball draw: Wide Open Stance
The consensus with the coaches at the 16th Region baseball tournament draw is that the field is wide open.

May 26, 2012
16th Region softball draw: All maroon at high noon
The 16th Region softball tournament will open up with a bang on Monday.

May 26, 2012
Different Meade, same title
Make it three in a row for the Meade brothers of Ashland.

May 25, 2012
Escape artists
Russell’s latest district softball championship may be remembered as the Great Escape.

May 25, 2012
Region, softball tournament draws Friday
The 16th Region baseball and softball tournament pairings will be drawn on Friday morning at 9 at Rowan County Senior High School.

May 24, 2012
Boyd County finally bests rival
Boyd County’s proud softball program has been aching for a victory over archrival Ashland.

May 24, 2012
AARON SNYDER: Former Kitten joins the Bulldogs
Former Ashland basketball player and assistant coach Angie Johnson is donning a new shade of red.

May 24, 2012
More Local Sports Headlines

Local Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Kiwanis Bowl tonight at Putnam

Site Map

Contact Us