LOOKING BACK

 The most important game of the year to date is coming up Friday evening for the Corbin Redhounds when they square off with the Wayne County Cardinals in Monticello.

This will be the Redhounds first district game since moving to 3A. The Cardinals lost their first game of the season last Friday to Bell County.

I would think next to Bell County, Wayne County would be the most formidable opponent remaining on the Redhounds schedule.

The Redhounds have been battered and bruised thought a very tough early schedule, but a week to heal and the invaluable experience they have gained from playing teams like Clark County, Knoxville Karns, Tates Creek and Danville should have the Redhounds ready for district play.

As I look at scores from around the mountains, I believe it is safe to say the Harlan County Black Bears are the class of the mountains. Coach Tom Larkey has his team on the cusp of a very special season.

Watching the University of Kentucky play football will turn you against the game of football. The Wildcats may beat Jacksonville State, but that is all I can see them winning the remainder of the season.

The round ball program at UK, however, is coming along nicely. Coach Cal landed a top-notch recruit for the class of 2012.

Archie Goodwin, a six-foot-six inch athlete from Arkansas who can play shooting guard or if needed can play point guard. Goodwin is extremely competitive and a big time scorer.

The ‘Cats lost Perry Ellis to Kansas, but in a year when 6’8” forwards are plentiful it was no big loss. Two players I feel they must be able to land are Shalazz Muhammed, and Mitch McGary, a 6’10’, 260-pound forward.

This year’s recruiting is coming along a little shower than the last couple of years.

Coach Tony Pietrowski, Coach Jason McDaniel, and Coach Brent West, are putting the basketball Redhounds through a conditioning program as they ready their troops for the upcoming season.

The Redhounds have a few new faces that figure to help Coach P in his effort to take the team to Rupp Arena for a fourth trip to the Sweet 16 for the coach.

This past Friday was particularly enjoyable for me as my old buddy, Joe Gieszl and his wife, Sue, came to Corbin for a Dugger family reunion.

Joe had some free time Friday, so he and I took the opportunity to drop in on our friend, D.L. Lynch at Forrest Lanes Bowling.

We were pleasantly surprised to see Arvilla Wyatt Martin and Patty Wyatt had stopped by to visit as well. It was not long before Mayor Willard McBurney came by for his Friday spaghetti lunch. D.L., Arvilla, Patty and Willard were all graduates of the Corbin High School class of 1960 and had their 50^th class reunion a few years ago.

The theme of the reunion was “the last train to Nibroc”, and it was as well organized event as I have ever had knowledge of.

Arvilla and D.L. were the driving force of making the reunion so successful. As a product of the reunion, they put together an annual type of publication to which I am sure there has been no equal.

The Class of 1960 had it all, at the reunion of 2010, they had a ball.

Rodger Bird called me this week to inform me that the Gathering of the Redhounds will be Oct. 2-3-4 for the 1955 undefeated team and Oct. 5-6-7 for the 1960 team that was undefeated. The annual Gathering of the Redhounds will be held in Tompkinsville.