Salute to Corbin seniors

In the football season of 2005, for the Corbin Redhounds, this may have been our finest hour. Just as in the movie, Friday Night Lights, our heroes came up one yard short in one the most exciting games ever played on Campbell Field.
The last game of the season is always tough for me as I watch the seniors fight their hearts out for survival. I watch the underclassmen battle for their teammates and friends who have bonded over the course of a 12-game season.
I watch the efforts of a Eric Blackwood, a Andy Millard, a Clint Cashen, who played brilliantly, and courageously as they led their teammates into Redhound history.
I think of Ryan Tate and Blake Freeman and the huge contributions they made to this team. Tate became not only an outstanding receiver, but very valuable in the defensive secondary, while Freeman gained valuable yardage as a running back.
Lucas Henson was another senior leader who stepped up and used that strong right arm that he uses in baseball to throw a dramatic fourth down touchdown pass from 25 yards out in the most desperate of situations. Lucas played very well throughout the season and was at his best when it meant the most.
Jeremy Gibson, Josh McHargue and Zack Woody got better every game, as did big Jason Doran, and if the ‘Hounds had punched the ball in on their last effort, I am confident that Chance Hendrickson would have provided the winning point by splitting the up-rights.
Though they only held a 7-0 lead, the Redhounds were in control of the game until Eric Blackwood sustained a bruised lung injury, and the air seem to have seeped out of the balloon.
Blackwood, one of the state’s best receivers, was also a mainstay of our defense. I believe Eric is going to be the type of kid who can play at the next level, he had outstanding speed, very good hands and most importantly, a big heart.
Andy Millard played a sensational game, as I am sure the DeSales quarterback would be glad to attest. I hope it is many years from now, but when the Colts quarterback closes his eyes for a final time, I’ll bet the last thing he will see will be number 50 coming at him wide open.
Clint Cashen continues to be “Mr Cool” as he moves around in and out of the pocket throwing one beautiful spiral after another right on target. It sure is a comforting feeling to know he has two years left.
The hit of the night goes to sophomore Greg Woods as he rattled the bats in the belfry of a Colts kickoff return, ouch!
The Louisville Desales Colts are a good football team, and the difference in the teams was marginal, and perhaps that’s why I found not one or two, but several calls questionable by one particular official. This official worked along the Desales sideline, and found it necessary to have conversations with the Colts coaching staff regularly. This official threw several flags on the Redhounds where flags were coming from no other official on the field and never flagged the Colts a time. It made you think of the old song “I only have eyes for you.”
The 2005 edition of the Corbin Redhounds will always be remember as one of the most resilient teams in Redhounds history as they rebounded from a 0-5 start to come within two games of playing for a state championship in Louisville.
As my buddy Issac Wilson told his old basketball coach Paul Pietrowski, after Paul had dribbled his drive about 15 feet down the fairway, “Coach, you dribble the ball in basketball not golf.” Well it is time to start dribbling the basketball.
I have never felt better about the state of basketball in Corbin than I do at this time. Young players are coming through the system and the program looks good at all levels. 6th grade through high school.
The most impressive thing about the basketball program is the talented players, they have bought into the team concept, It should be exciting the next several years.