Best of Bill Crook: ‘Top 10 Corbin football teams’

The Corbin Redhounds football program is celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2023. Leading up to the kickoff of their 100th season, and the unveiling of a newly remodeled Campbell Field this fall, the News Journal will publish a series of former columns by Bill Crook.

For years, Crook’s “Looking Back” columns revisited some of the most important events in Redhound history. We hope you’ll enjoy these trips down memory lane, and that they will serve to excite you for the centennial celebration to take place later this year.

From December 5, 2001:

We all know who I will select as number one, and that is none other than the great state championship squad of 1955. So, beginning there…

1. 1955 State Champions under Coach Bill Tucker, 11-0-0 with great players and even greater chemistry.

2. 1939 Redhounds undefeated squad under Coach Ted Meadors, Jimmy Cummins, Rusty Peace, Bitsy Holman, Bobby Coleman and company.

3. 1976 State AA Champions under Coach Archie Powers beat a great Mayfield team for the championship on a touchdown catch by Kenny Gilbert. Tom Horvath, Roger Jones, Burly Foley, Steve Baird… they were a tough lot.

4. 1935 Redhounds were led by Alfred Keck and Sam Brasel, two great tackles, and Coach Nick Denes. Keck once blocked five punts in a game against archrival Middlesboro.

5. The 1980 Class AA State Champions, once again under Coach Archie Powers, downed Fort Campbell in the final, breaking a 16-game winning streak for the Falcons.

6. The 1982 Redhounds under Coach Larry “Cotton” Adams made a terrific championship run to win the AA title, sparked by a great come-from-behind win over Middlesboro.

7. 1957 Redhounds of Coach Walt Green featured one of the all-time great Redhounds in Mel Chandler, and an outstanding running back in Harold Queary. This team went unbeaten until an ill-fated trip to Louisville to play St. Xavier.

8. The once beaten Redhounds of 1981 led by Greg Taylor, Steve Jewell and company under Coach Archie Powers were outstanding, but fell short to the Yellow Jackets of Middlesboro.

9. 1960 Redhounds were the last undefeated squad, coached by Walt Green and featuring Rodger Bird, Barry Brooks and Jesse Grant.

10. The 1977 State AA runners up under Coach Archie Powers came up six inches short of back-to-back state championships, losing to Mayfield, 14-13.

Now, I realize there is a slight possibility that not everyone will agree with my selections or the order they are in, however, with all the rationale that I could muster, I offer my choices. Opinions are like elbows… almost everyone has at least one.