A few milestones and a few observations from the week in sports

I’m going to start out this week up in the cheap seats by giving a shout out to Corbin Basketball Coach Tony Pietrowski who set the school record for most coaching wins in the program’s history as the Redhounds defeated Whitley County Friday night.

Pietrowski notched win 442 at Corbin.

An impressive feat considering the way coaches at all levels now change schools so often.

Pietrowski in basketball, Williamsburg Football Coach Jerry Herron and Whitley County Baseball Coach Jeremy Shope are prime examples of the success a program can have if the powers that be will pick a coach and let them do the job.

I was among a sizeable crowd that came out to the Corbin Middle School gym last Thursday night for the Wrestling Redhounds’ first home match.

Corbin faced Whitley County.

While credit needs to go to Corbin Head Coach Chuck Davis and his staff for the job they have done with the new program, Whitley County Coach (Todd) Lawson deserves credit for getting more students out on the mats for Colonels’ Wrestling.

The match couldn’t be held at Gilliam Gym because of basketball. That wasn’t a bad thing as the middle school gym is smaller allowing the fans to be much closer to the action and making for a louder atmosphere.

In addition, the University of the Cumberlands Women’s Wrestling Team was on hand in the stands, ready and willing to explain the action to new fans.

Corbin and Whitley will have a rematch tonight at Whitley County.

The girls from Corbin and Whitley County will take part in the state meet on Saturday at Tates Creek High School in Lexington. Good luck, ladies!

The boys’ regional tournament will be Feb. 12 at McCreary Central.

While there are still some snow piles here and there from the seven inches the area received a few weeks ago, high school baseball and softball will begin practices on Feb. 15 with the seasons opening in mid March.

District basketball tournaments will begin on Feb. 18 with Corbin hosting the 50th District.

While there are a few spots yet to be ironed out as the final district games will be played over the next week-and-a-half, the Corbin Lady Redhounds and South Laurel Cardinals appear to have the top seeds in the respective tournaments secured.

Pietrowski’s Redhounds will likely go in as the two seed.

The first round is win-or-go-home with the district champion and runner-up advancing to the region tournament that will be played at The Arena in Corbin.

The Williamsburg Lady Jackets are one of the teams that are struggling, including Monday night. Despite some lopsided losses throughout the season, one thing Coach Randy Crider’s team has not done is quit. It is the part of sports that I don’t enjoy, seeing a team continually getting pummeled. But I admire teams like Williamsburg that continue to go out and put forth the effort.

Well done, ladies!