National Runner-Up

 Not only did the University of Kentucky Basketball Team bring home the top prize in from the NCAA Tournament earlier this month, but the University’s Dodgeball team made the NCDA Final Four and brought home the runner-up trophy after losing the national championship to Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan April 14^th and 15^th.

The dodgeball team is made up of seven Tri-County players including team president Zac Brown of Corbin. James Rossi and Dakota Taylor of Corbin are also members of the team as well as Jeffrey Poston and Nicholas Poston of South Laurel High School. North Laurel’s Wes Hopkins and Thomas Kidd are two of the players. Hopkins set a National record for being the fastest thrower at 81 miles an hour last year. He defended his title last week with a 76 mph throw.

Kentucky was one of 16 teams around the country that was invited to the tournament and competed in pool play Saturday, April 14^th. In the opening game, Kentucky lost to #3 ranked Saginaw Valley, 4-0. SVSU was considered one of the top teams and one of the favorites to take the 2012 title. “We knew were in for a challenge,” Brown said.

The men clad in Kentucky blue used a little strategy as they hold back a few of their best players to save on their arms for future games in the tournament.

The planned worked as Kentucky defeated #7 Ohio State, a traditionally strong program, 4-0 and in the third and final pool game they knocked off #14 Western Illinois, 4-0.

After pool play the Kentucky players were excited about their #5 seed in the 16-team tournament. The best news was the last of any Michigan-based teams in its half of the bracket. Michigan traditionally has the strongest teams in the nation.

Kentucky got past Moody Bible Institute in the first-round, 4-1. They knocked off #4 seeded James Madison University in the second-round, 4-1 and it was on to the Final Four where they played Kent State, the tournament’s #1 seed. Kentucky had already played Kent State twice during the regular season, dropping both matches. Brown’s team felt confident that they knew Kent State’s games plan and who their best throwers were.

Kentucky was primed for the upset and knocked off Kent State, 3-0.

It was the first time in Kentucky dodgeball history that the team had made it to the NCDA championship game. Kentucky found themselves facing the host school in the finals and playing before the home crowd and a 30-player roster. Kentucky’s roster included 15 players, one of the smallest teams in the tournament. Kentucky dropped the game, 4-0.

The team finished the season 14-5 as national runners-up. Hopkins defended his title as the player with the fastest arm in the nation with a 76 mph throw. Kentucky, who will host the NCDA next year, will return most of its roster.

“We are really excited for the opportunity to host the NCDA this upcoming year,” Brown said. “It will be a fantastic chance for the University of Kentucky to showcase why Kentucky is such a great state and four our 10 seniors to have another chance to compete for the National Championship in front of a home crowd.”

Taylor said, “We will be looking to add a lot of new faces to the program whether they be returning students or incoming freshmen.”