Year in Review: The Top 10 Sports Stories of 2018

With so many major championships won by coverage area teams over the past twelve months, the News Journal’s annual year-end list of top sports stories will require a total of ten spots for 2018.

1. Corbin boys basketball team wins region, advances to quarterfinals of Sweet 16 tournament
It was a tough call for which story should take the top spot this year, but in the end the Corbin Redhounds’ 13th Region championship and trip to the Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena was too big not to be placed at number one.
Led by senior Andrew Taylor, who finished his career as the Corbin High School basketball program’s all-time leading scorer, the Redhounds won 26 games in 2017-18. That included 50th District and 13th Region championship victories, as well as a 50-40 win over Estill County in the first round of the KHSAA state championship tournament.

2. Corbin football team makes return appearance in KHSAA Class 3A championship game
The Corbin Redhounds football team met preseason expectations in 2018, compiling a 13-2 overall record and making a return trip to the Class 3A state championship finals at Kroger Field in Lexington. They handed Boyle County their first shutout loss in 100 games to qualify for a repeat state championship appearance, going on to lose by just one point to Louisville Central in the season finale.

3. Corbin cheer team wins another national championship title
The CHS cheerleading team returned to Orlando, FL in early 2018 to once again compete for a UCA National Championship title. In the end, the Lady Hounds walked away with brand new white satin jackets and a first place finish in Medium Varsity Division II. This was the second national title in the program’s history.

4. Corbin baseball team wins region championship
A long drought of regional baseball championship wins came to an end in 2018 for the Corbin Redhounds, who pulled off a miraculous comeback victory over the Whitley County Colonels to earn a spot in the KHSAA state tournament at Lexington’s Whitaker Bank Ballpark. The Hounds lost to Hazard in round one at state, but were thrilled to finally be able to add another 13th Region championship to the trophy case.

5. Corbin boys soccer team wins region, advances to Elite 8 of KHSAA state tournament
Rounding out an all Corbin top five, the Redhound boys soccer team won another regional championship in 2018, going on to advance to the Elite 8 of the KHSAA state tournament in Lexington. It was here that they fell to eventual state champions St. Xavier.

6. Corbin volleyball team wins region championship
The Lady Hound volleyball team had an amazing season in 2018, winning 32 games that included 50th District and 13th Region championship victories.

7. Williamsburg girls basketball team wins All “A” regional championship, advances to Final Four of state tourney
The Williamsburg Lady Jackets basketball team made history in early 2018 by winning the program’s first-ever All “A” regional championship. They would then go on to win two games in the All “A” state championship tournament at Eastern Kentucky University’s McBrayer Arena.

8. Williamsburg baseball team wins All “A” regional championship
It was a great year for Williamsburg baseball in 2018, but the highlight of the season was the Yellow Jackets’ 13th Region All “A” championship win. The Jackets defeated Harlan 10-0 and Barbourville 13-6 to earn a spot in the All “A” Sectionals about a month later.

9. Williamsburg softball team wins All “A” regional championship
The Williamsburg softball team also captured a regional All “A” championship title in 2018, defeating Harlan 3-0 and pulling out a 1-0 victory over Middlesboro to qualify for state tournament competition.

10. Lynn Camp boys basketball team wins All “A” regional championship, Wildcats cheer team wins in-game competition at state
Rounding out this year’s list are the Lynn Camp Wildcats. The boys basketball team defeated Williamsburg back in January to win a 13th Region All “A” championship title. They would fall to Beechwood in the first round of the state tournament at EKU’s McBrayer Arena about a week later, but the LCHS cheer team ended up taking first place in the tournament’s in-game cheer competition.