Basketball

All things considered, the Corbin Lady Hounds should be entering this season as the team to beat in the 13th Region. Just take a look at the wealth of experience on the roster, and it’s not difficult to understand why. Bringing everyone back from last year’s squad, Head Coach Isaac Wilson had the following to say about his talented cast of veteran players… “Kallie Housley has taken on a different sort of leadership role on this team, and she is holding people accountable on-and-off the court. She is determined to end her senior season the right way. Darcie Anderson is back and healthy again after getting a little banged up last...

With several young players in the lineup this season, Whitley County Lady Colonels basketball Head Coach Sean Pigman says that time on the court will be key to getting this team where they need to be by late-January, early-February. “Things have been going good, but we’re a work in progress, for sure,” said Pigman, who is coming into his fifth season leading the Lady Colonels. “We will be very young, with two seniors and two juniors. There are four-or-five freshmen who will play a lot. They will get some substantial minutes.” Because the Whitley girls team will be comprised mostly of younger talent this winter, Pigman is counting on his more...

Considering the fact that they graduated their top three scorers (Ashton Reynolds, Brayden Mahan and Jamie Fuson) from last year’s team, it would be easy to assume that the Whitley County Colonels will be at somewhat of a disadvantage coming into the new season. You’d be mistaken, though, as Head Coach Eric Swords says that he is feeling good about where his team is at right now. “I think this group is probably farther ahead than any other group that I’ve coached,” said Swords, who held head coaching positions at Lynn Camp, Berea and Williamsburg high schools before coming to Whitley County. “We’ve got a lot of young guys, but...

The Williamsburg Lady Jackets are facing another reset this season, as first-year Head Coach Melissia Everage-Douglas takes over following a disappointing 11-20 season that saw the team winless in district play and in the bottom five of the district. Douglas spent the past 19 years as part of the Whitley County School District before returning to her alma-mater over the summer, where she is hoping to right the ship for the Lady Jackets. She referred to her homecoming as “almost like a fairytale.” “I loved everything about being a Lady Jacket,” said Douglas. “I’ve always loved coaching and one dream that I’ve always had was becoming a varsity-level coach. I almost...

Following a tough year with plenty of hard losses, the Williamsburg Yellow Jackets are hoping to rebound strong in Head Coach Anthony Hibbard’s second year at the helm. Last year, Williamsburg turned out a 15-15 season, with a 0-7 district record. Despite that outcome, Hibbard is optimistic about his team’s chances this year, saying that he is excited for the upcoming season and is looking forward to the challenges ahead. “We had some bright moments last season, and we are hoping we can use some of that momentum to continue to build up our program,” said Hibbard. “We are working on putting product on the floor that represents our community...

When it comes to the history of athletics, specifically basketball, in Whitley County and surrounding areas, you will likely not find a person more knowledgeable than Coach Donnie “Burr” Haynes. Haynes came to Whitley County High School in 1964, the year after consolidation. He played baseball throughout his high school career, and he started on the varsity basketball team as a sophomore, junior and senior. “We had a very competitive team my senior year,” Haynes recalled. “G.B. Hendrickson was our coach. He was tough, old school. We just played extremely hard. It was a heck of a team.” Haynes and his fellow Colonels came close to winning it all in the district...

Last week, several of Whitley County High School’s varsity sports teams joined forces to present a two-day youth camp that included hands-on instruction in six different athletic activities. The event was a huge success, with around 300 kids ranging in age from preschool to eighth grade showing up to take part. “At this age, kids should try all of it,” said Matt Rhymer, who is about to enter into his first season as the head coach of the Colonel football program. “We have to share athletes here as a rural county school, so it’s really about being one big community. We don’t want to create any barriers or walls, but...

Lynn Camp sports fans are sure to remember the name Austyn Weddle. As a multi-sport athlete, he helped several varsity-level Wildcat athletic programs remain competitive on the court and field during his years at LCHS. As a senior during the 2015-16 school year, Weddle led the Wildcats football team in receiving with over 400 yards on the season, including six touchdowns. He was also the basketball team’s leading scorer that season, averaging 13 points per game and contributing to an overall winning record of 17-10. He also was a member of the school’s baseball team that spring. Weddle is still doing big things nearly ten years after last suiting up at...

An announcement was made Monday confirming that the All "A" statewide basketball tournament will be coming to the Corbin Arena in 2024. The press release, sent out by Corbin Tourism Director Maggy Mohollen, stated, "Gary Munsie, Chairperson of the Kentucky All 'A' Classic, is pleased to announce the organization will be conducting the 2024 statewide basketball tournament at the Corbin Arena in Corbin, Kentucky. The tournament dates are January 24 through January 28. This is made possible through cooperation between the City of Corbin, the Corbin Arena, Corbin Tourism, and the Kentucky All 'A' Classic." Additional details will be provided in the April 12 print edition of the News Journal.

The all-time leading scorer in the history of the Corbin Lady Hounds basketball program, Shelby Stewart, has continued to impress on the court at the college level. As a freshman at Alice Lloyd College this past season, she played an integral role in the Eagles’ 20-win campaign that included an appearance in the National Christian College Athletic Association’s Mid-East Region championship game and an at-large bid to the 2023 NCCAA Division I National Championship Tournament in Winona Lake, Ind. Stewart, who ended her varsity career at CHS in 2022 with just under 2,000 points, appeared in every game for the Eagle women in her first year at Alice Lloyd. Before...