Plans are being finalized for the Allen County-Scottsville Lady
Patriot and Patriot basketball team to participate in the inaugural Kentucky 2A
Basketball Championships during the 2018-19 season. The basketball tournaments
next season will be followed by 2A championships in baseball, softball, boys
and girls soccer, and volleyball in the coming years.
Since 1990, small high schools across Kentucky have participate in the
All-A basketball tournament. The single
elimination event in open to the smallest 120 schools (based on enrollment
figures with the Kentucky Department of Education) compete to determine 16
regional champions and a state All-A champion. In recent years, the All-A has expanded
to include softball, baseball, soccer, and volleyball.
Last year, Union County athletic director Jeremy Thackett and Webster
County Athletic Director Matt Bell began to discuss a similar event for schools
with an enrollment larger than the All-A enrollment cap but less than 1,000
students. The discussions led to the formation of a state-wide 2A Championship
Board of Directors—a board that includes AC-S Athletic Director Kerry Harwood.
Officials determined 66 schools were eligible based on current
enrollment numbers. Each school was contacted and given the opportunity to take
part. However, due to various reasons, only 45 schools elected to participate
in the first basketball championships this year.
Plans call for the 2A Championships to have schools divided into four
sectionals across the Commonwealth. Each sectional will include teams from four
regions. The current Kentucky High School Athletic Association (KHSAA) alignment
will be used to determine region schools. Unlike the All-A---which crowns 16
regional champions---the 2A will crown a sectional champion with the champion
and runner-up advancing to an eight-team state tournament.
AC-S will be in Section One along with five Region 4
schools---Franklin-Simpson, Glasgow, Warren Central, and Warren East. Section
One will also include Region One schools Paducah Tilghman and Calloway County
and Region Two schools Caldwell County, Hopkins County Central, Trigg County,
Union County and Webster County. No schools from Region 3 will be
participating.
A 12-team Section One tournament will be played. The first round will
include eight schools pitted against each other in girl/boy games that must be
completed by January 5. The winners move into the second round against a team
that received a first round bye, based on a pre-determined draw. The winners
advance to the third round with the fourth round being the championship game of
the sectional.
Specifically, the Section One tournament will have the following first
round games; Union County at Calloway County, Trigg County at Warren East,
Paducah Tilghman at Caldwell County, and Warren Central at Franklin-Simpson. For
the next round, the winners of Union County/Calloway County will travel to Hopkins
County Central. The Trigg County and Warren East winners face Glasgow on the
road. The Tilghman/Caldwell County winners play at Webster County with the
Central/Franklin-Simpson winners playing AC-S on January 7 at Patriot Gym.
If the Lady Patriots and/or Patriots win the home game, the squad(s)
will play the next round at Hopkins County Central on January 12 against the Tilghman/Caldwell
County verses Webster County winner. The championship of the Sectional will be on
January 13. All third and fourth round games will be a part of girl/boy doubleheaders
and played at Hopkins County Central High School in Madisonville.
The winner and runner-up will advance to the 2A state tournament. The
event will be hosted in Owensboro---the result of a three-year partnership
established with the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Games will be held at the 5,000-seat historic Owensboro Sportscenter. Owensboro
will also host the championships in the other 2A sports in future years.
AC-S boys basketball coach Nick Chaykowsky is excited about the new
tournament.
“I’m looking forward to another way our kids can
compete for a championship,” Coach Chaykowsky said. “I think it’s a great idea.”
Lady Patriot coach Brad Bonds joins Chaykowsky in looking forward to the
tournament.
“We are definitely excited about this opportunity to compete solely with
other schools that are classed as the same size we are,” Lady Patriot coach
Brad Bonds noted. “Sometimes it’s difficult to compete annually with the larger
schools as they offer more student athletes to pull from. This opportunity
gives our team as well as this school and community a sense of pride in
competing for multiple state championships.”
Chaykowsky is familiar with the class-like tournament from previous
coaching experience. In 2010 as head coach at Ballard Memorial, Chaykowsky led
the Bombers to the Region One, All-A title and an appearance in the All-A state
tournament at Eastern Kentucky University.
The boys Section 1 field will include KHSAA state tournament
semifinalist Warren Central (31-6) along with District 15 champion Glasgow
(22-9). The girls side includes defending Region 2 champion Webster County
(28-7), Region One semifinalist Calloway County (22-11), and Region 4
semifinalist Glasgow (22-10).
Not only will the Sectional tournament be strong, state teams in the
girls mix include Mercer County (36-3)---the reigning KHSAA state champion---along
with traditionally string programs like John Hardin (23-10), Mason County
(19-12), Clay County (21-9), and Bell County (19-10).
AC-S’s decision to play in the tournament will mean adjustments will
have to be made to the current schedules.
“Yes, it (participation in the tournament)
has brought about some difficulties as well,” coach Bonds added. “Scheduling
has been difficult as we have had to move contracted games around to make room
for the in-season tourney. Also per KHSAA rule, you can only play 30
games so the uncertainty of advancement makes it difficult to schedule the
right number of games. You may have to drop or pick up some games late
depending on advancement.”
The 2A Championships are expected to include
softball and baseball in the 20-21 school year with girls and boys soccer and
volleyball included in the fall of 2021.
For more information, visit https://ky2achampionships.wixsite.com/ky2achampionships.