Signing off the blog

With the fall sports seasons over for the local high school teams, I have decided to stop updating this blog.

It's something I thought about doing when I retired from WFTM radio in 2019, but I kept the blog going for six more years trying to provide some coverage not always available elsewhere.

I have enjoyed writing about the local teams and their games. But to keep readers, a blog needs to be updated almost daily or even many times a day. That takes a lot of time and is a big commitment.

Thanks to everyone who has read the blog. If you get on the web version, every post is archived.

I will continue to update the Mason County Royals football blog, the Mason County Royals basketball blog and my podcast.

The Mason County cheerleading team is going to state

The Mason County cheerleading team is going to state after a runner-up finish in the KHSAA Region 5 Cheer Competition on Saturday at The Fieldhouse.

Mason County, competing in the All-Girls Medium division, had a total score of 72.25.

Cooper won the division (86.50) and Conner took third place (63.40).

Here is a link to the region results.

The state cheer competiton will be held at the GRC Arena in Winchester. The schedule has not been released.

Royals fall to Ashland 48-8 in the first round of the Class AAAA football playoffs

The Mason County Royals' season came to end with a 48-8 loss to the Ashland Tomcats in the first round of the Class AAAA football playoffs on Friday night at historic Putnam Stadium in Ashland.

The start of the game was delayed 45 minutes by lightning.

Ashland (7-4) led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and 34-0 at halftime.

Mason County (3-8) got on the scoreboard when Reid Anderson ran 11 yards for a touchdown with 9:21 remaining in the third quarter. Quarterback Camden Gregory ran in the two-point conversion. 

The Tomcats answered with two touchdowns in the third quarter to lead 48-8. The final 12:47 of the game was played with a running clock.

Ashland will play the Highlands Bluebirds in the second round next week in Fort Thomas.

A 1st Q 10:56 Cameron Davis 17 yard run  (Troy Barnett kick) A 7, MC 0

A 1st Q 5:44 Cameron Davis 3 yard run (Troy Barnett kick) A 14, MC 0

A 2nd Q 9:18 Tanner Stutler 13 yard run (kick failed) A 20, MC 0

A 2nd Q 2:42 Trevonte Taylor 3 yard pass from Tanner Stutler (Troy Barnett kick) A 27, MC 0

A 2nd Q 00:33 Justin Hughes 23 yard pass from Tanner Stutler (Troy Barnett kick) A 34, MC 0

MC 3rd Q 9:21 Reid Anderson 11 yard run (Camden Gregory run) A 34, MC 8

A 3rd Q 7:13 Bordy Simpkins 3 yard run (Troy Barnett kick) A 41, MC 8

A 3rd Q 00:47 Dylan Duckwyler 61 yard pass from Tanner Stutler) Troy Barnett kick) A 48, MC 8

KHSAA Region 5 and Region 6 cheer competition is Saturday at The Fieldhouse

The 2025 KHSAA Competitive Cheer for Regions 5 and 6 will take place on Saturday at The Fieldhouse.

Cheer Region 5 is the same as Regions 9 and 10 in basketball while cheer Region 6 is the same as Regions 11 and 12 in basketball, so hundreds of people will be in town for the competition.

There will be two sessions. Doors open at 7:40 a.m. for teams and at 8 a.m. for spectators for Region 5. Competition will begin at 9 a.m.

Mason County will compete in the All-Girls Medium Division and will check-in at 9:14 a.m. and perform at 9:56 a.m.

The Region 6 competition will be begin at 2 p.m. Doors open for teams at 1:20 p.m. and for spectators at 1:40 p.m.

The Fieldhouse will be cleared between the two sessions.

Here is a link to the complete schedule.

Tickets are $12 each. Here is the link to purchase tickets.

Tickets can also be purchased with a credit card at the door. There will be no cash ticket sales.

First round matchups for Class AAAA football

The Mason County Royals will travel to Ashland on Friday to play the Ashland Tomcats in the first round of the Class AAAA football playoffs.

Here are all of the first round matchups in Class AAAA:

Taylor County at Paducah Tilghman 

Franklin-Simpson at John Hardin

Calloway County at Elizabethtown

Marion County at Logan County

Grant County at North Oldham 

Breckinridge County at Spencer County

Waggener at Franklin County

Western Hills at Valley

Greenup County at Highlands

Mason County at Ashland

Harrison County at Johnson Central

Boyd County at Covington Catholic

Whitley County at Boyle County 

Wayne County at Harlan County

Russell County at Corbin

Perry County Central at Lincoln County

The winners of the two games grouped together will meet in the second round. 

For the third round and semifinals, the matchups will be determined by the end of the regular season Ratings Performance Index.

Local results for the XC state championships

The Mason County Lady Royals finished 25th at the Kentucky Beef Council KHSAA Class AA State Cross Country Championships on Saturday at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

Junior Kolby Galloway led the Lady Royals with a time of 22:31.19.

The other five Lady Royals and their times include: 

Lily Dean 24:25.02

Ava Winter 25:55.56

Calleigh Passmore 26:02.60

Sophie Dean 26:16.27

Ellen Clarke 33:19.73

Four Royals were individual qualifiers for the boys' race:

Daniel Klump 18:17.22

John Yazell 19:48.69

Parker Mead 20:58.08

Shawn Hardin 21:01.12

St. Patrick senior Gabe Sammons was an individual qualifier for the boys' Class A meet and finished with a time of 19:08.84

Gabe Sammons will run in the Class A state cross country meet

St. Patrick senior Gabe Sammons will run in the Kentucky Beef Council KHSAA Cross Country State Championships on Saturday at Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington.

Sammons is an individual qualifier in the boys' Class A meet which is scheduled to start at 3 p.m.