Top 10 local sports stories of 2010

2010 was another busy year in local sports with many important team victories and individual achievements. Here is my ranking of the top 10 local sports stories of the year:

1. The Mason County boys' basketball team won its third straight 10th Region title and advanced to the state semifinals.

2. Mason County quarterback Neal Pawsat suffered a knee injury in the second round of the playoffs and the Royals lost the game to Belfry.

3. Centre College junior golf Chris Morris finished third in the NCAA Division III National Championship , received All-American Honors and won the Chippeways for the second straight year.

4. Mark Blakefield won two events on the NGA Hooters Pro Golf Tour, qualified for two Nationwide Tour events and advanced to the second stage of the PGA Q-School.

5. Berea College senior Micah Turner was the KIAC Player of the Year and was named to the NCAA Division II Third Team.

6. Chris Lofton was drafted by the Iowa Energy of the NBA Development League.

7. Mason County senior Seth Adkins won the Class AA state championship in the 200 meters and finished in the 100 meter dash.

8. The Mason County 4x400 meter relay team of Seth Adkins, Colt Fearis, Josh Harris and Bradley Lang won the Class AA state title.

9. The Mason County girls' cross country team won its third straight regional championship and finished sixth in the state meet.

10. The Mason County girls' and boys' track and field teams won regional championships.

Royals rally for a 56-46 victory over Montgomery County

The Mason County Royals got off to a good start, but had a bad finish in a loss to Madison Central Wednesday. Today, the Royals started bad and finished strong to beat the Montgomery County Indians 56-46 in the third place of the Gateway Holiday Classic at Montgomery County.

The Indians jumped out to an 11-0 lead and were up 28-14 in the second quarter. Mason County pulled to within eight points by the end of the half, and outscored Montgomery County 18-6 in the third quarter. Montgomery County hit five three-pointers in the first quarter and none the rest of the game. Treg Setty and Tyler Black both had double-doubles and were named to the all-tournament team. Setty had 21 points and 12 rebounds. Black scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds- seven on the offensive end. Cody Hamm gave the Royals a spark off the bench with a career-high eight points. Mason County had 20 offensive rebounds and had 18 second chance points to just four for Montgomery County. The Royals play at Campbell County Tuesday night.

Mason County (5-5) Gilbert 6, Black 11, Setty 21, Harris 9, Henry 1, Hamm 8

Montgomery County (6-6) Prewitt 7, Handshoe 16, Fruth 5, Asberry 5, Mulling 7, Dotson 4,

Crisp 2

Mason County FG 41.4% 3 PT FG 16.7% FT 35.3% REB 44 TO 11

Montgomery County FG 36.4% 3 PT FG 22.7% FT 81.8% TO 14

Mason County 08 14 18 16-56

Montgomery County 21 09 06 10-46

Note:

• Treg Setty moved past his brother, Trevor, into 19th place on the Royals' all-time scoring list with 1,055 career points.

Photos of Chris Lofton in Ft. Wayne

(Photo credit: Danielle Weddle and Mallory Reed)

Lady Royals fall to East Carter 70-56 in championship game

The Mason County Lady Royals lost to the East Carter Lady Raiders 70-56 tonight in the championship game of the Queen of the Bluegrass Tournament at East Carter. Katelyn Smith led Mason County in scoring with 20 points. Bailey Menke followed with 12 points and Courtney Moran added 11 points. Smith, Menke and Alicia Moore were named to the all-tournament team,

The Lady Royals will be back in action Monday night at Clark County.

MC (5-7) Smith 20, Menke 11, Moran 11, Henry 3, Moore 2, Morton 2, Weddle 2, Bierly 2, Simms 2

EC (6-1) Burge 17, Parsons 13, Sargent 12, Wilson 11, Cline 5, Gee 3, K. Stumbo 2, J. Stumbo 2,

Pennington 2, Damron 2, Greenhill 1

MC 11 13 09 23-56

EC 17 16 15 22-70

11-0 game-ending run by Madison Central dooms Royals

The Madison Central Indians scored the last 11 points of the game to rally past the Mason County Royals 56-50 tonight in the semifinal round of the Gateway Classic at Montgomery County. Mason County led 32-21 with just over six minutes left in the game after Madison Central Coach Allen Feldhaus Junior was hit with a technical foul. The Indians went on a 14-2 run to take their first lead of the game at 35-34. Mason County then put together a 12-5 run to lead 46-40 and was up 48-44 when Treg Setty fouled out with 1:43 to play. The Royals were up 50-45 with 1:19 left in the game, but did not score again. Madison Central sophomore point guard Dominique Hawkins scored 21 of his game-high 23 points in the second half (13 in the fourth quarter). Setty and Tyler Black scored 20 points apiece. Mason County will play in the third place game Thursday at 4 p.m. Mason County and Madison Central will meet again Jan. 14 in the US Bank Classic at The Fieldhouse.

Mason County (4-5) Gilbert 7, Black 20, Setty 20, Harris 2, Menefee 1

Madison Central (7-4) O'Bryan 7, Hawkins 23, Allen 7, Ford 4, Covington 6, Bosley 5, Taylor 1, Pyatt 3

Mason County FG 35.6% 3 PT FG 25% FT 75% REB 29 TO 12

Madison Central FG 37% 3 PT FG 33.3% FT 69.2% REB 37 TO 10

Mason County 14 10 10 16-50

Madison Central 06 10 15 25-56

Lofton scores 22 points in Energy victory

Chris Lofton got off to a fast start and scored 22 points in the Iowa Energy's 111-100 win over the Ft. Wayne Mad Ants Tuesday night in the NBA Development League. Lofton made four three-pointers in the first quarter. Lofton ended up 8-of-16 from the field including 5-of-9 on three-point shots and 1-of-2 on free throws. He also had five rebounds and four steals. Lofton scored 17 points in the Energy's loss to Ft. Wayne on Sunday.

Lady Royals beat West Carter 55-45

Katelyn Smith scored 19 points and Alicia Moore added 13 to lead the Mason County Lady Royals to a 55-45 win over the West Carter Lady Comets tonight in the semifinal round of the Queen of the Bluegrass Tournament at East Carter. Bailey Menke pulled down 11 rebounds. The Lady Royals will play in the championship game Wednesday at 6:15 p.m. against the East Carter Lady Raiders.

MC (5-6) Moran 6, Moore 13, Menke 9, Smith 19, Butler 6, Morton 2

WJ (5-4) Adkins 5, Reynolds 8, Shepherd 5, Tackett 8, Perry 17, Holbrook 2

MC FG 45.7% 3 PT FG 35.7% FT 61.5% REB 39 TO 19

WJ FG33.3% 3 PT FG 38.5% FT 80% REB 28 TO 14

MC 13 14 12 16-55

WJ 13 10 11 11-45

Royals squander lead, but pull out a 54-53 win over West Jessamine

The Mason County Royals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 54-53 victory over the West Jessamine Colts today in the first round of the Gateway Classic at Montgomery County. The Royals led by 14 points in the third quarter and trailed by three in the fourth quarter. There were eight lead changes and nine ties in the game. The last tie was at 53-53. Josh Harris hit one of two free throws to put Mason County ahead at 54-53 with 4.2 seconds left. West Jessamine missed a shot at the buzzer and the Royals evened their record at 4-4. Treg Setty scored a game-high 22 points including his 1,000th career point. Tyler Black hit four three-pointers and had a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Mason County plays Madison Central in the semifinal round Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

MC (4-4) Gilbert 9, Osborne 2, Black 18, Setty 22, Harris 3

WJ (3-7) Martin 5, Donaldson 4, Hagar 5, Pohl 20, Dunn 7, Watts 12

MC FG 39.6% 3 PT FG 25% FT 53.8% REB 34 TO 13

WJ FG 45.8% 3 PT FG 23.5% FT 71.4% REB 29 TO 14

MC 06 19 16 13-54

WJ 07 14 15 17-53

Notes:

• Treg Setty is the 20th Royal to reach the 1,000 point plateau;
• Coach Chris O'Hearn is third on the Royals' coaches wins list. He passed Jim Mitchell with the Royals' win over Kamuki in Hawaii. With today's win, O'Hearn has 162 victories as Mason County's coach.

Royals vs. W.Jessamine in Gateway Classic

The Mason County Royals play the West Jessamine Colts today at 3:30 p.m. in the Gateway Classic at Montgomery County. Here is a link to the boys' tournament bracket.

Smith scores 30 points to lead the Lady Royals to a 56-55 win over Conner

Katelyn Smith scored a career-high 30 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Mason County Lady Royals to a 56-55 win over the Conner Lady Cougars tonight in the first round of the Queen of the Bluegrass Tournament at East Carter. The win snapped a six-game losing streak.The Lady Royals led by five at the half, but were outscored 23-9 in the third quarter. Conner scored the first three points of the fourth quarter to lead 45-32. Smith scored 16 points in the fourth quarter including 13 straight. The Lady Royals went on a 22-6 run. Alicia Moore scored 11 points. Toria Fischer scored a game-high 33 points for Conner. The Lady Royals play the West Carter Lady Comets Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the semifinals.

MC (4-6) Moran 6, Menke 2, Smith 30, Moore 11, Morton 4, Butler 3

C (1-7) Castleberry 2, Fischer 33, Begley 5, Ray 4, Goetting 2, Scott 7, Zumwalde 2

MC FG 42.0% 3 PT FG 11.1% FT 59.1% REB 45 TO 26

C FG 37.5% 3 PT FG 42.9% FT 70.0% REB 27 TO 19

MC 15 09 08 24-56

C 09 10 23 13-55

Harris named 1st team all-state, Pawsat honorable mention by Courier-Journal

The Courier-Journal has announced its 2010 Kentucky All-State football teams. Mason County junior linebacker Josh Harris was named to the first team. Mason County senior quarterback Neal Pawsat received honorable mention all-state recogniton. Check out these links:

Courier-Journal Kentucky All-State football teams

Harris profile

Lofton scores 24 points in Energy's loss to Erie

Chris Lofton made six three-pointers and scored 24 points but the Iowa Energy lost to the Erie Bayhawks 114-110 on Christmas night. Lofton was 9-of-18 from the field including 6-of-12 on three pointers. Lofton is averaging 11.6 points per game in his first season in the NBA Development League. Iowa (10-4) plays at Ft. Wayne, Indiana today and Tuesday night. That is the closest to Maysville that Lofton will play this year. Several local residents are planning to attend Tuesday night's game. Here is a link to the desmoinesregister.com story on Saturday night's game.

Local teams return to action this week in holiday tournaments

The four local basketball teams return to action this week in holiday tournaments. The St. Patrick Lady Saints play the Nelson County Lady Cardinals Monday at 2:30 p.m. in the Titan Christmas Clash at Mercer County. The Mason County Lady Royals play the Conner Lady Cougars Monday at 4:45 p.m. in the Commercial Bank Queen of the Bluegrass Tournament at East Carter. The Mason County Royals play the West Jessamine Colts Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. in the Gateway Classic at Montgomery County. The St. Patrick Saints play the Fairview Eagles Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the Ripley Pepsi Classic.

Setty named to All-Tournament Team, Royals receive sportsmanship trophy at Iolani Classic

Mason County senior forward Treg Setty was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Iolani Classic. Setty averaged 15.6 points in four games in the tournament. Mason County received the One Team Award for sportsmanship. The Royals finished in eighth place. Here is a link to the awards page on the Iolani Classic website.

Iolani Classic photos

(Photo credit: Nancye Fritz)

Royals lose to Iolani 48-45

Jourdan Simmonds hit a three-pointer with three seconds left in the game to give the Iolani Raiders a 48-45 win over the Mason County Royals Tuesday in the seventh place game in the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Jordan Gilbert's desperation shot just inside the time line missed as the buzzer sounded. There were six ties and seven lead changes in the game. Gilbert scored a game-high 18 points. Treg Setty had a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Mason County was 1-3 in the tournament and is 3-4 overall. The Royals play West Jessamine in the Gateway Holiday Classic at Montgomery County on Dec. 28.

MC(3-4) Gilbert 18, Black 7, Setty 14, Harris 4, Henry 2

I (3-2) Simmonds 8, Saito 7, Tulonghari 14, Sukumaran 10, Ching 3, Pauli 4

MC FG 39.5% 3 PT FG 29.4% FT 66.7% REB 30 TO 11

I FG 51.4% 3 PT FG 46.2% FT 66.7% REB 16 TO 8

MC 14 11 10 10-45

I 11 15 10 12-48

Lady Royals suffer sixth straight loss

The Mason County Lady Royals suffered their sixth straight loss, falling to St. Jean de Brebeuf of Canada 46-30 this morning in the seventh place game of the St. Andrew's School Holiday Classic in Boca Raton, Florida. Faith Weddle led Mason County in scoring with eight points. Mason County freshman Brittany Hardin was named to the All-Tournament Team. The Lady Royals' next game is Dec. 27 vs. Conner in the Commercial Bank Queen of the Bluegrass Tournament at East Carter.

MC (3-6) Moran 2, Smith 6, Moore 6, Morton 5, Weddle 8, Hardin 3

Royals routed by Lexington Catholic 83-59

Lexington Catholic's depth and pressure defense was too much for Mason County as the Knights routed the Royals 83-59 Monday in the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Lexington Catholic's lead was just four points at 44-40 with 3:20 left in the third quarter, but the Knights ended the quarter on a 16-9 run and outscored the Royals 23-10 in the fourth quarter. Lexington Catholic scored 27 points off 17 Mason County turnovers. The Knights had 17 points off the bench compared to just two for Mason County. Tyler Black had a game-high 25 points for Mason County. Connor Osborne scored a career-high 12 points and Treg Setty added 11 points. Mason County will play the Iolani Raiders in the seventh place game Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. (Maysville time).

MC (3-3) Gilbert 3, Osborne 12, Black 25, Setty 11, Harris 6, Tuel 2

LC (7-1) Woomer 9, Martin 17, Beckham 11, Schutte 17, Floyd 12, Muncy 3, Porter 10, Keller 2,

Whitman 2

MC FG 50% 3 PT FG 18.2% FT 77.3% REB 21 TO 17

LC FG 56.4% 3 PT FG 50% FT 57.9% REB 30 TO 9

MC 16 12 21 10-59

LC 18 16 26 23-83

Lady Royals lose to Jupiter Christian 42-30 in Floirda

The Mason County Lady Royals committed 24 turnovers-16 in the first half- and lost to the Jupiter Christian (FL) Lady Warriors 42-30 today in the St. Andrew's Holiday Classic in Boca Raton, Florida. Jupiter Christian led 25-9 at the half and led by as many as 19 in the fourth quarter. Brittany Hardin led Mason County in scoring with seven points. The Lady Royals have lost five straight games. They will play St. Jean de Brebeuf of Canada Tuesday at 9 a.m.

MC (3-5) Moran 3, Smith 6, Moore 2, Morton 6, Butler 2, Biereley 3, Henry 1, Hardin 7
JC (6-4) Caspar 15, Larkin 7, St. Van 3, Rienas 4, Ugles 7, Van Dusen 5, Pino 1

Pawsat named to Herald-Leader's Class of the Commonwealth

Mason County quarterback Neal Pawsat is one of 22 seniors named to the Lexington Herald-Leader's 19th Annual Class of the Commonwealth. Here is a link to the story.

Royals' rally comes up short in 59-53 loss to Mt. Vernon

The Mason County Royals lost to the Mt. Vernon (NY) Knights 59-53 Saturday in the quarterfinal round of the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mt. Vernon, ranked No. 14 in USA Today's Super 25, led 41-28 with 3:40 left in the third quarter. Mason County went on a 14-2 run to get to within one at 43-42 with 6:35 to play in the game. It was 45-44 Mt. Vernon with 3:35 when the Knights put together a 15-6 run to lead by nine at 59-50. Treg Setty hit a three-pointer at the buzzer for the final margin. Setty ended up with 24 points. Jordan Gilbert added 11 points. Jabarie Hinds, who has committed to West Virginia, scored 22 points for Mt. Vernon. Mason County will play Lexington Catholic Monday at 10 p.m. (Maysville time).

MC (3-2) Gilbert 11, Osborne 5, Black 9, Setty 24, Harris 4

MV (4-0) Samuels 4, Hinds 22, Cousins 14, Copeland, Lovell 2, Doughty 2, Robinson 6, Stephens 2, Walker 6

MC FG 43.8% 3 PT FG 28.6% FT 58.3% REB 32 TO 21

MV FG 45.3% 3 PT FG 25% FT 53.3% REB 32 TO 15

MC 20 04 15 14-53

MV 23 07 13 16-59

(Edited to correct Treg Setty's point total)

Lady Royals fall to N. Broward Prep 47-44 in OT

The Mason County Lady Royals lost to North Broward Prep 47-44 in overtime Saturday in the opening round of the St. Andrew's School Holiday Classic in Boca Raton, Florida. Bailey Menke hit a three-pointer with 10 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 40-40. The Lady Royals will play in the consolation round Monday at 5:30 p.m.

MC (3-4) Moran 5, Menke 16, Smith 5, Moore 6, Morton 4, Butler 8
NBP (3-4) Keise 6, Thornton 8, Bullard 10, Garner 17, Maximillien 6

MC 08 12 07 13 04-44

NBP 13 04 14 09 07-47

Royals play Mt. Vernon tonight in Hawaii

The Mason County Royals play the Mt. Vernon (NY) Knights tonight in the quarterfinal round of the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mt. Vernon defeated Kamehameha 63-50 Friday night. Mason County beat Mt. Vernon 73-69 in the 2007 Iolani Classic. Game time is 1 a.m. (Maysville time).

Lady Royals play North Broward Prep today in Florida

The Mason County Lady Royals play North Broward Prep today at 5:30 p.m. in the St. Andrew's School Classic in Boca Raton, Florida.

Royals hold off Kaimuki 50-46 in Iolani Classic

The Mason County Royals held off a small and scrappy Kaimuki team from Honolulu for a 50-46 victory Friday in the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. The Royals kept building double digit leads only to see the Bulldogs battle back. Mason County had a 14-point lead in the first half. Kaimuki rallied to tie the game at 28-28 in the third quarter. The Royals went ahead 43-33 with 5:18 left in the game. The Bulldogs went on a 13-5 run to get within two at 48-46 with 1:16 to play. Kaimuki had a chance to tie the game or take the lead but turned the ball over. Tyler Black rebounded a missed free throw by Jordan Gilbert and was fouled. Black hit both free throws to seal the win. Black was 8-of-8 on free throws and scored a game-high 16 points. Gilbert and Treg Setty scored 14 points a piece. Mason County will play the winner of the Mt. Vernon vs. Kamehameha at 1 a.m. Sunday (Maysville time).

MC (3-1) Gilbert 14, Osborne 4, Black 16, Setty 14, Hamm 2

K (3-3) Nishiyama 14, Motellang 2, Taulung 13, Kauli-Moe 14, Halialpiapi 2, Kakitani 1

MC 11 13 08 18-50

K 03 11 14 18-46

Royals play Kaimuki tonight in Iolani Classic

The Mason County Royals play the Kaimuki Bulldogs tonight in the first round of the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii. Kaimuki is located in Honolulu. The Bulldogs are 3-2. Senior Chester Su'a has verbally committed to play football at Washington State. Kaimuki was the Division II state runner-up in football. The Royals visited Pearl Harbor on Thursday. Game time tonight is 8:30 Maysville time. Here are the scores from Thursday's games:

Iolani (HI) 54 , Radford (HI) 35

Dr. Phillips (FL)83, AOP 47

Wheeler (GA) 71, Mililani (HI) 34

Oak Hill (VA) 108, Moanalua 33

Julia Woods to All-Academic All State First Team

Mason County sophomore Julia Woods was named to the Class AA Cross Country All-Academic All-State First Team. Qualifications are either a top 25 finish in the state meet or have been ranked in the top 20 in one of the four ranking polls. The grade point average must be 3.75 or better.

Mason Co. No. 16 in Bluegrasspreps.com Boys' Basketball rankings

BOYS TOP 20

1. Eastern
2. Jeffersontown
3. Clark County
4. Christian County
5. Ballard
6. Moore
7. Tates Creek
8. Bowling Green
9. Trinity
10. Pleasure Ridge Park
11. Lexington Catholic
12. Scott County
13. Western
14. Male
15. Iroquois
16. Mason County
17. Warren Central
18. Seneca
19. Paducah Tilghman
20. Perry County Central

Hawaii and Florida tournament schedules

The Mason County Royals play in the Iolani Classic in Honolulu, Hawaii Friday through Tuesday, and the Mason County Lady Royals play in the St. Andrew's School Holiday Classic in Boca Raton, Florida Saturday through Tuesday. I will be broadcasting the Royals' games in Hawaii. Alex Petakas will be doing the play-by-play of the Lady Royals' games. The games will be on WFTM-FM and soft96.com. Here are links to the tournament schedules:

Iolani Classic

St. Andrew's School Holiday Classic

Mason Co. footballl highlight DVD on sale

The 2010 Mason County Royals football team highlight DVD is now on sale. The DVD costs $10. It includes highlights of when the younger players were in at the end of a couple games. Coach David Buchanan said in an email message that the DVD should every player in the program. To purchase a DVD contact Buchanan. His email address is David.Buchanan@mason.kyschools.us

Lady Royals lose to Boyd Co. 54-43

The Mason County Lady Royals are 3-3 after losing to the Boyd County Lady Lions 54-43 Tuesday night at Boyd County. The Lady Lions used a 15-0 in the first half to pull away. Mason County has lost three straight games. Katelyn Smith led the Lady Royals in scoring with 15 points. Courtney Moran added 14 points. Mason County will play in the St. Andrew's School Holiday Classic in Boca Raton, Florida. The Lady Royals' first game in the tournament is Saturday at 5:3o p.m. vs. North Broward Prep.

MC (3-3) Moran 14, Menke 2, Butler 4, Moore 7, Morton 3, Smith 15

BC (4-1) Chaney 2, Moore 10, Brown 5, Plybon 10, Luttrell 2, Fraley 8, Wheeler 10, Stewart 5, Rose 2

MC FG 27.7% 3 PT FG 13.3% FT 50.0% REB 50 TO 19

BC FG 37.3% 3 PT FG 23.5% FT 50.0% REB 36 TO 1

MC 08 09 14 14-43

BC 09 18 08 19-54

Pendleton Co. at St. Patrick cancelled

The Pendleton County at St. Patrick boys' basketball game is cancelled tonight.

Mason Co. at Boyd Co. girls' game rescheduled tonight

The Mason County at Boyd County girls' basketball game that was cancelled Monday night has been rescheduled for tonight at 6 o'clock. It will be varsity only. The game will be part of a girl-boy doubleheader. The boys' game will pit Elliott County against Boyd County.

Mason County football banquet

The Mason County football team banquet was held tonight at the Maysville Church of the Nazarene. Here is a list of the award winners:

Colt Fearis Special Teams Award

Jordan Gilbert

Felici Felice No Excuse Award

Bill Shower

Chris Lofton/Andre Turner Team First Award

Austin Berry

Alex Newton

Matt Eads

Harry Lewis Find a Way to Win Award

Carson Gray

Andy Fryman Tradition Award

Neal Pawsat

Jamie Booher Hustle Award

Xavia Shurn

Josh Harris

Tony Thomas Big Hit Award

Josh Harris

Dustin Grutza Extra Effort Award

Neal Pawsat

Brandon Drake/Jason Turner Captain Award

Neal Pawsat

Mason Co. at Boyd Co. girls' games cancelled

The Mason County at Boyd County junior varsity and varsity girls' games are cancelled tonight.

Remembering Don Stahl

Former WFTM play-by-play announcer Don Stahl died Sunday. Don was my mentor. He gave a 19 year old wet behind the ears announcer an opportunity to call games for his hometown station. I was a bit intimidated by working with Don. I had grown up listening to him broadcast Maysville, St. Patrick and Mason County basketball games. Don was a professional. His precise description of the games was second to none including Cawood Ledford. Before I ever went on the air, Don had me practice calling games with a tape recorder. He critiqued my tapes and gave me suggestions for getting better. I still have a sheet of his suggestions. He stressed giving details of the game and never criticizing the officials. Even now after calling hundreds of games, I rely on the fundamentals Don taught me. When the Ledger-Independent did a feature on me a few years I ago I mentioned Don's influence on my career. He told me I had given him too much credit. That was not true. He deserves a world of credit, and I am forever grateful. Don called many big games for WFTM including Ronnie Lyons' 60-point performance at Bourbon County, Maysville's upset win over Louisville Central in the 1972 state tournament, the Maysville Bulldogs football games and the first two seasons of Mason County football. Don was a part of the Morehead State University broadcast team in the 1970s and early 1980s. He was there when Phil Simms was the Eagles' quarterback. Don left WFTM in 1981 to work in public relations for Dayton Power and Light. I am saddened by Don's passing and send my condolences to his family.

Royals suffer first loss 62-52 to Princeton

The Mason County Royals lost to the Cincinnati Princeton Vikings 62-52 today in the Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Holiday Classic at Northern Kentucky University's Bank of Kentucky Center.

Princeton led from start to finish. The Vikings were up by 16 at the half and scored the first two points of the third quarter to lead 36-18. Mason County ended up outscoring Princeton 14-7 in the third quarter and cut the deficit to five at 49-44 with four minutes left in the game. But the Royals went almost two minutes before they scored again. Jordan Gilbert led Mason County in scoring with 19 points. Treg Setty scored 18 and Tyler Black added 10. The Royals fly to Hawaii Wednesday and will play Kaimuki ofHonolulu in the first round of the Iolani Classic Friday night at 8:30 (Maysville time).

MC (2-1) Gilbert 19, Osborne 5, Black 10, Setty 18

P (3-1) Thomas 19, Jordan 2, McCants 8, Hill 9, McAvinchey 5, Isham 5, Smith 10, Monteiro 4

MC FG 44.7% 3 PT FG 16.7% FT 80% REB 26 TO 13

P FG 51.1% 3 PT FG 33.3% FT 60% REB 27 TO 10

MC 11 07 14 20-52

P 17 17 07 21-62

Notes:

• The loss was Mason County's first in six games played in the Bank of Kentucky Center.
• Treg Setty was named Most Valuable Player of the game for Mason County. Ulysses Thomas, who hit four three-pointers was named Princeton's MVP;
• Neal Pawsat received the Scholar Athlete Award for Mason County

Mason.Co. vs. Princeton game will be played

The Mason County Royals vs. Princeton Vikings game will be played today at 2:30 at Northern Kentucky University's Bank of Kentucky Center.

Saints edge Augusta 86-85 in double OT for first win

The St. Patrick Saints outlasted the previously unbeaten Augusta Panthers 86-85 in double overtime tonight for their first win of the season. Taylor Slack scored a game-high 30 points for St. Patrick. Cory Jodrey added 22 points and Ryan Gallenstein tossed in 20 points. The Saints host Pendleton County Tuesday night.

SP (1-3) Slack 30, Jodrey, 22, R. Gallenstein 20, Yeary 7, Applegate 3, Ralston 2, C. Gallenstein 2

A (3-1) Fraysure 28, Gibbs 15, Appelman 14, J. Kelsch 8, Moore 6, Krebs 5, Hamilton 4, T. Kelsch 3, Thorpe 2

Lady Royals lose to Fleming Co. 55-32

The Mason County Lady Royals fell behind early and lost to the Fleming County Lady Panthers 55-32 this afternoon in Flemingsburg. The Lady Royals (3-2) play at Boyd County Monday night.

MC (3-2) Moran 5, Menke 7, Butler 4, Moore 4, Smith 2, Bierley 3, Henry 2, Hardin 1, Simms 2, Love 2

FC (5-0) Allex 8, Puente 4, S.Boyd 3, M.Boyd 6, Johnson 5, Jett 5, James 4, Taylor 10, Thacker 3, Edmond 5, Robinson 2

MC FG 30.8% 3 PT FG 0.0% FT 44.4% REB 33 TO 22

FC FG 35.3% 3 PT FG 23.1% FT 72.7% REB 38 TO 19

MC 05 07 06 14-32

FC 10 15 16 14-55

The Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Holiday Classic is today and tomorrow

The Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Holiday Classic is today and tomorrow at Northern Kentucky University's Bank of Kentucky Center. The Mason County Royals play the Cincinnati Princeton Vikings Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students (grades 1-12) each day of the classic. Proceeds from the games will be donated to local charities, including the Ruth Lyons Children's Fund and Neediest Kids of All. Here is the schedule:

Today

5:30 p.m. Dixie Heights vs. Colerain

7:00 p.m. Holmes vs. Cincinnati Aiken

8:30 p.m. Louisville Male vs. Cincinnati Taft

Sunday

1:00 p.m. Ryle vs. Cincinnati Oak Hills

2:30 p.m. Mason County vs. Cincinnati Princeton

4:00 p.m. Covington Catholic vs. Cincinnati St. Xavier

Setty and Black combine for 56 points in Royals' 73-63 win over Scott

Treg Setty and Tyler Black combined for 56 points to lead the Mason County Royals to a 73-63 win over the Scott Eagles tonight in Taylor Mill. Setty scored 31 points and Black added 25- both are career highs. Setty was 14-of-21 from the field while Black made 11-of-15 shots. Both had nine rebounds. Scott jumped out to a 6-0 lead and led 28-20 in the second quarter. Black's putback tied the game at 30-30. Jordan Gilbert made 1-of-2 technical free throws to give the Royals' their first lead at 31-30. Mason County led the rest of way. The Royals play Cincinnati Princeton Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Holiday Classic at the Bank of Kentucky Center at Northern Kentucky University.

MC (2-0) Gilbert 5, Osborne 3, Black 25, Setty 31, Harris 9

S (2-1) Smith 20, Haynes 27, Farris 6, Jackson 7, Pouncy 3

MC FG 58.2% 3 PT FG 16.7% FT 72.7% REB 34, TO 17

S FG 40.7% 3 PT FG 37.5% FT 62.5% REB 24 TO 15

MC 16 19 21 17-73

S 18 14 18 12-63

Hoops notes

Here are a few hoops notes as we head into the second weekend of December:

• Wesley Jones hit six three-pointers and scored 31 points to lead Central State University to a 78-74 win over Gannon University Tuesday night. Jones was 7-of-12 from the field, 6-of-8 from three-point range and he sank 11-of-13 free throws. Jones also had two rebounds one steal;
• Treg Setty's 26 points in Mason County's season-opening win over Pendleton County moved him past Jon Ross and Fred Hester into 30th place on the Royals' all-time scoring list. Setty has 881 career points;
• Trevor Setty scored 18 points in Pikeville College's 122-71 victory over Alice Lloyd College. He is averaging 14.45 points a game;
• In their last 76 games against 10th Region opponents, the Mason County Royals are 71-5. Mason County's record vs. 10th Region teams from the 2000-01 season through Wednesday night's win is 157-11.

Lady Saints lose to Bracken Co. 68-63

The St. Patrick Lady Saints lost to the Bracken County Lady Bears 68-63 Thursday night in Brooksville. Three Lady Saints scored in double figures- Chelsea Douglas with 19 points, Brooke Mosler 17, Lydia Hamilton 13 and Allison Tolle 10. St. Patrick plays the Deming Lady Devils in Mt. Olivet Saturday night.

BC (3-1) Sticklen 25, Conley 12, Wills 8, Bell 7, Ahrens 6, Cummins 4

SP (1-1) Douglas 19, Mosler 17, Hamilton 13. Tolle 10, McKay 2, Hamm 2

Jake O'Mara makes 3/4 court shot

Mason County 8th grader Jake O'Mara hit a three-quarter length of the court shot at the end of the first quarter at East Carter. Here is the video. The shot is at 1:25 on the video.

Royals win season opener 67-42 over Pendleton County

The Mason County Royals opened the season with a 67-42 victory over the Pendleton County Wildcats tonight in Falmouth. Mason County outscored Pendleton County 27-8 in the second quarter. Treg Setty led the way with 26 points. Tyler Black scored 13 points and Jordan Gilbert added 10 points. Mason County plays the Scott Eagles in Taylor Mill Friday night.

MC (1-0) Gilbert 10, Osborne 6, Black 13, Setty 26, Harris 7, Henry 3, Staggs 2

PC (1-3) Monroe 10, Woods 3, Antrobus 9, Walsh 6, Valentine 5, Crozier 2, Moore 3, Rering 4

MC FG 51% 3 PT FG 33.3% FT 60% REB 29 TO 9

PC FG 41.2% 3 PT FG 36.4% FT 62.5% REB 23 TO 19

MC 14 27 10 16-67

PC 13 08 09 12-42

Lady Royals rally comes up short in a 53-49 loss to Campbell County

After trailing by 12 points in the fourth quarter, the Mason County Lady Royals put together a furious rally with a 9-0 run, but came up short in a 53-49 loss to the Campbell County Lady Camels tonight at Mason County. The Lady Royals were playing without their leading scorer, Katelyn Smith, who is sick. Courtney Moran scored a career-high 16 points. Bailey Menke tossed in 12 points and McKenzie Butler added 10 points on 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Mason County returns to action Saturday afternoon at Fleming County.

MC (3-1) Butler 10, Moran 16, Menke 12, Moore 6, Morton 3, Weddle 2

CC (3-0) Griffin 8, Rauch 4, Robinson 19, Siegmundt 3, Miller 9, Berkley 6, Spicer 2, Martin 2

MC FG 25.6% 3 PT FG 8.3% FT 75.7% REB 39 TO 22

CC FG 38.9% 3 PT FG 20.0% FT 43.5% REB 38 TO 20

MC 08 11 14 16-49

CC 16 10 18 09-53

O'Hearn has good news about Pawsat at Rotary Club meeting

Mason County Royals basketball coach Chris O'Hearn was the guest speaker at the Maysville Rotary Club today and he had some good news concerning senior Neal Pawsat who was injured in the second round of the football playoffs. O'Hearn said Pawsat found out Monday he can start running in four weeks. O'Hearn said Pawsat could be playing basketball again before the season is over-maybe in six to seven weeks. The Royals open the season Wednesday night at Pendleton County. Push play on the media player below to listen to some of O'Hearn's comments.

Lady Royals will play in tourney in Boca Raton, Florida

The Mason County Lady Royals will play in the Saint Andrew's School Holiday Classic in Boca Raton, Florida Dec. 18-21. Here is a link to the tournament bracket.

Advance tickets available for Mason Co. vs. Princeton

The Mason County Royals play Princeton in the Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Holiday Classic Sunday at 2:30 p.m. at the Bank of Kentucky Center at Northern Kentucky University. Mason County High School has a limited number of advance tickets. The ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the high school from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. through Wednesday.

Pairings set for Gateway Holiday Classic

The Mason County Royals will play in the 4th Annual Gateway Holiday Classic at Montgomery County Dec. 28-30. Here is a link to the tournament bracket.

Hoops recap

Here is a rundown of how the local college and professional basketball players did this weekend:

• Keller Menke hit four three-pointers and scored a career-high 16 points in St. Catharine's 71-66 loss to Shawnee State;
• Darius Miller hit three three-pointers and scored 13 points in Kentucky's 75-73 loss to North Carolina. Miller also has seven rebounds and three steals;
• Chris Lofton scored 12 points as the Iowa Energy improved to 6-1 with a 113-103 win over Sioux Falls in the NBA Development League. Lofton is averaging 12.4 points and 3.6 rebounds a game. He is hitting 50% from the field including 48.4% from three-point range (15-of-31);
• Trevor Setty had 11 points and six rebounds in Pikeville's 85-76 loss to Lindsey Wilson. Setty made three three-pointers;
• Wesley Jones had four points, six assists, three steals and one rebound in Central State's 77-64 victory over Elizabeth City State;
• Chris Owens scored four points and had two steals in Transylvania's 65-57 win over Bluffton.

The Lady Royals improve to 3-0 with a 62-56 win over Scott

Bailey Menke had a double-double with 20 points and a career-high 14 rebounds to lead the Mason County Lady Royals to a 62-56 win over the Scott Lady Eagles tonight in Taylor Mill. Mason County led by 18 points at the half. Scott scored as many points in the fourth quarter (28) as they did in the first three quarters, but could get no closer than six points. Katelyn Smith scored 18 points and McKenzie Butler added 12 points. The Lady Royals host the Campbell County Lady Camels Tuesday night.

MC (3-0) Menke 20, Smith 18, Moore 2, Moran 9, Morton 1, Butler 12

S (0-2) Tibbs 17, Buntin 12, Jackson 4, Stinson 8, Trimpe 13, Thurber 2

MC FG 31.9% 3 PT FG 36.8% FT 67.6% REB 39 TO 9

S FG 40% 3 PT FG 28.6% FT 72.7% REB 37 TO 10

MC 21 12 11 18-62

S 11 04 13 28-56

Harrison Co. at St. Patrick boys' game cancelled

The Harrison County at St. Patrick boys' basketball game scheduled tonight has been cancelled due to the weather.

Lady Saints open the season with 54-30 win over Bourbon County

The St. Patrick Lady Saints opened the season tonight with a 54-30 victory over the Bourbon County Lady Colonels. Brooke Mosler led the Lady Saints in scoring with 16 points. Chelsea Douglas scored 11 points and Allison Tolle added 10 points. St. Patrick returns to action Thursday night at Bracken County. SP (1-0) Mosler 16, Douglas 11, Tolle 10, Hamilton 9, McKay 6, Payne 2 BC (1-1) Sparks 14, Hilander 8, Stamper 6, Zimmerman 2 SP 19 01 17 17-54 BC 04 09 09 08-30

Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Holiday Classic is Dec. 11 and 12

Here is the press release from the classic:

High school basketball fans can watch some of the top teams in Kentucky and Ohio battle each other during the Bluegrass-Buckeye Charity Holiday Classic on Saturday, Dec. 11 and Sunday, Dec. 12 at Northern Kentucky University's Bank of Kentucky Center.

The Kentucky teams include 2009 state champion Holmes and 2008 state champion Mason County along with Covington Catholic, Louisville Male, Ryle and Dixie Heights.

One of the Ohio teams is Cincinnati Taft, a regional finalist in the Ohio Division III playoffs last season. The field also includes Colerain, Princeton and St. Xavier, which made deep runs in the 2010 Ohio Division I playoffs, along with Aiken and Oak Hills.

For a complete schedule, ticket prices and additional information on the teams and players participating in the BBCHC, go to www.bbclassic.blogspot.com

Proceeds from the games will be donated to local charities, including the Ruth Lyons Children's Fund and neediest Kids of All. During halftime of each game, there will be prize drawings, basketball contests and other entertainment for fans to enjoy.

Lady Royals beat Calvary Christian 69-33

After leading by 18 20 at the half, the Mason County Lady Royals outscored the Calvary Christian Cougars 23-0 in the third quarter and went on to win 69-33 tonight at home. Bailey Menke hit five-three pointers and scored a game-high 21 points for Mason County. Katelyn Smith added 16 points. The Lady Royals play at Scott Saturday night.

MC (2-0) Moran 7, Menke 21, Smith 16, Morton 6, Butler 8, Bierley 5, Newton 2, Poe 1, Love 3
CC (0-1) S.Roaden 4, Niehaus 13, Caudill 8, Merkley 2, Rusch 2, Ison 2, Norton 2

MC FG 33.8% 3 PT FG 56.3% FT 52.2% REB 47 TO 12
CC FG 31.1% 3 PT FG 14.3% FT 25.0% REB 44 TO 31

MC 19 19 23 08-69
CC 10 08 00 15-33

Katie Crawford signs with Union College

St. Patrick senior Katie Crawford signed today to play softball at Union College. Crawford was named to the 39th District and 10th Region all-tournament teams and led the Lady Saints in on-base percentage last season.
Crawford said she visited several colleges, but after working out during her visit to Union she knew that was where she was going to go. Union Coach Danny Fish says with hard work and dedication, Crawford can play second base for the Lady Bulldogs. Union College made its first appearance in the NAIA national tournament in 2009.