Firecracker golf tournament this weekend at Kenton Station

The 49th Firecracker golf tournament will be played Saturday and Sunday at Kenton Station Golf Course. Deron Feldhaus is the defending champion of the 36-hole medal play tournament. The Firecracker Shootout is Friday evening.

Schumacher wins Chippeways for 5th time

Eric Schumacher won the Chippeways golf tournament for a record fifth time today at Maysville Country Club.

He beat defending champion Jackson Frame in 19 holes in the final match of the championship flight.

In the morning semifinals, Schumacher defeated Keith Pawsat and Frame beat Matt Stoneburner.

Schumacher and Bob Curtis had shared the previous record with four Chippeways championships. Schumacher's other wins were in 1995, 1996, 2007 and 2013.

Maysville Country Club members have won the last five Chippeways and 15 of the last 16.


(Updated to note that Schumacher's fifth win is a record.)

Catching up after vacation

I'm back from a trip to North Carolina and South Carolina. I stopped at three sports venues on the trip.

The first stop was unplanned. We were heading up Interstate 20 in South Carolina, nearing Darlington, when I thought it would be neat to see Darlington Raceway. Nelson Stacy of Maysville won two NASCAR races at Darlington, including the 1961 Southern 500. There is a museum at the track, but I didn't want to take the time for a tour. I asked the lady at the desk if I could see the track. She told me to drive to Gate 39 and the security guard would let me in. I walked up a ramp and was at the fence between turns three and four. A man with Florida license plates also stopped by while I was there.

The other two stops were planned on the way home from the beach. I drove to Chapel Hill for a quick visit at the Dean Smith Center, home of the North Carolina Tar Heels. The front door was open, so I walked right in. There were a few other visitors taking photos. I walked around the concourse. It's a lot like Rupp Arena only newer, and I felt like the sight lines were better.

From there it was about a 20 minute drive to the Duke University campus in Durham. I was really looking forward to seeing Cameron Indoor Stadium, the home of the Blue Devils. The street leading to Cameron was closed for a construction project. I took a detour and parked probably a half mile from the facility. You would never guess the stone block building was a basketball arena. Once again I walked right in. The lobby (in the photo) is really small. A girls basketball camp was in full swing. I took some photos at court level before heading up the stairs to the upper level. It felt like I was stepping back in time compared to the modern arenas. Cameron opened in 1940. There are small concession stands and photo displays in the upper level concourse. Even the seats in the upper level feel close to the court. I'm not a North Carolina or Duke fan, but it was fun to visit the gymnasiums. It's a shame Rupp Arena is not on the University of Kentucky campus. Fans don't have an opportunity to pop into the Wildcats' home court like it did at UNC and Duke.

So much for my trip, now a few local sports highlights while I was gone:

• Mason County rising senior Sarah Fite was the runner-up in the Kentucky Junior Amateur in Bardstown. She lost to Mary Joiner of Franklin in a playoff. Fite fired a four-under 68 for the lowest score in the second round. Joiner and Fite finished regulation play tied at even par 144. Joiner birdied the first playoff hole to win the tournament for the second time in three years. Earlier this month, Fite won the Kentucky Section Junior PGA Championship Qualifier. The Junior PGA Championship is August 9-12 at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, Rhode Island.

• 2016 Mason County graduate Tyler Lippert, who is headed to Eastern Kentucky University, tied for 8th place in the boys Kentucky Junior Amateur with a two-day total of three-over 147.

• Lippert and Jackson Frame, a rising junior at Northern Kentucky University, both qualified for the Kentucky Amateur. Frame shot a one over 73 and Lippert shot a six over 78 at the qualifier Monday at Northern Kentucky Golf Club. The Clark's Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur is July 12-14 at Bellefonte Country Club in Ashland.

• The KHSAA mandated Dead Period began Saturday and runs through July 9.

10th Region Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Player to Watch List

Here is the 10th Region Volleyball Coaches Association's first-ever Preseason Player to Watch List:

Calvary Christian

Rachel Lain.  Senior

Cameron Parker sophomore

Scott High

Kelly Franxman, Junior, OH 

Jordan Tapp, Junior, Setter

Kimberly Davis, Senior, Middle Hitter

Bracken County

Korbin Florer Senior RH

Natalie Bell Soph  DS

Macy Jefferson Senior OH

Nicholas County 

Candice Worrell

Autumn Martin

Robertson County 

Madison Fryman

Breanna Hesler

Campbell County 

Grace Isaacs

Kyndal Curry

Brittany Rust

Harrison County

 Kelsey Gifford 

Emma Gooden 

Danielle Dunaway

George Rogers Clark

Breanna Epperson

Elizabeth Hardiman

Elena Guerra

Bourbon County 

Ally Peters 

Grace Staples 

Bree Dishman 

Pendleton County 

Morgan Purcell

Carson Mayes

Montgomery County 

Haley Buck

Janna Godby

Mason County

 Erika George

Tessa Gray

Macy Stanfield

Bishop Brossart

Maddie Flaugher 

Kendall Hehn

Jessie Hehn  

Free sports physicals at Maysville Church of the Nazarene

Maysville Church of the Nazarene, 156 West Maple Leaf Road, will offer free sports physicals by a board-certified physician on the church grounds Saturday, July 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. First come, first serve.

There will be activities, games, snow cones and popcorn. A free picnic lunch will be served from noon to 2 p.m. Various prizes will be given away.

Representatives from Limestone Family YMCA,  Maysville Fire Department, Tom Browning Boys and Girls Club, Little Hands Learning Center and Buffalo Trace Children's Advocacy Center will have information booths. 

Beth Garrison steps down as Lady Saints' coach

After three seasons as the girls basketball coach at St. Patrick, Beth Garrison has resigned. She announced on her Facebook account Friday that she has accepted a teaching position at Lewis County Middle School.

Williams and Nelson receive All-State recognition

Two Mason County players- Darren Williams and Nick Nelson-have received All-State recognition by the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Williams,a senior this past season, was named to the Third Team. Nelson, a rising senior, received Honorable Mention recognition. 

Darius Miller is MVP; Brose Baskets back-to-back champions

Darius Miller was named Most Valuable Player of the German League Finals after Brose Baskets Bamberg won their second consecutive championship today with a 92-65 victory over Ratiopharm Ulm. Brose Baskets Bamberg swept of the best-of-five series.

Miller made five three-pointers and scored 19 points today. He also had six rebounds and one blocked shot. He scored 26 points in the series opener.

West tops East 15-12 in Northeastern Kentucky East-West Senior Bowl

In an all-star game that featured hard hitting, good blocking and exciting plays on a surprisingly mild night, the West defeated the East 15-12 Friday night in the 11th Annual Northeastern Kentucky East-West Senior Bowl at Morehead State University's Jayne Stadium/Jacobs Field.

Quarterback Braden Brown on scored on a 53-yard touchdown run on the East's first play. The West took a 7-6 lead on a 26-yard TD run by Marquaze Hill of Bourbon County.

On the first play of the 3rd quarter T.J. Miller of Fleming County ran 78 yards for a touchdown to put the East back in front, 12-7. The conversion run failed.

A 10 yard touchdown run by Josiah Israel of Clark County with 6:48 left in the game gave the West the lead for good.



Award Winners:
East Offensive MVP- Braden Brown of West Carter
East Defensive MVP- Greg Potter of Greenup County
West Offensive MVP- Josiah Israel of Clark County
West Defensive MVP- Nathan Swartz of Bath County
Scholarship Recipients- Caden Townsend of Raceland and William Allison of Nicholas County

Hall of Fame Inductees:
Retired Montgomery County Coach Dan Gooch
Retired Raceland Coach Randy Vanderhoof

NE Ky Senior Bowl Game Director Tom Posey on SportsTalk

Northeastern Kentucky Senior Bowl Game Director Tom Posey was my guest on SportsTalk this morning. Here is a link to the podcast.

Northeastern Kentucky Senior Bowl East vs. West is Friday night

The Northeastern Kentucky Senior Bowl East vs. West is Friday night at 7:30 at Morehead State University's Jayne Stadium/Jacob Field.

Local players scheduled to play in the game include Harvey Rice, Jesse Morgan, Kane Neal and Chris Dunaway of Mason County, T.J. Miller, Jordan Luna and Clayton Browning of Fleming County, and Dylan Jefferson of Bracken County.

The local players would normally be on the East Team, but Game Director Tom Posey says they were moved to the West this year because the numbers for the West Team were down during Sunday's practice. 

Former Rowan County coach Ray Graham is the head of coach of the West Team. West Carter coach Kevin Brown is the head coach of the East Team. 

This year's Hall of Fame inductees are former Montgomery County coach Dan Gooch and former Raceland coach Randy Vanderhoof.

Admission to the game is $10.

Darius Miller hits 8 3's and scores 26 points

Darius Miller made 8-of-9 three-point shots and scored 26 points to lead defending champion Brose Baskets Bamberg to a 101-82 win over Ratiopharm Ulm  in game one of the Finals of the German Basketball Championship.

Miller was 2-of-2 from the free throw line and had four assists, one rebound and one block.

Game two of the best-of-five series is Wednesday.

Andy Fryman on SportsTalk

Former Mason County and University of Kentucky standout Andy Fryman was my guest on SportsTalk this morning. Fryman is hoping to qualify for Team USA in the hammer throw for the Rio Olympics. Here is a link to the podcast

Mason County Royals Team Camp Friday and Saturday

Friday, June 3
Time	Varisty (Fieldhouse)	JV (Downtown Gym)
10:00 AM	Fleming Co. vs. Campbell Co.	Fleming Co. vs. Montgomery Co.
11:00 AM	Fleming Co. vs. Montgomery Co.	Fleming Co. vs. Campbell Co.
12:00 PM	Lexington Catholic vs. Campbell Co.	Lexington Catholic vs. Campbell Co.
1:00 PM	Lexington Catholic vs. Bracken Co.	Lexington Catholic vs. Bracken Co.
2:00 PM	Bracken Co. vs. Montgomery Co.	Mason Co. vs. Pendleton Co.
3:00 PM	Mason Co. vs. Pendleton Co.	Bracken Co.vs. Montgomery Co.
4:00 PM	Bracken Co. vs. Boyd Co.	Mason Co. vs. Lewis Co.
5:00 PM	Mason Co. vs. Lewis Co.	Bracken Co. vs. Boyd Co.
6:00 PM	Pendleton Co. vs. Lewis Co.	Mason Co. vs. Boyd Co.
7:00 PM	Mason Co. vs Boyd Co.	Pendleton Co. vs. Lewis Co.
Saturday, June 4
Time	Varsity (Fieldhouse)	JV (Downtown Gym)
10:00 AM	Campbell Co. vs. Bracken Co.	Mason Co. vs. Fleming Co.
11:00 AM	Mason Co. vs. Fleming Co.	Campbell Co. vs. Bracken Co.
12:00 PM	Campbell Co. vs. Ashland	Fleming Co. vs. Pendleton Co.
1:00 PM	Fleming Co. vs. Pendleton Co.	Campbell Co. vs. Ashland
2:00 PM	Mason Co. vs. Ashland	Bracken Co. vs. Pendleton Co.
3:00 PM	Bracken Co. vs. Pendleton Co.	Mason Co. vs. Ashland
4:00 PM	Mason Co. vs. Highlands	Bracken Co. vs. Highlands
5:00 PM	Highlands vs. Bracken Co.	Mason Co. vs. Highlands

Lady Royals lose to Clark County 13-1 in region semis

The Mason County Lady Royals lost to the Clark County Lady Cardinals 13-1 Wednesday night in the semifinals of the 10th Region fast pitch softball tournament.

Mason County Lady Royals Team Camp