[Strikeout King]

Since the region is over for all except 1, lets look at the region top teams and players next season.

Estill County loses a buttload but they also return several key players from this year's team.

Perry Central returns all but 3.

Jenkins loses 8

Leslie County loses 5

Powell County loses 2

Wolfe returns everyone except 2 including their pitcher.

Anyone wanna give a shot?

[TravelCoach]

Seems like the 14th became more competitive this year among most of the programs . I know some of the schools will never produce high level programs or even try . Looking at your post and what little I know about Estill tells me it may even grow closer next year . I expect Estill will move a little backwards , my opinion it will be a rebuild year for them but will be back on top soon . Perry and Wolf should move up a little , Perrys coaches seem to be exited about their program . Wolf will grow as well . The surprise to me is Jenkins they have to be the disappointment of the 14th , that program has fallen very fast with no hope in sight . Loosing 8 seniors and with their poor record this year says a lot about where they are at as a program. Leslie will fall as some next season . Early prediction is Estill and Wolf battling for the Region with Wolf inching them out .

[Strikeout King]

Seems like the 14th became more competitive this year among most of the programs . I know some of the schools will never produce high level programs or even try . Looking at your post and what little I know about Estill tells me it may even grow closer next year . I expect Estill will move a little backwards , my opinion it will be a rebuild year for them but will be back on top soon . Perry and Wolf should move up a little , Perrys coaches seem to be exited about their program . Wolf will grow as well . The surprise to me is Jenkins they have to be the disappointment of the 14th , that program has fallen very fast with no hope in sight . Loosing 8 seniors and with their poor record this year says a lot about where they are at as a program. Leslie will fall as some next season . Early prediction is Estill and Wolf battling for the Region with Wolf inching them out .

Very well could be. Estill has a nice young pitcher in Covey but she doesn't have the expierence, she was a dandy in JV, throwing several no hitters and shutting down opponents, If I'm not mistaken Estill JV had a better record than varsity but Coach Beard has several key players to replace. What helps Estill when it comes to post season is playing the better teams in Central KY where it's harder for EKY to play because of distance. I think Estill 6 peats.

[Eastern_KY]

Jenkins may be losing 9. Including their Junior pitcher.

[Eastern_KY]

Jenkins may lose 9. Their junior pitcher was treated dirty this season.

[Strikeout King]

If so then ouch

[TravelCoach]

Yes your right Beard has always traveled to play better compition, probably her best coaching tactic . I know Wolf has some players that do travel ball during the summer and it will help them . There is a lot of ways a coach can improve a program Beard does it all and her record has proven that as you mentioned her jv team is good from what I have heard I still think next year will be a rebuild for them with the following year back on top . The other post about Jenkins possibly loosing 9 really means nothing worse for the program , any good coach will tell you that keeping a group of kids together until graduation is tough and Jenkins having 8 seniors and a junior pitcher and there worst record in years says they may need a coach . I know Jenkins has had a winning program but a lot of that has to do with the level of compition they have played over the years .

[rawlingsfan]

Yes your right Beard has always traveled to play better compition, probably her best coaching tactic . I know Wolf has some players that do travel ball during the summer and it will help them . There is a lot of ways a coach can improve a program Beard does it all and her record has proven that as you mentioned her jv team is good from what I have heard I still think next year will be a rebuild for them with the following year back on top . The other post about Jenkins possibly loosing 9 really means nothing worse for the program , any good coach will tell you that keeping a group of kids together until graduation is tough and Jenkins having 8 seniors and a junior pitcher and there worst record in years says they may need a coach . I know Jenkins has had a winning program but a lot of that has to do with the level of compition they have played over the years .

They may need a coach? Jenkins has one of the smallest enrollments of any school in the 14th, and their feeder program isn't good. Besides girls' basketball's run this year what has any other athletic program at Jenkins done since April took over as softball coach? They went 20-14, lost to Wolfe County by 2 runs, and beat PCC 6-2 late in the regular season. April Charles gets more out of less, than any girls coach in the 14th. I would compare what she has done to what John Noble has done at Buckhorn in boys' basketball.

[TravelCoach]

I have talked to a friend of mine that had a daughter play for Jenkins and graduated in 2012 and went on and played for upike for a couple of years here is his take . Inrollment is down and getting worse but no different than any other school in that area. They are singal A to start with . He said the only feeder program that any of the schools ever had in that area was the little league that really went away several years ago . He also said coach Damron never had anything to do with . He said the last of the the girls that played little league graduated last year he thought. He gave a lot of credit to the little league coaches . He also told me that Jenkins has had success throughout the years solely because of the pitchers coach Damron has had , Rachel Thacker , Brook Webb , Kayla Stambo , Caitlynn Estivez and they were all coached by someone else other than her . I hope I got the names right . Now back to my point Coach Shirley Beard is and has been the best girls coach around that area . Jenkins graduating 8 seniors with a junior pitcher that have played for coach Damron for that long Tells me enrollment and the lack of a feeder program wasn't the problem this year . The problems you mentioned didn't seem to hurt the basketball program this year . i think it's time to give some credit to the programs that have continue to improve witch is what we started talking about earlier in the post and the point I was trying to make .

[rawlingsfan]

I have talked to a friend of mine that had a daughter play for Jenkins and graduated in 2012 and went on and played for upike for a couple of years here is his take . Inrollment is down and getting worse but no different than any other school in that area. They are singal A to start with . He said the only feeder program that any of the schools ever had in that area was the little league that really went away several years ago . He also said coach Damron never had anything to do with . He said the last of the the girls that played little league graduated last year he thought. He gave a lot of credit to the little league coaches . He also told me that Jenkins has had success throughout the years solely because of the pitchers coach Damron has had , Rachel Thacker , Brook Webb , Kayla Stambo , Caitlynn Estivez and they were all coached by someone else other than her . I hope I got the names right . Now back to my point Coach Shirley Beard is and has been the best girls coach around that area . Jenkins graduating 8 seniors with a junior pitcher that have played for coach Damron for that long Tells me enrollment and the lack of a feeder program wasn't the problem this year . The problems you mentioned didn't seem to hurt the basketball program this year . i think it's time to give some credit to the programs that have continue to improve witch is what we started talking about earlier in the post and the point I was trying to make .

The girl's basketball team has two winning seasons in the last eleven years. Reached the regional tournament only twice over that same time. I wouldn't even consider that a "program". While Estill County HS and Jenkins are in the same region. They are 131 miles apart...not really in the same area.

[PGL]

Jenkins will be back in time.

[Cougar Krazies]

Spangler eligible to play for Letcher. Looking very high this year.

[booger bear]

Who will be the most over looked team in the 14th that could surprise people

[booger bear]

Just was wondering what girls rankings for best pitcher in the 14th

[booger bear]

In checking around Lee county Batkats will be returning there starting 9 plus there 6 bench and some new talent to round the roster off so

[Wild14th]

who is the team to watch out for now that season has started?

[Da Truth]

Top Teams: Estill and Wolfe

Second level: Perry, Letcher and Leslie

Third level: Everyone else

Knott has been disappointing. They have one of the best pitchers in the region, but can't put it together. They better figure this out before its too late. Breathitt is another team that is struggling more than they should. The Jenkins program has become obsolete. Status quo for everyone else.

[walterwhite]

Top Teams: Estill and Wolfe

Second level: Perry, Letcher and Leslie

Third level: Everyone else

Knott has been disappointing. They have one of the best pitchers in the region, but can't put it together. They better figure this out before its too late. Breathitt is another team that is struggling more than they should. The Jenkins program has become obsolete. Status quo for everyone else.

Looks pretty good to me!

[The_Rock]

The main reason Jenkins had a successful softball program the past 10 or 15 years is simply because April Damron and her dad ran a great program for their local kids. The lady worked hard getting those pitchers to the level that they were at. You lose a coach like that and your definately gonna backslide A LOT. They are gonna have to find them another young dedicated coach and some more help for their younger kids. One person cant do it all.

[hoghead]

14th very weak this year.

[Heisenberg Effect]

14th region is very weak except for Estill. Wolfe has a very nice team this year and Leslie lost to Harlan County but defeated a good Harlan team few weeks later. 13th region is stronger than the 14th but I really liked Leslie's pitcher and demeanor on the field. Leslie will surprise a few in the 14th based on observations. BTW Leslie defeated Perry earlier this year as well. It's Estill's to lose. Powerhouse program and no other team in the 14th is close in my opinion.

[OLD MAN LOGAN]

Perry has improved greatly in the last few years.Girls work hard in the fieldhouse and put quality time in as well as travel ball.Have great utility players and a very good coach in Campbell that came close to defeating Estill last year.Estill is good no doubt but Wolfe and Perry are etching closer.Leslie is a very good hitting team and we have a rematch with them May 1st. Letcher is overlooked as Perry only defeated them by one run.Powell is down.Knott same old story new time. Breathitt and Jackson City same as well. Estill,Wolfe,Leslie,or PCC-one of these win the region.

[The Dogfather]

Just like the boys and girls basketball team, we are an up and coming program at Hazard. We have some great talent moving up and our high school players are improving. We need to play more in the off season. Estill reigns superior in the 14th. Wolfe is slowly closing the gap. I have been impressed with our cross town competition. I look for us to pick up a few regional wins this year over Knott, Powell, and Breathitt. Go Dawgs!