[The Ole Man]

I think it's interesting you think it's that tough to be a top 10 team in the 14th. I am pretty confident both Owsley and Lee will be ranked in the top 10 in the preseason.
Here's who you had to beat last year to be a top 10 team in the 14th Region:

Cordia
June Buchanan
Riverside Christian
Buckhorn
Jackson City
Breathitt County

Jackson City and Buckhorn were both very underrated teams. Jackson City was and is a very talented team. Buckhorn has Ally Lopez who is a really good player and would be considered a top 15-20, possibly even a top 10 player for this upcoming season if she had more exposure. I'll grant you the other four teams, but Buckhorn and Jackson City were both very talented teams. Also, the 10th and 9th teams at least according to the wins from last year in your scenario would be Estill County and Letcher County Central. Letcher County Central had a 31-20 lead over Hazard at halftime in the first round of the Regional tournament last year and only lost to Knott County Central the eventual winners of the Region by 6 points in the 53rd District Championship game. I don't see Owsley County having that type of upside this year. Not to mention, last year LCC had a top 5 player in the Region in Maggard. A type of player I do not think Owsley County has. Estill County had a player who was considered to be top 10 in the Region in Amy Brewer. I just don't think this year's Owsley County team will be at that level. Sure, last year may have been a quote on quote highly competitive season... However, I just don't see them as a top 10 team. To me, there will be one major surprises. One Buckhorn will be a solid team. Buckhorn is viewed as a team outside of the top 10, but I wouldn't be surprised if they become a top 10-6 team in the region. They return basically everyone and lost 8 games by 10 points or less last season. I can easily see other team's regression from losing players and their progression providing them with a win in some of the close losses from a year ago... I gotta tell ya, I figured Owsley County and Lee County would be teams that everyone would have outside of their Top 10. I didn't see any of this hype coming in the slightest.