[Rollo14]

Who are the top teams in the 13th?
North Laurel had to be considered but did lose their ace pitcher. They of course have more pitching and will stil be strong defensively as they return most of their everyday players.
South will still be right there. Looks as though 2 of top 3 pitchers return and a big part of lineup that was 15-1 against 13 lath region teams last year.
Clay county is the team I believe will step into the next level. Clay lost their older pitchers from a 24-6 team but are looking at the base of the team being the same group that has won the state little league championship as 10 yr olds and went all the way to the Junior league World Series.
Harlan county is also ready to move to the upper echelon returning its top 2 pitchers with both being sophomores and eight players who saw significant action last year on a team that set a school records for wins with 27.
Middlesboro appears to have been hit by graduation and also lost their shortstop to a basketball knee injury. However they return enough to be dangerous and the 52nd District will come down to them and HC.
The remainder of the 13th will be much like last year with most of the teams probably be at a .500 winning percentage or less.

[walterwhite]

North didn't lose their number one pitcher. In fact, North will be helped by the return from injury of one of their top hitters and infielders. They should be at the top of any preseason ratings. South will be right there as usual. Clay will be a factor but still have to get through The Laurels. They have some good young players. The rest of the region is on the outside looking in.

[Magic Johnson]

13th runs through North Laurel .

[jossewells]

Harlan county has some of the top players in the region ,very solid lineup ,good write up rollo14.

[TSizzle]

All I know is. Corbin's new coach is HOT!!!!!!!!!!

[Hitters_Count]

What happened to the former coach? Heard he may have been ask to step down, any info?

[RunItUpTheGut]

The Laurel County pro league will win as usual.
I'm more excited to see who comes in 3rd. The other two are too large and organized from birth to lose.

[walterwhite]

The Laurel County pro league will win as usual.
I'm more excited to see who comes in 3rd. The other two are too large and organized from birth to lose.

Just curious, too large? Just speaking of North but being large was never mentioned when the football team was being drilled all those years. They've had 1 boys basketball regional title and zero girls titles. Baseball has been competitive for the most part with a few titles, but certainly not dominant. I don't believe any of the other sports have done a lot. Cheerleading has been great, I'll give them that. Looks to me like it has very, very little to do with being LARGE and a lot more to do with your second reason, too organized from birth to lose. Translated that means hard work and practice from a young age, and a desire to play in and continue the winningest program in the state. It's a pride thing, not a size thing.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Just curious, too large? Just speaking of North but being large was never mentioned when the football team was being drilled all those years. They've had 1 boys basketball regional title and zero girls titles. Baseball has been competitive for the most part with a few titles, but certainly not dominant. I don't believe any of the other sports have done a lot. Cheerleading has been great, I'll give them that. Looks to me like it has very, very little to do with being LARGE and a lot more to do with your second reason, too organized from birth to lose. Translated that means hard work and practice from a young age, and a desire to play in and continue the winningest program in the state. It's a pride thing, not a size thing.

Its a lot easier to do the whole "from birth" thing when there are hundreds and hundreds of kids to choose from then it would be for say, a Williamsburg or Harlan to compete with.
I don't care about basketball not being classed, that's fine. Too many people like the sweet 16 and all that nonsense, but there is no reason for baseball and softball not to be classed.

If softball stays the same it is now for the next 100 years, Laurel County or one of the other big schools in the region, Whitley, Harlan Co., etc, will win the region 90%+ of that time. It just doesn't make sense to me. I watch teams like south London, the vipers, etc. play summer ball all the time and these smaller schools don't have the players or funding to do that. Think of how much better the game would be with South in a district with SW, Pulaski, Lincoln, etc and North playing Whitley, Harlan Co., Perry, etc like in football.
It would make for much better districts.

As I said, im interested in who will finish behind the Laurel County professionals. Better stay away from the times tribune this year in Corbin. I have a feeling a certain South player will be in every picture in every paper...

[walterwhite]

Its a lot easier to do the whole "from birth" thing when there are hundreds and hundreds of kids to choose from then it would be for say, a Williamsburg or Harlan to compete with.
I don't care about basketball not being classed, that's fine. Too many people like the sweet 16 and all that nonsense, but there is no reason for baseball and softball not to be classed.

If softball stays the same it is now for the next 100 years, Laurel County or one of the other big schools in the region, Whitley, Harlan Co., etc, will win the region 90%+ of that time. It just doesn't make sense to me. I watch teams like south London, the vipers, etc. play summer ball all the time and these smaller schools don't have the players or funding to do that. Think of how much better the game would be with South in a district with SW, Pulaski, Lincoln, etc and North playing Whitley, Harlan Co., Perry, etc like in football.
It would make for much better districts.

As I said, im interested in who will finish behind the Laurel County professionals. Better stay away from the times tribune this year in Corbin. I have a feeling a certain South player will be in every picture in every paper...

I am not a fan of classification, but I respect your opinion. I am sure it is much easier when your team is one that is doing most of the winning. Hope softball grows and improves in this area. It's a great sport.

[RunItUpTheGut]

I am not a fan of classification, but I respect your opinion. I am sure it is much easier when your team is one that is doing most of the winning. Hope softball grows and improves in this area. It's a great sport.

I can agree with that. Until these smaller schools start getting players playing all summer and getting as much time in as others, they will always be playing for seconds.

Im in favor of letting high school coaches coach during the summer on a solely voluntary basis and its not that big of a deal to play every other weekend and get better. Softball season seems so short in comparison to others, especially with rain delays.

[PH2]

The dead period is a joke. Softball/baseball coaches are being forced to miss time during the summer when that rule is intended to give football players a rest before football season. If anyone cared enough they'd change softball/baseball dead period to December or January. That's the equivalent to dead week in July for football. But the powers that be don't care about our sport enough to do what's right.

[walterwhite]

The dead period is a joke. Softball/baseball coaches are being forced to miss time during the summer when that rule is intended to give football players a rest before football season. If anyone cared enough they'd change softball/baseball dead period to December or January. That's the equivalent to dead week in July for football. But the powers that be don't care about our sport enough to do what's right.

Agreed. Dead periods should be by sport! The KHSAA only cares about the money making sports! A joke!

[RunItUpTheGut]

Isnt there also a rule not allowing high school coaches to coach teams, like aau teams, during the summer?

[walterwhite]

Isnt there also a rule not allowing high school coaches to coach teams, like aau teams, during the summer?

High school coaches can coach except during dead period, which happens to occur right in prime time softball time. A big headache for nothing except the KHSAA's ego. If they were in it for the kids it would be sport specific.

[PH2]

Yep. And the softball summer travel season is so short to begin with, that it is a real pain. One of the biggest recruiting weeks of the year is first week of July in Colorado, and that's right in the middle of dead period.

[SEKYFAN]

What happened to the former coach? Heard he may have been ask to step down, any info?

His wife had a baby and he decided to step down to spend more time at home. He's probably waiting for the baseball job to come open, he should have gotten that job the last time around.

[RunItUpTheGut]

After watching several games the past few weeks it's about as expected.
North and South are the big favorites with Harlan County and MBoro a little behind.
The next group of Corbin, Williamsburg, Whitley, Clay, etc could all beat one another on any given night.
The rest of the teams are more or less getting run ruled by all the teams above.
With the way Harlan County's schedule looks, I could see them challenging South and North. I haven't seen them play but they are killing teams.

[walterwhite]

Harlan County just might be the second best team in the 13th region. They're not at North's level but just might be close to South. North plays the best schedule in the region by far,and that will have them well prepared for post season play.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Harlan County just might be the second best team in the 13th region. They're not at North's level but just might be close to South. North plays the best schedule in the region by far,and that will have them well prepared for post season play.

They very well could be. Ive been impressed with what they've done so far.
South really doesn't impress me that much. They are beating the teams they are supposed to but they aren't the world beaters that North is.
The Corbin Times Tribune Cardinal keeps me pretty much up to date on what South is up to nicker:

[walterwhite]

The other 13th region teams that are contenders need to step up their schedules if they're going to make a run at North,

[Van Hagar]

That's the key. Clay, for example, has really got some very good young talent, but they desperately need to upgrade their schedule to learn how to compete at a really high level all the time. Otherwise they'll never reach their full potential.

[RunItUpTheGut]

This was the preseason AP top 10. What a joke. They just throw random teams out there. Pineville and Jackson County have been killed by teams like Wburg...and the biggest joke was Harlan County wasn't even ranked :biglmao:

1. North
2. South
3. Clay
4. Corbin
5. Knox Central
6. Harlan
7. Middlesboro
8.Jackson County
9. Lynn Camp
10. Pineville
10. Whitley

What garbage lol.

[RunItUpTheGut]

This is how I would rank them right now...

1. North
2. South/Harlan County
4. Clay County
5. Middlesboro
6. Knox Central
7. Corbin
8. Williamsburg
9. Whitley

The rest are all equally really bad and theres no real separation.
If you look at the AP ranking and how teams like Wburg and Whitley have done to them its a joke. Pineville, Jackson, Lynn Camp, OBI, Bell, and Barbourville will be run ruled by all 9 of those teams I listed.

My point is they don't pay any attention to softball what so ever and whoever voted those teams shouldn't be allowed to again.

[Batman11]

Lynn Camp is better than Whitley and a lot better than any of the other teams you have them with. They killed bell county, obi, and barbourville. They lost to middlesboro 16-11, and knox central 10-3 and they had 2 starters out of town for the knox game. I agree with your top 8 but I think Lynn Camp is 9, Whitley is 10. And the rest of the pack is really bad.

[RunItUpTheGut]

Lynn Camp is better than Whitley and a lot better than any of the other teams you have them with. They killed bell county, obi, and barbourville. They lost to middlesboro 16-11, and knox central 10-3 and they had 2 starters out of town for the knox game. I agree with your top 8 but I think Lynn Camp is 9, Whitley is 10. And the rest of the pack is really bad.

At best, Lynn Camp might make a game with Whitley.
They were run ruled by Mboro and Corbin. They just aren't in that group of the top 8. I think Whitley is the only team in that big gap between the top 8 and bottom half but until Lynn Camp plays some better teams we wont know if they deserve to be up there or not.

[Batman11]

I agree. They need to beat someone that matters.

[HCS]

Lynn Camp is better than Whitley and a lot better than any of the other teams you have them with. They killed bell county, obi, and barbourville. They lost to middlesboro 16-11, and knox central 10-3 and they had 2 starters out of town for the knox game. I agree with your top 8 but I think Lynn Camp is 9, Whitley is 10. And the rest of the pack is really bad.

Harlan beat Lynn Camp at Lynn Camp, so Harlan might be No. 9 now.

[Batman11]

Yes they did. I think Harlan is also better than Whitley. Lynn Camps seniors were gone on senior trip. They started 3 freshmen that had never played in a varsity game.

[Rollo14]

Harlan has a couple of descent pitchers that can keep them in a game if they are on. I don't think Harlan is at HC or middlesboros level in the district.
HC will have an idea where they stand next weekend when they play in the 5 star prep classic in London. North, South, Rowan, Fairdale, Woodford, sommerset and Pulaski just to name a few will be some strong competition. As a Lady Bear fan I am excited to see how the girls do.