[OrangenowBlue]

Here is my pre-season rankings in the 14th region.

1. Letcher Central
2. Powell County
3. Perry Central
4. Hazard
5. Owsley County
6. Leslie County
7. Jenkins
8. Knott County
9.Breathitt County
10. Cordia

[UK Fan14]

Can anyone dethrone Letcher Central ?

[UK Fan14]

Here is my pre-season rankings in the 14th region.

1. Letcher Central
2. Powell County
3. Perry Central
4. Hazard
5. Owsley County
6. Leslie County
7. Jenkins
8. Knott County
9.Breathitt County
10. Cordia

Letcher Cent., Perry Co. Cent., Hazard & Cordia are playing in this years Prestonsburg tourney.

[OrangenowBlue]

Not likely as LCC best competition comes in practice against their JV and Freshmen. Perry Central has a couple of good players but that is about it. Other than Letcher Central, the 14th is really weak.

[cougarpride08]

So Orange, what can the cougars do to up there level of readiness to compete and possibly go and win a game at the state tournament?

[OrangenowBlue]

They need to show they can consistently beat the 15th region teams. It is probably the most competitive region in the mountains. They need to also make a good showing in the Pulaski County tournament and gain confidence playing teams from different parts of the state. I believe they can get to the point of being able to play with most of the public schools in the state. The problem is volleyball is dominated by private catholic schools that the girls are brought in only to play volleyball. They do not play any other sport except volleyball and they play year around. Occasionally they can, but it is hard for public schools to compete consistently with private schools due to many of their athletes play multiple sports and do not focus on just one. The private schools in Louisville do not have feeder schools and are allowed to recruit from any elementary or middle school, any volleyball players that may help their program. This is the reason that Assumption, Sacred Heart, and Mercy dominate high school volleyball in Kentucky. I do not believe a public school has ever one a state title in volleyball.

[cougarpride08]

One step at a time. It can be done, but it takes a lot of work.

[OrangenowBlue]

You are exactly right.

[cougarpride08]

If we can get those young girls starting at middle school to work on there game in the offseason. Just as football doesn't end in December neither does volleyball.

[OrangenowBlue]

Grade school volleyball is in the Spring. Their season doesn't end until near the end of the school year. Many of the girls went to open gym at LCC and worked with the high school. Several also practiced with high school during summer whenever there wasn't a dead period.

[cougarpride08]

What would help is have some kind of volleyball team in middle school that is combined like the middle football team. It isn't enough for Letcher Middle School to win county no more. Those girls need to play with the WMS and the Neon Middle, and the rest of the county and go out and play other middle schools.

[OrangenowBlue]

That may happen in the future, I just don't think it will happen right now.

[cougarpride08]

Well what can they do to get that idea going?

[rootbeercake]

what about estill county

[cougarpride08]

Lost in the first round of there district tournament last year. They lost two seniors! Don't know how much talent is returning, but they have to get out of there district to even compete for region.

[rootbeercake]

thats very true..i was just throwing there name out there..but i agree for the most part with the rankings on here

[cougarpride08]

well if they just lost two seniors then they will definitely be a good chance of getting further.

[Deathstar 80]

1. Letcher County Central
2. Perry County Central
3. Powell County
4. Leslie County
5. Hazard
6. Owsley County
7. Knott County Central
8. Jenkins
9. Cordia
10. Breathitt County

[OrangenowBlue]

In what I have seen already, Powell County is by far the second best team in the 14th region at this time.