Zornes, Collinsworth and a showdown in Catlettsburg

CATLETTSBURG, Ky. – The old Catlettsburg High School gym hadn’t looked this good in a long time.

The floor was freshly waxed, orange-and-black streamers were everywhere thanks to the cheerleaders who had worked for a couple of long days to make sure it was perfect.

It was the biggest game in Catlettsburg since, well, nearly 50 years. The Wildcats were alive again, the gymnasium was full of fans, popcorn smells were waffling through the air. Tickets were tough to come by unless you knew somebody.

When Roy “Pappy” Holbrook brought in the 1953 Wildcats for their game with the 1968 Wildcats, the crowd went wild. They included some of the greatest athletes in Catlettsburg history like Curt Cassell, Norm Collinsworth and Don Eddy.

The 68 Wildcats were void of stars and famous names. Roger Zornes was the star, a 6-foot-4 big man who would take Catlettsburg to its last 16th Region Tournament that year. He also had Stephen “Bubby” Spears, Don Rooker and feisty Jimmy Ross beside him. A sophomore on the roster, Phil Webb, was an up-and-coming player. He became a better known later when his son became a National League Cy Young Award winner.

These teams were going to revive the old Catlettsburg High School spirit and everybody in town was up for it.

They had been talking about this game for weeks. The 20-game winners from 1953 against the 1968 Wildcats who were the last team to have a winning season (14-13) until the school closed in 1973.

Chuck Rist, who was a senior in 1968, brought all of his announcing equipment so the game would have a proper public address system. He brought his orange-and-black pennant with him to sit on the scorer’s table.

The teams hadn’t played in front of crowds like this before. The nostalgia of the game seemed to hook everybody not only in Catlettsburg but in surrounding towns.

The matchup between Zornes and Collinsworth was worth the price of admission. And the game turned out to be a dream matchup with the game going through 11 ties and 11 lead changes before getting settled in the last three minutes.

“That was as close as a tick on a dog,” Holbrook said afterward. “Great day for the Catlettsburg Wildcats. Everybody walked out of this gym satisfied after watching two great teams fight it out.”

It became physical in the second quarter when Ross was scrambling for a loose ball and knocked Eddy into the scorer’s table. The two players were fine but when it unplugged Rist’s equipment, he was ready to take on the world.

“I thought we were going to have to make him leave the gym,” Holbrook said. “He just displayed that Catlettsburg fire! I loved it!”

Ross and Eddy got up after the collision, brushed themselves off and kept playing.

It was a bruising game with Zornes and Collinsworth flying elbows at each other. Spears broke those two up from going after each other on a couple of occasions.

“Bubby was the peacemaker out there,” said 68 coach Wendell Wheeler. “Glad we had somebody who showed some calm.”

Spears got upset later when Don Eddy fouled him hard into the wall on a breakaway. The paper-thin mat didn’t do much to protect him and he later said he was “seeing stars” from the blow.

However, as physical as the game turned, there was plenty of offense going down. Both teams were using the 3-point shot for the first time and the 53 Wildcats made it work for them with an 11-for-22 shooting.

Surprisingly it was Collinsworth who deliver the most from behind the arc making 8 of 11 attempts. Zornes dared him to shoot from there and Collinsworth kept firing.

“I cannot believe how many of those he hit,” Zornes said. “I wasn’t worried about him hurting us out there but he sure did. He talk to that 3-point shot like a duck takes to water.”

Collinsworth finished with 31 points, but Zornes nearly matched him with 30. They were the stars but they weren’t the only ones putting it in the basket.

The 53 Wildcats jumped ahead 24-14 after one quarter and their crowd was dancing in the aisles. The cheerleaders, with the blousy skirts that went down to their ankles, were leading cheers and that side of the gym was rocking.

However, the 68 Wildcats finally found their feet as Spears, Ross and Adkins were complementing Zornes well. They trailed only 36-33 at the half.

“We let them back in the game,” Holbrook said of the 53 Wildcats, who had led by 13 points. “That aggravated me and they heard about it in the locker room.”

So did everybody else. The wooden doors didn’t hold back Holbrook’s furry.

The 53 Wildcats were a bit more determined in the third quarter but were still outscored 28-24. They went into the fourth quarter training the 68 Wildcats, 61-60.

Trailing 52-48, the 68 Wildcats caught fire, going on a 13-5 run to take a 61-57 advantage. Collinsworth answered with a long 3-pointer to draw closer at 61=60 and it was tight the rest of the way.

Eddy tied the game at 79 with a nice pump fake and inside move around Spears and then Bobby Barker hit a 15-footer to put the 53 team ahead 81-79. They would never trail again and eventually won 87-81 in a crowd-pleasing game that had both stands giving standing ovations.

Eddy scored 20 points with six rebounds while Collinsworth had his 31 points and nine rebounds. Barker scored 11 with eight assists.

Zornes was practically unstoppable inside, making 14-of-21 shots and pulling down 11 rebounds. Spears scored 15, Ross 12 and Adkins 11 in a balanced scoring attack.

“I wish we could play them again,” said Ross, who easily had the most floor burns. “We kind of faded at the end. I hate to lose even to a bunch of good ‘ol boys from Catlettsburg.”

The 53 Wildcats held a 41-30 rebounding advantage which proved pivotal in the game.

“They got us on the boards,” Wheeler said. “They were a lot taller than us overall and it showed. And Collinsworth was hitting those 3-pointers like he’d been shooting them his whole life.”

Real life

 Catlettsburg’s 1968 team finished 14-13 and was the last Wildcat team to play in the regional tournament, losing to Morgan County in the first round. It concluded a brilliant career for Zornes, the all-time school scoring king with 1,330 points before he moved on to Kentucky Wesleyan.

 Catlettsburg’s 1953 team was 20-12 and bowed out to Mt. Sterling in the opening round of the regional tournament. Coach Holbrook ended his career with 169 victories, the most in school history.

1968 CATLETTSBURG (81) – Lauhon 2-8 3-4 7, Spears 4-10 5-6 15, Zornes 14-21 2-3 30, Ross 5-11 1-2 12, Johns 1-4 0-0 2, Adkins 5-6 0-0 11, Rooker 1-2 1-1 3, Webb 1-3 0-0 3. FG: 32-65. FT: 12-16. 3FG: 5-14 (Lauhon 0-1, Spears 2-4, Ross 1-4, Johns 0-3, Adkins 1-1, Webb 1-1). Rebounds: 30 (Lauhon 2, Spears 5, Zornes 11, Ross 5, Johns 2, Adkins 4, Webb 1). Assists: 19 (Lauhon 7, Spears 5, Ross 3, Johns 5). PF: 24. Turnovers: 7.

1953 CATLETTSBURG (87) – Cassell 1-6 1-2 3, Barker 4-10 0-1 11, Eddy 6-10 8-8 20, Pack 2-5 3-5 7, Baier 4-10 0-2 8, Collinsworth 10-13 3-3 31, Blanton 0-2 1-4 1, Scott 2-3 0-0 4, Sloan 1-3 0-0 2. FG: 30-62. FT: 16-25. 3FG: 11-22 (Cassell 0-1, Barker 4-7, Collinsworth 8-11, Blanton 0-1, Scott 0-1). Rebounds: 41 (Cassell 6, Barker 5, Eddy 6, Pack 3, Baer 3, Collinsworth 9, Blanton 4, Scott 2, Sloan 3). Assists: 16 (Barker 8, Eddy 2, Collinsworth 1, Pack 5). PF: 16. Turnovers: 12.

1968 CATLETTSBURG          14        19      28      20        –    81

1953 CATLETTSBURG           24       12      24      27      –      87

CP-1 Hall of Fame ceremony postponed until 2021

ASHLAND, Ky. – The 2020 CP-1 Hall of Fame ceremony has been postponed until August 2021 because of coronavirus concerns.

The makeup ceremony will be Aug. 21, 2021, in Central Park.

“It was a tough decision to make but was what needed to be done,” said CP-1 HOF President Mark Maynard. “We gather about 100 to 150 people every year and most are older adults who are more vulnerable to the virus.”

The CP-1 Hall of Fame 2020 class has memorable players, outstanding coaches and a player said by many to be one of the best to ever play in Central Park.

In the 1960s, Wilson Barrow was the hardest-throwing pitcher anybody had ever seen and a tremendous all-around athlete who in high school bridged Booker T. Washington and Ashland. He is part of a 10-man class that is a mix of players and coaches, and a few who did a little of both.

Here is a look at the class:

–Wilson Barrow, who played in Ashland’s inaugural Little League season in 1955, could make the mitt pop like few others who ever played in the park. Barrow’s fastball was compared to how Bill Lynch and Don Gullett threw later in the decade.

–Scott Crank was a three-sport athlete who starred in football (quarterback), basketball (point guard) and baseball (shortstop) for the Tomcats in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He was a clutch hitter and slick fielder for the Tomcats and Post 76.

–Mike Delaney is a longtime coach with Post 76, basically keeping the program alive. He was an outstanding player as a middle infielder in the mid-1970s for the Tomcats and Post 76.

–Brian Finkbone was the consummate leadoff hitter and sparkplug for the Tomcats in the mid-1970s. His speed made him a best for opposing pitchers who had a hard time keeping him off the bases. His all-out style made him a favorite with teammates.

–Bill Hammond has coached at CP-1 for many summers and continues as a co-coach with Delaney for Post 76. He was a standout pitcher for the Tomcats and Post 76 in the mid-1970s and became an outstanding teacher of the pitching craft.

–French Harmon was a solid contributor as a player for the Tomcats in the late 70s, but it was his coaching ability that he was best known. He led a Connie Mack resurgence in the late 1980s and 1990s and was instrumental in helping several players in college.

–Jon Hart’s smooth swing made him a fear hitter for the Tomcats, Post 76, Stan Musial and Marshall University. He could beat you with the bat or glove and was one of the top all-around players on every team for on each level.

–Cabot Keesey spanned the late 1970s and early 1980s and was a pure hitter and outstanding defensive player both as an infielder and outfielder throughout his playing career that include the Tomcats, Post 76 and Stan Musial teams.

–Mark Moore played for the Tomcats, Post 76 and then 10 more years on the Stan Musial level, making him one of the all-time veterans in the park. He hit for power and played flawlessly at shortstop and third baseman, making every team he was part of better.

–Mike Tussey, who coached youth league baseball for 22 years and won a state championship in 1988 with the Stan Musial adult league, was also a radio and cable television broadcaster who called many games in the park. He also was the Voice of the minor league Huntington Cubs.

71 Irish set early pace, then chase 62 Irish to finish line

ASHLAND, Ky. – Holy Family’s 1971 basketball team is one of the best in school history, one of 10 teams that reached the 16th Region championship game and a surprise finalist in the 1970 Ashland Invitational Tournament.

The 71 Irish were matched against Ted Esders and the 1962 Holy Family team that won 27 games under coach Jack Gossett in the 16th Region simulation series Sunday night.

It was expected to be a shootout although 71 coach Bill Carroll’s goal, as always, was to control the tempo. They did that in methodical fashion in the first half, leading 32-23 as they sliced up the 62 Irish with backdoor cuts, double screens that led to easy layups.

But the biggest edge the 71 Irish had was 6-foot-5 Roy Stewart in the middle and he controlled the paint with 10 rebounds.

What the 71 Irish didn’t count on was the offensive firepower of the 62 Irish, who began hitting from everywhere in the second half. It was a sight to behold as Esders and Frank Burns started launching.

“We played a lot of good teams in 71, including Louisville Male in the AIT finals (an 84-44 loss), but these guys from 62 could play,” Carroll said. “I was never one for that kind of basketball but it was either play their style or lose in the second half after Esders and Burns caught fire for them.”

Early in the second half the 71 Irish’s lead ballooned to 46-29 after six consecutive points from Fred Stapleton, including a 3-pointer from NBA range. Coach Carroll was spinning around looking for a sub as soon as Stapleton was lining up to shoot.

“That’s not what we do,” he told Stapleton as he came to the bench. “That kind of shot is not the kind we’re looking to shoot. Sit there and think about it.”

“I might have got a little excited there,” Stapleton said later.

The 71 Irish were 3-for-13 on 3-pointers, a nice feature for them, but none were longer than the 23-footer from Stapleton. Gary Lynch made all three of the triples on four attempts.

“Coach Carroll never complained about Gary’s shots,” Stapleton said.

Once they built the 17-point lead, it looked like it was going to be an easy cruise to the finish line. However, the 62 Irish started warming up. Esders and Burns took turns hitting bombs but the 71 Irish kept pace and led 60-49 inside the first minute of the fourth quarter.

“They were having trouble stopping us but we were having trouble stopping them too,” Gossett said. “Stewart just dominated us in the paint and coach Carroll’s teams are all so fundamentally sound. This was no exception.”

Stewart was five inches taller than any of the 62 starters. Dave Brislin hurt them inside too with 17 points and eight rebounds. Stapleton led the Irish with 20 points while Stewart and Brown added 11 points apiece.

The 71 Irish were leading 63-54 with 5 ½ minutes remaining but an 11-0 run from the 62 Irish put them ahead for the first time since early in the first quarter at 65-63. Esders finished the run with an 18-footer with his toe on the line at the top of the key.

The 62 team fared better with 3-pointers, going 7-for-20. “I’m not sure we knew what we were doing with that shot, but I was glad we had them,” Gossett said.

Stewart broke the scoring drought with an inside move and Lynch followed with his third triple to make it 68-65 in favor of the 71 Irish. Two free throws from Bill Thompson pulled the 61 Irish within 68-67 but that was as close as they would get as Brislin scored six of the last eight points including four free throws to lock up the win by a score of the last six points in a 76-73 victory.

“Play good defense, work for the good shot, make free throws and take care of the ball,” Carroll said. “That will win a lot of games and it did again tonight.”

Stapleton scored 24 and Burns 22 while Francis Weinfurtner added 10 points.

“That’s a great Holy Family team,” Gossett said. “I’m proud we could hang with them as well as we did.”

Real life

 Holy Family’s 1962 team went 27-6, won the Eastern Kentucky Conference Tournament and the Catholic Invitational. They were eliminated in the district tournament by Ashland 81-64. During the AIT, the Irish fell only 70-69 to the Tomcats, who finished as state runners-up that season.

Holy Family’s 1971 team finished 25-12 and reached the championship game of the 16th Region Tournament where the Irish fell to Ashland 68-58. They stunned the Tomcats in the AIT and reached the finals of that tournament before losing soundly to Louisville Male.

1971 HOLY FAMILY (76) – Stapleton 4-14 12-13 20, Brislin 6-14 5-5 17, Lynch 3-7 0-0 9, Stewart 5-8 1-2 11, Brown 1-6 0-0 2, Layne 5-7 1-1 11, Weis 1-3 1-2 3, Mantle 1-3 1-3 3. FG: 26-63. FT: 21-26. 3FG: 3-13 (Stapleton 0-3, Brislin 0-5, Stewart 1-2, Layne 1-1, Weis 1-2, Mantle 1-3). Rebounds: 45 (Stapleton 4, Brislin 8, Lynch 6, Stewart 10, Brown 3, Layne 5, Weis 5, Mantle 4). Assists: 14 (Stapleton 7, Brislin 1, Lynch 1, Srewart 3, Weis 1). PF: 24. Turnovers: 19.

1962 HOLY FAMILY (73) – Weinfurtner 2-8 4-5 10, Burns 10-17 0-3 22, Esders 6-15 10-12 24, Saller 3-7 1-2 7, Tamme 1-7 0-0 3, Friel 1-3 1-2 3, Thompson 1-4 2-2 4. FG: 24-62. FT: 18-26. 3FG: 7-20 (Weinfurtner 2-3, Burns 2-5, Esders 2-4, Saller 0-1, Tamme 1-7). Rebounds: 33 (Weinfurtner 5, Burns 3, Esders 9, Saller 5, Tamme 6, Friel 1, Thompson 4). Assists: 11 (Weinfurtner 1, Burns 1, Esders 5, Saller 2, Friel 2). PF: 20. Turnovers: 15.

 1971 HOLY FAMILY       15          17          26       18     –         76

1962 HOLY FAMILY       11          12          26       24       –      73

 

Fairview teams that finished in frustration get a shot against each other

WESTWOOD, Ky. – It seemed fitting that Fairview’s 1974 and 1982 basketball teams would have another opportunity to play.

Both of their seasons ended valiantly but on a downbeat with hard-fought losses in the 16th Region Tournament – the 74 team to East Carter in the semifinals and the 82 team to Rowan County in the first round. The hope for both teams was for much more.

So for old time’s sake, why not lace them up one more time?

Coach George Cooke was all about it, having retired after Jeff Hall’s sophomore season. Now Hall was a senior sharpshooter and an All-State player who was feared throughout the region.

“I’m not sure stopping him from scoring is in the defensive playbook,” Cooke said. “But we had some tough boys back in 1974 and none of them were tougher than Joe Barker.”

The biggest difference in this game was being able to utilize the 3-point shot and both teams were excited about it. But maybe they shouldn’t have been.

The 74 team made 7 of 28 – only 25 percent – and the 82 team hit only 4 of 17 for less than 25 percent. It was a bit surprising given the penchant for shooting that both teams possessed.

Don Rigsby, a high-scoring junior forward in 74, fell in love with shots behind the arc. Maybe because it was good at it, hitting 6 of 14 and scoring 29 points in a typical performance.

Hall more than matched him although it surprisingly didn’t come from 3-point range. He was a modest 3-of-5 from there but connected on all 10 free throws and was 10 of 16 from the floor to score 33 points, a game high.

“Not that surprising that Rigsby and Jeff would do what they do,” said 82 coach Jim Day. “I think we all kind of saw that coming. We were happy with Don shooting the 3s, at least until he started making every one of them.”

The game didn’t hinge on Rigsby and Hall though. It was the complementary players that made the difference.

Barker had 13 points and nine assists and Bobby Lambert and Jeff Mullins scored 11 and 10 respectively.

Rick Clark muscled for 13 points and 10 rebounds and Ben Spradlin scored 14 points with seven rebounds and six assists. Tom Craft collected eight points and five rebounds.

“This was a well-played basketball game although defense seemed to be a problem for both of us,” Cooke said. “And I think Baldy Stout could have done a better job on the boards. That’s where they hurt us the most.”

Fairview’s 82 team jumped ahead 11-2 with Hall scoring a quick six points. The 74 team was in catchup mode the rest of the game and they never caught them.

The 82 Eagles led 30-20 after the first quarter and never trailed in the game. Their biggest lead was 13 points after another flurry from Hall. The advantage grew from 20-13 to 26-13 on three consecutive baskets from Hall, who scored an incredible 27 in the first half.

However, Fairview’s 82 team led only 43-37 at halftime.

“I didn’t feel good at the half, quite honestly,” Day said. “Jeff had scored 27 and we only led by six. But everybody else picked it up in the second half.”

Fairview’s 74 team came roaring back in the second half and tied the game at 55 inside the first minute of the fourth quarter.

The game remained tight until Clark broke it open with some solid inside play. After Hall scored his last points on a jumper for a 63-59 lead, Richards scored six points during an 11-5 surge that brought the advantage to double figures at 74-64 with six minutes to play.

“That was the death blow for us,” Cooke said.

Clark said he’d gained a little boost after stopping at a Pump N Go, which had a 2-for-1 deal on candy bars and energy drinks. “I was ready to go!” he said.

Barker, who was maybe the most competitive player on the team, was upset after the loss when he saw a 21-9 advantage on free throws made for the 82 Eagles.

“I’m sorry, I don’t like to complain, but they were calling fouls on us if we even breathed on Jeff,” he said. “I know the whole COVID thing is going around but come on. This is basketball. Let us play. We could have won the game.”

Hall made all 10 of his foul shots, including twice making all three after being fouled on 3-point attempts.

“I didn’t touch him either time,” Barker lamented. “COVID calls.”

Fairview’s 82 team also held a 44-34 rebounding advantage.

Real life

 Fairview’s 1974 team finished 20-9, won the NEKC tournament, the 63rd District and defeated both Boyd County and Ashland. Henry Clay walloped them 117-64 in the AIT and East Carter eliminated the Eagles by 20 in the regional semifinals.

Fairview’s 1982 team was a solid bunch and senior-laden. Hall, Spradlin and Clark were the mainstays of a team that went 21-9 and was formidable against anybody. The Eagles lost to North Hardin in the AIT and one of the cheerleaders for North Hardin later became Jeff Hall’s wife.

1974 FAIRVIEW (74) – Rigsby 8-18 3-4 29, Barker 4-10 4-6 13, Nickles 5-9 1-2 11, Lambert 5-8 0-0 10, Thompson 0-6 0-0 0, Mullins 4-7 1-3 9, Renfroe 0-3 0-0 0, Harris 1-2 0-0 2. FG: 29-63. FT: 9-15. 3FG: 7-28 (Rigsby 6-14, Barker 1-3, Nickles 0-4, Thompson 0-6). Rebounds: 34 (Rigsby 9, Barker 4, Nickles 3, Lambert 8, Thompson 3, Mullins 1, Harris 4). Assists: 14 (Rigsby 2, Barker 9, Nickles 2, Mullins 1). PF: 22. Turnovers: 15.

1982 FAIRVIEW (81) – Craft 2-4 4-5 8, Spradlin 6-19 2-3 14, Hall 10-16 10-10 33, Whitlock 2-8 0-0 4, Rick Clark 6-9 1-2 13, Mills 1-2 4-5 7, Queen 1-5 0-0 2, Rodney Clark 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 28-63. FT: 21-25. 3FG: 4-17 (Craft 0-1, Spradlin 0-7, Hall 3-5, Whitlock 0-1, Mills 1-2, Queen 0-1). Rebounds: 44 (Craft 5, Spradlin 7, Hall 7, Whitlock 10, Clark 10, Mills 4, Queen 3). Assists: 15 (Craft 5, Spradlin 6, Hall 1, Whitlock 2, Queen 1). PF: 19. Turnovers: 17.

1974 FAIRVIEW               20        17        17          20        –      74

1982 FAIRVIEW               30        13        12          26        –      81