Nathan Hutchinson
RICHMOND — Madison Central has dominated the 44th District in recent years.
The Indians have won 14-straight titles and have rarely been seriously challenged during that impressive run of championships.
However, that could change this year.
Madison Southern returns a deep and talented group, led by six seniors and highlighted by a standout guard and two quality post players. The Eagles will begin the season as the clear favorite to win the district title and to end Central’s streak of championships.
“We’ve got some opportunities ahead of us,” Southern coach Shane Buttry said. “But, we can’t take anything for granted. We have to work hard or we are going to be .500 like we were last year. It’s probably the toughest schedule we’ve ever played.”
Southern was 13-14 last season, but brings back almost every key performer from that team, which finished as district runner-up and lost to Scott County in the opening round of the 11th Region Tournament.
Carrington Roberts, a 5-foot-10, senior guard, has already scored more than 1,000 points in his career. Last year, he averaged more than 17 points a game.
“He’s got like 400 points to go to break the school record,” Buttry said. “He’s getting some looks for small colleges. He’s a quiet leader and we expect big things from him.”
Joey Wallace, a senior forward/center, averaged 16 points and almost eight rebounds a game last year, while Jimmy Freel, a senior forward, averaged 10 points and six rebounds
Rico Brown did not play basketball last season, but has rejoined the team this year. The athletic, versatile senior small forward (5-foot-11, 180-pound) has committed to play football at Western Kentucky.
He averaged nine points a game during his sophomore season.
Junior A.J. Jeck will run the point with Roberts. Seniors Trent Broughton, Aaron Ponder and Phillip Acres will also be in the lineup for the Eagles as well.
“We could start eight or nine guys,” Buttry said.
Madison Central
The Indians won 19 games last season and advanced to the semifinals of the 11th Region Tournament, but they lost seven of their top eight players.
Central does have back two outstanding underclassmen — Brenton Covington and Dominique Hawkins — still their are lots of question marks heading into the season.
“Things are kind of up for grabs,” Central coach Allen Feldhaus said. Dominique is exceptional. If there’s a better freshman in the state, I’d like to see him. He’s really gotten a lot stronger and he’s just a super kid.”
Covington (sophomore, five points per game last year) and junior Nick Ford (three points per game) are the only players who got any real varsity playing time last season.
“We’ve got a lot of question marks,” Feldhaus said.
Hawkins led Madison Middle to an eighth-grade state championship last year and did play on the varsity squad at the end of the season.
Senior Stephen Guerra, junior Darian Cox, sophomore Casey Schneider and junior Jared Pyatt will be counted on to contribute more this season for a young and relatively inexperienced team.
Berea Community
The Pirates graduated a pair of seniors last year, but bring back an experienced group that has raised expectations for a team that went just 6-19 last season.
“We will be a better team this year, but how much better will be up to the players,” Berea coach Bill Smallwood said. “If they continue to improve over the season as they did in the offseason, I think our fans are in for real fine year.”
Berea returns five seniors — Chase Riddle, Jeremy Hamilton, Jon Shearer, Logan Hutchins and Justin Hubbard — and added a quality post player — senior Nate Arvin Sr.
Riddle, a forward, averaged eight points and four rebounds last year. Hamilton averaged seven points and five rebounds, Nathan Vaughn averaged six points and three points last year and sophomore Ben Miller averaged 5.5 points a game last year.
Arvin (6-foot-5) was the starting center last season for Powell County.
Model Laboratory
The Patriots also lost just two players to graduation and have some talented players set to return this season.
Model was just 6-20 last year and will count on seniors Gabe Cormney, Anders Kipp and Matt Witt, along with sophomore Bryce Botts to lead the team to a better record this season.
