Russellville senior Chevis Elliott has added another honor to his memorable season’s resume. After being named first-team all-state by The Courier-Journal and Kentucky Sports Radio, he has been selected as one of the top 30 high school football players in Kentucky by the Lexington Herald-Leader in its “Class of the Commonwealth.”
Panther coach Mikie Benton says, “Whenever the Top 50 Panthers list is reevaluated, take my name off and put Chevis Elliott in my spot! Period! Put the entire state on notice! Kentucky.com /AP Courier Journal/ KSR/KFCA, he’s gotten the respect from all across the state!”
There’s no way any such list could omit Benton, but someone else’s position most likely is on shaky ground.
The LoJo
Some other remaining high school football news items that we haven’t reported previously:
*Logan County head football coach Todd Adler, who led his young team to 10 wins and Class 4A district and regional championships, has been named District 1 Coach of the Year with just five seniors on the roster.
It’s worth noting that two of the team’s four losses were to state champions—Class 5A’s South Warren and 4A’s Boyle County. A third loss was to Class 1A state runner-up Russellville.
*Cougar senior defensive back/ receiver/ running back/ wildcat quarterback/ punter/ kick returner Wyatt Blake has beennamed honorable mention all-state on defense by The Courier-Journal.
Blake led the Class 4A state semifinalist Cougars in receptions (45), receiving yards (586), receiving touchdowns (7), punt return touchdowns (1), touchdowns scored (19) total points scored (116), and fumble recoveries (tied with 12 others with 1). Punting and kick returns are not included in reported statistics.
He was second in rushing attempts (99), rushing yardage (797), rushing touchdowns (10), interception return yards (75), interception returns for touchdowns (1), solo tackles (68) and total tackles (95).
*On The C-J’s third team was Glasgow senior John Carter Meyers as a defensive back. He was also the quarterback of the Scottie team which finished 12-2, reached the Class 3A Final Four, and handed the Panthers their only regular season loss.
Myers, of course, is the son of John and Jennifer Myers. John was the Panther coach and principal, and Jennifer taught and served as an administrator in the city schools duringJohn Carter’s elementary and middle school years. She is now elementary school principal in Glasgow and John is a central office administrator and assistant coach of the Scotties.
Incidentally, the Paducah Tilghman team which ended the Scotties’ season in the semifinals and came within a touchdown of winning the state was coached by Sean Thompson, who until this season was the coach of the Crittenden County team which ended the Panthers’ seasons a few years.
The LoJo
The NBA G League announced Christmas Eve that its regular season, originally scheduled to resume today, will now begin Thursday, Jan. 6, The announcement said, “The delay will give teams an opportunity to safely return players to market after the Christmas holiday and to replenish their rosters following NBA Call-Ups.”
Former Russellville star Pedro Bradshaw is a member of the Sioux Falls Skyforce of South Dakota, the Miami Heat’s G League team.
RHS Athletic Director Ryan Davenport, who became close to Bradshaw as his assistant coach during Pedro’s Panther days, reports that RHS’ most honored player ever has been home visiting during the Christmas holidays.
“Had a good visit from Pedro today. We're so proud of him,” Davenport wrote on Facebook. “My son Mason thought it was cool that (former UK standout and NBA veteran) Brandon Knight is his teammate and good friend. Dro had 14 points and 5 assists last game.”
The LoJo
Logan County Hall of Famer Joseph Jefferson has a son named Joseph Jefferson II, who had a great high school career playing in the secondary for Indianapolis Pike. The Jeffersons have lived in Indy since Joltin’ Joe Jefferson retired after starting for the Indianapolis Colts.
There was a chance that the younger Jefferson might play for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers where his dad has been named one of the greatest players in WKU history. Instead, he chose another WKU Connection, signing to play for former Topper coach Jeff Brohm in the Big Ten at Purdue.
The LoJo
Speaking of the Big Ten and sons of Logan County Hall of Famers, we should note that Tyrone Babb’s son came very close to being a part of this weekend’s Final Four in NCAA football. Kamryn Babb is a captain of the Ohio State team which was second ranked before losing to Michigan State in the conference’s most important game.
Kamryn’s story is both inspiring and depressing. A four-star quarterback when he signed with the Buckeyes, he has undergone four ACL tears, surgeries and recoveries. Going into this season he had played only seven college games in three years.
Yet he is such a leader that he was named a co-captain of the team in this, his senior season.
“One of the more amazing stories I’ve been around,” OSU head coach Ryan Day said of Babb upon his becoming a captain. “This is a guy who has been through four ACLs. He’s currently unavailable. But he came up and spoke to the team last week about what resilience means, and that was a word that we spent about three days on here during camp, resilience. Something that’s a mark of a lot of successful people is the ability to be resilient and bounce back from adversity and failure and emotional pain. And he is the epitome of that.”
Even though Babb, whose grandmother is from Auburn, is not in the Final Four, there still is a Logan County Connection. (Isn’t there always?)
Michigan is coached by Jim Harbaugh, a former assistant coach under his dad Jack at WKU. L.T. Smith Stadium is located on an extension of Russellville Road.
Just saying …