The last sporting events ever played by four of the five schools which consolidated into Logan County High School 30 years ago this summer came on baseball
fields. That made the 1982 district baseball tournament special. The high schools had not yet started playing softball.
The exception was Auburn, which played (and won) a girls tennis match against Russellville several days after the baseball Tigers had been eliminated. In
fact, one of those Lady Tigers, Edwina Hall, was the last athlete to represent a non-consolidated Logan County school in sports action. As regional
runner-up, she made it all the way to state.
One of the factors that made the 1982 baseball tournament memorable was that many of the key players were young and were the nucleus of the first couple of
LCHS Cougar baseball teams. In fact, many of them had played the year before in the tournament which was won by Olmstead over Adairville, a couple of teams
that were dominated by freshmen and sophomores. David Billingsley, who coached the Lewisburg Rangers to the championship of this tournament, was the first
baseball coach of the Cougars, as well as a member of the state championship basketball coaching staff. He set the precedent for baseball being the most
consistently competitive team at LCHS in its first 30 years.
Olmstead 10, Adairville 7
The district tournament, which was played for the second straight year at Elkton's City-County Park, featured the combatants from the previous finals in
the opening game. Again Coach Jack Pack's Ramblers beat Coach Mike Haynes' Cardinals, this time 10-7.
Olmstead got on the scoreboard when Mike Coleman was hit by a pitch, Robby McLellan walked, and Greg Poore, Tim Baldwin and Jeff Mills each singled. In the
third, Tim Allen singled, Coleman walked, and McLellan singled. A memorable play in the inning found Cardinal catcher Brett Angel holding on to the ball
and the out when Coleman barreled into him. Shortstop Greg Scott cut him down on a relay from outfielder Dale Hallman. Karl Wayne Dawson and Mark White of
OHS scored in the fifth inning.
Allen, who had three of the seven Olmstead hits, delivered the game's biggest blow when he smacked a three-run double.
Adairville had taken an early lead when Tony Holder doubled and Rob Nichols drove in the run on a sacrifice fly.
In Adairville's final inning of sports, Angel and Holder each singled, and Van Martin hit a 2-run single to drive them in. Adam Scales, whose two grand
slams in one district game as a freshman the year before had earned him a mention in Sports Illustrated, got the fourth hit of the inning, and
Martin scored the final run on an error.
White, who is still in the midst of a lengthy college basketball coaching career, pitched the win with relief help from Coleman. Scott started and finished
the game on the mound for Adairville with relief work by Nichols in between.
Pack, the winning coach, soon accepted the head boys basketball coaching job at Calloway County High School and later became the head basketball coach at
St. Catherine Junior College. Haynes went on to coach Lady Cougar basketball twice and the Cougar boys during another stint. He led the 1989 and 1990 girls
teams to consecutive regional championships and to berths in the state quarterfinals both times. He retired as assistant principal after the 2011 school
year.
The other first-round game found Potter Christian School of Bowling Green eliminating the home team, Todd Central, 10-2. Potter was not a
high school many years and was in this district only in baseball. The school was overseen by Barclay Riley¸ who is now retired and living
with his wife Marilyn in Russellville.
Lewisburg 16, Chandlers 7
Billingsley had to use five pitchers to end the Bears' high school athletic history. Starter Eric 'Chico' Proctor was followed to the mound by Keith
McReynolds, Roger Rainwater, Cody Grubbs and Rocky Cook. The late Gary Barker, who was a key reserve on the state championship basketball team at LCHS, was
the CHS pitcher.
Chandlers got off to a 2-0 start. Barker and Richie Duncan walked, Dwane Manning singled to load the bases, Roger Lee had an RBI fielder's choice, and Greg
Sydnor drew an RBI walk. Ranger staff ace McReynolds then came in to strike out Mike Davenport and Stephen Sydnor to hold the Bears to two runs.
The Rangers scored six runs in the first inning after Barker had gotten two outs. Stanley Slaton singled, Stewart Slaton was hit by a pitch, and Joey
Wright doubled them in. Cook, Steve Johnson and Rainwaters all walked, and Mark Britton hit a 3-run double.
Stan Slaton had three hits in the game with Britton, Johnson and Wright getting two each. Britton and Wright combined for nine RBIs.
Chandlers' final inning found Duncan getting hit by a pitch, Kelly Allen, Manning and Lee walking, and Greg Sydnor hitting a 2-run double. The Sydnors each
produced two of the Bears' four hits.
Chandlers was coached by Dean Lee, who taught at LCHS until his retirement. He proudly has watched his grandson, Zach Lee, start for the Russellville
Panthers in this regional tournament season.
Russellville 18, Auburn 10
Both of these were young teams. Tim Williams, who had been one of the leaders of the Panthers' first state championship football team as a junior, was the
only senior for the Panthers while Mike Spain and Kelly Yokley were the only Auburn 12th graders. Coach Barry Reed, who had taken the Tigers to
the basketball regional finals a couple of months earlier ( see the story of the 1982 basketball tournaments under March Sports Articles on The LoJo), started two eighth graders,
two freshmen and a sophomore pitcher.
Russellville coach Gwynne Gaddie went him one better, trusting freshman Jeff Kemp on the mound. He went three and a third innings, giving up only one
earned run among the four he allowed on just one hit while striking out six. He's now an assistant coach for the Panthers, and his son Crewden was the
starting pitcher for the Panthers in this year's 13th District championship game. Sophomore Clay Parrish, who was probably the Panthers' best
overall player, worked the final three and two-thirds innings, giving up six runs (two earned) on nine hits, three walks and four strikeouts.
Getting two hits each were Williams, freshmen Terry Dilliha and Brian Fruits, Joey Williamson and Brent Wilkins. Billy Shifflett, Wilkins, Fruits and
Dilliha all doubled. Wilkins scored three runs and drove in two. Dilliha had three RBIs and Fruits two. Keith 'Gabby' Hayes scored three runs. Designated
hitter Andy Woodall singled.
Richie Powell had four hits for the Tigers. Eric Meguiar and Bryan Estes each had two hits and three RBIs; Meguiar scored twice. Yokley was on base all
four times he came to the plate. He and Danny Pendleton each scored twice. Eighth grade designated hitter Kevin White and freshman Kyle Hines both walked.
Freshman Kevin Hickman was the Tigers' most effective pitcher on the day.
Lewisburg 6, Potter Christian 0
Stewart Slaton hit a grand slam for most of his RBIs, and he had a second hit. Rocky Cook also homered. Keith McReynolds pitched a complete game shutout.
Russellville 6, Olmstead 2
Jeff Kemp pitched this one, too. He gave only two hits, one each by Mark White and Jeff Mills. He walked four and struck out eight while adding four
defensive assists.
Joey Williamson hit a two-run homer in the first inning. In the second, Andy Woodall doubled, Steve Felts reached on an error, Gabby Hayes walked and Terry
Dilliha hit a two-run single.
After that the Rams' Mike Coleman pitched three scoreless innings, facing only one above the minimum batters. In the sixth, however, Woodall walked, Felts,
Hayes and Tim Williams singled for the last two RHS runs.
Brent Lee pulled off a suicide squeeze for Olmstead's first run. Greg Poore walked for the other RBI. Tim Baldwin hit a looping fly ball that would have
produced two more runs, but Felts made a diving catch. Clay Parrish almost came up with a sinking liner off the bat of Greg Poore. Olmstead High School's
sports history had reached its final chapter.
Championship Game
Lewisburg 7, Russellville 5
The championship game came down to one pitch. The Rangers were leading by two with two outs in the final inning, and the bases were loaded with Panthers.
Tim Williams, the respected RHS leader and only senior, was at the plate on a full count. Keith McReynolds, who was so respected by his teammates that
manager Eddie Schweers kept yelling “come on, Leader,” was on the mound.
McReynolds threw his pitch toward Williams and catcher Stewart Slaton. Williams delivered a solid swing. He missed. The Rangers had won the final game of
the 13th District baseball tournament as we knew it. Coach David Billingsley and his regal Rangers regined and rejoiced.
A sportswriter named Jim Turner, who covered every pitch of the tournament, wrote about two other effective yelling sprees by Lewisburg, with Slaton and
Billingsley using their vocal cords for the team.
The score was tied 4-4 in the fifth inning. Stanley Slaton was at the plate and his twin brother Stewart was on deck. Stewart kept yelling “come on,
Stanley” repeatedly. It worked. Stan Slaton homered off Clay Parrish for the go-ahead run.
Billingsley pulled out one of his favorite ploys to produce another run late in the game. The bases were loaded. He made it appear that Cook was trying to
steal second, although it was already occupied. Catcher Brian Fruits took the bait and threw the ball to fellow freshman Terry Dilliha at first. Proctor
sped home, stealing the run. Cook slid back into first under the tag. “I knew what they were doing and said to myself, 'Here it comes; it's showtime,” RHS
coach Gwynne Gaddie laughed, “but it was too late to stop the freshmen.” That's where the third vocal tactics paid off.
One time the Panthers did get Proctor at the plate when second baseman Williams cut off a throw down on an attempted double steal and fired it bag to
Fruits for the tag. And Parrish struck out both Roger Rainwaters and Mark Britton with the bases leaded.
Joey Wright plated McReynolds for one of Lewisburg's runs, McReynolds singled in Cook for another, and two runs scored on an error.
For Russellville, Billy Skipworth had an RBI double and Steve Felts an RBI single. Keith Haynes was on base five times with two hits and three walks.
Shifflett pitched in relief and threw a strike to Joey Williamson at third to cut down Joey Wright.
In that seventh inning, Parrish singled and Fruits doubled. Billingsley brought McReynolds to the mound, even though he had pitched a complete game the day
before. He walked Brent Wilkins and struck out Shifflett. Andy Woodall then cut the lead to a pair when he worked a bases-loaded RBI walk. McReynolds threw
a wild pitch but got to the plate before Fruits. Stewart Slaton got the ball to him, and the smaller McReynolds held on as the hard-charging Fruits came
home. McReynolds was able to show the ball to home plate umpire Johnny Snell, and Fruits was out. Hayes walked, but then McReynolds got the strikeout to
end a great game.
Lewisburg won despite getting only four hits, two each by Cook and Stanley Slaton. Shifflett had three for the Panthers.
Region
Warren Central 8, Russellville 6
As has been the case for many Russellville and Logan teams over the year, the end of this Panther season came against Warren Central in the region. Fruits
homered in the second inning. In the seventh,
Shifflett walked, Woodall and Felts hit consecutive RBI doubles, Williams was hit by a pitch, Williamson singled for an RBI, and Parrish walked to load the
bases, but Fruits struck out to end the game.
Kemp, who had handed Central one of its five losses a couple of weeks earlier, started and took the loss. Parrish also pitched.
Woodall became the quarterback on a state championship football team a year and a half later. Fruits was his backup and a key linebacker in that 1983
season, and Wilkins was a tremendous lineman during a 24-game win streak. Parrish was one of the best players on that state championship team.
Bowling Green 8, Lewisburg 2
This was the last baseball game ever played by a non-consolidated high school in the Logan County system. The Ranger pitcher was Keith McReynolds, who
became Belmont's relief ace as a college pitcher. He also played a big role in the development of Babe Ruth Baseball in Logan County and coached the Bees
to a berth in the multi-state regional Senior Babe Ruth Tournament in 1999, a first for any local baseball team. Half the runs he gave up in this game were
unearned.
The Rangers started strong with the game's first two batters scoring. McReynolds and Eric Proctor walked, Stanley Slaton singled, Stewart Slaton earned a
bases-loaded walk and Proctor scored on Joey Wright's slow roller. BGH shut the door after that. McReynolds, Rocky Cook and Mark Britton also had hits.
Stewart Slaton
finished the season with a .409 batting average, 22 hits, 23 runs, 23 RBIs, 4 homers, 29 walks, 31 stolen bases, and a .665 on base percentage. Stanley Slaton batted .383 with 23 hits, 22 runs, 23 RBIs, 4 home runs, 14 walks, 15 stolen bases, .975 fielding percentage, .494 on-base
percentage, 4 pitching wins, 30 strikeouts pitching and a 3.50 earned run average.
Keith McReynolds
had a .149 earned run average, 4 pitching wins, 53 strikeouts pitched, .327 batting average, 17 hits, 19 runs, .536 on-base percentage, 14 walks, 12 stolen
bases and 906 fielding percentage. Eric Proctor also pitched 4 wins. He hurled 40 strikeouts with a 2.00 era. He batted .232 with 13 hits,
22 runs, 13 RBIs, 3 home runs, 25 walks and 19 stolen bases.
Rocky Cook
, who missed much of the season with a broken wrist, hit .429 with a .621 on-base percentage. Joey Wright hit .329 with 16 runs, 23 RBIs,
2 homers and a .967 fielding percentage. Steve Johnson batted .264. scored 10 runs and had a .550 on-base percentage. Roger Rainwaters hit .281 with 12 hits including a homer, and 14 walks. He struck out 21 batters, as did Cody Grubbs.
Mark Britton
scored 10 runs and was on base 46.7 percent of the time, aided by 15 walks. James Shelton had a .583 on-base percentage whileChris Wilson was at .467 in that category. Brian Johnson homered and Matt Britton field at a .963 clip. Mike Eddings was also a member of the varsity.
Last-ever Sports Event
The last team event involving a non-consolidated Logan County High School found Coach Pat Gregory's Auburn Lady Tigers beating Russellville 7-2 in tennis.
Gene Heffington—now the athletic director at Montgomery County High School--was the Lady Panther coach.
Winners in singles for Auburn and their seedings were: 1) Edwina Hall d. Melynda Foster 8-2, 2) Dee Baldwin d. Sally Boyd 8-2, 5) Lisa Chasteen d. Carla
Anderson 8-4, and 6) Gina Insco d. Julie Webb 8-3. Russellville's singles winners were 3) Vonda Beasley d. Janice Covington 8-4 and 4) Sonya Shoulders d.
Lauren Crawford 8-3.
Auburn swept doubles. Baldwin-Covington d. Foster-Boyd 8-1, 2) Chasteen-Stephanie Hall d. Beasley-Shoulders 8-5 and Edwina Hall-Michelle White d.
Anderson-White 8-3. The Auburn win over Beasley and Shoulders was especially impressive, since those Lady Panthers won the SKY doubles championship.
Other 1982 Sports Tidbits
In the spring of 1982, Russellville sophomore Mary Wis Estes qualified for state golf for the second straight year. Melanie Baker, who retired as as a
Bullitt County Schools speech patholigist just a few days ago, was coach of this sport, which was still played in the spring at the time.
Tommy Wilkins. who had signed to play football for Coaches Bobby Bowden and Jim Gladden at Florida State University, was selected to play for the West
squad in the Kentucky East-West Game.
Russellville's Billy Jeff Burton lost 6-4, 6-4 to Franklin-Simpson's Matt Fones in what was considered the best regional tennis finals ever played in this
area. They became teammates at Western Kentucky University, and Burton is now associate athletic director at WKU. Panthers Richard Easterling and Louis
Klein comprised the regional runner-up doubles teams, but then only the regional champions went to state in doubles.
Diane Wood was riding Mud Slide Slim to major Tennessee Walking Horse championships.
Tobeika Elliott, a Russellville seventh grader, finished second in the state in the 3200 meter run and third in the 1600. She had five
more great years for Lady Panther track and basketball before becoming a member of the Vanderbilt University track team and was the first female named to
the Ruasellville Athletic Booster Club Hall of Fame.
Outstanding Senior Athletes
Southern Deposit Bank had created a Hall of Fame for outstanding seniors in the local schools. Named the winners for 1982 were Andy Anderson and Sharon
Lett of Adairville, Bruce Bunton and Janice Covington of Auburn, Wayne Snell and Georgia Bilyeu of Chandlers, Stewart Slaton and Beth McKinney of
Lewisburg, Mark White and Sheryl Dawson of Olmstead, and Tommy Wilkins and Alicia Wells of Russellville.