Someday when the history of Logan County Athletics is written, the seniors in the Class of 2020 may well be considered the most successful in school history. When their three years as upperclassmen are tallied, the numbers may back up that theory.
Granted, the first three years of the school’s existence were pretty spectacular with three district championships each in baseball, boys basketball and girls basketball, along with a state boys basketball championship and a regional finalist berth in girls basketball. The only other Cougar teams at that time, however, were girls and boys track and one year of varsity football.
In 2019-20, LCHS also offers volleyball, girls and boys cross country, girls and boys soccer, boys and girls swimming, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls golf, archery, softball, bass fishing, and eSports.
Six varsity teams from four sports have grown into 21 teams from 14 sports.
Seven of those teams—volleyball, baseball, softball and both basketball and soccer genders—compete in the 13th District along with Russellville, Franklin-Simpson and Todd Central. In the past three seasons, LCHS teams have reached the regional tournament in 18 of 19 district tournaments, winning 12 district titles in the process. They won at least one game at region in 13 of 18 appearances. The only team which didn’t reach the district championship game was boys basketball in 2017.
Those 19 tournaments instead of 21 are the result of spring sports being at best postponed and most likely canceled in this era of Coronavirus. Logan’s softball and baseball 2020 teams would have won a multiplicity of games and would have been serious contenders for more district championships and regional wins.
Those seven sports programs have won 354 games and lost only 189 overall. They are 214-98 in the region and an astounding 133-19 in the district. Specifically, Logan teams are 46-2 against Russellville, 44-4 versus Todd Central, and 43-13 against Franklin-Simpson in those seven programs.
Football is also in a district but not the same one as the others. Still, in these three years, Coach Todd Adler’s Cougars have not only excelled but have also played all three teams in their other districts. They went 29-5 overall in those three years, 13-5 in their Class 4A region, 11-5 in their district, 3-0 against Russellville, 2-0 versus Todd Central, and 0-1 against Franklin. They won a district championship, were runner-up another year, and won two regional games.
Football is the poster child for the vast improvements in Logan County High School Athletics these last few years. It wasn’t until the last game of these guys’ freshman year that the Cougars ended a state-high 42-game losing streak. Meanwhile, boys basketball had made it to region only twice in the previous 19 seasons. Boys and girls basketball had won the district the same season once in 24 years.
Now winning is something Cougar fans are in danger of taking for granted.
Another program which has known great success is archery. Coach Jason Hayes, who succeeded highly successful coach Tina Baker this year, reports the following results:
2017-2020 - 4 time Region NASP Champions
2019 KSHAA Region 2 Girls Runner-up
2018 KSHAA Region 2 Boys Champions
Broke the school scoring record in Bullseye twice this year with 3415 and 3418
Broke the school scoring record in 3D with 1708
2020 season ranked 3rd in the State in 3D and 8th in Bullseye
Archery seniors are Wesley Abney, Romano De Billis, Michael Drake, Jaden Hayesm Christian Jones, Jake Orndorff, Sean Metcalf, Elijah Hopkins, Elias Parsons, CJ Raymer, Rhonda Reeves, Jenna Robertson and Chloe Watkins
Swim Coach Rachelle Wharton reports: “Due to poor weather, we were unable to compete at the Regional Swim Meet this past season. Overall, the team has grown in numbers and overcome many obstacles during our seasons. At most invitational meets, the team placed in the upper half in the results.”
Swim seniors were Wesley Abney, Romano De Billis, Elijah Hopkins, Christian Jones, Sean Metcalf, Jake Orndorff, Elijah Parsons
Some coaches did not submit accomplishments by their teams. Seniors on other teams include the following:
Tennis: Camden Bond, Chase Kie, Elizabeth McGinnis, Micah Page
Cross Country: Wesley Abney Elijah Hopkins Jacob Orndorff
Golf: Jordan Baer, Riley Ferguson, Jay Hardison
Bass Fishing: Camden Bond, Kolton Coomer, Korbin Deberry, Thomas Lockhart, Darren Obenchain, Brooke Powell
Track: Wesley Abney, Nolan Brady, Lucas Davenport, Ramano de Billis, Elijah Hopkins, Jacob Orndorff, Dawson Rodgers, Aaliyah Townsend
Cheer has been an important part of the Athletic program for 38 years. No names or results were made available to The LoJo.
That’s a total of 66 seniors, not including cheerleaders, eSports, managers, etc. A list of participating seniors follows with the numbers of teams they were on if more than one:
Wesley Abney 4, Jordan Baer, Dylan Basham, Thomas Bilyeu 2, Tristan Blake, Camden Bond 3, Carson Bradley, Nolan Brady 2, Parker Bray, Abby Canler, Gracie Christian, Kolton Coomer, Brea Croslin, Lucas Davenport 2, Korbin Deberry, Romano De Billis 3, Michael Drake, Xavier Evans, Tyler Ezell, Riley Ferguson 2, Gabe Forgy, Onahka Fuller, Morgan Gafford, Brady Griggs, Ethan Haley, Gary Hardy, Jay Hardison 2, Jaden Hayes 2, Christian Hines, Elijah Hopkins 3, Jerry Jeziorkowski, Shaina Johnson, Christian Jones 2, Chase Kie 2, Sydney Lee, Thomas Lockhart, Kennedy Nichols 2, Darren Obenchain, Elias Parsons, Brooke Powell, Hannah Matthews, Elizabeth McGinnis, Braxton Meguiar, Sean Metcalf 2, Jose Nazario, Jake Orndorff 3, Micah Page 2, Elijah Parsons, Nicholas Petrie, CJ Raymer, Rhonda Reeves, Jenna Robertson, Dawson Rodgers, Hayley Schweers, Jarrett Sears 2, Dalton Taylor, Lucas Taylor, Dalton Thompson, Aaliyah Townsend, Paige Vanzant 2, Peyton Vanzant 3, Nathaniel Vick, Chloe Watkins, Addie White, Parker White, Madelyn Yonts
Last week Logan County joined other schools in the region in honoring 2020 senior athletes with a 20-minute and 20-second mobile salute. A couple of videos of the night and senior Cougars and Lady Cougars put together by Coach Todd Adler can be found at
https://www.facebook.com/todd.adler.96/videos/10106208452538552/
https://www.facebook.com/todd.adler.96/videos/10106211463085392/UzpfSTQxMTAzMTM1OjMwNjA2MTEyOTQ5OTQxNDoxMDowOjE1ODgzMTYzOTk6LTg3ODcyODY1MzA3NjExMTI0NDg/?epa=SEARCH_BOX
A composite of the eight teams who are in district follows:
Baseball
Seniors: Riley Ferguson, Braxton Meguiar, Jarrett Sears, Parker White
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
Record: 2018 24-9 13-4 7-1 3-0 2-0 2-1 Champ
2019 28-8 18-4 6-2 3-0 2-0 1-2 Finals
52-17 31-8 13-3 6-0 4-0 3-3
Softball
Seniors: Abby Canler, Brea Croslin, Sydney Lee, Kennedy Nichols, Paige Vanzant, Peyton Vanzant
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
2018 17-11 11-6 7-1 3-0 2-0 2-1 Finals
2019 25-7 12-4 7-1 2-1` 2-0 3-0 Champ
Semis
42-18 23-10 14-2 5-1 4-0 5-1
Volleyball
Seniors: Onakha Fuller, Shaina Johnson, Micah Page, Hayley Schweers, Madelyn Yonts
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
2017 23-15 10-7 8-0 2-0 3-0 3-0 Champ
Semis
2018 25-13 12-5 8-0 3-0 2-0 3-0 Champ Semis
2019 29-7 13-4 8-0 3-0 3-0 2-0 Champ
Semis
77-35 35-16 24-0 8-0 8-0 8-0
Girls Soccer
Seniors: Hannah Matthews, Peyton Vanzant
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
2017 6-11 5-6 3-3 0-0 0-3 3-0 Finals
Semis
2018 12-7 8-3 8-0 2-0 3-0 3-0 Champ
Semis
2019 10-7 7-4 7-1 3-0 2-0 2-1 Finals
28-25 20-12 18-4 s5-0 5-3 8-1
Boys Soccer
Seniors: Thomas Bilyeu, Camden Bond, Parker Bray, Luke Davenport, Ethan Haley, Jaden Hayes, Christian Hines, Chase Kie, Nicholas Petrie, Dalton Taylor, Lucas Taylor
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
2017 7-11 5-7 5-3 3-0 2-0 3-3 Finals
2018 10-8 9-4 7-1 2-0 3-0 2-1 Finals
Semis
2019 10-11 8-3 8-0 3-0 3-0 2-0 Champ
Semis
27-30 22-14 23-4 8-0 8-0 7-4
Boys Basketball
Seniors: Dylan Basham, Brady Griggs, Jay Hardison, Jose Nazario, Dalton Thompson, Nathaniel Vick
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
2018 15-14 11-8 4-3 2-0 2-0 0-3
2019 25-7 15-5 7-1 2-0 3-0 2-1 Champ
Semis
2020 28-4 18-1 8-0 3-0 2-0 3-0 Champ
Semis
68-25 44-14 19-4 7-0 7-0 5-4
Girls Basketball
Seniors: Gracie Christian, Kennedy Nichols, Paige Vanzant, Peyton Vanzant, Addie White
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
2018 22-11 12-7 7-1 2-0 2-1 3-0 Champ
Semis
2019 22-11 14-8 7-1 2-1 3-0 2-0 Champ
Semis
2020 16-17 13-9 8-0 3-0 3-0 2-0 Champ
Semis
60-39 39-24 22-2 7-1 8-1 7-0
Football
Seniors: Thomas Bilyeu, Tristan Blake, Carson Bradley, Nolan Brady, Xavier Evans, Tyler Ezell, Gabe Forgy, Gary Hardy, Jerry Jeziorkowski, Billy Knight, Jarrett Sears
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
2017 11-1 6-1 4-1 1-0 1-0 0-0 Champ
Semis
2018 10-2 5-2 4-2 1-0 1-0 0-1 Runner-up
Semis
2019 8-3 4-2 3-2 1-0 0-0 0-0
29-5 13-5 11-5 3-0 2-0 0-1
Three-Year Totals
Overall Region District RHS Todd F-S
383-194 227-103 144-24 49-2 46-4 44-14
66.4% 68.8% 85.7% 96.4% 92% 75.9%