Zack Woodall, who is best known locally for his coverage of Logan County football and basketball on WRUS, has added another dimension to his ever-increasing presence in the Bowling Green/Southcentral Kentucky region.
Woodall is now the namesake of Zack’s Football Pick ‘Em Contest, promoted by his employer, The Beaver, WBVR 96.7. Details of the contest can be found at http://wbvr.upickem.net/upickem/registration/login.asp?contestid=186411
Like most things Beaver, Zack got his start in Logan County. He played sports at Chandlers Middle School and at Logan County High School, where he concentrated on football.
The Beaver started in Russellville when new owners changed it to a country music station from its previous KQ-101 status. Former owner Lon Sosh had made KQ-101 a major force in area sports broadcasting, but the new owners wanted to attract a Nashville audience and went strictly country. The Beaver shared the studios of WRUS-AM on the Nashville Road. In fact, the oldest predecessor of WBVR was WRUS-FM.
When a later owner, Bill McGinnis of Russellville, sold the rights to the powerful 101.1 frequency and moved WBVR to Bowling Green’s 96.7, the top air personalities from the station went with it. The great morning team of Scooter Davis and Myla Thomas still commute to BG from their Russellville homes, and drive-time fixture Alan Austin has also made his home in Logan County.
So it was natural when The Beaver needed a third voice in the studio during the morning show while Scooter was battling serious illness, a Logan Countian would fit right in. The third voice now is that of Zack Woodall.
Meanwhile McGinnis’ son Chris and his partner, Don Neagle, have expanded the sports voice of WRUS-AM. They carry a live high school football game on Friday nights and a delayed version of another on Saturday afternoons during the grid season plus a coaches’ call-in show on Tuesday evenings. Then during basketball season, live broadcasts of games are aired two or more nights each week.
Not only are Russellville and Logan County games on air via WRUS but they are also broadcast worldwide over https://network1sports.com/station/wrus
In February 2010, The LoJo carried a sports feature about Zach Woodall’s budding broadcast career. You can read it in its entirety at http://www.theloganjournal.com/Stories.aspx?Article=features16
The following are some excerpts from that story from five and a half years ago:
“In recent weeks he has been heard calling games of the Lady Cougars and Cougars, doing color commentary on broadcasts of Russellville and Bowling Green teams, and co-hosting a high school sports radio program in Bowling Green. He did the play-by-play for the Logan County Middle School Basketball Tournament finals. Adding to the fun was describing his childhood school, Chandlers, winning the boys championship.
“His broadcast career began a couple of years ago when his dad, Andy Woodall, asked him to help with high school broadcasts on WRUS. Andy had been doing color commentary primarily until the legendary Lon Sosh had to take a medical break. When it became apparent that Sosh's health would not allow him to call games on a regular basis, Zack became a regular. This year he has been the play-by-play man for LCHS football and basketball while Andy has been filling the same role for his alma mater, Russellville.
“Zack has switched his major at Western Kentucky University to broadcasting. In one of his classes at Western he met Eric Matthews, who is the play-by-play voice of Bowling Green High athletics on airwaves staple WBGN, 1340 AM. Matthews was doing a twice-weekly call-in show on WBGN. When his co-host, Nick Curren, went to Louisville for an audition, Eric asked Zack to fill in for one of the shows. "I didn't know it then, but that turned out to be an on-air audition for me," Woodall says. "Nick got the job broadcasting Bellarmine University games, and I was chosen to be his replacement."
“The show "In the Stands" airs live each Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. and each Saturday from 9-10 a.m. Eric and Zack discuss high school games that have been played since the last show, and they preview what's coming up. Listeners call in with their comments and observations. "I love call-ins," Zack says simply. He responds with his own opinions.
“Woodall has also done color commentary on Bowling Green High broadcasts, including huge games matching the Purples and fellow regional powers Warren Central and Greenwood. He will be involved in state tournament broadcasts, too.
“Zack Woodall was a starting defensive back for the Logan County Cougars for four years, earning All-SKY honors; he also played freshman basketball at LCHS. He comes from a sports family. His dad, Andy, was the starting quarterback for what many observers consider Russellville's best football team ever, the 1983 state champions; he was also a member of the 1980 state championship team. Zack's grandmother, Ann Coffman, is a sister of Ken Smith, a former RHS football player whose sons and grandsons have been outstanding players for the Panthers.”
Zack Woodall has a little country twang in his voice that is perfect for The Beaver. Sometimes his grammar makes English teachers wince. And, much like the late, great Dizzy Dean, he creates his own pronunciations, often for Franklin-Simpson players, like Caudill (caw-DILL, instead of CAW-dul) and Lovan (LOW-van, instead of LOVE-uhn).
Yet he is so genuine, so sincere, so Zack, that he is a joy to hear on the air.
It would also be fun to beat him in this Beaver football promotion. So get on board with Zack’s Pick ‘Em Contest.