Thursday’s game against Sayre will mark Johnson Central’s fourth trip to the KHSAA State Baseball Tournament since 2021. This time, the Golden Eagles will face a familiar opponent.

Johnson Central and Sayre met May 9 in the Fayette County Invitational Tournament, where the Spartans rolled to an 11-0 win in five innings. But the Golden Eagles have had time to refine their game and know exactly what they’re getting into this time around. In fact, Johnson Central has not lost since that matchup, rattling off seven straight wins entering the state tournament.

The Golden Eagles bring the best record in the 15th Region into the game at 32-8. For comparison, Paintsville owns the region’s second-best mark at 22-13. There’s clearly plenty of talent both at the plate and on the mound in Johnson County, so let’s take a look at some of the players leading the charge at Johnson Central.

Johnson Central’s biggest weapon at the plate is senior Chase Preece. While Preece doesn’t own the highest batting average on the team at .309, he makes his presence felt in plenty of other ways. He has blasted 10 home runs, second-most on the team, and driven in 41 runs. Preece also has a strong eye at the plate, drawing 25 walks and being hit by pitches 11 times to help get on base.

Another offensive threat for the Golden Eagles is junior Braxton Perry. Perry leads the team with a .375 batting average. He has collected 48 hits in 128 at-bats while scoring 41 runs and driving in 27 more. He’s also a threat on the basepaths, leading the team with 34 stolen bases in 37 attempts.

On the mound, Johnson Central has no shortage of options. The Golden Eagles have used 11 pitchers this season, ranging from eighth graders to seniors.

One who stands out is junior Levi Pennington. Pennington started 14 games, appeared in 15 and logged 55.2 innings. During that span, he struck out 42 batters and posted a 1.89 ERA.

Now let’s take a look at Sayre. The Spartans enter the state tournament with a 26-9 record. Their most recent loss came in the 42nd District championship game, a 2-0 setback to Henry Clay at the Sayre Athletic Complex. A tough home loss.

At the plate, Sayre is led by junior Joaquin Acevedo and senior Gibson Gary.

Acevedo carries a .400 batting average. In 105 at-bats, he has collected 42 hits, including a home run, while scoring 22 runs and driving in 23. He has also swiped 15 bases in 16 attempts.

Gary has been even more productive at the plate, hitting .426. In 94 at-bats, he has recorded 40 hits, including seven home runs. He has scored 43 runs, driven in 28 and stolen 28 bases.

Like Johnson Central, Sayre has plenty of pitching depth, using 12 pitchers this season.

The Spartans’ top arm has been senior Lachlan Heinrich, who started 11 games and struck out 82 batters while posting a 1.16 ERA.

It will be interesting to see how this rematch plays out. The game is scheduled for Thursday at Legends Field in Lexington, with first pitch set for 8:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles will be looking to keep their winning streak alive and turn the tables on the team that handed them one of their toughest losses of the season.

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Lawrence County proved they had that dog in them last night (May 28), capturing the 15th Region Softball Championship with an 8-1 win over Johnson Central at Stonecrest.

For a little bit of history surrounding game, their last meeting came May 5, when Johnson Central won 9-6. Before that, it was another Johnson Central win, 7-1, on May 1, 2025. However, Lawrence County went on to win the region that year and reach the final four of the KHSAA state tournament, and this time, the Lady Bulldogs made sure there was no repeat.

For a roster built mostly around sophomores and juniors, Lawrence County continues to play like a veteran group. The Lady Bulldogs graduate just three seniors in Taylor Blevins, Ella Smith and Braylee Triplett.

Offensively, Lawrence County finished with seven hits, five RBIs, a double, a stolen base and two home runs.

Sophomore Addalyn Woods led the way, blasting both home runs while scoring three runs and finishing with a .667 batting average on the night. Woods has been a consistent weapon all season, now up to 41 runs, 33 hits and a .306 average across 34 games.

Other contributors included eighth grader Skyler Horn, who went 2-for-3 with a .667 average in the game, and sophomore Jada Patton, who added a hit and two runs scored. Eighth grader Anna Compton scored twice, and sophomore Emalynn Kitts added another run.

Blevins also played a key role in the circle, striking out four and posting a 1.00 ERA in the championship game.

Individual stats for Johnson County were not published to KHSAA at press time. 

Lawrence County improves to 23-12 and advances to the opening round of the KHSAA Softball State Tournament on June 4 at 5 p.m. at John Cropp Stadium, where it will face the winner of the 11th Region Tournament.

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If you find yourself scrolling through the KHSAA softball stat leader database, you’re going to see a lot of Phelps, and a big reason for that is senior standout Caleigh McCoy.

McCoy made her final season count in just about every way imaginable. She leads the 15th Region in triples with eight, ranking fifth in the state overall. For context, the state leader sits at 11, just three ahead of McCoy. Her production also helped Phelps finish 28th in the state with 17 total triples as a team.

She also put together an impressive slugging percentage of 1.056, which ranks 20th in Kentucky and second in the 15th Region. The regional standard is a familiar one, with Belfry’s Molly Fahm holding the record at 1.136, good for 12th in the state.

When it comes to speed, Phelps as a whole made noise and McCoy was right at the center of it. The Lady Hornets finished third in the state and second in the region with 224 stolen bases as a team. Two of the top five individual leaders in the state came out of Phelps, including McCoy, who swiped 60 bases to rank third in Kentucky, just one behind Bellevue’s Chloe Reed (61). Teammate Makylee Sipple also cracked the top five with 53 stolen bases.

At the plate, McCoy finished with 31 hits in 72 at-bats for a .431 average. She also spent time in the circle, pitching in 22 games and finishing the season with a 14 ERA.

Talent like McCoy’s shouldn’t be taken for granted and the Phelps Lady Hornets will have big shoes to fill next season with her graduation.

Phelps closed the season 4-24, falling in the 60th District Tournament to Pike Central 9-1.

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Photo Credit: Jessica Adkins Momtography

Pike Central’s baseball team was a young group this season, graduating just one senior, and if sophomore Jonah Hicks is any indication of what’s ahead, the future looks bright in the Hawks Nest.

Hicks put together a monster year at the plate, leading the 15th Region with a .509 batting average over 33 games and 109 at-bats. He collected 55 hits, including one home run ball. As the season winds down, Hicks sits 23rd in the state in batting average, and the only player ahead of him on this side of I-75 is Hazard standout Tucker Napier, a multi-sport standout athlete.

Batting average wasn’t the only place Hicks made noise. He also led the region in hits with 55, ranking eighth in the state overall. He finished 41st in Kentucky in runs scored with 43 and 27th in stolen bases with 34 — meaning he averaged at least one stolen base per game.

And Hicks isn’t just a hitter. He’s second in the 15th Region in strikeouts with 107, just behind East Ridge’s Cole Ratliff (115), and sits ninth in the state in that category as well.

There’s clearly a lot of talent in the mountains right now, and for Pike Central, a lot of sunshine on the horizon with Hicks leading the way.

The Hawks finished the season 15-18 after falling to Prestonsburg 5-3 in the opening round of the 15th Region Tournament.

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As baseball and softball seasons wrap up across the region, a pair of East Ridge standouts are finishing the year among Kentucky’s statistical leaders.

On the softball field, junior Savannah Baldridge ranked 24th in the state in strikeouts with 190 on the season. Baldridge pitched in 18 games in the circle for the Lady Warriors and finished the year with a 3.42 ERA.

The Lady Warriors closed the softball season with a 7-14 record, falling to Shelby Valley 4-3 in the opening round of the 59th District Tournament.

On the baseball diamond, junior Cole Ratliff turned in one of the top pitching seasons in the state. Ratliff finished tied for third in Kentucky with nine wins, ranked seventh in strikeouts with 115 and led the state in innings pitched with 79.2.

The Warriors wrapped up the season at 13-21, but made a strong postseason run that ended in the 15th Region tournament against Johnson Central. The regional appearance marked a major step forward for the program after a lengthy drought.

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Alice Lloyd College added another piece to its roster on Thursday, as Prestonsburg senior Brady Allen signed to continue his baseball career with the Eagles.

Allen has been a steady contributor for the Blackcats this season, batting .273. He has scored seven runs, driven in 18 RBIs, and recorded two doubles, one home run and three stolen bases. His all-around play has made him a valuable asset for Prestonsburg.

He now joins an Alice Lloyd program that is enjoying a strong season. The Eagles currently sit at 30-18 overall and 3-1 in conference play. Alice Lloyd has been especially solid at home with a 16-9 record, while also going 13-6 on the road and 1-3 at neutral sites.

Offensively, the Eagles have been productive, totaling 299 runs while hitting .294 as a team with a .414 on-base percentage and 42 home runs on the year.

Allen’s addition gives Alice Lloyd another bat and added depth as the program continues to build.

Mountain Top Sports congratulates Allen on this accomplishment and wishes him the best at the next level.

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The Phelps Hornets have released their 2026 football schedule, featuring a mix of regional matchups, in-state opponents and out-of-state competition as the program looks ahead to the fall.

Phelps will open the season Friday, Aug. 21, at 6 p.m. against Pineville in the Laurel Bowl on the road.

The Hornets return the following week, Saturday, Aug. 29, for a 6 p.m. matchup against Shelby Valley in the Pike County Bowl at Pikeville High School in a neutral-site contest.

Phelps opens September action on Wednesday, Sept. 2, hosting Castlewood, Va., at 7:30 p.m. The Hornets then hit the road Friday, Sept. 11, for a 7:30 p.m. game at Harlan.

The home slate continues Friday, Sept. 18, against Knott County Central at 7:30 p.m., followed by another home matchup Friday, Sept. 25, against Fairview at the same time.

Phelps opens October play on Thursday, Oct. 1, hosting Betsy Layne at 7:30 p.m. The Hornets then travel Friday, Oct. 9, to face Montcalm, W.Va., at 7:30 p.m.

A pair of late-season games close things out, with Phelps hosting Tolsia, W.Va., on Friday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m., before traveling Friday, Oct. 30 to Mount View, W.Va., for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

The schedule features several cross-border matchups as well as familiar opponents as the Hornets prepare for the upcoming season.

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The Johnson Central Golden Eagles ended Paintsville’s hopes of a 57th District championship Tuesday night with an 82-69 victory.

Johnson Central placed three players in double figures, led by a dominant performance from Austin Slone. Slone poured in 37 points, shooting 63.6 percent from the field, 57.1 percent from three-point range and 62.5 percent from the free-throw line.

Mason McKenzie followed with 19 points, connecting on 60 percent of his shots from both the field and three-point range while finishing perfect at the line. Brayden Shepherd added 15 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and going perfect from the free-throw line.

As a team, the Golden Eagles shot 51.9 percent from the field, 42.1 percent from beyond the arc and 87 percent from the line. Johnson Central also pulled down 33 rebounds.

Statistics for Paintsville were not available at press time.

With the win, Johnson Central improves to 24-5 overall and advances to face Martin County in the 57th District Championship on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Johnson Central.

The two teams have split their regular-season meetings. Martin County claimed an 80-76 win on Jan. 30, while Johnson Central answered with a 79-76 victory at Martin County on Feb. 13. Martin County enters the championship game at 20-8 overall and 7-1 in district play, with its lone district loss coming against Johnson Central.

Paintsville closes its season at 14-14.

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The Pike Central Hawks picked up a hard-earned 50-46 road win over Prestonsburg on Wednesday night in a defensive battle.

Pike Central had one player reach double figures, with William Rowe leading the way with 11 points. Rowe shot 35.7 percent from the field, 25 percent from three-point range and did not attempt a free throw.

As a team, the Hawks shot 34.1 percent from the field, 26.7 percent from beyond the arc and 51.6 percent from the free-throw line. Pike Central controlled the glass with 37 rebounds, which proved key in the four-point victory.

Individual statistics for Prestonsburg were not available at press time.

The win improves Pike Central to 16-10 overall, while Prestonsburg falls to 3-22.

Both teams will return to action tonight, Feb. 19. Prestonsburg will host Magoffin County at 7:30 p.m., while Pike Central travels to Phelps for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

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The Martin County Lady Cardinals picked up a hard-fought 59-55 road win over the Pike Central Lady Hawks on Tuesday night.

Martin County had three players finish in double figures, led by a dominant performance from Makenna Marcum. Marcum recorded 24 points and 17 rebounds, controlling the paint on both ends of the floor. She shot 47.1 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and was perfect at the free-throw line.

Maci Maynard followed with 20 points, shooting 58.3 percent from the field and finishing perfect at the line. Chloe May added 12 points, connecting on 41.7 percent of her shots from the field and 33 percent from beyond the arc.

As a team, Martin County finished with 36 rebounds.

Pike Central also placed three players in double figures. Cydney Snodgrass led the Lady Hawks with 18 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three-point range.

Jadyn Looney added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Looney shot 62.5 percent from the field, was perfect from three-point range and shot 33.3 percent from the free-throw line. Kamryn Akers rounded out the scoring with 11 points, shooting 50 percent from the field and 60 percent from beyond the arc while missing her lone free-throw attempt.

Pike Central finished with 33 rebounds.

The win improves Martin County to 13-9 on the season, while Pike Central falls to 11-15.

Martin County will return to action tonight, Feb. 18, traveling to Magoffin County for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff. Pike Central has concluded its regular season and will next face Phelps at Belfry in the 60th District Tournament on Feb. 23 at 6 p.m.

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