Roy Mercer Radio

High school notebook: Public schools edge private for most championships

June 24--Before logging off and shutting down the high school notebook for summer vacation, some last bits of business:

-- When Central Hardin pitcher Dylan Shoffner got a strikeout to finish off the Bruins' 21-2 victory over Mercer County for the state baseball title last Saturday around 9 p.m., the nine-month high school sports year officially came to a close.

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association crowned 32 team champions in 12 sports. Public schools won 17 of those titles; private schools won 15. Louisville schools took home 10 big trophies and northern Kentucky schools collected six to lead the parade of champions.

-- Ryle was the only school in the state that won at least 10 games in football, and at least 20 in baseball, softball, and boys' and girls' basketball. The Raiders were most successful in football (12-2), making it to the Class 6A semifinals before losing to eventual state champ Trinity, and softball (32-10), reaching the quarterfinals of the state tournament.

-- State champ Central Hardin was No. 47 in Powerade's Fab 50 final national baseball ratings of the year.

-- Final totals from the 15-game state baseball tournament last week: 182 runs on 241 hits and eight errors. Pitchers recorded 184 strikeouts and walked or hit 143 batters.

-- Central Hardin's victory over Mercer County was the first time the 5th and 12th regions had met in the state title game since Elizabethtown beat Somerset to win the 1975 championship.

-- When the Reno Aces played the Tacoma Rainiers in Triple-A minor-league baseball a few weeks ago, three Kentucky Mr. Baseball winners from Lexington were involved: Reno's Josh Ellis (Paul Laurence Dunbar, 2003) and Collin Cowgill (Henry Clay, 2004), and Tacoma's Chaz Roe (Lafayette, 2005).

-- Manual was an offensive machine in high school baseball in the 1940s. According to Cynthiana radio man Jim Swinford, who compiles state baseball records, Manual owns three of the top five spots for most runs in a state tournament game. It humbled Heath 25-1 in the 1947 quarterfinals, bashed Brownsville 23-2 in the 1941 semifinals, and ripped Heath 20-1 in the 1948 quarterfinals.

-- Wolfe County sophomore catcher Dylan Creech was one of three Kentuckians named Louisville Slugger high school All-Americans. Creech hit .593 with nine homers and 54 RBI this season. He already has 201 hits and 219 RBI in his career.

DennisMansfield.com: Roy D. Mercer: The Reason why Austin Hill ...

Years ago, my dear, friend Larry Huff, introduced me to Roy D. Mercer. In turn, I've introduced RD to many more friends. Hollywood Larry loves 'em.

If you've never heard of RD's radio show, I'm giving you a slice of it today - just one call, but it's a call TO a radio station talk show host. Normally, these calls come FROM a radio station.

And it's a good thing nationally known talk show host, author and public speaker Austin Hill will NEVER receive one of these calls....cause he'd open a "first class can of whoop-ass" on the caller WAY before the guy in this spot does.

Listen and laugh.

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The young wireless operator - afloat, or, how Roy Mercer won his spurs in the Merchant Marine

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