Messenger-Inquirer from Owensboro, Kentucky • 16

8D SPORTS MESSENGER-INQUIRER, Saturday, December 31, 1994 1994 in Review The Thrill of Victory round. The Panthers then fell to eventual national runner-up Southern Indiana 78-67. KWC's Jill Burness was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year. The 6-foot-l freshman center averaged 15 points per game. Former Apollo boys' coach John Whitmer, who coached Rex Chapman, died at a Bowling Green hospital after suffering an aneurysm.

He was an assistant coach for the girls' team. Billiards With the help of Owensboro bil-liard's pro Nick Varner, Owensboro hosted the Pro Billiards Tour Championship in November. Varner, who won the Pro Billiards Tour World 8-ball Championship in October for his fifth world title, was top-seeded for the PBT Championship, but was bothered by an eye infection and was eliminated by fifth-seeded Efren Reyes. Still, Varner earned the tour's Player of the Year Award for winning the points title. Swimming Jamie Mueller won two individual jy (i yJ hS i 1 P1 I ft and the agony of defeat for athletes and teams in the Owensboro area Messenger-Inquirer A capsule review of some of the top stories in the Owensboro area in 1994: Football Randy Awrey, who compiled an 11-29 record in four years, quietly resigned as Kentucky Wesleyan College head football coach.

Ironically, his 1993 team had the school's first winning record (6-4) since the sport was reinstituted in 1983. First-year assistant John Johnson was named as Awrey's replacement the same day. Owensboro High's dynamite trio of Robin Handley, Drew Hall and Joe Tutt all signed college scholarships with Division I-AA schools Handley with Murray State, Hall with Eastern Kentucky and Tutt with Western Kentucky. Kentucky's Zane Beehn was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the NFL's seventh round. The former Apollo star was one of the last players cut in the fall camp.

Another Owensboro product, Mark Higgs, was kept on the Miami Dolphins' inactive list for a while, activated and used sparingly. The former OHS star was released and signed by the Arizona Cardinals. Owensboro's Vince Buck, a former OHS star, was moved from cornerback to free safety in the New Orleans Saints' secondary. Owensboro Catholic won the Class 2-A Region 1, District 2 title. The Aces won two playoff games before falling to defending state champs Mayfield 24-14 for the regional title.

Owensboro tailback Antwan Floyd set a Western Kentucky single-season record by rushing for 100 or more yards in seven consecutive games and nine times for the year. The Apollo graduate had 1,327 yards for the season, the third highest single-season total at WKU. Basketball Thirty-six area basketball games were postponed the week of Jan. 18-24 when snow blanketed the Midwest In a pair of milestones, Apollo High School boys' coach Chuck Broughton won his 300th with an 86-69 win over Butler County while Muhlenberg South girls' coach Sam Sparks won his 300th with a 66- 57 win over Apollo. The McLean County girls won the 3rd Region All Classic, but lost in the opening round of the state.

Evarts beat the Lady Cougars 4140. Hancock County won the 3rd Region boys' All but lost to Heath in the first round of the state 76-60. Apollo High's Laurie Townsend was named Kentucky's Miss Basketball. She was also selected to play in the National High School Coaches Association All-Star Game in Atlanta. Townsend, who signed to play college ball at Western Kentucky, scored a school-record 52 points in the E-Gals' 74-56 win over Owensboro Catholic.

Ohio County's girls defeated Apollo 67- 50 to win the 3rd Region champi- nior Olympics Festival in St. Louis. Wilkerson signed to play at Florida. Southern Little League won the 9-10-year-old state championship, beating Somerset 11-1 in the title game. Trackcross country Apollo pole vaulter Aridy Knight won his third state championship with a vault of 14 feet 6 inches.

Owensboro's Catoyia Brown won the 1,600 meters, Daviess County's Anna Adams took the 800 while McLean County's Brandy and Kelly West, Angel Rickard and Marisa Ratliff won the 800 relay. Keith Flaspoehler and Karen Foster won the men's and women's divisions, respectively, of the Summer Festival 10-Mile Road Race. Daviess County High's Charlie Moore defended his title by winning the state cross country meet for the second year in a row. Golf Agim Bardha, who earlier in the week shot a Summit course-record 65, won the Senior Series pro tournament by one stroke at that course. The series was in its inaugural year nationwide for players 50-years-old and up who didn't qualify for the Senior PGA Tour.

June Cline rolled to a six-stroke victory in the Women's City Tournament Tom Campbell won the Men's City Tournament by four strokes over runner-up Bob Lacy. The Daviess County High boys' team finished third at the state tournament after leading in the first round. Jay Knight finished in a tie for fifth and wound up second in the running for Mr. Golf. The Daviess County High girls finished fourth in the state tournament Soccer Fort Knox eliminated the Daviess County High girls' soccer team from the 2nd Region Tournament 2-1 after officials used an incorrect tie-breaking procedure.

DCHS got a restraining order, halting the championship game between Fort Knox and Henderson County, but a judge later dissolved the restraining order, letting the Fort Knox win stand. The Owensboro Catholic boys defeated Elizabethtown 2-1 to win the 2nd Region Tournament but lost to Madis-onville 2-1 in the sectional. General After hosting the state baseball and softball tournaments for a combined 10 years, Owensboro High School declined to host them in the future. Apollo was awarded the baseball tournament and the City of Owensboro will host the fast-pitch tournament Owensboro's David Green won the NASCAR Busch Grand National points championship and earned a starting spot in the 1995 Busch Clash during Daytona Speed Weeks in February. Former OHS football coach James H.

"Peanuts" Johnson died of a heart problem in November. His teams compiled a 39-20-1 record from 1943-50. His teams won the Western Kentucky Conference in 1944 and '49. Hancock County's Larry Butler won the World Match Play Championship dart-throwing tournament in England. Top: Patrick Saulsberry, right, and Dougie Webb were keys to Muhlenberg North's basketball success.

Above: Andy Knight of Apollo won his third state pole vault title. Lett: After a state tourney loss, Owensboro Catholic softball coach Mike Reeves comforts Susan Smith. championships at the state high school meet, capturing the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events. Splash Pool won the City Swim Meet for the fourth consecutive year. Softball The Kentucky Wesleyan women were awarded the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament championship when league commissioner Ken lindsey ruled Lewis forfeited the title game.

The Lady Flyers refused to play the championship game because they said it was too dark to get in a complete game. fl Brescia College won the Kentucky Women's Intercollegiate Conference Tournament championship by defeating Georgetown 10-8. The Lady Bearcats compiled a 32-5 record. Owensboro Catholic advanced to the state tournament by beating Daviess County 50 in the 3rd Region final. The Lady Aces finished with a 2-2 record in the state tournament, finishing the year at 26-3.

Christian County beat Warren East 5-0 to win the state tournament played at Jack C. Fisher Park. After a vote of member schools, the KHSAA introduced fast-pitch softball as a girls' varsity sport Meanwhile, Brescia College decided to switch from slow-pitch to fast-pitch, too. The 12-and-under Bears finished fourth in the American Softball Association National Tournament with a 5-2 record. Baseball Apollo defeated Daviess County 7-2 to capture the 3rd Region championship.

The Eagles downed Franklin-Simpson and Livingston Central in the sectional tournament, but lost to Corbin 54 in the state semifinal game. Pleasure Ridge Park beat Corbin 10-8 to win the state tournament played at Kentucky Wesleyan. Apollo High's Brad Wilkerson was selected to the National Amateur All-Star Baseball Tournament in Evansville and played on the South team in the U.S. Ju- i 1 A (. Photos by Cathy Clarke, Messenger-Inquirer onship.

The Lady Eagles beat Betsy Layne, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Sweet 16 where they were eliminated by Fort Thomas Highlands 52-48. Muhlenberg North's boys beat Owensboro 70-54 for the 3rd Region championship. However, crowd control became a problem when host Daviess County High permitted nearly 3,000 fans into the gym, and North fans occupied seats reserved for OHS fans. North defeated University Heights and Covington Holy Cross only to fall to eventual champion Fairdale 71-67 in the state semifinals. Daviess County hired former Panthers' coach Mike West to replace Al Walter who resigned the boys' head coaching job under pressure.

After 20 years at the helm, founder Jerry Davenport resigned as president of the Dust Bowl Tournament Sam Smith scored 31 points to lead Foodland pastTapp Motors in the men's open final. II Brescia College's men's basketball team set a school record when it began its season with seven consecutive victories. Kentucky Wesleyan guard Willis Cheaney set the school record for career assists on Dec. 17 against Lincoln Memorial when he passed Rod Drake's previous record of 458. Kentucky Wesleyan, which failed to make the NCAA Division II Tournament in 1993, returned to postseason play and defeated St Joseph's 5649 in the opening Local Sports px-Apollo football player signs jio play in professional league "Shoot the Best Shoot Your Best" it-Cox finished his Murray career in 1993.

He rushed for over 800 yards and was a starter after going to the school as a walk-on. Cox will start training for the season about three to four hours a night He is substitute teaching in the Murray-Calloway County area He reports to training camp on April 1. The season opens April 22 and the league's championship game is Aug. 19. "I can play in the summer and teach the rest of the year.

That's what I'm going to try and do," Cox said. "I would love to coach. Other teams in the league are in Madison, Harrisburg, Tampa Bay, Miami and Norfolk, Va. Cox's agent Hal Ross has been looking for a pro opportunity for Cox since February. "Last year I tried out for the Shreveport Pirates of the CFL," Cox "They weren't looking for fullback type runner." Golf Phil Hagan had an ace on Village Green Golf Course's No.

7 131-yard par-3 hole. Hagan used an 8-iron. Charles Crowe and Ed Cecil were Messenger-Inquirer Dave Cox is fresh out of college with a degree to teach physics and math. He's also got a professional football career. The former Apollo High School and Murray State fullback signed to play in the United Football Association.

The league is 4 years old and has teams in six cities. Cox is with the Indianapolis Force. I played since I was 8 years old. I to'ye the game or I wouldn't have played that long. Getting the opportunity to play, I'm getting a chance to do what I always wanted to do and get paid fairly good money for Thank You For Our And Best year Ever Serving Hunters, Fishermen All Outdoorsmen.

Happy Hew Year And Please Come See Us In '95 1 0wensboro's FRANK MILLER SON SPT'G GOODS Fun to read! Messenger Inquirer To subscribe, call 684-5261 Apple Authorized Service Center (502) 685-3051 1401 Frederica Street business hours by appointment "The Friendly Place" COMPARE OUR GUN PRICES Rods Reels T-Boxes Lures Nets Knives Sinker Molds Paddles Trolling Motors Line Guns Bows Arrows Scopes Knives Decoys Calls Slings Targets Hunt. Clothes Camo Lights GIFT CERTIFICATES GIFT CERTIFICATES.