Making a Case for the LaRue County Hawks
It’s been two seasons since the Hawks have made a 5th Region Tournament appearance (2013-2014) and few seasons since they just came up short in the second round of the 5th Region Tourney (2011-2012 at Central Hardin) when they fell just short in overtime against eventual Champion John Hardin. 
Since then it looks like this could be the year that head coach Paul Childress gets to coach again in the four day affair which is set for Central Hardin in March. After starting red hot in December (the Hawks started out 9-0) everything pointed to not only a Region appearance, but a possible trip to the Final. That’s something Childress hasn’t done since his days at Caverna (2004 when they were Region Champions). 
The 2016-2017 version of the LaRue County varsity squad looks very talented and quick and until a loss to Grayson County in the Magnolia Bank Holiday Classic looked pretty darn good. Childress had remarked several times that not since the 2012 team which had Kelton Ford, Kyle Sheeran and Kyle Meredith had he felt so confident going into a season. Unfortunately, 2017 hasn’t been kind to the Hawks. first two starters were sidelined because of injuries one of those being senior guard Derek Goode. The Hawks have dropped five of their last eight games including four straight and three in the Toyota Classic. Still, there is time to get things back together as other players have been filling in and getting experience. Senior guard Cameron Dawson has played well and is the top three-point shooter on the team. Senior M J Embree leads the team in points with 250 and is 1st on the team in rebounds with 126. 
Freshman center Mark Goode is third in scoring while Shane King and Anthony Adkins have been making contributions. Also, the Hawks are currently 4-0 in the District this season (after going 1-6 last season) and it doesn’t hurt that two of the best scorers in the state (Mason Faulkner (Caverna) and Dominique Compton (Green County)) are graduated. The Hawks (which are 7-0 in the Region) still have plenty of big tests remaining with Adair County (20-1), Elizabethtown (10-9) and defending Region Champion Taylor County (12-7) on the schedule. Hopefully by then if everyone’s healthy LaRue County can make a serious run and bring back memories of 2004 to Childress. Those are ones worth keeping.
