Fifth-Year Seniors Power Metcalfe, Clinton seeks to move on without Messer
By Perry Swack
16th District Preview
Clinton County Bulldogs
2021-22 Record: 22-9
Won 16th District
4th Region Tournament Semifinalist
Since 2006, one man has roamed the Clinton County sidelines – Todd Messer. Last spring the winningest coach in program history retired. With Messer, the Bulldogs reached new heights and became a force to be reckoned with not only in the 16th District but across the 4th Region. After a 22-win season that ended in the 4th Region semifinals, Clinton will look to replace not only its coach but also its top three leading scorers. Junior Cohen Davis returns to lead the club after averaging six points per game on 45% shooting.
Watch Out For
Senior Braden Stockton. The forward averaged five points per game on 54% shooting. He will be expected to play a larger role in 2022-23 with the graduation of Nick Delk and Blake Melton.
Circle the Date
December 9 – The Bulldogs host Metcalfe County in what could be a preview of the 16th District championship game. We will see where both teams stand early in the season with this matchup. Clinton has lost only four games against district opponents since 2018-19. Three of those losses came at the hands of the Hornets.
Metcalfe County Hornets
2021-22 Record: 18-11
Metcalfe County enters 2022 as the favorite in the 16th District as it returns region standouts Wyatt Blythe and Jax Allen. The fifth-year seniors have quite literally “seen it all” debuting back in 2018 for the Hornets as freshmen. Blythe, fresh off an outstanding season on the gridiron for Metcalfe, averaged 17.7 points and 5.0 rebounds to lead the squad to 18 wins last year. Allen averaged 16.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as the Hornets were upset in the 16th District semifinals by Cumberland County. After winning the district title in 2021, these super-seniors will look to return Metcalfe to Diddle Arena in 2023.
Watch Out For
Sophomore Hudson Jessie returns after a solid freshman season that saw the big man average 4.8 points and 4.9 rebounds per contest.
Circle the Date
December 6 – Metcalfe hosts Cumberland County in what will be both club’s first district game of the season. It will also be a rematch of last year’s district semifinal thriller that saw the Panthers upset the Hornets, 61-55.
Cumberland County Panthers
2021-22 Record: 10-16
16th District Runner-up
Region Tournament Quarterfinalist
After failing to reach the 4th Region Tournament for more than a decade, Cumberland County has qualified for the event in two of the past three seasons. To make it three out of four, the Panthers will have to do it without graduated star Ty Seay. The then-senior averaged 27.6 points per game in 2021-22, nearly half of the team’s average output per contest. Head coach Kurtis Claywell enters his seventh season at the helm looking to navigate a schedule that features a home date with Russellville in the 4th Region All “A” Classic and a trip to Berea to participate in the Berea Holiday Classic.
Watch Out For
Sophomore Zachery Harwood had a breakout freshman season, grabbing 126 rebounds in only 16 games (7.9 per contest). The big man also averaged 7.3 points per game on 59% shooting. With Seay no longer in the lineup, Harwood will feature even more prominently in the offense.
Circle the Date
December 6 – The Panthers travel to Edmonton for a date with presumed district favorite Metcalfe County. Cumberland County clipped the Hornets in the district semifinals a season ago to eliminate their rivals from the postseason. Can Cumberland continue its magic?
Russell County Lakers
2021-22 Record: 4-23
In terms of returning production, Russell County returns as much as anyone in the 16th District. Sophomores Mayes Gosser (16.8 points, 6.9 rebounds) and Owen Loy (13.0 points per game) and junior Trace Stringer (9.6 ponts) all return to lead the Lakers on the hardwood. Gosser shot 53% from the field, while Loy canned 40 three-pointers and 90 free throws. The trio will look to put a rather forgetful season behind them and get back to contention in the 16th.
Watch Out For
Junior Braydon Cerrrato. Cerrato was the team’s fourth-leading scorer behind the aforementioned trio (4.5 points per game) and second-leading rebounder behind Gosser at 3.2 rebounds per game. He was one of three Lakers’ to play in every game last season. I expect him to have a big year for Russell County.
Circle the Dates
January 21 and 24 – In an interesting scheduling quirk, the Lakers and Panthers of Cumberland County will play a home-and-home within the span of three days. On the 21st, Russell will host Cumberland, before the Panthers return the favor on the 24th. District tournament seeding will surely be on the line in this one.
Monroe County Falcons
2021-22 Record: 6-22
Monroe County re-enters the 16th District after a 17-year run in the 15th District dating back to 2005. The Falcons won the 16th District Tournament in three-consecutive seasons from 2002 to 2004 and will look to make similar noise starting in 2022-23. Coach Ashley Geralds’ club returns its top seven scorers from a season ago, led by Austen Arnett and his 13.0 points per game. The junior also hit 74 three-pointers on 32% shooting. Senior John Harlin averaged 10.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest in 2021-22, while Keaton Biggerstaff chipped in 8.1 points per night.
Watch Out For
Senior Deaton Emmert and freshman Brison Nuckols will be relied upon for secondary scoring after averaging 6.7 and 6.2 points per game respectively. Emmert grabbed 6.5 rebounds per contest to lead the Falcons last season.
Circle the Date
December 6 – The Falcons first 16th District game in 17 seasons will be at home against perennial favorite Clinton County. Three days later (December 9) the club travels to Cumberland County for its first road test in the 16th.
