By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Organizers of the Kentucky Touchstone Energy All “A” Classic are looking for a new corporate sponsor to help finance the annual statewide playoffs in six sports for high schools with small enrollments.
Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, an alliance that provides electrical power to rural areas in Kentucky and other states, will not continue as sponsor after nearly 20 years, according to Stan Steidel, founder and chairperson of the classic.
“We are going to find out how difficult it’s going to be to get a new sponsor,” Steidel commented in an email message. “I have some people who are currently interested in looking at our financial figures.”
Financial support is needed to cover expenses for All “A” Classic playoffs in basketball, baseball, golf, soccer, softball and volleyball each year. The money would also support academic and art competitions that award college scholarships.
Steidel said anyone interested in becoming a corporate sponsor can contact him at stan.steidel@covington.kyschools.us .
The All “A” Classic state basketball tournament will be played at Frankfort Civic Center this week. This is the 23rd year that both boys’ and girls’ teams from 16 regions around the state will compete for small-school state titles. The boys’ state tournament actually began in 1990, but the girls’ 16-team bracket was not added until 1993.
Greg McQueary picked up his 200th victory as boys’ varsity basketball coach at Boone County last Saturday when his team won a home game against Highlands.
McQueary has a 200-118 record in 11 seasons as head coach of the Rebels. Eight of his teams finished with a winning record and five of them won 20 games or more. Three years ago, he led Boone County to its first 9th Region championship since 1996.
Jay Mulcahy still holds the record for most wins as head coach of the Boone County boys’ basketball program with 261. McQueary is tied with Mulcahy for most 20-win seasons in team history.
McQueary started his head coaching career at Bardstown and then took charge of the Caldwell County program. His career coaching record is 349-297 in 24 seasons.
The rematch between Newport Central Catholic and Notre Dame, the two finalists in last year’s 9th Region girls’ basketball tournament, will be on Sunday, Feb. 8, during the Play to Change a Life benefit games at Thomas More College.
There are three games scheduled that day with proceeds going to Catholic Charities and Alliance for Catholic Urban Education, two programs sponsored by the Diocese of Covington.
The matchups are: St. Henry versus Louisville Assumption at 3 p.m., Holy Cross against Louisville Sacred Heart at 5 p.m. and NewCath versus Notre Dame at 7 p.m.
In last year’s 9th Region championship game, NewCath made a last-second shot to defeat Notre Dame, 48-46, in overtime. Tickets to see all three Play to Change a Life games will be $5 for both adults and students. Senior citizens will be admitted for $2. Children 6 years and under are free.
Jeff Griffith, head football coach at Boone County High School for the last two seasons, is leaving the program to become head coach at Barren County High School in Glasgow.
Boone County finished 0-11 and 1-10 under Griffith, who did not want to comment on his latest career move.
Before coming to Boone County, Griffith was defensive coordinator at Bowling Green High School from 2002 to 2012. In his last two years there, the Purples won back-to-back Class 5A state titles.
Griffith’s resume also includes four years as head coach at Wayne County where his teams compiled a 19-25 record from 1998 to 2001. Barren County posted a 4-7 record last season and lost in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Terry Boehmker, NKyTribune sports writer, is former sportswriter and editor for The Kentucky Post. He is an award-winning writer with extensive background in both print and digital. Reach him at terryboe@yahoo.com.