Spring fever

Like many of you who are reading this, I have a touch of spring fever. I can’t wait until the weather consistently stays at 60 degrees or above and I can get outside a little every day. However, despite the temperatures, I am about to be outside several times a week starting soon. The spring sports schedule actually began on March 11. Softball, baseball, tennis and track are the sports that I will be attending for the remainder of the school year and hopefully a little longer with postseason play. As you are reading, if the weather cooperated, there may have already been two baseball games, a softball game, a tennis match for both the boys and girls teams and a track meet. And yes, all of those took place in a two-day span.
The spring season is definitely the busiest time of the year for me. As I have said before, I have to keep a calendar of events for the spring season to make sure that I make it to one game/match/meet of each particular sport per week if possible. And, if I have my way, the temperature will be at the 60-degree or above mark, but as you know, that doesn’t always happen. One day may be 70 degrees and the nicest day you have seen in a while and the next day I may be wrapped up in what seems like every piece of clothing I have in my closet. But I guess I shouldn’t complain about the temperature, at least I will be outside.
Even though spring sports have started, there is still one winter sport that continues. Yes, it is the Marion County Lady Knights basketball team playing in the KHSAA Houchen’s Industries Sweet 16 State Basketball Tournament, with their first round game taking place today at 1 p.m. against Bowling Green. The Lady Knights actually beat this Bowling Green team 66-43 on Dec. 23 during the Republic Bank Classic at Lexington Catholic. If Marion County wins their game today, they will be in action again on Friday at 1 p.m. against the winner of the Montgomery County/Ashland Blazer game.  
There are actually five other teams besides Bowling Green in the Sweet 16 field that the Lady Knights have defeated this season. They include Henderson County, Owensboro Catholic, DuPont Manual, Madison Central and Mercy. Marion County won against Henderson County at East Hardin Middle School on Feb. 9, by a final score of 67-40. The Lady Knights defeated Owensboro Catholic in a preseason scrimmage 95-68, and beat DuPont Manual on Jan. 12, by a final score of 79-63.  Marion County defeated Madison Central on two occasions this season, one being Dec. 8 at home by a score of 66-35, and the other matchup came on Dec. 29, with a score of 59-37. This was the only game so far this season in which the Lady Knights did not reach the 60-point mark. The Lady Knights also played Mercy on two occasions, defeating them 71-56 on Jan. 19 on their home court, and winning 64-46 in the regular season finale on the road Feb. 12.
So there you have it, a little preview of some of the Sweet 16 state tournament contenders that Marion County has previously beaten, and a look ahead to the spring season.