Colonel track Lady Warriors teams shine top Danville SPORTS B3 SPORTS B3 B1 SSPORTSPORTS Monday-Tuesday, April 23-24, 2012 | Sports Editor: Joe Wilson | 270-887-3260 | [email protected] BLUE-WHITE SPRING FOOTBALL GAME Wildcats have some Embracing pressure potential Defense to improve few years ago, the Univer- sity of Kentucky football Aprogram was drawing in- looks terest year round from Big Blue Nation, which normally reserves most of its attention to the bas- ketball program. But in the final few years of ’s time and as the different Billy Gillispie experiment ran its course, the Wildcats football team was rolling under coach . They went to four straight bowl games in Brooks’ final four for ’Cats years and brought record-break- ing crowds to each game. Then John Calipari was hired LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Since to coach the basketball team, the Kentucky ended its 2011 season Wildcats returned to the top of with a historic win over Ten- the college basketball scene and nessee, a lot about the defense re- the school’s football team – well sponsible for that victory has the football team changed. again is working That showed in the Blue-White quietly behind FROM THE spring game Saturday. the scenes. The defense had to replace six Saturday’s Blue- BLEACHERS starters from a year ago, but the White spring new-look defense looked impres- game drew about sive, allowing two touchdowns in INTERNET PHOTO 4,500 people. 40 minutes. The format of the Former Christian County High School star Malcom McDuffen (54), shown during a spring practice, is That low num- game put the starters against the fighting for a starting linebacker spot this fall for the Wildcats. ber could be backups, and the backups were blamed on the spotted 14 points. The starters success of the won 35-28. basketball team, The defense was very different what was per- McDuffen chasing starting ceived as an un- than the one in the 10-7 win over the Volunteers — successful 2011 JOE the first time the season by the Wildcats beat football team or WILSON n their rival since the fact that not 1984, breaking the linebacker spot at Kentucky much has come nation’s longest out of the UK losing streak to a BY KEITH JENKINS grid camp this spring. Coach single opponent. NEW ERA ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR “While you’re sleeping, I’m Joker Phillips reportedly didn’t In all, the Wild- want cameras around practice. cats lost five of LEXINGTON, Ky. — The last two seasons were With spring drills over, Phillips getting better. In the Phillips and the Wildcats have their top seven about learning for University of Kentucky line- until the season opener Sept. 1 at tacklers from 2011. backer Malcolm McDuffen. But this year, the former Christian County High School standout weightroom, in the classroom, Louisville to make huge im- Those seven players totaled 466 provements. tackles last season, more than is expected to deliver. After spending the last two campaigns behind It’s going to be tough. The half of the team’s total. I’m getting better.” Wildcats lost some key compo- Five starters graduated and former All- linebacker , McDuffen entered the spring nents from last year’s team, in- linebacker Ridge Wilson was dis- cluding defensive star Danny missed from the team in Febru- season as the No. 1 weakside linebacker on the Malcolm McDuffen Kentucky depth chart. Trevathan. In addition, Phillips ary after being arrested on felony Kentucky linebacker n removed troubled linebacker drug charges. In front of an announced 4,500 fans Saturday McDuffen played in all 12 games a season ago, Ridge Wilson from the team. Linebacker Avery Williamson at Commonwealth Stadium, McDuffen and the Four-year starter Winston Guy leaning on Trevathan every step of the way for led all players Saturday with Wildcats put a period on spring practice with and Randall Burton are gone eight tackles and two tackles for the annual Blue-White game. The starters de- guidance. But now, as Trevathan prepares for from the secondary and line- loss. Williamson is trying to fill feated the backups 35-28. the start of the NFL draft on Thursday, McDuf- backer Ronnie Sneed will be the void left by Danny Trevathan, The non-starters were spotted a 14-0 lead at the fen is trying to step out of Trevathan’s shadow tough to replace. who led the Southeastern Confer- beginning of the intrasquad scrimmage. and into his own light, while fending off red- But everything isn’t bad on de- ence in tackles in 2010 and 2011. “I liked how today went,” said McDuffen, who shirt freshmen Demarius Rancifer and Tim Pat- fense. The Wildcats will return Williamson had 49 tackles last finished with two total tackles. “I feel I didn’t terson for the starting job. defensive end Collins Ukwu and season as a sophomore, and coach make that many plays. I made a couple, but I feel “A lot of people say it’s pressure, but I don’t re- tackles Donte Rumph and Mister Joker Phillips compared his ca- I did good on my reads.” ally believe in all that,” said McDuffen, who will Cobble. The key for the defense reer to Trevathan’s: two years of While McDuffen redshirted in 2010 and tallied be a sophomore on the field and a junior in the could be the play of several backup duties with an opportu- nine total tackles last season primarily on spe- classroom this fall. “I just look at it as being young linebackers, including for- nity to break out as a junior. cial teams, his mentor, Trevathan, accumulated competitive. Everyone’s just trying to make it mer Christian County High a conference-high 287 tackles, including 152 solo School star Malcolm McDuffen. SEE DEFENSE, PAGE B3 stops, in the two-year span. SEE UK, PAGE B3 Offensively, Kentucky is in bet- ter shape. Sophomore Maxwell Smith and Morgan Newton will engage in a fierce battle for the starting job. Wide re- ceivers La’Rod King, E.J. Fields and Demarco Robinson have a year of experience under their Colonels salvage split in Leach tourney belt and should be improved. The Wildcats also have a stable JOE WILSON | FROM NEW ERA STAFF REPORTS Falcons on Tuesday. of quality running backs includ- KENTUCKY NEW ERA Other information from Sat- ing surprise CoShik Williams, Ray- Christian County’s The Christian County urday’s game was not re- mond Sanders and Josh Clemons. Logan Patterson Colonels warmed up for their ported by press time on Although some may not see it, or dives safely back to important District 8 series be- Sunday. even care right now, there is hope first base ahead of a for Phillips’ squad in Lexington. ginning tonight with Fort The biggest key could be the tag during the Campbell by defeating Lin- Colonels’ baseball Pitt pitches Henderson Co. play of McDuffen, who is trying coln County 5-1 Saturday in a game against Lincoln to take over for Trevathan. high school baseball game. County on Saturday past Hopkinsville, 8-1 Former southern Pennyrile in the Steve Leach In- The Colonels (7-14) broke a Henderson County baseball stars Artose Pinner and Micah vitational Tourna- four-game losing streak and star Avery Pitt shut down the Johnson helped make Kentucky ment at Colonel salvaged a split in the Steve Hopkinsville bats and the formidable while they were in Field. Leach Memorial Tournament host Colonels defeated the the lineup, who’s to say McDuf- at Colonel Field. Tigers 8-1 Saturday in a high fen can’t do the same? The Colonels travel to school baseball game. play Fort Campbell today REACH JOE WILSON at 270-887-3260 or before playing host to the SEE HHS, PAGE B3 [email protected].

IN THIS SECTION TODAY’S GAMES TOP SCORES SCOREBOARD B2 PREP PREP PREP PREP PREP PREP SPORTS BRIEFS B3 Baseball Baseball Softball Softball Baseball Softball PENNYRILE B4 UHA AARON ACADEMY LIVINGSTON CENTRAL TODD CO. CENTRAL LINCOLN CO. 2 DANVILLE 1 TV B5 AT HOPKINSVILLE 5:30 P.M. AT HCA 4:30 P.M. AT TRIGG CO. 5:30 P.M. AT BUTLER CO. 5:30 P.M. CHRISTIAN CO. 5 HCA 11 CLASSIFIEDS B7 CHRISTIAN CO. LIVINGSTON CENTRAL HOPKINSVILLE FORT CAMPBELL HOPKINSVILLE 1 HOROSCOPES B9 AT FORT CAMPBELL 5:30 P.M. AT TRIGG CO. 5:30 P.M. AT LOGAN CO. 5:30 P.M. AT UHA 5:30 P.M. HENDERSON CO. 8