Page 14, The Estill County Tribune, December 13, 2017 Kentucky fans should like signee Keldon Johnson’s high motor on two of the ’s best teams. “I am going to win every game we play,” joked. “I want to play him. We talk about it. We have bet $20 on who wins Kentucky and Florida this year.” Oak Hill coach Steve Smith thinks the Johnsons will both be terrific players in college. He also believes Kentucky fans are going to love everything about Kel- by Larry Vaught don Johnson. “He wants to play at the One reason that Florida highest level and play for signee Keyontae Johnson is money one day and felt playing at Oak Hill Acad- Kentucky gave him the emy this season is because best opportunity to do that,” he wanted to be on the same Smith said. “I think the fans team as Keldon Johnson, a are going to like him be- Kentucky signee. cause of the way he plays, The two have been his spirit, his energy. His at- Kentucky’s season ended with an Elite Eight loss to Nebraska, but coach Craig Skinner and the seniors friends for years and Keyon- titude is always good. If he hope 29 wins and a SEC championship have helped lay the foundation for a program that can compete for tae Johnson wanted to spend gets mad, he is mad at him- national championships. (Vicky Graff Photo) this season on the court with self. He doesn’t get mad at MacGinnis In NFL him before they start play- his teammates. He is just a one of the nation’s best “We wouldn’t have tak- $5 shipping and handling. ing against each other in hard playing kid. teams, in the Elite Eight. en this job at Kentucky if “The show will air on Count Kentucky Radio college. “He’s very good on de- Just as they had all season, we didn’t believe we could some other TV stations. We Network football analyst “Keldon will joke around fense, too. We play him up Kentucky put up a fight un- build a broad-based pro- are still working on that and Jeff Piecoro as one who a lot. He is a funny guy. On on the ball. He does get mad til the final point. gram and get things done more information will be thinks record-setting kicker the court he changes his at his teammates when they Kentucky won 29 match- that had never been done coming out later about that,” Austin MacGinnis can suc- motor but off the court he did not guard. He likes play- es, shared the SEC cham- before. We’ve done that in Mills said. ceed in the NFL. is really funny,” the Florida ing defense and being the pionship with Florida and a lot of different ways. So I Mr. Basketball “He has become a reli- signee said. “He will fit per- guy up front on the press. made the Elite Eight for don’t believe, just because able player, which is what fectly at Kentucky. He has He has long arms and he the first time in 30 years. it’s a tough league, that we Mercer County’s Trevon the NFL wants. The differ- a high motor and loves big is making them throw lobs Seniors Ashley Dusek, Kaz cannot get done what we Faulkner is considered the ence with kickers is four games. He has a high mo- over him or we are getting Brown and Emily Franklin dream of doing,” Barnhart frontrunner for Mr. Bas- inches between your ears,” tor, is always hyped before deflections. He will really were part of 100 victories. said ketball honors this season. Piecoro, who does work a game. He is a competitor get after you on defense.” Coach Craig Skinner said That would be winning However, what he did in for the Cincinnati Bengals, UK is going to love.” Adair County freshman after the loss it was impos- a Southeastern Conference football was also very im- said. “Austin has a good leg Keyontae Johnson went Zion Harmon played on the sible to get mad at his team football championship, pressive. but I would say 90 percent with Florida because he same AAU team with Kel- because it always gave an something UK has not done The 6-4, 205-pound of the kickers in the country likes the fast-paced offense don Johnson last summer. incredible effort and also since 1977. Faulkner — who has signed do. that coach Mike White Harmon’s father, Mike, is did things the right way. The “We want to continue to play basketball with “Austin never had a real uses. a believer in Johnson’s de- players wore blue ribbons in to try and make progress. Northern Kentucky Univer- dry spell here. He’s just been “That helps me because fense. their hair and Skinner wore Sometimes it takes lon- sity — had seven intercep- consistent his entire career. I I score off the fast break, “He can play defense, a blue ribbon on his shirt ger than you want. We’ve tions, including one for a think he has the leg strength so it will be good for me,” too. He’s long, athletic. I for the win over BYU and invested in football here. touchdown, and four fumble and mentality make it in the Keyontae Johnson said. have seen him lock down match with Nebraska to We’ve got a wonderful recoveries to go with 130 NFL. The NFL is such a “The reason I came here on guys. He can check a show their support for team- stadium, a training facility tackles this season. performance driven league. (Oak Hill) was to com- center and push him out. I mate Anna Nyberg. Her fa- that’s outstanding and I be- On offense, he had 34 re- You can’t have dry spells pete against the best and have seen him check small- ther died about two weeks lieve we’ve got the founda- ceptions for 648 yards and and play there, and to me he get ready for the next level er guards,” Mike Harmon ago. tional pieces in place. That 14 scores and ran for 158 has not had that.” — and to play with Keldon. said. “He is that glue piece. The seniors set the tone doesn’t automatically give yards and three touchdowns Quotes of the Week He is a good teammate. We One thing you know is you for all that — and laid a you success. You must con- on 14 carries. He even threw have played together since will get 120 percent, he will foundation that could pro- tinue to do the little things,” a touchdown pass for Mer- Quote of the Week: “It’s like fifth grade. I just want- compete until the end and vide more Elite Eight ap- Barnhart said. cer. been a crazy year. I appre- ed to play together one last he will lead his troops.” pearances based on the tal- “And it is little things that “We struggled up front ciate where I’m at and the and he was our fifth line- time with him.” Incredible Season ent UK has returning. win you championships, but stability we have in this Next season the two “There’s only 10 pro- I don’t believe you ever take backer in addition to our program,” Kentucky coach guards who can both im- Kentucky volleyball’s in- grams in the country that the dream away. I don’t be- free safety. He’s like having Mark Stoops on the insta- pact a game in a lot of ways credible season ended with have ever won a national lieve you ever take the pos- a 12th player on defense,” bility in the SEC football will play against each other a four-set loss to Nebraska, championship in our sport. sibilities away and we’ll Mercer coach David Bu- coaching ranks. The dream of mine and our continue to work really, re- chanan said. “He was our Quote of the Week 2: staff when we got here was ally hard at that.” best leader. He committed “It’s an honor to know that a to become an elite program, The next results come in to NKU in October and coach like Calipari is watch- and there’s only 10 teams in Dec. 20th when the early could have found a way out ing me. He’s one of the the country that have been football signing period be- when our season hit rock legendary coaches,” Olive to 13 straight NCAA tourna- gins. bottom in October but he Branch (Miss.) junior D.J. ments. We’re one of them,” continued to fight. He’s a Jeffries on having Kentucky “Out of the Blue” Skinner said. tremendous teammate and coach come to “Our dream is to be an A new documentary — had five touchdowns in our the Marshall County Hoop- elite program and compete “Out of the Blue” — about win over East Jessamine fest to watch him play. for a national champion- Kentucky’s 1998 national in the second round of the Quote of the Week 3: ship. That was on these se- championship will make its playoffs. He’s just special.” “People are mad that we are niors minds all year long, debut Dec. 25th on WKYT- Faulkner had 22 points 7-5 and the team is mad. We was to compete for a nation- TV and WYMT-TV and and 11 rebounds in a 73- want to do better, we want to al championship. We talked then be available for pur- 47 win over Adair County. win every game, but back- about it in August, and we chase by UK fans. Point guard Zion Harmon, to-back bowl (appearances) did that. Did we get it there Once again former play- the nation’s top-ranked is pretty good,” senior re- yet? No. But it’s hard and er UK Cameron Mills has freshman, had 19 points for ceiver Charles Walker on these guys (seniors) left teamed with Filthy Rags Adair. UK playing in the Music a legacy for the returning Media, Eppic Films and City Bowl. players to live up to.” WKYT-TV to put the docu- Dusek and the seniors mentary together just like want players like McKen- they did earlier on the 1996 zie Watson, Madison Lilley, national championship team Gabby Curry, Avery Skin- documentary. ner and others to keep that “The difference, to me, is tradition going. that I played a lot more on “They understand the the 1998 team. Everybody mindset— I think we kept expected 1996 to happen. that this whole year. We’ve Nobody expected the one talked about how we’ve in 1998. Realistically, no wanted to get to this point one in the national media a lot and it’s going to take did. Kentucky fans didn’t. I a while to get there, but you think our team did because just have to fight. I think every team does but we lost they have the mentality,” a lot of good players — and Dusek said after the Ne- a coach — off the 1997 Fi- braska match. nal Four team,” Mills said. “They’re just going to The TV version will have to have their own be about 44 minutes. The thoughts and ways that DVD will have what Mills they’re going to have to called “extra stuff” that will work out but we hope that feature more in-depth in- they keep the same founda- terviews than the TV show tion and they know that.” will have. Mills said the in- A Step Forward terview with coach is one Kentucky fans Winning seven games should really enjoy. in consecutive seasons and Pre-orders for the DVD going to two straight bowl can be made now at cam- games has been a step eronmillsradio.com or out- forward for coach Mark ofthebluemovie.com. If you Stoops and the UK football pre-order now, the DVD Former Wildcat Cameron Mills will have a documen- Oak Hill coach Steve Smith believe Kentucky fans program. Athletics director will be shipped Dec. 23rd tary on UK’s 1998 national championship season will like the energy signee Keldon Johnson will add Mitch Barnhart hopes that to arrive on Dec. 26th at the — “Out Of The Blue” — on WKYT-TV and WYMT-TV to the team next year. (Steve Feeney Photo) is just the start. earliest. Cost is $9.99 plus on Dec. 25th. (Larry Vaught Photo)