Hoptown Defending champion swimmers UConn falls again dive in Tuesday SPORTS B3 SPORTS B2 B1 SSPORTSPORTS

Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012 | Sports Editor: Joe Wilson | 270-887-3260 | [email protected]

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY Kentucky adds quality, quantity on signing day

disappointing 2011 campaign for the football team ended with optimism last Afall. While the Wildcats stumbled to a 5-7 fin- FOOD FOR ish, including a 2-6 mark in play, and failed to qualify for a THOUGHT postseason bowl for the first time since 2005, Kentucky defeated Tennessee 10-7 in the season finale. The win snapped the Wildcats’ 26-game losing streak to the rival Volunteers. But then, as the high from the win began to subside, reality crept in for head JOE WILSON | KENTUCKY NEW ERA coach Joker Phillips and his staff. University Heighs Academy wrestler Colton Hall (top) grapples with Hopkinsville’s Robert Bussell during a match earlier this season Two-time first-team All-SEC linebacker at Blazer Gym. Hall has found success on the mat this season after suffering critical injuries in a four-wheeler accident in 2009. , who led the team and the conference in tackles for the second straight season in 2011, is gone. Safety/line- KEITH backer Winston Guy Jr., another leader and JENKINS n all-conference staple on the Kentucky de- fense, also has run out of eligibility. The Wildcats have to replace all three starting lineback- ers and have a plethora of needs in the defensive secondary. Off the mat On the offensive side, Matt Roark, a receiver who filled in at against Tennessee after both Morgan Newton and Maxwell Smith were sidelined with injuries, SEE FOOD, PAGE B3 University Heights grappler defies odds, finds wrestling success

BY JOE WILSON NEW ERA SPORTS EDITOR

Winning on the high school wrestling mat can be measured in inches. For University Heights Acad- emy grappler Colton Hall, so is breathing. Hall is fortunate to be alive after he was critically injured in a four-wheeler accident in 2009. While riding with his friend, “At night I Colton Bumpus near the Dogwood-Kelly Road in Christian County, the then had visions of 14-year-old Hall made a critical mistake that left spoon feeding him clinging to life at Van- stop that means the patient has coded (died).” derbilt Children’s Hospital Colton didn’t die on the helicopter, but doctors him for the in Nashville, Tenn., for a weren’t sure if he would recover from his injuries. week. He had three major skull fractures, multiple facial “I was riding on a four- fractures, a fractured C-1 vertebra in his neck and rest of my wheeler and my friend a compound fracture in his left arm. Doctors also had stopped in front of believed he had severed his cerebral artery, the life. I didn’t me,” Hall said. “I wasn’t main artery feeding blood to the brain. paying attention and I Betty could only sit and wait. She wondered what know what turned around and tried to their future would be like. swerve. My wheel caught “At night I had visions of spoon feeding him for his and I flipped and the rest of my life,” she said. “I didn’t know what was going to landed on the pavement. was going to go on. And he’s just perfect now. I’m so The four-wheeler landed proud of him when he goes to wrestle.” on top of me.” A junior at UHA, Hall is a medical miracle. go on. And INTERNET PHOTO He doesn’t recall much Despite the three major skull fractures, doctors of the next six days he said there was no internal bleeding associated Highlands quarterback and 2011 Kentucky Mr. Football Patrick Towles he’s just spent at the hospital. He with them. It turns out he did not sever his cere- signed a national leter of intent Wednesday to play at Kentucky. doesn’t remember fighting bral artery, but a vein, which was much less criti- perfect now. with emergency personnel cal. at the scene because of “They (doctors) took him back for another CAT Towles headlines I’m so proud three large skull fractures scan a few days later and instead of the artery, it despite a broken left arm. was the vein,” Betty Hall said. “It was the width of He doesn’t remember the a hair for what could have been life or death for of him when helicopter rides to him. It was just amazing.” UK recruiting class Nashville. Because of the head and especially the neck in- The first helicopter juries, doctors told Colton he was done with all he goes to LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Head coach Joker Phillips stopped in Clarksville, contact sports, including his favorite, wrestling. Quarterback Patrick Towles secured Tenn., with problems and But he wouldn’t settle for that. is the headliner for Ken- INSIDE: Towles’ ver- wrestle.” another helicopter had to “They had fear that I would re-break my head or tucky’s signees as the Wild- bal commit- pick him up there and fly re-break my neck,” Colton said. “They said I was cats filled all 25 spots in the ment last him to his Nashville desti- done for life. It was sad. I had just started my first More from Betty Hall incoming recruiting class April and nation. season here (UHA). I was going into my freshman n within a few hours during stayed in Mother of UHA’s Colton Hall “That was hard on me,” year.” national national signing day. touch said his mother Betty Hall, Colton began a physical therapy and UHA Towles, Kentucky’s 2011 throughout who works in the trauma unit at Jennie Stuart wrestling coach Doug Willen kept in contact with signing day Mr. Football, completed 171 the quarter- Medical Center. “I know enough that we should the family. By November, Colton was feeling better. of 279 passes as a senior for B3 back’s sen- have been about 30 or 40 minutes behind him and After a series tests, doctors cleared him to wrestle. 3,820 yards, 42 touchdowns ior season when we got to Vanderbilt, they didn’t know any- Five months after nearly being killed, Colton thing. They told us his helicopter had stopped at and one interception. He led as offers from other schools Gateway (Clarksville). I know that usually if they SEE HALL, PAGE B3 Highlands High School to flooded in. three straight state champi- onships. SEE UK, PAGE B3

IN THIS SECTION TODAY’S GAMES TOP SCORES TV B4 PREP COLLEGE BASKETBALL COLLEGE BASKETBALL NBA COLLEGE BASKETBALL NBA g ASK AMY B4 Girls’ Basketball MY ANSWER B4 CHRISTIAN CO. SEMO MARIST CHICAGO CONNECTICUT 44 MIAMI 97 THAT’S THE TICKET! B5 AT HOPKINSVILLE 7:30 P.M. AT MURRAY ST. 7 P.M. AT MANHATTAN 7 P.M. AT NEW YORK 7 P.M. GEORGETOWN 58 MILWAUKEE 105 COMICS B6 TENNESSEE TECH DUKE DENVER GEORGIA 51 WASHINGTON 103 CLASSIFIEDS B7 AT AUSTIN PEAY 7 P.M. AT VIRGINIA TECH 6 P.M. AT L.A. CLIPPERS 9:30 P.M. AUBURN 59 ORLANDO 109