Community invited to Lady Rocket pep rally

There will be a community pep rally Tuesday morning to send off the Lady Rocket basketball to the Kentucky Girls' Sweet Sixteen Basketball Tournament. The pep rally is for students and the public. It will be from 8-9 a.m., at Rocket Arena.

The girls' basketball team will then go to the elementary school for a sendoff by the younger students. They will have a police escort out town at about 9:30 to 10 a.m.

Crittenden plays Louisville DuPont Manual at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday in Bowling Green. The game will be webcast live at The Press Online.

Schools closed Wednesday for game

There will be no school on Wednesday in Crittenden County because the Lady Rockets' basketball team is playing in the Kentucky Sweet Sixteen Tournament in Bowling Green.

Tournament tickets available at CCHS

A limited supply of tickets for the Lady Rockets' first-round Sweet Sixteen basketball game are available at Crittenden County High School. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased in the office from Carol Perry. Tickets are $11 if purchased at the tournament, which is being held at Diddle Arena on the campus of Western Kentucky University. The Lady Rockets will play the state's top-ranked team, Louisville DuPont Manual, at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday.

Coming up at Fohs Hall

Tickets are on sale now

Some VIP reserved seating still available

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Area deaths

James Albert Martin, 75, of Eddyville died Saturday, March 5, 2011 at his home. The funeral is Wednesday at Boyd Funeral Directors in Salem.

Ronella Ordway Roberts, 89, of Marion died Saturday March 5, 2011 at the Livingston Hospital. The funeral is Monday Gilbert Funeral Home in Marion.

Contributions accepted for Lady Rocket travel

The Lady Rocket Booster Club is accepting contributions for travel to the Sweet Sixteen basketball tournament, which begins Wednesday in Bowling Green. Alumni, businesses or members of the community who would like to make a donation for meals, accommodations and travel can contact Gina Brown, booster club treasurer, at 704-0759.

Lady Rockets capture historic championship

Lady Rockets win first ever regional title

Crittenden County's Lady Rockets beat Christian County 53-49 in the second region title game Saturday at Smithland for the school's first ever regional championship.

The Lady Rockets will play the state's top-ranked team, Louisville DuPont Manual, at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday at Bowling Green's Diddle Arena.

School officials say it is very likely that classes will be dismissed on Wednesday so students may attend the KHSAA Girls' Sweet Sixteen game.

Senior guard Jessi Hodge led the Lady Rockets over Christian County with 22 points. Senior forward Whitney Johnson added 16 to cap a tremendous three-game performance in the tournament. Those two and senior Laken Tabor were selected to the All Second Region Team.

Stay tuned for more coverage including video, statistics, game wrap-up and previews of the state tournament. See next week's Crittenden Press printed edition for a special four-page section on the girls' regional title run.

Lady Rockets tipoff at 7 for championship

Crittenden County's 20-8 Lady Rocket basketball tips off in the Second Region Girls' Basketball at 7 p.m., tonight at Smithland. They face the 12-11 Christian County Lady Colonels.

The Press Online will be posting quarterly scoring updates from the game and the final score. A game recap will be posted about one hour after the final buzzer.

This is the second time in school history that Crittenden County has played in the regional championship game. The winner of tonight's matchup earns a berth in the Girls' Sweet 16 Basketball Tournament next week in Bowling Green.

Pictured is Lady Rocket coach Shannon Hodge celebrating after last night's semifinal win over Union County.

Jimmy Croft resigns as Livingston coach

Jimmy Croft says he has resigned as boys' basketball coach at Livingston Central High School.

Croft has been the head coach at Livingston since 2006. Prior to that, he had coached boys and girls at Crittenden County, his alma mater. Croft is the Rockets' all-time winningest coach.

Croft's Cardinals won the Fifth District championship this season, and lost in the opening round of the Second Region Tournament to Christian County.

Cave In Rock Ferry closed for high water

The Cave In Rock Ferry is closed because Ohio River floodwaters are covering Ky. 91 near the Kentucky Landing.

The Ohio River at 10:30 a.m., today at Shawneetown, Ill., was at 44.77 feet. It is expected to continue rising to 46.3 until it crests on March 12. That means the ferry is likely to remain closed for at least a week due to high water.

Crittenden shoots for first Second Region title

Girls play Christian for

crown at 7 p.m., Saturday

Senior guard Laken Tabor nailed a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 22 seconds to play, putting Crittenden County ahead for good en route to a 49-44 victory over Union County in the Second Region Girls' Basketball Tournament semifinal Friday at Smithland.

After Tabor's trey, Jessi Hodge and Whitney Johnson finished off the Bravettes with four straight foul shots, sending the Lady Rockets to the regional championship game for the second time ever.

"I remember being in about fifth or sixth grade and going to the game when Jeannie Hinchee and those other girls were in the finals," said Lady Rocket coach Shannon Hodge, whose team won 20 games this year for the first time in her lengthy tenure at CCHS.

The last time Crittenden (20-8) made it to the regional championship game was 1978. The girls lost to West Hopkins that year.

"It would be great to win (Saturday) and go to state. It would be a first," Hodge said.

Tabor led the Lady Rockets with 17 points and Jessi Hodge had 16.

Rachel Hodge, Union County's Second Region Player of the Year, finished with 18 points. Tabor and Summer Courtney were charged with defending the region's best player.

The Lady Rockets play Christian County (12-11) in Saturday night's 7 p.m., championship game at Smithland. Crittenden beat Christian County in the opening round of last year's Second Region Tournament. The teams have not met this season. The winner advances to the Girls' Sweet 16 next week at Bowling Green to play the Seventh Region champion, either Louisville DuPont Manual (29-4) or Louisville Mercy (24-7).

Crittenden Scoring: Hodge 16, Brown 5, Tabor 17, Johnson 9, Head 2.

Union Scoring: Burnett 2, Dayberry 7, Houston 4, Buchanan 5, Hodge 18, Sprague 6, Chambliss 2.

Pictured above is Crittenden's Laken Tabor fighting for possession of the ball against Union County's Rachel Buchanan (25).

Area death

Helen Elizabeth Catilla, 72, of Salem died Wednesday, March 3, 2011 at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. The funeral is Sunday at Myers Funeral Home in Marion.

Lady Rocket action on the Web

If you missed the Lady Rockets' last couple of playoff games, you can go to the links below to check out the action.

You can see the Lady Rockets live Friday night against Union County in the Second Region Semifinal at Smithland starting at 7:45 p.m.

Fifth District Championship Game Win over Lyon

http://www.ihigh.com/crittendenrockets/broadcast_153070.html?nosilverlight=1

Second Region Region Tournament Opening Round Win over Caldwell

http://www.ihigh.com/crittendenrockets/broadcast_153456.html?nosilverlight=1

Welcome to Bowtanicals in Marion

The Press Online welcomes its newest partner, Bowtanicals in Marion. The specialty and floral shop has gifts, candles and flower arrangements for every occasion. Click here.

Group salvaging Sturgis bike rally

Union County Fair Board is resurrecting the motorcycle rally at Sturgis and will call it the Kentucky Bikerfest.

It will be held July 14-17 and replace the former Little Sturgis Rally, which organizers announced last month wouldn’t be held this summer due to declining attendance and a lawsuit over the name.

Area death

Anna Belle Hunter, 68, of Salem, died Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at Livingston Hospital.
She attended Salem Full Gospel Church. A graveside service is planned for held Friday at Dyer Hill Cemetery in Livingston County. Boyd Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Lady Rockets headed to regional semifinal

Crittenden County beat Caldwell County 56-48 in the first round of the Second Region Girls' Basketball Tournament Tuesday night at Smithland to earn a berth in Friday's semifinal round.

The Lady Rockets got a 21-point effort from senior forward Whitney Johnson, who had nearly as many rebounds. Johnson is pictured at right.

Crittenden will play Union County in Friday's nightcap. The Lady Rockets split with Union during the regular season.

SECOND REGION AT A GLANCE

Monday’s Results

Christian County 56, Madisonville 42

Lyon County 63, Henderson County 61

Tuesday’s Results

Union County 58, Hopkinsville 47

Crittenden County 56, Caldwell Co. 48

Friday’s Semifinals

Christian Co. vs. Lyon Co., 6 p.m.

Union Co. vs. Crittenden Co., 7:45 p.m.

Saturday’s Championship

Game time 7 p.m., at Smithland

Area death

William “Mutt” Griffin, 85, of Dycusburg, died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011 at his home. The funeral is Wednesday at Lakeland Funeral Home Chapel in Eddyville.

Lane restrictions on Crittenden Springs Road

The Kentucky Department of Highways' Crittenden County maintenance crew will be working along Ky. 1668 (Crittenden Springs Road) over the next few days to prepare the highway for a new entrance to the Rogers Group Quarry. This will require lane restrictions.

A maintenance crew will be widening cross drains and upgrading the roadway from the intersection with U.S. 60 to the entrance to the new quarry. Some minor delays are possible as crews go about their work in this area, said Keith Todd, spokesman for the Kentucky Department of Highways.