Around the Region: Ownbey writes history of Bradley basketball programs

Walker Valley's Jaclyn Griffith, center, tries to pass the ball away from Bradley Central's Halle Hughes, left, and Rhyne Howard during their TSSAA District 5-AAA girls basketball championship game Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, at Ooltewah High School in Ooltewah, Tenn.
Writer: 	DS
Walker Valley's Jaclyn Griffith, center, tries to pass the ball away from Bradley Central's Halle Hughes, left, and Rhyne Howard during their TSSAA District 5-AAA girls basketball championship game Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, at Ooltewah High School in Ooltewah, Tenn. Writer: DS

A unique book about the history of Bradley Central boys' and girls' basketball is set to be published next week. Gary Ownbey, a 1968 BCHS graduate and a Bradley County sports historian, spent more than two years working on the 400-plus-page book.

"It's hard to put into words how proud I am of it," said Ownbey, who's working on a similar book on the school's football program. "I don't know of another school anywhere that has anything like this. It became an obsession for me, but I hope it'll be a great fundraiser for the basketball programs."

The $20 book will be sold only at Bradley Central, with all proceeds going to the basketball programs.

The book, entitled "The complete history of Bradley Central basketball," will include every score of every game (more than 5,400 boys' and girls' games) since 1921, as well as the coaching records of every coach, scoring records for career and individual games, record versus every opponent, a list of the school's Hall of Fame members, the history of Bradley Central High School, a chapter on how integration affected the school and how classification affected the programs, pictures from 1919 through last season and a chapter on glorious wins and bitter losses.

For more information, contact Ownbey via email at gdownbey@charter.net.

photo Calhoun head coach Jerry Pruett studies the defense of his Lady Yellow Jackets. The Calhoun Lady Yellow Jackets visited the Ringgold Lady Tigers in GHSA girls basketball action December 8, 2015.
Big win for No. 1

Basketball teams in the northern part of Georgia are rarely given much statewide love, but the Calhoun boys are changing all that.

The undefeated (18-0) and top-ranked Yellow Jackets solidified their ranking earlier this week with a 63-47 win over perennial state power Buford. Though the Wolves are having a rare down season, a win over them carries a lot of state clout.

"I don't know if it legitimizes it (the ranking) but it definitely doesn't hurt us," Calhoun coach Vince Layson said. "Our guys are going to get up to play Buford just for the name on their jerseys because of the football rivalry. We also got a chance to see (second-ranked) South Atlanta in the game before ours, and they are very good. This is a tough Class triple-A field."

Layson is trying to secure another showcase game to further toughen his team for the playoffs, perhaps as a replacement team for this weekend's event in Norcross. Several out-of-state teams are entered but may have to cancel due to travel concerns.

photo Kerilyn Mongar is pictured in this file photo.
Mongar adds softball

Kerilyn Mongar, a former Ooltewah athlete who graduated in 2006, has been hired to coach the East Ridge softball team. Mongar, who played softball for four years at Tennessee Tech, was the Lady Pioneers' head volleyball coach this past fall.

"We had at one time somebody to succeed Sandy Mauser. Well, he ended up taking another job," East Ridge athletic director Catherine Neely said. "That all fell through. I observed her coaching the volleyball team and even in some softball lessons. She's very knowledgeable and knows how to get kids to buy into things."

Softball practice starts Feb. 14 for all TSSAA schools, including at Central where Mongar's sister is coach LeeAnne Shurette.

"I always imagined myself as a softball coach," Mongar said. "I'm so excited to do it. I cant wait to get outside on the dirt."

Pioneers duo to UC

East Ridge has two football players headed for the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky.

The two new Patriots from a Pioneers football team that posted the program's first undefeated regular season are linebacker/receiver Quasey Vison (6-0, 185) and linebacker Jeremiah McKibben (5-11, 180).

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