The Pride of Southern Kenton County…Our Community

Independence, Beechgrove, Whites Tower, Visalia, Kenton, Morning View, Fiskburg, Nicholson, Atwood and Piner, that’s who we are, the SK Community. I’ve always liked that tag line that Tim Moore uses on the PA system at the Joe, the pride of Southern Kenton County. It probably hasn’t meant as much as it has this weekend as so many of our neighbors in this Community are hurting following the storms where so many had their lives thrown into a chaotic state. So many lost everything, but nothing more agonizing than those who lost loved ones. Educators, students, athletes and so many affiliated with SK were affected by the awful storms yesterday.  Kids that I cover and shoot here lost their homes.

The Lady Pioneers travelled back to Anderson County today after yesterday’s game was wisely postponed. Something just didn’t feel right though. Maybe it was because there were cheerleaders who didn't make the trip because they were back home sifting through thier belongings.  I heard a couple people say that it felt strange being at the game when there people back in Kenton County looking for scraps of family pictures or pieces of their lives scattered among debris. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but I just felt like the kids playing in the game were out there with heavy hearts. Everyone in the Community, including the team, knows someone suffering loss. The coverage on the internet and Facebook has been mesmerizing. I was hoping that something good would happen at Anderson County for the Community but it just wasn’t meant to be. It was apparent early on when SK went down 6-0 that they weren’t going to have the magic needed to pull off their second straight upset. The girls played hard but came up short by a score of 70-57. They got within single digits in the second half but couldn't keep the momentum going their way.  Hannah Stephenson was SK’s only senior and her Pioneer career came to an end prematurely. Hannah was the last member of the 2009 Sweet 16 team to play at SK and it was really special to see how basketball was part of her high school experience.  

While the girls b-ball team was in Anderson County, the Community was rallying and cleaning up. The Independence Business Association, Piner Baptist Church and Hickory Grove Baptist Church collected supplies and clothing in unbelievable amounts as cargo trucks had to be used to haul of the donations away. Just an unbelievable amount of support. So many volunteers flocked to the affected area that the traffic became gridlock. SK Trainer Joe Hacker didn’t make the trip to Anderson as he stayed back to help. Thanks Joe.

Continue to pray for all of those in the Community affected by the storms as everyone tries to put the pieces of their lives back together. Both the boys and girls teams bowed out in tournament action this week but it all seems so trivial at this point.  However, there is way too much spirit and pride in this Community to keep us down, especially in the Heart of Southern Kenton County in the Community of Piner.

A shot of Hannah Stephenson in her last SK game.