[Mr.Kimball]

Tucker Howard in two seasons:
47 wins (23.5 per season)
2006- (20-14) District Champs, Regional Runner-up
2007- (27-6) lost to eventual Region and Sectional Champions Johnson Central
*Coach Howard was voted Coach of the Year in the 15th for 2007, Paintsville was 16-2 versus regional opponents and 6-1 in the 57th district.

With VanHoose and Grimm returning Paintsville should be battling for the #1 seed in the 57th in 2008. Lawrence County will be the odds on favorite to win the 15th next season though.

In my opinion, things will be just like they were this year. You will have the three teams in the 57th district battling for the regional title with Pikeville and Allen Central as the dark horses. You wont have the blind draw in the 57th, so seeding may play a big part of who comes out.

You would think that Lawrence would be the favorites, but I think that I will go with Johnson Central again this time. I know they lost the arms of Fyffe and Blanton, but they still return a lot of pitching talent and should be must better offensively. They just wont have the flame throwers.

Paintsville will have Grimm, but I really think that Austin Lyons might really be their #2 when it's all said and done. At one time I would have agreed with VanHoose, but when was the last time that he really was a factor off the mound? Has he even thrown as much as 30 innings his whole high school career combined?