Donald Foster
WBONTV.com
Wallingford Broadcasting
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Estill County, a school that had never advanced to a Sweet Sixteen was looking to do just that Tuesday night as they played Knott County Central in the 14th region final. While Estill County had never won a regional championship back in 1955 Irvine High School won a regional. Only four teams from the 56th district had ever advanced to the Sweet Sixteen, Lee County twice, and Powell County twice, the last time in 2001.
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Jon Bentley took over the program back in 2010, leaving Perry County Central where he had served as an assistant. Bentley, from Hazard, started his basketball career at Marshal before transferring to EKU where he started for the Colonels for two seasons averaging 13.4 points a game and was named All Conference his senior season. Bentley took over a program who had only won four games the year before, his first season as head coach the Engineers won 18 games and lost the district championship game in OT. They did advance to the semi-finals of the region that season. In 2013 he led the team to the district championship and once again advanced to the semi-finals of the region. 2015 saw another district title and another trip to the regional final four, 2017 another district title and trip to the semi’s. This season with a team of seniors Estill County was the preseason pick to win the 14th region. Caleb Bonny was the preseason player of the year in the region and Estill found itself somewhere it had never been before…the favorites in the region.
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The season started a five point loss in Somerset and then a nine point loss at Madison Southern. They dropped four of the first five games, most of the “experts” outside of Irvine was starting to write the Engineers off after only five games. Coach Bentley and his team didn’t buy the all the hype to begin the season and they certainly didn’t listen to the negativity early in the year. After a loss to South Laurel on December 9th, the Cardinals were preseason favorites in the 12th region, by six points the team showed everyone why they were the preseason pick in the 14th region. They went on a 19-2 to end the regular season. Along the way they lost only game in the 14th region, Breathitt County at home on February 6th by 12. The regular season they finished 21-7, and undefeated in district play with the one loss in region play. Along the way they got some big time wins at Pulaski County by 14 as the Maroons were ranked in the top ten at the time. They got a win over Boyd County in the Kentucky Bank Challenge in December. Boyd County won the 16th region and will also be playing at Rupp Arena next week. They defeated Robertson County who won the All A 10th region tournament. While Estill County may not have played a schedule like Madison Central saw but the Engineers played a host of teams that were very successful during the season. No one can say that this team “lucked” it’s way to a regional championship. As for individual honors Caleb Bonny was named a finalist for Mr. Basketball and the 14th region player of the year. Bonny averaged 19.4 points on the year and became the all time leading scorer in Estill County history this season.
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The postseason opened with a commanding win over Lee County in the district opener 62-22. They played their rival Powell County for the district championship and won 64-45. The regional draw saw the co-favorite Knott County Central lose it’s district championship game to Cordia by six points. You had to be a little nervous with the possibility of having to play Knott Central in the opening round but the draw placed both teams in opposite sides of the bracket. Estill defeated Wolfe County by nine and then had to face Cordia. Cordia (19-12) had Estill down by as many as 15 in the second half until the Engineers rallied to send it to overtime. They knock down their free throws and win in thrilling fashion 61-52. The match up everyone was looking forward to happened in the regional final, 25 win Estill County and 27 win Knott County Central, met up and it was a classic. Estill County wins 44-40 and for the first time they will make a trip to the Sweet Sixteen at Rupp Arena.
They play Corbin (25-7) winners of the 13th region at noon Wednesday March 14th. Common opponents for the two teams include South Laurel. Estill defeated South Laurel and so has Corbin including knocking them off in the regional final. They both played Harlan County with Estill losing Harlan and Corbin defeating the Black Bears. Corbin lost to Pulaski County while Estill knocked off Pulaski. Last opponent in common is Jackson County, Estill lost to the Generals early in the season while the Redhounds defeated Jackson County. Take the common opponents as information only as we all know the records are now 0-0 as the Sweet Sixteen begins.
If the Engineers defeat Corbin they will have possibly the biggest game in school history as they match up with the winner of #1 Trinity and #2 Scott County. You can listen to all the action on 100.7 the Coyote if you can’t make it to Rupp Arena.
