Five schools that had a very short time to compete for a KHSAA 2nd Region basketball championship. Five schools that are a part now of basketball history in the area. Five schools that made the most of the opportunity they had during that window of less than ten basketball seasons.
At the end of the 1957-1958 school year, schools from the Kentucky High School Athletic League were finally allowed to compete in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association, without the racial division lines that had previously been in place.
For the boys’ basketball programs, that meant five new teams were eligible to compete for the 2nd Region title beginning with the 1958-1959 season. Those schools were: Princeton Dotson, Earlington Million, Madisonville Rosenwald, Hopkinsville Attucks, and Todd County Training. Over the next seven seasons, the teams from these schools made their presence known in the region on the basketball court.
In the 1959 post-season, Madisonville Rosenwald, led by Amp Slaton and Ronald Bowman, reached the 2nd Region tournament. Rosenwald won their first regional game, defeating Guthrie 74-51. Rosenwald’s bid to reach the regional final would be cut short in the semifinals, as they fell to Crofton 67-64. That would mark the last time one of the former KHSAL teams would not make a 2nd Region final until most of the schools had closed.
The 1960 post-season saw three of the old KHSAL teams reach the 2nd Region tourney. Earlington Million, Hopkinsville Attucks, and Todd County Training all had the chance to play for the regional title. Training, led by Robert Morehead, would fall in the opening round of the tournament to Madisonville. Million advanced by beating Caldwell County, while Attucks took down Livingston Central. Attucks and Million would then meet in one semfinal, with Attucks winning in overtime 71-70. Attucks would go on to beat Madisonville for the regional championship. The first of three for the former KHSAL schools. Attucks was led by All-Region performers Walter Gee and William Torian.
In 1961, Madisonville Rosenwald and Princeton Dotson both reached the regional tournament. They were matched up in a first round game, which Rosenwald won 75-57. Rosenwald would then beat Dawson Springs in the semifinals, before losing to Christian County, 78-59, in the title game.
The 1962 tournament again saw three of the teams reach the regional tournament. Hopkinsville Attucks defeated Todd County Training in the opening round of the tournament, while Princeton Dotson advanced with a win over Todd County. That set up a matchup between Attucks and Dotson in the regional semifinals. Dotson would hold off Attucks 75-70 to move on to the regional championship game. Dotson would come up just short in their bid for the title, falling to Earlington 63-56. Dwight Smith, Jewel Copeland, and Scott Edwards were all named to the All-Region Tourney Team for Dotson.
In 1963, Princeton Dotson would be the only one of the five schools to reach the regional tournament, but they would make the most of the chance. In the school’s final year, Dotson beat Christian County 32-27 in the first round of the tournament. Dotson then rolled past Trigg County 52-33 to advance to the title game. Dotson then handled Earlington 54-36 to claim the regional championship. Edwards and Dwight Smith would be joined by Greg Smith on the All-Region Team.
The 1964 post-season would see Madisonville Rosenwald and Earlington Million make it into the 2nd Region tournament. Million opened play with a 75-49 rout of Todd County Central. Rosenwald also won its opener in the tourney, dispatching Livingston Central, 70-60. The two schools would then meet in a regional semifinal, with Rosenwald winning 54-36. Shelton Smith and Strother Logan were All-Region selections for Rosenwald, while Leonard Tidwell stood out for Million.
The end of the 1963-1964 school year would see the closing of two more of the former KHSAL schools. Earlington Million would consolidate with Earlington, while Todd County Training would consolidate with Todd County Central.
The 1965 2nd Region tournament would include both of the remaining former KHSAL teams — Hopkinsville Attucks and Madisonville Rosenwald. It would also mark the only postseason where two of the schools would play for the championship. Rosenwald opened with a 79-68 win over Lyon County. Attucks won their first round game over Livingston Central 72-66. In the semifinals, Rosenwald advanced with a hard fought 52-51 win over Earlington, while Attucks edged Trigg County on their home floor 71-68. In the final, Rosenwald got past Attucks in a high scoring affair at 89-81 to take the title. Bowman, Logan, and Richard Mitchell were named to the All-Region Tourney Team from Rosenwald, while Joe Waller and Bobby Waller were the final All-Region selections from Attucks High.
That game would mark the final regional appearance for the former KHSAL schools. Rosenwald would consolidate with Madisonville after the 1965-1966 school year. Attucks would consolidate into the Christian County school system following the 1966-1967 school year.
Five schools over a 9 year span. Three regional titles and three regional runners-up. Fourteen regional tournament appearances.
Here is a summary:
Hopkinsville Attucks – 3 appearances, 1 title, 1 runner-up
Madisonville Rosenwald – 4 appearances, 1 title, 2 runner-up
Earlington Million – 2 appearances
Princeton Dotson – 3 appearances, 1 title, 1 runner-up
Todd County Training – 2 appearances
