JCPS baseball team wins state title

The Panthers baseball team at Pleasure Ridge Park (PRP) High School Magnet Career Academy won the championship game at the Forcht Bank/KHSAA (Kentucky High School Athletic Association) State Tournament.

PRP defeated Lawrence County 4-1 on June 14 at Applebee’s Park in Lexington in front of a crowd of more than 2,300.

“This team showed remarkable perseverance after coming up short each of the last two seasons in the state tournament,” says Richard Hawks, PRP assistant baseball coach. “They worked as hard as any team we’ve ever had and were led by ten unbelievable seniors. These seniors refused to lose, and it was that attitude that brought this state tournament home to PRP.”

Senior Zack Cox, a PRP pitcher and third baseman, was named Mr. Baseball by the Kentucky High School Baseball Coaches Association. Bill Miller, Panthers head coach, was named the 2008 Coach of the Year.

The Panthers were ranked No. 1 in Kentucky all season and No. 15 nationally by Rivals.com. PRP won their last 12 games to finish the season 38-4. The 2008 win is the fourth state title for the Panthers; they earned three in a row from 1994 to 1996.

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