High School Football

Game times and ticket prices have been set for Hopkinsville and Christian County’s first round playoff games. The Hopkinsville at Warren Central game kicks off at 7 pm Friday, with ticket prices at $7 across the board. Coverage of the game airs with the Heritage Bank pre game show at 6:35 on Newstalk 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP and whopam.com.

Christian County’s contest with Greenwood also kicks off at 7 pm Friday in the Stadium of Champions, with tickets $5 across the board. Coverage airs with the Heritage Bank pre game show at 6:35 on Lite 98.7 and worldwide at lite987whop.com.

The Associated Press has released its weekly polls.

Class 5-A: Bowling Green is first, Warren Central 4^th, Graves County 7^th, Christian County 8^th and Greenwood tied for 10^th.

Class 3-A: Breathitt County is the new number one, with Fort Campbell 6^th and Paducah Tilghman 9^th.

Class 2-A: Owensboro Catholic is still number one, Murray High 6^th and Caldwell County 7^th.

Class A: Mayfield remains number one, with Russellville 9^th.

Class 4-A: Highlands at the top, with Warren East 3^rd and Lone Oak 10^th.

Class 6-A: Trinity number one, with Henderson County 6^th.

The new McCracken County High School which opens in 2013 has named its new football coach. Long time Lone Oak coach Jack Haskins will take the helm. Haskins has twice led the Purple Flash to the Class 4-A state championship game.

Current Heath football coach and former Christian County assistant football coach John Adams will coach the new school’s wrestling team.

College Football: Kentucky will try to snap a seven game losing streak Saturday when they host Vanderbilt. Coach Joker Phillips has tried to maintain a sense of humor on what has been a difficult season, but at the same time he knows his job is in jeopardy. Players have said they still support Phillips and will try to win the last three games of the season. Coverage of Saturday’s game airs at 9:30 am on Lite 98.7.

Tennessee is now in a so called “second season” named by coach Derek Dooley. How the Vols play in this “second season” may determine if Dooley retains his job. The Vols are coming off a 38-35 loss at South Carolina and have four games left, beginning with Troy in Knoxville this weekend. The other games are Missouri and Kentucky at home and at Vanderbilt. The four teams are a combined 13-20 on the season.

College Basketball: Western Kentucky opened its pre season with an 84-46 win over Campbellsville.  The Hilltoppers were led in scoring by George Fant’s 20 points. He was one of four Toppers in double digits. WKU hosts Kentucky Wesleyan in its second exhibition game Saturday night.

The Courier Journal reports University of Louisville athletics director Tom Jurich has received permission to negotiate a five year contract extension for coach Rick Pitino, assuring he will retire as a Cardinal.

Pitino’s current deal runs out in 2017, but the five year addition would carry it through 2022. Jurich is to present the contract to the U of L athletic association board for its approval today.

Murray State senior Isaiah Cannan was named Monday to the first team Associated Press pre season All American team.  Cannan averaged 19 points per game last season in leading Murray State to a 31-2 record and a third round appearance in the NCAA tournament. 

Others on the first team include Cody Zeller of pre season number 1 Indiana, Doug McDermott of Creighton, Deshaun Thomas of Ohio State, CJ McCollum of Lehigh and Trey Burke of Michigan.

NFL: The Tennessean reports Matt Hasselbeck will start again at quarterback Sunday when the Tennessee Titans host the Chicago Bears.

Meanwhile, the Titans received a trade request on behalf of tight end Jared Cook Monday, but say they have no plans to make a trade. Coach Mike Munchak says Cook is a big part of the team and is the third leading receiver. The four year pro is in the final year of his contract. The NFL trade deadline is Thursday.