BY BOO NEWSOME
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — There are certain moments and times in high school sports that become legend. It all starts with the dreams of young boys and girls growing up in small communities like Martin County. Throw in the mix a good sports program and a supportive administration with good coaches and you get the 1983 teams of Sheldon Clark High School.
March 18 will make 40 years since the Sheldon Clark girls and boys basketball teams won the 15th Region and advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1983.
Inez and Warfield were consolidated into Sheldon Clark High School in 1972, over 50 years ago. At the time of the consolidation, many believed Sheldon Clark would become a perennial powerhouse for boys basketball. While Sheldon Clark High produced many talented players, the only boys team to claim the 15th Regional championship and advance to the Sweet 16 was the 1983 team.
Johnny Williams coached the 1983 team. Williams played for Inez between the ’41 and ‘54 state championships. He coached at Warfield for 15 years and almost made it to the Sweet Sixteen in 1971. That’s the year he had Clay Maynard and Joe Stepp as a 1-2 punch.
Dave Butcher and Frank Baldridge assisted Williams.
The 1983 team members were seniors Danny Harmon, Gary Kirk, Phillip Kelly, Jimmy Turner, Ed Slone and John C. Kirk. Underclassmen were Bowie Clark, Teddy Duncan, Greg Preece, Mark Cornette, Rodney Evans, Bryan Maynard, Eppie Lowe, Benton Harless, Mark Tiller and Joey Couch.
The ‘83 team had a 28-5 record with a unique and challenging schedule, playing 25 of their games on the road. One of their losses came via Betsy Layne during the regular season by two points. They won the Jenny Wiley Invitational beating Johnson Central, Allen Central and Prestonsburg. In the Mullins Invitational they defeated Pikeville, Greenup County, which started the 7-foot giant Mike Scott (who would later play for UK), and Mullins to claim the championship. They defeated Pleasure Ridge Park in the Ashland Invitational before falling to Ashland by two points. Later in the season they faced Ashland again and beat them by 18 points.
In the 57th District Tournament Sheldon Clark took out Magoffin County by 15 points and Johnson Central by 20. In the first game of the 15th Regional the SCHS team defeated Pikeville and Belfry. Belfry had the Cardinals down by 10 points with five minutes to go, and the Cardinals managed to outscore Belfry 20-2 in the last five minutes of the game for the win.
In the championship game Sheldon Clark sank 12 of 19 foul shots in the last period to defeat Betsy Layne, which was looking for its sixth trip to the Sweet 16. The Cardinals, ahead by only three points after three quarters, outscored Betsy Layne 24-11 in the last eight minutes to bring home the one and only 15th Regional championship 61-45. J. Kirk scored 10 of his game-high 16 points for Sheldon Clark in the fourth period. Jimmy Dale Turner added 12 points and Teddy Duncan 11 for Sheldon Clark.
Going into the state tournament the ‘83 team had won four tournaments. Their worst loss came via Russell by four points. They had played an amazing 25 games on the road.
The Cardinals entered the state tournament ranked 11th in the state and would face Taylor County 29-4 on the season. With Rupp Arena filled with spectators from across the state, the Cardinals defeated Taylor County in the first round 81-65. Sheldon Clark shot 27 of 44 from the field for 61.4%. The team connected on just 27 of 42 free throws. 5’11 Senior J. Kirk led the Cardinals with 22 points hitting 10 of 17 from the field.
Sheldon Clark played Ballard in the second round and lost 62-58 to end their season.
The ‘83 team was loaded with talent. Jimmy Turner at 6’10” and Teddy Duncan and Ed Slone at 6’5” gave the team exceptional size. Besides being a dreaded shot-blocker, Turner collected 12 rebounds a game and averaged 19.5 points, many with his left-handed hook shot.
J. Kirk averaged 20 points a game shooting 47% from the field and 89% from the free-throw line. In the final game of the district tournament, J. Kirk made 14 of 14 free throws.
Bryan Maynard provided exceptional ball handling at guard and scored 10 points a game.
Teddy Duncan averaged 18 points per game.
1983 was one of those special years in sports where dreams came true. At that moment Martin County stood together and in the spotlight all over the state as memories of old – the state champion 1941 and 1954 Inez Indians – returned.
(John W. Kirk contributed to this article.)
