Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Tamyah Pipkin (2010 Maloney file photo)

A pair of athletes competing for the Lexington Blazin’ Cats Track Club posted lifetime bests en route to elite placements in the National AAU Track and Field Championships, held last week at Tad Gormley Stadium in New Orleans.

Corey Williams, out of Bryan Station High School, won the boys’ intermediate division of the high jump, clearing a personal best of 6 feet, 2 inches.

Tamyah Pipkin, out of Tates Creek and winner of the Class 3A 100-meter dash in the last two State High School Championships, did not qualify for the finals of the young women’s division. Nevertheless, she ran her fastest time ever, 11.93 — her first sub-12-second effort.

Pipkin did advance to the young women’s 200-meter dash finals, placing sixth in 24.94. She ran a personal best of 24.75 in the semifinals.

Male wins its fifth consecutive boys’ team championship with 97 points.

The Bulldogs close the day with a victory in the 4-by-400 relay (3:19.29).

St. Xavier takes second in the standings with 70 points.

Other top 20 teams include Bryan Station in fifth, Henry Clay in seventh, Scott County in a tie for eighth, Lafayette in 18th and Tates Creek in 19th.

* Sacred Heart takes the girls’ 3A title 57-50 over Tates Creek. Male is third with 47, followed by defending champion Campbell County with 45.

Paul Dunbar edges Bryan Station for eighth place, 37 2/3 to 34. Henry Clay takes 15th.

In the final event, Campbell County takes the 4-by-400 relay in 4:00.95.

* With 17 of 18 boys’ events scored, Male holds an insurmountable 87-64 lead over St. Xavier. Ballard is third with 59.

Trinity sophomore James Quick nips 100/400 champion Ronnie Baker of Ballard in the 200, 21.45 to 21.85. Henry Clay’s Brandon Nichols does not start.

Christian County’s Sean Hurd wins the 3,200 (9:38.42).

* With 17 of 18 girls’ events scored Sacred Heart leads Tates Creek 57-48. Male is third with 43.

That’s after the Valkyries add 10 points with Emma Brink’s third win of the day, this one in the 3,200 (11:12.96).

* Bryan Station’s Sariah Edwards edges defending champion Tamyah Pipkin of Tates Creek, 25.07 to 25.26 in the girls’ 200 meters.

But with 16 of 18 events scored, Tates Creek leads Sacred Heart 47-46 in the girls’ standings. Male is third with 43. Bryan Station rank 6-7.

Sacred Heart’s Emma Brink wins the 800 in 2:14.81.

The boys’ 800 goes to Butler’s Tretez Kinnarid in 1:54.27.

With 15 boys’ events score, Male leads Ballard 78-51. Henry Clay is in seventh.

* The 300-meter hurdles winners: Kristen Matula of Sacred Heart for the girls (45.15) and St. Xavier’s Peter McDermott for the boys (39.18). Bryan Station’s Jacob Mclimore edged Scott County’s Dominique Norris for second place, 39.75 to 40.00.

* Through 13 of 18 boys’ events, Male leads Ballard 78-50. Bryan Station is fifth with 25. Henry Clay is tied for seventh with 21.

More boys’ winners: Male, 4-by-200 relay (1:28.25) and 4-by-100 relay (42.06); Isaac Bowling, Oldham County, discus (160-2); Andrew Stewart, North Hardin, 1,600 (4:16.10); Sage Powell, Simon Kenton, long jump (22-2 3/4); Brad Zolke, St. Xavier, pole vault (13-6).

Girls’ winners: Halie Holloway, John Hardin, triple jump (36-4); DeShericka McReynolds, Madisonville, shot put (37-0 1/4); Anna Carrigan, Campbell County, 400 (56.59).

Through 14 events, Tates Creek leads Male 40-38. Then come Sacred Heart with 37 and Paul Dunbar with 33 2/3. Bryan Station is seventh with 24.

* Male’s Ronnie Baker, already with the 100-meter title in hand, stuns two-time defending champion Brandon Nichols of Henry Clay in the boys’ 400, 47.73 to 48.62.

* Tates Creek sweeps the girls’ sprint relays, setting a meet record of 48.18 in the 4-by-100. Male is runner-up (48.83). Bryan Station (49.48) and Dunbar (50.06) run 4-5.

Tates Creek uses the same foursome – Tatiyana Dean, Natavia Barber, Michelle Tichenor and Tamyah Pipkin — to take the 4-by-200 in 1:41.92. Then come Male (1:42.81), Henry Clay (1:43.81) and Bryan Station (1:44.39).

Ballard’s Megan Zimlich sets a state record of 11-9 in the pole vault.

Sacred Heart’s Emma Brink repeats in the 1,600 (5:03.73). Dunbar’s Megan Klein is fourth (5:12.40) and teammate Amanda Hancock takes ninth (5:23.59).

* Ballard’s Ronnie Baker and William Kannamore go 1-2 in the boys’ 100, timed in 10.89 and 11.08. Henry Clay gets a 5-7 placing from Brandon Nichols (11.25) and Bo Brooks (11.29).

* Tates Creek’s Tamyah Pipkin successfully defends her title in the girls’ 100-meter dash, nipping crosstown rival Sariah Edwards of Bryan Station 12.62 to 12.63.

Scott County senior Dominique Norris wins the boys’ 110-meter hurdles by just a bit more, 15.26 to the 15.29 turned in by top-seeded Jeff Huntley of Ryle. Bryan Station gets a 3-8 finish from Jacob Mclimore (15.32) and Malcolm Smith (15.92).

The girls’ 100-meter hurdles go to Male’s Dominique Edmonds (15.62). Barren County’s Sydney Wininger (15.83) and Scott County’s Christiana Harris (15.94) follow.

* The girls’ long jump title goes to Keisha Chiles of Southern at 18-5 1/4. Henry Clay’s Alexis LaPrelle takes fourth (16-3).

Notre Dame’s Kate Hengelbrok is tops in the high jump (5-4), with Woodford County’s Ellen Ward fifth (5-0).

The women’s discus winner is DeShericka McReynolds of Madisonville (124-11).

* Warren Central junior Donovan Halsel won the boys’ high jump by clearing 6-8. He had respectable attempts but could not clear at state-record-equaling 6-11 1/4. Lincoln County’s Zac Hill was runner-up at 6-4, followed by Dunbar’s Lamont Johnson at 6-2.

Oldham County’s Isaac Bowling won the shot put (54-10 1/4) and Male’s Michael Patterson prevailed in the triple jump (47-3 1/4). In the latter event, Bryan Station’s Tre Duncan placed third (45-3).

The final pass in the boys' 4-by-800 relay has North Hardin's Kevin Walker inheriting a large lead. St. Xavier's Thomas Cave and Butler's Tretez were next in line to receive a baton. (Maloney photo)

Tretez Kinnarid at the finish line. (Maloney photo)

Saturday’s Class 3A State Track and Field Meet is underway at the University of Louisville’s Owsley Frazier Cardinal Park.

The first thriller on the track goes to Butler, successfully defending its title in the boys’ 4-by-800-meter relay.

Bears anchor Tretez Kinnarid, a sophomore, was a distant third when he took the baton.

He reeled in St. Xavier’s Thomas Cave on the first lap, then set his sites on front-running Kevin Walker of North Hardin.

Kinnarid took over on the final straightaway, bringing his team home in 7:57.05. North Hardin finished in 7:57.47, followed by St. X (8:06.18) and Lafayette (8:06.72 with Clark Grubb, Lee Smith, Jud Weaver and Miles Kilgore). Tates Creek finished seventh (8:18.22 with Adrian Lyttle, Craig Calvert, Ben Hart and Zach Porter).

Kinnarid’s anchor split was reported as fast as 1:51.2. Butler’s time was slightly off its meet-record 7:54.07 of last year. Patrick Gregory led off, passing to Jeff Cutrer, who got the baton to RaShaun Langdon.

Assumption — Ellen Marko, Melanie Strothman, Amanda Vokoun and Caroline McCaslin — took the girls’ relay in 9:24.83. Then came Sacred Heart (9:41.54), Campbell County (9:44.57) and Paul Laurence Dunbar (9:48.71). Amanda Hancock, Maddie Bledsoe, Abbey Smiley and Megan Klein made up PLD’s unit. Tates Creek placed seventh (9:58.28 with Kara Weaver, Lorren Sales, Aaron Lankster and Ashley Whaley).

Several field events are in progress, but the next event on the track isn’t scheduled until 4 p.m.

Dunbar high-jumper Lamont Johnson just misses clearing 6-4. (Maloney photo)

J.D. Martinez

Lexington Legends outfielder J.D. Martinez is among 10 players selected to the Topps Class A All-Star team. Topps, in conjunction with Minor League Baseball, honors the top performances in all minor-league classifications.

J.D. Martinez

Class A includes the South Atlantic, Midwest, California and Florida State leagues — 52 teams in all.

Martinez, MVP of the South Atlantic League and Minor League Player of the Year in the Houston Astros organization, is the only SAL player named to the Topps All-Star team.

Martinez, 23, led all of Class A with a 1.030 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentages). He also led the SAL in batting (.362), slugging (.598) and on-base percentage (.433). At the time of his promotion from Lexington to Double-A Corpus Christi on July 15, he led the league in hits, doubles, extra-base hits, runs and total bases. He hit 15 home runs and drove in 64 runs over 88 games with the Legends.

Topps Class A All-Stars

Pos.  Player                  Team/League    MLB affiliate  Avg.-HR-RBI
1B   Paul Goldschmidt     Visalia/California      Arizona        .314-35-108
2B   Kyle Seager             High Desert/Calif.    Seattle         .345-14-74
3B   Stephen Parker       Stockton/California   Oakland      .296-21-98
SS   Grant Green            Stockton/California   Oakland       .318-20-87
OF   Johermyn Chavez   High Desert/California  Seattle     .315-32-96
OF   J.D. Martinez           Lexington/SAL           Houston      .362-15-64
OF   Mike Trout              Cedar Rapids/Midwest L.A.Angels .341-10-58
                                      Rancho Cucamonga/California
C    Jason Hagerty          Fort Wayne/Midwest   San Diego  .302-14-74
DH   Rich Poythress       High Desert/California  Seattle     .315-31-130
                                                                                           W-L    ERA
P    Matthew Moore      Charlotte/Fla. State     Tampa Bay  6-11    3.36

Jarvis moves from Diamondbacks to Padres

Kevin Jarvis

Kevin Jarvis, 41, is switching organizations as a major league scout, moving from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the San Diego Padres.

Jarvis, a former Tates Creek High School and Wake Forest standout, pitched for the D-backs and Padres, among others, over a 12-year big-league career.

During his time with the Padres (2001-03), the right-hander was 18-23 with a 5.06 ERA over 55 starts. For his career, Jarvis was 34-49 with a 6.03 ERA.

The Padres also named former catcher Brad Ausmus as special assistant to baseball operations, and former Arizona State University head coach Pat Murphy as manager of the short-season A Eugene (Ore.) Emeralds.

Lawless, Clapp, Montague assigned to Hooks

Tom Lawless

Stubby Clapp

The Astros have stocked the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks staff with multiple connections from the Legends.

Named as manager is Tom Lawless, who held the same post with Lexington in 2009 and High-A Lancaster last season.

His staff includes former Legends hitting coach Stubby Clapp and trainer Eric Montague. Also on Lawless’ staff is pitching coach Don Alexander.

The University of Kentucky has signed nine recruits for the 2011 baseball season, while Eastern Kentucky has added three players during the fall recruiting period.

Signing with the Wildcats: LHP Corey Littrell (Louisville Trinity), RHP Blake Perry (Boyle County/Pendleton School at IMG Academy (Fla.)), IFs Dallen Reber (St. George, Utah), Paul McConkey (Knoxville) and Matt Reida (Russiaville, Ind.), OFs Lucas Witt (Lexington Christian) and Gavin Patton (South Charleston, W.Va./Pendleton School (Fla.)), and RHP/IFs Trevor Gott (Tates Creek) and J.T. Riddle (Western Hills).

Joining the Colonels: 1B/3B Mitchell Durbin (Fairfield, Ohio), 3b/RHP Bryan Solomon (Jackson, N.J.) and C Sean Hagen (Reading, Pa.).

This is UK’s third recruiting class with Gary Henderson as head coach. His first class — last season’s freshmen — was ranked by Baseball America as fourth-best in the nation. His second class — this season’s freshmen — were sixth in the nation, according to Collegiate Baseball.

“We are really excited about our 2010 class,” Henderson said. “The last two years, we have had top-ranked classes and this group of student-athletes is every bit as good. One of the best things about this class is that we have a solid group of Kentucky kids who come to UK. We are extremely excited that we could keep these Kentucky guys home for their college careers.”

Thanks to media relations wizards Brent Ingram of UK and Steve Fohl of EKU for the scoops.

UK recruits

LHP Corey Littrell: Regarded by many as the top prospect in the state. …  141 strikeouts and 39 walks in 111 innings, going 13-2 with one save and an 0.72 ERA last season. … Also batted .375 with two homers and 18 RBI, leading Trinity to a state-semi championship. … Two-time academic all-state pick has made Trinity’s honor roll every quarter. … His father played in Dodgers and Expos organizations; grandfather played in Cubs and Athletics organizations. … Says Henderson: Corey has an advanced ability to pitch for his age. He can already command his fastball and he has a very good changeup that he can throw for a strike. We expect him to pitch early and often in his UK career. He is a serious competitor that we have a chance to build a staff around. He will need to make the same adjustments that they all do but I expect him to compete for innings immediately.”

RHP Blake Perry: At 6-5, 180, he looks the part of No. 2 prospect in the state. … Went 4-0 with two saves, hitting .317, for Boyle County’s region runner-up team in 2008. … Transferred to Pendleton and was chosen to play in Southwest Florida Fall Showcase. … Played summer ball for Danville’s Morse Mustangs, coached by former Wildcat Paul Morse, going 5-0 with two saves, an 0.95 ERA and 63 strikeouts over 44 innings. … His father played for Kansas State and was drafted by the Yankees. … Says Henderson: “Blake has good body control and feel to pitch for a large-framed pitcher. He shows solid command of three pitches and falls into the category of very projectable. He wants to be an outstanding pitcher and I anticipate him being a great worker. He has tremendous potential and we are excited to watch him develop.”

IF Dallen Reber: 6-0, 215-pounder has led Dixie High School to three consecutive second-place finishes in the State Tournament. … First-team all-state as a junior, batting .407 with 29 runs, 33 hits, four doubles, seven homers and 30 RBI. .. Drew 13 walks to five strikeouts. … Played 3B mostly and some at SS. … Says Henderson: “Dallen brings a winner’s personality and a lot of athleticism. He is an absolute winner with very good baseball skills. He is the type of kid that other kids like to be around. He has a combination of strength, speed and skills that we are very excited to bring to our program.”

 IF Paul McConkey: Left-handed hitting 5-11, 175-pounder batted .482 with eight homers for Halls High School last season. … Has school records for doubles in a season and double plays turned in a career. … His father played baseball for Tennessee and his sister played softball at Austin Peay. … Says Henderson: “Paul has a very good feel to hit and he can play all three infield spots. He also plays the game with a lot of confidence and poise. That is hard to find in a 17-year-old. He is an extremely good competitor who is serious about being a great baseball player. His attitude and makeup are strong. He will bring an approach that will make those around him better.”

IF Matt Reida: A 5-11, 175-pound, left-handed hitter has been compared with current UK all-SEC IF Chris Bisson. … Teamed with current Wildcat LHP Taylor Rogers to lead the Midland Redskins to this year’s Connie Mack World Series championship at Farmington, N.M. … Hit .429 with three HR, 17 RBI and 10 SB. … National Honor Society member. … Brother of West Virginia assistant coach Tad Reida, who played for Wichita State and Indiana. A sister, Tiffany, played basketball for Indiana State. … Says Henderson: ”Matt is a tremendous competitor. He brings a seriousness and a level of competitiveness that will put him in the center of our club immediately. Matt brings very good baseball skills, great feel for the game and a winner’s presence. He will eventually be a leader, an oustanding leadoff hitter and a middle-infield presence for our club.” 

OF Lucas Witt: Two-time all-state in baseball and football (6-2, 185 QB). … Hit .377 with eight doubles, four homers, 20 RBI and 13 SB last season, leading LCA to an All-A state title. … Has LCA in the state football semifinals and has school career records for completions, attempts, touchdown passes, passing yards, quarterback rushing yards, passer rating and quarterback starts. … Says Henderson: “Lucas is an outstanding athlete and an even better young man. He has had a lot of success in both baseball and football at the high school level. He brings with him the knowledge of what it takes to be successful. He is a great competitor, knows how to work and he will make those around him better. We are very excited to see how he develops once he devotes himself to baseball full-time.”

OF Gavin Patton: 6-1, 205-pounder hit .490, a school-record 14 homers, 54 RBI and 22 SB in 2008 for George Washington High. … Moved to the Pendleton School last season, batting .418 with eight doubles, three HR, 39 RBI and 10 SB. … An uncle, Lorin Grow, played six years in Reds organization. … Says Henderson: “Gavin already looks like an SEC outfielder. He’s big, strong and moves well for his size. He brings a combination of speed and power that is hard to come by. We are very excited about him becoming a Wildcat. He plays extremely hard, competes at a high level and will bring an energy to our club that fans and teammates will enjoy.”

RHP/IF Trevor Gott: 6-0, 190-pound, second-team all-stater led Tates Creek in batting (.382) and ERA (1.12). … Says Henderson: “Trevor is a good athlete and has tremendous arm strength. He had a lot of success in his baseball career at a young age and we have watched him for a long time. His body is beginning to get some strength, which is going to help him tremendously on the mound.”

RHP/IF J.T. Riddle: 6-3,175-pound left-handed hitter went 3-3 with a 1.64 ERA and 67 strikeouts over 47 innings last season. … Batted .478 with six doubles, two homers and 11 RBI. … Has 16 SB over three seasons. … Has school single-season records for hits (47), average (.478) and ERA (1.64). … Says Henderson: “J.T. is a gifted athlete that is talented enough to be a two-way player in the SEC. He is like most kids we get in that he needs to develop more strength. J.T. has a good swing, moves well defensively and is clearly a talented pitcher. He has had a lot of success in everything he has done in high school. We are glad to have him with us and are eager to see how he develops.”

EKU recruits

1B/3B Mitchell Durbin: 6-2, 200-pound, left-handed hitter and team MVP. … Hit .377 with three HR, 23 RBI, 24 runs, 13 doubles and .662 SP in 2008. … Two-time all-academic team member. … Led Team Ohio in last summer’s Midwest Baseball Classic, hitting .402 with 102 hits, 29 doubles, 12 HR, 69 runs and .752 SP. His high school coach, Larry Price, is father of former EKU player Robby Price. … Says EKU Coach Jason Stein: “Following graduation and the draft of 2010, we will probably have two immediate needs and, as a left-handed bat with power and a corner infielder, Mitch fills both of them.”

3B/RHP Bryan Solomon: 6-4, 225-pound team captain led Jackson Memorial High last season with seven HR, 31 RBI and an .800 SP, while batting .440 with a .517 OBP. … A two-time pre-season All-American. … Says Stein: “Bryan is a complete third baseman. He can hit for average and power, and he is an outstanding defensive player with a great arm. Most impressively, he has a genuine desire to excel at this level and he possesses an excellent baseball attitude.”

 C Sean Hagen: 6-1, 190-pounder hit .469 with six HR, 11 doubles and 29 RBI for Muhlenberg High last season. … A two-time pre-season All-American. … Has a 3.75 GPA and has been voted class president the last two years. … Says Stein: “Sean will fill an immediate need at catcher following the graduation of 2010. He is a complete catcher who can catch, throw and block. But he is also a very offensive-minded player as well.”

Tommy Johnson, named Thursday as coach of the Kentucky Horsemen, says the “stamp” he intends to put on the arena football team starts with defense.

Tommy Johnson

“Defense is what’s going to lead us to a championship,” he said. “I played on an Alabama team that had probably one of the best defenses in college football, and that’s one of the things that’s been my staple for a long time, is defense.

“I think that you will see a team that, first of all, has a lot of character. We want to make sure that our young men understand that this is just a sport, this is just a game. Children wake up every Saturday and play this for free, and you have the privilege ofplaying it for money. So you’ll see a team that’s full of character and you’ll see a team that’s going to play just-nasty defense, and we’re going to score a lot of points.”

Johnson replaces Mike Harmon, the Tates Creek head coach, who recently resigned from the Horsemen. Johnson says he plans to consult Harmon: “Absolutely, I will. I’d be crazy not to. Coach Harmon, he’s had some success on the football field here. I’d be crazy not to seek a little information on the guys and what they can do.”

Matt DiLorenzo, general manager of the Horsemen, said that he consulted with football contacts, Arena Football League officials and the commissioner of arenafootball2.

“The same name kept coming up,” DiLorenzo said, indicating Johnson.

So an interview was arranged.

“I knew within the first three minutes that this man was our man,” DiLorenzo said.

Johnson is the former head coach of the Louisville Fire. He was hired to be defensive coordinator of the Colorado Crush last season, but the AFL suspended operations before the season began.

A defensive back, Johnson was a team captain at Alabama, which won the 1992 No. 1 ranking by beating Miami in the Sugar Bowl. He also played professionally with the Jacksonville Jaguars, with several AFL teams and in NFL Europe. His coaching career began in 2001 as defensive coordinator of the Fire.

He and his wife Monica live in Louisville, where he is a volunteer assistant on Tim Green’s staff at Kentucky Country Day High School.

Also on the KCD staff is Justin Rascati, who split Horsemen quarterback chores last season with Jared Lorenzen.

Johnson says that continuing a quarterback rotation is not in his plans, though.

“When you have a quarterback of those two guys’ caliber, you have to go with one guy and you have to stick with him,” Johnson said. “You have to get a guy in there that can lead your team. I think every good team has a starting quarterback and a quarterback they feel comfortable with coming in if something happens with that starter. But the rotation thing, it gets those guys our of their rhythm. We want to get those guys in a situation where they’ve got their rhythm and they’re moving our team down the field and scoring points.”

Brett Kincaid, chairman of the board for the team, said the Horsemen will be changing leagues next season, moving from arenafootball2 to a league that will include AFL teams and teams from some smaller leagues. The Horsemen begin training in March.

About 10 players attended Thursday’s press conference, held on the Rupp Arena concourse.

Johnson stressed to them that he expects them to put the community first, show respect, play hard and do what they can to make the fans feel at home. If they do, they will be rewarded with a faithful following that will “cheer us to championships. We will win football games. We are going to take this thing to the next level.”

DiLorenzo said the team is “looking into” adding a “kid zone” for home games; freezing and lowering ticket-package prices; offering payment plans, and merging sponsorships and family ticket packages with the new basketball team in town, the Bluegrass Stallions.

Johnson accepted an on-the-spot offer by Stallions owner Tony Chase to suit up for a game as the basketball team’s 13th man – a celebrity roster spot that each team has for home games.

Most of all, though, Johnson wants to win football games.

“We want to get back to that championship trophy. We want to get back to that point where we’re the cream of the crop,” he said. “The Horsemen have a storied history of being the best and we’re going to get back to that. … I am overly excited about getting started because I know the potential of this team and where we can go.”

Johnson says he has interviewed some “pretty exciting candidates” to be on his staff, but will continue the search: “We are going to interview every coach that wants to interview.”

Asked what his salary will be, Johnson said, “Haven’t negotiated that yet. I can tell you this: it is a league-mandatory salary cap. … I just don’t know how much I will be compensated.”

And he has a message for the public: “To all the fans out there that have not been to an arena football league game, give us one game. I promise you, at the end of the game, you will come up to me and say, ‘Coach, you were right. This is a phenomenal, family-fun game.”

More than a dozen countries will be represented this weekend at USA Wrestling’s Dave Schultz Memorial International Open. The competition, Friday through Sunday, will take place at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

With a nod to USA Wrestling media contact Gary Abbott for providing background information …

Greco-Roman standouts include Americans Lindsey Durlacher, Sam Hazewinkel and Harry Lester, along with Bulgaria’s Aleksander Kostadinov. Durlacher (55 kg) is a 2006 World Championships bronze medalist; Hazewinkel (55 kg) is the 2008 University Worlds champ; Lester (74 kg) is the 2006 and ’07 World bronze medalist, and Kostadinov (55 kg) is the 2007 and ’08 Junior World champion.

James Johnson

Incidentally, University of Kentucky graduate James Johnson, a three-time national champion, is coaching the Greco-Roman talent for the Sunkist Kids.

Top entrants in men’s freestyle include India’s Sushil Kumar and Russians Darsam Dzaparov, Magomed Zubairov and Evgeni Kolomiets. Kumar (66 kg) is the reigning Olympic bronze medalist; Dzaparov (66 kg) is the 2006 Junior World champion; Zubairov (74 kg) is the 2008 Junior World champion; and Kolomiets (96 kg) is the 2008 World University champion. 

Women’s freestylers include Carol Huynh, Clarissa Chun, Iwona Matkowska-Sadowska, Patricia Miranda, Katherine Fulp-Allen, Aka Tomar, Sylwia Bilenska, Tonya Verbeek, Tatyana Lazareva, Adeline Gray, Monika Ewa Michalik and Agnieszka Wieszczek.

At 48 kg, Canada’s Huynh is the 2008 Olympic gold medalist; Team USA’s Chun is the 2008 World champion; and Poland’s Matkowska-Sadowska is the 2006 World bronze-medalist. 

At 51 kg, Miranda is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist and four-time winner of the Schultz Memorial, and fellow American Fulp-Allen is the 2008 Junior World champion.

At 55 kg, India’s Tomar is the 2006 World bronze medalist; Poland’s Bilenska is the 2004 World University champion; Canada’s Verbeek is the 2004 and ’08 Olympic bronze medalist; and Ukraine’s Lazareva is the 2004 World University champion and ’08 World silver medalist. 

Gray, of the U.S., is the 2008 Junior World champ at 67 kg, while Poland’s Michalik is the 2006 and ’07 World bronze medalist.

Wieszczek, also a Pole, is the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist.

* Wrestling is on tap in Lexington as well. The Lexington City Championships will take place Saturday at Tates Creek High School. Finals begin at 1:30 p.m.

Arkansas visits UK gymnasts; Hall of Fame class named

Switching from wrestling mat to floor exercise mat, Kentucky’s women will entertain third-ranked Arkansas in a Southeastern Conference meet, Friday at 7 p.m. This will be the annual “Pink Meet” at Memorial Coliseum, in support of UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center.

The Cats have dropped three straight SEC meets after opening with a non-conference victory over Utah State. Arkansas is 4-1 overall, 2-0 in the SEC.

Admission is $1 for fans wearing pink, full price for others. A portion of proceeds will benefit breast cancer research, education and treatment at the Markey Cancer Center. The first 300 fans will receive a pink mug.

Friday also is designated as Girl Scouts Night, with free admission for those wearing Girl Scouts uniforms or T-shirts.

Heather Hite

After the meet, UK’s sophomore gymnasts will sign autographs.

Last week, at No. 8 Florida, Heather Hite and Hillary Ferguson led UK on the balance beam, each scoring 9.750 to tie for second place.

Hillary Ferguson

Natalie Rubinstein, ranked 18th on the uneven bars, led the Cats in that event as she has all season, scoring 9.825.

Ferguson, No. 21 nationally in floor exercise, scored 9.825 at Florida to place third overall. She also took third in the all-around at 39.075.

Natalie Rubinstein

Arkansas, coming off a win over No. 9 Alabama, is led by Casey Jo Magee. Ranked third nationally, she won her fifth all-around of the season by scoring 39.450. Ranked No. 2 on the floor, she scored 9.925 in that event.

* USA Gymnastics this week announced its 2009 class of inductees for the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

The HOFers include: 2004 Olympic all-around gold medalist Carly Patterson; 2004 rhythmic Olympian Mary Sanders; 2000 Olympian Steve McCain; and 1996 Olympian John Macready.

Also elected: two-time World Acrobatic champions Shenea Booth and Arthur Davis; trampoline and tumbling coach/judge Pat Wilson Henderson; trampolinist James Yongue; Temple University coach Fred Turoff, and the 1999 World Championships gold-medal double mini-trampoline team of Karl Heger, Mark Griffith, Byron Smith and Ryan Weston.

The Hall of Fame luncheon and induction ceremony is set for Friday, Aug. 14, as part of the USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show at Dallas, which is held in conjunction with the Visa Championships. More information is available at www.usa-gymnastics.org.