PREP GIRLS BASKETBALL
Parker retires as Lebanon’s coach
Rex Parker confirmed on Monday that he has stepped down as the head girls basketball coach at Lebanon High School following nearly 30 years in the position.
A Lebanon graduate, Parker took over for Kim Hooker at the helm in 1996 (when VHSL Group A and Group AA girls basketball was played in the fall) following eight seasons as an assistant.
He guided Lebanon to the program’s first and only girls hoops state tournament berth during the 2005-06 campaign as the Pioneers finished as Region C runner-up to Floyd County and lost to eventual state champion Gate City in the Group A state quarterfinals.
His squad went 4-15 this past winter and lost to Richlands in the first round of the Southwest District tournament.
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Only Wise County Central’s Robin Dotson had a longer tenure coaching girls basketball than Parker among active coaches in far Southwest Virginia.
Parker’s son, Chance, is a star on Lebanon’s baseball and basketball teams.
“Rex Parker has been a fixture at Lebanon High School for four decades,” said Lebanon principal Ryan Potts. “As a coach he was a tremendous representative for our school and community and you would be hard pressed to find a nicer person in Southwest Virginia. Coach Parker has truly left his mark on [the program] and will be sorely missed by students and players alike.”
Read more at HeraldCourier.com.
PREP GIRLS SOCCER
Mooney steps down at Tennessee High
Kevin Mooney, the winningest girls soccer coach in the history of Tennessee High, has resigned his post.
A graduate of THS, he took over as head coach in 2007 following several years as an assistant and led the Vikings to new heights.
Tennessee High made the state tournament for the first time in 2016 and the Vikings did so again in 2023.
Several of Mooney’s players went on to find success at the collegiate level.
“I have traded in my high school team for a Kindergarten rec team,” Mooney wrote in an e-mail announcing his departure. “My son has some work to do, but it has been an adventure.”
COLLEGE SIGNINGS
John Battle athletes ink with colleges
John Battle High School had a plethora of athletes sign with colleges last week.
Bella Shutters will be playing volleyball at King University.
Noah Sills signed with Patrick & Henry Community College ‘s baseball team, while Landon Odum will play baseball at King University.
Brayden Emerson signed with the football program at Guilford College, while Gavin Ratliff will play golf at Columbia College in South Carolina.
Kendall Jarvis Anna Gardner and Brendon Gibson signed with the track and field programs at Milligan. Jarvis will also run cross country.
Jesse Owens is joining the King University track and field squad.
Castlewood duo signs
Castlewood’s Slade Castlewood and Madison Sutherland have made their college choices.
Castle will wrestle at Emory & Henry, while Sutherland will compete in track and field at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.
PRO WRESTLING
Owens wins tag titles again
Chase Owens is now a three-time IWGP tag-team champion.
The Virginia High graduate paired with Kenta Kobayashi to beat Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi in reclaiming the straps on Saturday at a card in Fukuoka, Japan.
Owens and Kobayashi had lost the titles to Goto and Yoshi-Hashi on April 6.
The team’s first reign began on Feb. 11.
Owens previously held the titles with Bad Luck Fale for 40 days in 2022.