Two state championship teams and arguably the loudest supporter of Christian County High School sports will be part of the 12th class of the Christian County High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
The 2004 state championship baseball team leads the class.
The team finished 23-10 and won their final 10 games, including the state title contest 3-1 over Lexington Lafayette. The Colonels were filled with a starting lineup made up mostly of freshmen and rode the pitching arm of Anthony Stacey to the school’s only state baseball title.
Kevin Crider was the head coach for the team.
Meanwhile, Kerry Stovall’s 2011 Colonels’ state championship basketball team also will be part of this year’s Hall of Fame class.
The team was led by Anthony Hickey Jr., and defeated Rowan County 65-63 in double overtime on a last-second basket by Veontae Lewis. The Colonels finished the season 25-9.
If you’ve been to a Christian County game of any kind, you have heard the voice above everyone else’s shouting “Colonels! Colonels!” That booming voice and stomping red heels belong to long-time supporter Barbara Baker.
The 1979 CCHS graduate has been vital to helping with Senior Night activities, selling ads for booster clubs, and cheering on Colonels’ teams for many years.
Former wrestling coach Robert Burnham also is in this year’s class. Burnham coached the Colonels for 16 years and rebuilt the program into a state contender. Burnham, who resigned following the 2020 season, was voted the 2020 Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Association Coach of the Year after leading the Colonels to a runner-up finish at the state tournament. It was Christian County’s best finish since their 1988 state championship season. He also coached the team to seven Region 2 runner-up finishes. Burnham was inducted into the Kentucky Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2024.
Former standout wrestler and football player Damien Leavell is part of this year’s class. Leavell, a 1999 graduate, won the 145-pound state wrestling title his senior year. He also was a running back and defensive back for the Colonels’ football teams for several seasons. After graduation, Leavell was an assistant wrestling and football coach for many years.
Softball player Sarah Driver Cleland joins this year’s class. Driver Cleland, a 2006 graduate, had the lowest ERA in a single season at 0.32 and a career at 0.46. She holds the school record for strikeouts in a game with 19. Following a successful high school career, Driver Cleland went on to have a successful softball career at Union College.
Two baseball players are part of the newest class. Scott Noisworthy and Ronnie Young have been selected.
Noisworthy is a 1995 graduate who holds the highest career batting average at .444 and on base percentage of .554. He also is top 10 all-time in pitching wins with 17 in a career. He attended Lincoln Trail on a baseball scholarship.
Young is a 2000 graduate and is the all-time leader in strikeouts with 359 and innings pitched with 305. He is second in school history with 37 career wins.
Cross country and track runner Sean Hurd is a 2011 graduate of CCHS. He won the state track championship in the 3,200-meter run and also was an All-American in cross country after running a 15:52 in a meet. He was selected All-State numerous times and earned a track and cross country scholarship to Western Kentucky University.
Football player VaShun Banks is a 2010 graduate and is the all-time leading rusher at CCHS with 4,146 yards and 58 touchdowns on 531 rushes. He attended Campbellsville University on a football scholarship.
Desmond Wilford, who is a 1994 graduate of CCHS, was a 171-pound state champion. Wilford attended the University of Omaha on a wrestling scholarship and was selected as an All-American. Wilford also played football for the Colonels.
Tiffany Tandy McGee is a 2000 graduate and two-sport star at CCHS. She was a member of the 1996 state championship fast-pitch softball team. She finished her career as a .300 hitter and was selected All-State in 1999 and 2000. In basketball, she averaged 17 points per game in the 1999-2000 season. That ranks in the top 10 in school history.
Brandon Oldham, who was a 2002 graduate of CCHS, starred in basketball and track. Oldham scored 1,202 points in 113 games as a four-year starter on the basketball team. He also set seven relay records in track and helped the Colonels capture a state championship in the 4×400 relay. He attended Cumberland University on a basketball scholarship.