Fans rally around title-seeking Purple Flash

BY ANGIE KINSEY

akinsey@paducahsun.com

Lone Oak High School quarterback Corey Robinson almost had to work as
hard at Thursday morning's pep rally as he does at the games.

One minute Robinson was squished between middle school students signing
their shirts, the next he was crouched on the floor signing the hands -
and heads - of elementary students. "It's exciting," Robinson said.
"We've had a lot of support. The schools and all the students have
supported us."

Five thousand parents, teachers and students from the high school, Lone
Oak middle and elementary schools and Hendron-Lone Oak elementary
school filled the bleachers and floor of the high school gymnasium to
cheer on the Purple Flash. The football team will leave at 7:30 a.m.
today for its first trip to the 4A state championship game Saturday in
Louisville.

"It's going to get much louder," senior linebacker Mickey Tucker said
before the pep rally began.

It did get louder as cheerleaders led the crowd dressed in purple and
gold in chants of "We are Lone Oak."

Sixth-graders Brianna Bigenho and Kelsie Burchard clapped along with
the marching band from their seats in the front row. Bigenho admitted
she wasn't much of a football fan in the past. "But this year I am
because we made it to state," she said.

Principal Donna Wear thanked everyone for supporting the team's winning
season, and had each football player introduce himself. "What an
exciting 15 weeks we've had at our school," she said. "The football
team has to have great leaders, and that begins with the senior class.
You see what they do on the field, but we see what they do every day in
the classrooms and halls, and you would be so proud of these young
men."

Junior wide receiver Jamarielle Brown said he couldn't wait for the
game. "It's a dream come true," he said. "I'm more excited than
nervous. We want to make a statement."

Coach Jack Haskins guaranteed victory. "We're going up there, and we
can beat this team," he said. Lexington Catholic "lines up and says,
'We're better than you.' We're going to find out, aren't we? We're
going up there to win, period."

Angie Kinsey can be contacted at 575-8657.