DAWSON SPRINGS “Panthers”
Post- Where vs. Madisonville
SeasonYearRecord Coach PlayedScoreWinner
1926(played in the post-season tournament...losing opening game to Morganfield)
192713 - 6 Chester AusenbaughH25-14Mad.(district opener)
1928(no team)
1929(no team)
1930(no team)
193112-13O.B. Springer
19326 - 18O.B. SpringerH29 - 4Mad.
A35-18Mad.
19335 - 19O.B. SpringerA46 - 9Mad.
H38-17Mad.
A31-33D.S.
H21-20Mad.
19345 - 20O.B. Springer
19355 - 18O.B. Springerneu.41-25Mad.(district at Earlington)
19367 - 17O.B. SpringerA (no score available)Mad.
H29-22Mad.
19375 - 25O. B. SpringerH24-13Mad.
A (W)*Mad.
H33-15Mad.
A33-24Mad.
193812-18Fletcher HolemanH22-16Mad.
A21-15Mad.
H48-25Mad.(district semi)
193916 - 8Fletcher Holeman
19406 - 14Paul StevensH30-19Mad.(district opener)
19418 - 16Paul Stevens
19428 - 21Paul StevensH44-21Mad.(district opener)
1943 6 - 6Joe Jones, Jr.
dc; rc1944 25 - 7 **Rev. Dick Hill & Byron Ervin
HD.S.(region opener)
dc; rc194517- 9 Eddie Beshear H 27-46 D.S.(region semi)
dc; rc; SR 194636- 3 Paul Stevens H 25-45 D.S.
A 34-35 D.S.
H 31-43 D.S.(district final)
dc; rc194732- 9 Paul StevensA 38-50 D.S.
H 26-55 D.S.
A 33-36 D.S.(district)
dr; rs194824-17 Paul StevensH 46-32 Mad.
H 54-39 Mad.(Mad tourney)
A 59-47 Mad.
H 47-24 Mad.(district final)
n. 58-36 Mad.(region semi)
dr194917-17 Paul Stevens A 65-40 Mad.
H 75-40 Mad.
H 69-37 Mad.(district final)
dc; rc195030- 7 Aubrey InglisA 41-24 Mad.
H 63-69 D.S.
H 42-46 D.S.(district final)
n. 44-50 D.S.(region semi)
195125- 6 Aubrey InglisA 44-55 D.S.
H 63-50 Mad.
195228- 4 Aubrey InglisH 47-53 D.S.
A 41-57 D.S.
H 49-43 Mad.(district)
195319-10 Aubrey InglisA 55-57 (OT)D.S.
H 56-48 Mad.
195412-17 Aubrey InglisA 63-45 Mad.
H 60-40 Mad.
H 62-41 Mad.(district)
dr; rc195527-11 Aubrey InglisH51-62 D.S.
A53-55 D.S.
H72-57 Mad.(district final)
H55-74 D.S.(region final)
195620- 9 Aubrey Inglis A54-66 D.S.
H68-72 D.S.
195716-16 George Perry H53-63 D.S.
A64-59 Mad.
195824- 9 George Perry A 71-74 D.S.
H 77-55 Mad.
dc; rs195931- 5 George Perry H 62-63 (OT)D.S.(district)
19607 -23 John McClearn
dr; rs1961 15-21 John McClearn
dr; rs1962 22-14 Philip Back H 63-73 D.S.(Mad. tourney)
H 54-66 D.S.
1963 14-14 Jerry Gamble A 56-53 Mad.
dr1964 10-23 Jerry Gamble H 73-65 Mad.
1965 14-15 Jerry Gamble A 56-62 D.S.
1966 16-16 Jerry Gamble H 55-58 D.S.
1967 11-19 Jerry Gamble A 85-65 Mad.
1968 6 -22 Jim Bearden H 96-69 Mad.
1969 1 -28 Jim Bearden A 83-49 Mad.
1970 6 -24 Norman Weaver
1971 7 -23 Norman Weaver
1972 10-19 Butch Canty
1973 10-21 Norman Manasco 1974 19-11 Norman Manasco
1975 21-12 Norman Manasco
1976 7 -24 Norman Manasco
1977 7 -18 Norman Manasco H 75-69 Mad.(district)
1978 18-11Norman Manasco
dr1979 18-14 Doug Phelps H 88-69 Mad.(district final)
1980 14-15Doug Phelps A 90-70 Mad.
n. 81-73 Mad.(district)
1981 6 -23Mark Adams H 75-61 Mad.
1982 3 -26 Kent DillinghamA 82-57 Mad.
1983 8 -22Kent Dillingham H 73-57 Mad.
H 85-55 Mad.(district)
1984 4 -24 Philip Back A 85-57 Mad.
n. 95-68 Mad.(district)
1985 11-15 Philip Back H 80-62 Mad.
dr1986 11-23 Philip Back A 83-71 Mad.
n. 77-61 Mad.(district final)
1987 a 8 -19 Philip Back H 82-33 Mad.
1988 2 -24Philip Back A 101-45 Mad.
1989 4 -22Kerry Stovall H 104-50 Mad.
1990 8 -17Kerry Stovall A 82-52 Mad.
1991 10-15Kerry Stovall H 63-52 Mad.
H76-65 Mad.(district)
1992 12-14Terry Hayes A 84-53 Mad.
1993 14-12Terry Hayes H 74-56 Mad.(district)
H 72-49 Mad.
1994 8 -18Terry Hayes A 74-39 Mad.
1995 10-17Terry Hayes H 109-71 Mad.
dr1996 14-13 Terry Hayes A 74-71 Mad.
dc199713-14 Chad Burgett H67-48 Mad.
H 60-61 D.S.(district)
199812-14Chad Burgett A80-69 Mad.
(n) 66-51 Mad.(district)
199921 - 6Chad Burgett H76-69Mad.
20002 - 25Shawn OakleyA79-28Mad. 2001 4 - 20 Shawn Oakley H 91-34 Mad.
20026 - 20Bob HelmA84-57Mad.
(n)82-52Mad.(district)
20037 - 18Bob HelmH67-52Mad.
20045 - 19Bob HelmA74-47Mad.
20057 - 19Wayne SimpsonH73-59Mad.
dr200611-17Wayne SimpsonA59-48Mad.
(n)80-65Mad.(district final)
20075 - 21Wayne SimpsonA88-65Mad.
H78-50Mad.
(n)77-39Mad.(district at H.C.C.)
20087 - 21Wayne SimpsonA9041Mad.
20096 - 18William FralickH83-57Mad.
20101 - 24William FralickA85-30Mad.
(n)92-46Mad.(district at H.C.C.)
20116 - 21Jeff MillerH77-45Mad.(district tourney)
20125 - 25Jeff MillerD.S.37-78Mad.
Mad.35-80Mad.
(neu)24-81Mad.(district tourney)
20136 - 25Jeff MillerMad.70-13Mad.
D.S.63-21Mad.
(neu)69-34Mad.(district tourney)
20142 - 23Jeff MillerD.S.79 - 8Mad.
Mad.75-19Mad.
Mad.79-26Mad.(district tourney)
20155 - 21Jeff MillerD.S.70-32Mad.
Mad.69-21Mad.
20168 - 21Wayne SimpsonD.S.83-50Mad.
Mad.66-25Mad.
dr201717-16Wayne SimpsonMad.70-49Mad.
D.S.75-48D.S.
Mad.60-45Mad.(district final)
201810-20Chad BurgettD.S.65-28Mad.
Mad.66-40Mad.
(neu)84-54Mad.(district tourney)
* This game was played during the great flood of 1937. Hastily scheduled, I could never find a score in the
Messenger. With schedules being thrown off, these teams played four times instead of the originally scheduled two.
** Dawson had considered giving up basketball for the year because of lack of interest, scarcity of coaches, and travel difficulties...all brought on by the war. Finished with a best-ever 25-7 record and first-ever berth in state tournament. Byron Erwin was a local cobbler and C.R. Hill, a Southern Baptist minister.
dc district champion
dr district runner-up
rs region semi-finalist
rc region champion
SR state tourney runner-up
(if no designation after “dc” or “dr”-- Panthers lost region tourney opener
if no designation after rc, Panthers lost state tourney opener)
a Jerry Bruce, a 6’2 swingman, graduated in 1987 after scoring 1,941 points in 4 varsity years, thought to be a school record (at the time.) His single-game high was 46 vs. South Hopkins.
Thesingle-game record was thought to be 48, set by Charles Nichols 1984 78 points 3.4 average
in the 1950 season. (Info from Philip Back)198550819.5
198662818.5
(check Phillip Cotton’s numbers since then)198772526.9
WAYNE SIMPSON: husband of D. S. gals coach Rhonda Simpson
SHAWN OAKLEY: played at West Hopkins; head coach at Providence ‘95-’98; assistant at Dawson in ‘99
CHAD BURGETT: starting forward at South Hopkins (graduated 1990); was assistant to Terry Hayes for one year before taking over at D.S.; left to take head job at Hopkins Co. Central.
TERRY HAYES: starting center at South Hopkins (graduated in 1985); played at Lindsey-Wilson; left to take head job at Hopkinsville.
KERRY STOVALL: starting guard at Lyon County (graduated 1980) ; left to take head job at West Hopkins for 2 years; then went to Muhlenberg South as head coach through 2001; then to Christian County as head coach
PHILIP BACK: “kind of” pressed into service as coach (he was principal too)--his only child (Rusty) played during that time; was his 2nd stint as head coach--moved up from JV in 1962 when Jerry Gamble, who had been named head coach, was called up by the National Guard; starting guard at Crofton (graduated 1955); married to Dianne Menser June 18, 1966. He was head coach at Providence for 6 years (‘69-74), then assistant at South Hopkins before returning to D.S.
KENT DILLINGHAM stayed in the Dawson school system as a teacher.
MARK ADAMS stayed at Dawson...coaching the gals from ‘84-87; passed away in the mid-90’s.
DOUG PHELPS, a Fredonia native, left for Lyon County where he coached first the guys, then the gals...twice.
NORMAN MANASCO (Stormin’ Norman) had coached several places in the area as an assistant; left for Nicholas County where he threw a fit that got state-wide attention; came back to Western Ky. as an assistant (somewhere).
JOHN McCLEARN later became Superintendent of Hopkins County Schools.
GEORGE PERRY took Dawson from the Hopkins County district tourney for what turned out to be 12 years (1960-71), allegedly because a fan poured a soft drink over his head during Dawson’s overtime win over Madisonville in the 1959 district at old Madisonville High (Browning Springs).
PAUL STEVENS: 1928 grad of D.S.; started as assistant coach to Fletcher Holeman in 1938; took over in 1940 as Dawson’s head coach (6-14); lost to Mad 31-19 in district opener. He stayed for three years (1940-42), then left for defense department service for three years during World War II. Returned as head coach in 1946, and stayed for another four years. (1940-42 and 1946-49).
------
Information gathered here came from Dawson Springs High
School yearbooks and assorted newspaper clippings from a
display at the Dawson Museum, with help from curator
Claude Holman...fall, 1998...and from trips to the Progress
office in the spring of 1999 with help from the Dillinghams.
Panther basketball records came from my sports archives.
DAWSON SPRINGS Sports Info
School basketball coaches from 1918-1930 included B.U. Sisk (who graduated from Madisonville H.S.)
(I got the feeling Sisk was coach when the guy who coached football and/or baseball didn’t do basketball...because
Dewey Lindsay was listed as football coach in 1920-22...and was listed in one place as basketball coach in 1922
and in another as basketball coach in 1923.)
Paul Stevens: 1928 grad of D.S.; started as ass’t coach to Fletcher Holeman in 1938; took over in 1940 as Dawson’s head coach (6-14); lost to Mad 31-19 in district opener. He stayed for three years (1940-42), then left for defense department service for three years during World War II. Returned as head coach in 1946, and stayed for another four years. (1940-42 and 1946-49).
(((The Messenger in 1941 mentioned Fletcher Holeman as head coach that year; and specifically mentioned
Paul Stevens as assistant coach more than once.)))
DAWSON SPRINGS BASKETBALL COACHES
(1918-1930) B.U. Sisk (see opening paragraph on this page)
1922-23 Dewey Lindsay (1921-23?)
1923: didn’t have a court at
1931-37 O.B . Springerbeginning of the season and didn’t
1938-39 Fletcher Holemanstart practicing until after Christmas.
1940-42Paul StevensLost to Central City, beat Princeton,
1943 Joe Jones, Jr.lost at Calvert City and to Earlington.
1944 Byron Erwin &Rev. C. R. Hill
1945 Eddie Beshear1939 was Dawson’s 1st-ever
1946-49 Paul Stevens4 years here; 7 altogetherwinning season: 16-8. Beat Anton
1950-56 Aubrey Inglis7 years31-14, but lost to Hanson 15-8 in
1957-59 George Perry3 years7th district semi’s at Madisonville.)
1960-61 John McClearn2 years
1962 Philip Back1 year here; 5 more later **1940: final record 6-14; lost 31-19
1963-67 Jerry Gamble5 yearsto Madisonville in district opener.
1968-69 Jim Bearden2 years
1970-71 Norman Weaver2 years
1972 Butch Canty1 year
1973-78 Norman Manasco6 years
1979-80 Doug Phelps2 years
1981 Mark Adams1 year
1982-83 Kent Dillingham2 years
1984-88 Philip Back5 years here; 6 altogether **
1989-91 Kerry Stovall3 years
1992-96 Terry Hayes5 years
1997-99 Chad Burgett3 years