Let’s run it back …. Paris’ Briley Cline repeats as the Top Sports Story of the Year winner
The star track sprinter becomes the first back-to-back winner and just the second individual to win the Doctor’s prestigious award twice
IVAN K. RICE I doctorofsports@aol.com
PARIS, KY – Repeating in anything is not an easy task, because there’s always someone out there that knows they could do better. So, if you would like to repeat something, the only way you can assure yourself of a victory is to do better than what you did the previous year before — to make it a repeat. For Paris High School Ladyhound track senior Briley Cline, she did that and some.
Thanks to the most decorated season in track and field history at Paris High School that saw Cline win four state championships, and two regional titles, where she would go on to break four KHSAA state 1A records and two Region 5 records, before ending her year as a two-time High School Track All-American in the 100 meter dash. Cline would do more than enough to become the first repeat winner of the prestigious Doctor of Sports’ Top Sports Story of the Year award, as she joins only Taesha Speaks, another outstanding Paris track star, as the only two-time winners of the biggest award given out by the Doctor dating back to 2004.
Cline, who will be taking her sprinting talents to the University of Kentucky, climbed the ladder on the Top Sports of the Year chart, as she finished sixth her freshman year and fifth her sophomore year, before claiming the award last season and again this season.
Cline finished her final season competing for the Ladyhounds by becoming a 3-time outdoor 1A Region 5 Champion in the 100 and 200 meter dash. She would go on and break the regional records that were previously held by Speaks. She followed that by becoming a 2-time outdoor KHSAA State Champion in her two specialty races, where she would break long standing 1A records in both events, where one (100) stood for 44 years and the other (200) for 17 years. During the indoor season, Cline now holds the overall state record in the KHSAA 60m dash and she holds the second best time in the 200m. Both are new 1A state records.
“I was a little nervous for the outdoor state meet since it was my last ever high school meet that I would run for my school,” said Cline. “I wanted to make sure I represented, and I really wanted to break a few state records along the way!”
Cline will leave Paris with the school-record in the indoor 60m (7.66) and 200m dash (24.74), as well as the outdoor record in the 100m (12.00) and 200m (24.78). Unless someone puts in the work like Cline did, her school-records may never be broken. And to add to her accolades, she received the Greyhound Hall of Fame Scholarship and one of the KHSAA and Milesplit, KYtrackXC scholarships.
Coming in second was Bourbon County Lady Colonel senior five-sports star Bethany Simpson, who too was a consistent visitor in the Top 10 of the Top Sports Story of the Year during her high school career. Moving into the third spot was Ladyhound Softball Coach Dwayne Rice, after the school named the softball field after the long-time coach who has more than dedicated his time to the program, on and off the field. The Garrard family, Maurice and Ashley took the fourth spot, for becoming the first father/daughter matchup in Kentucky girls’ basketball history, Rounding out the top five was the 10th Region Champion Bourbon County Boys tennis team, who also had an induvial and doubles regional champions.
For Cline, it is very safe to say that she’s had a career that only a few athletes from this area can dream about. The future Greyhound and Kentucky High School Hall of Famer had this to say after she finished off another brilliant season, her final, with the Ladyhounds.
“I’m happy about my accomplishments and progress over the last four years. It wasn’t easy but I am proud of how far I’ve came. I hold a lot of Paris Pride and I am glad I was able to represent my school over the last few years. But I still have a long way to go and much more to achieve and I am not close to being done just yet. I hope to continue doing what I love and letting the results come on their own. Stay tuned as I start my journey as a Wildcat.”
