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Last week at Tennessee-Martin's basketball camp, Ridley was pleased to see how well his team could play.

McKenzie's girls took on Graves County, KY, Lake County, Murray High, Fulton City, KY and Dyer County. The Lady Rebs were 4-2 at the camp and could very easily have been 6-0.

"I'll be honest, when we got done with our camp, I was concerned," said Ridley. "But we didn't have everybody at our camp; at Martin, things went much better."

Renee Crawley missed the Lady Rebel camp for a minority leadership conference at UTM, but when she returned, she had an immediate impact.

"Having Renee made our offense better," said Ridley. "She averaged about 20 points a game up there."

Missing from the UTM camp was Brittany Russell and Sarah Hartz.
"At the end of the camp, I think we ran out of gas a little bit," Ridley said.

But the Lady Rebels had some time, with Crawley, to implement some offensive wrinkles.

"We had a week of practice to get a system put in," said Ridley. "We had people in their normal positions and we were able to utilize our speed. When Renee is in there, everybody else feels more comfortable; our scoring was better and that was the big thing."

McKenzie put up 67 against Fulton and had 40 or better in the other five games, which is a bit of a departure for the Lady Rebs, who principally rely on defense.

"Part of it was the system," said Ridley. "Part of it was our tenacious defense. We had a ton of layups. Our young kids played exceptionally well."

The Lady Reb coach hopes his team will capitalize on the momentum from camp.

"We have depth now where before I wasn't sure we had it," he said. "I'm real encouraged and the kids are encouraged."
But as the camp ended, the TSSAA dead period hit.

"The dead period came at sort of a bad time," Ridley said. "I feel better about where we are; if we can pick up where we left off before the dead period, I think we'll be pretty good."

The camp for prep quarterbacks and receivers took place on the campus of Troy State University and Rebels Drew Hayes, Daniel Duncan, Jake Smith, John Craig Howell, Clint Anderson, Randy Lacey and Clint Manns were put threw the paces.

Members of the famed Bowden football family conducted the camp.

MHS head football coach Wade Comer hopes his players will reap the benefits of the instruction.

"It was a real good camp. By the end of it, our receivers were catching the ball a lot better," said Comer. "We ran our routes crisper and our timing looked good."

Duncan, Smith, Howell, Anderson, Lacey and Manns comprised the cadre of MHS receivers. Hayes spent time with quarterback instruction.

"Drew's release was a lot quicker and he threw the ball real well," the coach said.

Clemson coach Tommy Bowden and brother Jeff Bowden worked with the receivers while former Auburn coach and ABC commentator Terry Bowden worked with the quarterbacks.

"They got hands-on instruction, that's for sure," Comer said. "And the kids picked up everything they were taught pretty well."

Timing between quarterbacks and receivers is vital and the coach said everything seems to be falling into place regarding rhythm.

"The receivers are starting to feel more comfortable and Drew was getting his steps down," said Comer. "We still have a long way to go; we know where to line up and we know where we are supposed to be."

Comer said the Rebel receivers garnered a lot of positive attention while Hayes was bumped up with the junior-to-be quarterbacks. In fact, Hayes was in the top seven of the 128 quarterbacks there during a skills competition.

At other camps this summer, John Kermit Laughery took part in a kickers camp at Middle Tennessee State University.

"He kicked a 45-yard field goal there and his leg strength is getting better," said Comer of his rising sophomore. Laughery was 22 of 23 in PAT attempts and drilled a game-tying 23-yard field goal at Waverly to send the game into overtime, a game MHS eventually won.

Junior Cody Cook took part in a football camp at the University of Missouri.

"They clocked him at 4.6 (in the 40-yard dash)," Comer said. "His speed and strength is better. I think Cody has a chance to do real well this year."

Cook had 1,700 yards rushing and, as a sophomore, shattered MHS marks for yards in a game, carries and total yards.

Junior Paul Edwards took part in the Tennessee football camp.

"He had a good camp there," said Comer. "And he came back pumped up. When he got back from Knoxville, he hadn't been in town and hour and he was at the field running."

The Rebels return from the dead period on July 7 and will begin in earnest the stretch run for football season.

"We've had good turnout this summer and they've done a good job," Comer said. "We'll start the second half of summer getting back in the weight room and we'll start conditioning, getting the kids used to the heat."

Then comes fall camp.

"When we get back from the dead period, we'll have four weeks before our first scrimmage," said Comer. "We will play Jackson Christian School on Aug. 1."

Drew Hayes, who was one of the leading pitchers and hitters on the McKenzie High School baseball team, is playing as a 15-year-old on the 17-under Thunder team and, in the process, has made an immediate impact.

Hayes has excelled in the field, on the mound and at the plate for the Thunder team.

"Drew is 15, but he's not a 15 year-old. He plays like a senior," said Thunder coach Mark Archer. "I'd put him up against any freshman in the state. He's the best I've ever seen at his age."

Hayes has fashioned a 7-1 pitching mark with six saves and an earned-run average of 1.88. At the plate, he's batting .453 with a pair of homers and 47 RBI from the three spot. He has 18 doubles and a triple.

So what does Archer like about his Carroll County import?
"His talent and work habits," Archer says, without a pause. "The thing that really impresses me is that he stays after a game and runs for 15 to 20 minutes and that has had a positive effect on other players."

The trend is catching on.

"Now I have two or three more players staying after each game and running where they never did before," said Archer. "His work ethic is rubbing off."

Hayes plays shortstop and second base when he's not pitching.
"He has great hands and good power at the plate," said Archer. "He will play at a good school if he wants to."

Hayes was on Archer's 13-year-old state championship Thunder team a few years ago. This squad, which has won three of four tournaments it has played in already, might be able to tack on USSSA World Champs on the trophy. The Thunder will travel to Oklahoma City for that organization's championship.

Meanwhile, Hayes' high school teammate Brian Winston will join the Thunder soon.

"Brian is a great kid and will finish the year with us," Archer said. "He's played with me before and will definitely be a help."

Winston, a first baseman and pitcher, has signed to play baseball at Bethel College next season.

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