Remembering Legends

Story by Pat Duerr

Mike Flynn and Tony Winburn, two Jeffersonville High School basketball legends, have become enshrined in the city that built them.

Two basketball courts at Richard L. Vissing Park, located in the Oak Park neighborhood, have been named after the pair. While the star basketball players showcased their talent while at JHS, their careers after high school are what made them so loved.

Flynn became Jeffersonville’s first Indiana Mr. Basketball before attending the University of Kentucky to play basketball for three seasons. After Flynn graduated from college, the 6-3 guard went on to play four years in the NBA for the Indiana Pacers, before finishing his career in Sweden.

Winburn played at Indiana University Southeast before transferring to the University of Evansville. Winburn and 28 others, though, were tragically killed in a plane crash in 1977, cutting short his life.

The courts, which are painted black in the middle of the park, have the respective players’ names painted at half-court circling a crisp, red basketball.

The courts provide not only eye candy in the park, but a new place for young players to hone their skills — exactly how the names they are playing on did in the past.

Athlete Spotlight: August

Spotlight by Tristan Jackson

Jacob Clemons, 10

 

The player: Jacob Clemons, sophomore, has earned a starting spot on the Varsity soccer team, playing as a defensive center midfielder this year. His work ethic, passion for the sport, and experiences with injuries are what pushes him to be a better player.

 

Player’s perspective: “I’ve had injury problems so when I’m healthy I make sure to give it my all. I never know how long I’m going to be able to play.” — Clemons

 

Coach’s perspective: Varsity coach Carson Webb praised Clemons, saying the dedication and confidence he has shown is “beyond his years” and the reason he chose him.

 

Stats: Webb likes to focus on team accomplishments rather than individual stats, but Clemons recalls scoring a goal in a 3-3 tie against Fairdale during the Kentuckiana Cup and two more goals in a 7-0 win against Jennings County.

 

When to catch them next: 9/24 @ Providence at 7:30pm, 9/27 @ Silver Creek at 7:30pm, 10/1 vs. Columbus East at 12:30pm

Jeff Football looking to improve, again

 

“We have a history of not doing great in the first few games of the season, and we really want to change that trend,” Browning said.

While Browning is excited for the season, he expects to see large improvements from last season.


Junior Cameron McClure, Jeff’s starting center, agrees, and thinks the offseason workouts will benefit the Red Devils.

“We have worked really hard all summer for this season,” McClure said. “Our guys are really excited to do some thumping.”

While last season was filled with ups and downs, starting nose guard Brandon “Beef”

Wellington image1believes that a fast start to a season is key to winning.

“The first few games of any season are always a big test. It can show if you’ve made any improvements during the offseason or if there’s still anything you need to practice on more,” Wellington said. “As a player on the team, I can say that we are putting in hard work and dedication into the season and we have a lot of amazing talent on the team. I have faith in this team that we can do incredible things this season as a team.”

In the first game of the season, the Red Devils faced off against Southwestern in the Don Marshall Bowl. The Red Devils fell to the Warriors, 56-26. Senior running back Jordan Barnett ran for 159 yards and three touchdowns.

Junior Kameron Fuller also ran for 139 yards and a touchdown. Senior Cameron Northern threw for a total of 91 yards on  10-21 passing.

Photo by Carlos Molina