The News Leader THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024 1B SPORTS Hatcher players leading the program, following Jarrett Hatcher and Terrell Mickens as head coach. Madden was helping coach basket- ball at Riverheads High School before Mickens got the job in Staunton. David Tibbs, the athletic director, told Mickens he should bring in an old- er coach to lean on for guidance. Mick- ens reached out to Madden, who re- turned to his roots in Staunton. He had said the only school leave River- heads for would be Staunton, a chance to return home.
is one of the best players to ever come out of this Mickens said Tuesday about the news Madden was the new head coach. basket- ball resume as a player speaks for it- self. He works in the school and has been with me for the past years so he knows the players and STAUNTON The late Paul Hatcher used to say that it was his wife, Judy, who discovered the basketball play- er who would go on to be the greatest in Staunton history. Hatcher, the legendary basketball coach for 43 years at then Robert E. Lee High School, would tell the story of his wife, a substitute elementary school teacher at the time, coming home and saying seen a named Kevin Madden on the playground.
She told her husband Madden would be the best player he ever coached. Judy Hatcher was spot on in her as- sessment. In his game on varsity in 1981, as a freshman, Madden had 26 points and 15 rebounds in a win over Pu- laski. He let up after that, ing his four-year career as the all-time leading scorer with 2,236 points. He led those Lee teams to a 93-8 record, losing just once at home, and to three state tournaments.
In 1984, Mad- den led Lee to an unbeaten season and state championship, and in his two years in high school Madden was named Mr. Bas- ketball as the top player in the state. Now, 40 years after that state title, Madden is taking over as coach of the high school he once played for, now known as Staunton High School. The of- announcement was made in the auditorium Tuesday afternoon. happy to be Madden said.
of the things I want to do is just make a in the kids, not only in basketball, but just in general around the school, in the Madden is the third head coach of the program since Paul Hatcher, who died last August, retired from the job in 2011. Madden continues a line of former Kevin Madden, a legendary high school basketball player in Staunton who led the school to a 1984 state championship, is the new boys basketball coach at Staunton High School. PATRICK NEWS LEADER See MADDEN, Page 2B embracing Kevin Madden looks forward to taking over as new basketball coach Patrick Hite Staunton News Leader USA TODAY NETWORK Complete coverage in Sports Extra Look for coverage of the NHL playoffs in Sports Extra, our subscriber-exclusive, eNewspaper section. NFL draft week has arrived at last, Round 1 set to open Thursday night in downtown Detroit. Thirteen prospects will be in attendance, including the three quarterbacks widely projected to be the top three selections of this Selection former Southern California star Caleb Williams expected to hear his name called by commis- sioner Roger Goodell.
Beyond that, some drama is certainly expected notably the possibility of a major trade for one of the passers cantly shaking up the round. Should be an eventful weekend as the capstone event unfolds. my projection for the ini- tial 32 picks: 1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina Panthers): QB Caleb Williams, USC. Any slim notion that the 2022 Heis- man Trophy winner might be available to other teams evaporated with Justin trade to Pittsburgh.
Williams has QBs take stage; trade options linger Nate Davis USA TODAY USC quarterback Caleb Williams, seen passing against Oregon on Nov. 11, is a candidate to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft. The Chicago Bears held the No. 1 pick going into the draft.
TROY USA TODAY SPORTS NFL MOCK DRAFT 2024 NFL draft Round 1: Thursday, 8 p.m. ET Rounds 2-3: Friday, 7 p.m. ET Rounds 4-7: Saturday, Noon ET TV: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network Streaming: ESPN app, Fubo See MOCK DRAFT, Page 3B no wonder that Dover Motor Speedway president and general man- ager Mike Tatoian is excited about the upcoming NASCAR race weekend. The track will host two of the biggest legends in NASCAR history in Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson. And John- son, by far the winningest driver in Dover history, will be driving Sunday in the Wurth 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.
Johnson stopped racing full time in 2020 and was recently inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Last year, Johnson became a partial owner of Legacy Motor Club, the team formerly known as Petty GMS Motorsports. He raced in four events last season and is racing in nine events this season. Dover is his second race since the season- opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 18.
Johnson will be driving the No. 84 Toyota at Dover, reversing the number No. 48 that he drove during his full- time NASCAR career. great to have him back at Dover, where won more than any other Tatoian said. competes here really, really well.
Even though now a part-time driver, when he gets behind the wheel of a car at Dover, always going to be a threat to easy to see why. Johnson has won at Dover 11 times. Nobody else has more than seven. Johnson ranks in NASCAR history with 83 wins, while Petty is with Petty, Johnson heading to Dover Latter will be driving the No. 84 Toyota in 2nd race since Daytona 500 Martin Frank Delaware News Journal USA TODAY NETWORK NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson, a seven-time Cup Series champion, is one of the former drivers who will greet fans at the monster monument outside the track at Dover Motor Speedway on April 28.
PROVIDED BY DOVER MOTOR SPEEDWAY See NASCAR, Page 3B.
