DJ Pigg New Rocket Basketball Head Coach

Official Meet & Greet For New Rocket Skipper

DJ Pigg met with players, school personnel and the media

Friday, April 15 at Rocket Arena

Pigg chosen to be Rockets new head coach

It’s been several years since Crittenden County has gone outside the local school district to hire a basketball coach.

DJ Pigg of Benton has been hired as the Rockets’ 19th head coach since Marion and Crittenden County consolidated in 1957.

Pigg, 24, played at Marshall County, setting some three-point shooting records. He graduated from there in 2016 after a basketball career that netted almost 1,200 points. At John A. Logan College in Illinois, Pigg played collegiate golf for a time, then transferred to Murray State where he completed his degree. For the past four years, he’s been coaching in the Graves County School District. He is currently employed by Graves County Middle School as a language arts teacher. He has been the head freshman coach and a varsity assistant for the Eagles. 

Although his contract doesn’t end until June 30 at Graves County, Pigg will begin in earnest laying the groundwork for his basketball program here. He’s already developing a conditioning plan for spring and a schedule for summer league play. 

Pigg said he was attracted to Crittenden County because of what he was able to see from the outside looking in, as a player who competed against the Rockets and a sports fan who’s followed high school athletics in western Kentucky for years.

“The most attractive part of it is the idea of being part of a school with lot of pride in its student body and in its athletics programs,” he said. “It’s exciting to me. Although Crittenden County is a small school, when you walk into Rocket Arena you can see evidence of decorated programs and a successful culture.”

From the trophy cases in the gymnasium that testify to Rocket successes and CCHS teams that have made regional headlines, Pigg says he’s excited about being part of the program.

“The pride people have in the school district is exciting,” he added.

Pigg is single and currently resides in southern Marshall County. He plans to move closer to Marion.

As for coaching style, he likes strong man-to-man defense and being flexible.

“We will do whatever is best for us and whatever it takes to win,” he said.

He will replace Denis Hodge, who had been the CCHS skipper for the past 11 seasons. Hodge retired from the position after his team finished 14-17 this season. Hodge's basketball team won the Fifth District championship in 2018, only the second league title since Crittenden and Marion consolidated high schools in 1957. Hodge was 124-200 as head coach and he spent several more years as an assistant at CCHS.

Pigg will be a language arts teacher in the Crittenden County School District.

Superintendent Vince Clark said he likes the energy Pigg will bring to Crittenden County.

Lady Rocket award winners for 2021-22

Crittenden County High School’s Lady Rocket basketball team held its annual post-season awards ceremony last weekend. Among those honored were (front from left) Addie Hatfield, Warrior Award; Anna Boone, Impact Player Award; Alyssa Woodall, manager; Kady Parrish, manager; Chloe Hunt, JV Leadership Award; (back) Grace Driskill, senior awards and best field goal percentage; Elle McDaniel, Hustle Award; Natalie Boone, best three-point shooting percentage; Taylor Guess, Most Valuable Player Award and leading scorer, leading rebounder, most assists, most defections, most steals most blocks and  best field goal percentage; and Elliot Evans, Impact Player Award.

Hodge retires as Rocket basketball coach

MARION, Ky. - After 11 seasons as head coach of the Rocket basketball team, Crittenden County coach Denis Hodge has resigned.

Hodge, whose team finished 14-17 this season as district runner-up for the fifth straight year, held a meeting with his players Friday at school to make the announcement.

Although he’s been head coach for just over a decade, Hodge has spent many more years as an assistant basketball coach. He is also a former baseball coach at CCHS.

Hodge's basketball team won the Fifth District championship in 2018, only the second league title since Crittenden and Marion consolidated high schools in 1957.

Hodge plans to continue his educational role as a health and physical education teacher at the school.

Rocket Results Under Coach Hodge
2011-12 11-20
2012-13 15-16
2013-14 9-21
2014-15 16-12
2015-16 5-24
2016-17 7-24
2017-18 7-20
2018-19 11-19
2019-20 16-17
2020-21 13-10
2021-22 14-17
Total       124-200

Right Price Wrong Answer for Lady Rockets

Lady Rockets Addie Hatfield (3) and Grace
Driskill work to slow down Webster's best player
Raigan Price in the regional semifinal.

When the Price is right and the defense does not wrong, Webster County is a formidable opponent. The Lady Trojans had its big gun ruling the paint and an impenetrable zone that created havoc for Crittenden County in the Second Region semifinal Wednesday at Madisonville.

The game was close early, but Webster put it away late as CCHS began pushing the envelope trying to make up ground before falling 52-33. Crittenden trailed by 10 to start the final frame.

Senior Raigan Price scored 24 points for Webster, most of them catching the ball on the block and backing in for layups. Some believe she is the best player in the region. Price scored at will as CCHS had no answer for her power moves at the post. On the perimeter, freshman Hannah Yates complemented Price’s interior domination with four three-pointers, all but one of them in the first period to help Webster set the tone early.

Crittenden’s bread is typically butter at the foul line, but there was nothing on the table. The Webster defense was quick to close the lanes, keeping Lady Rocket all-region player and leading scorer Taylor Guess out of the lane and off the charity stripe.

Crittenden got to the foul line only once during the entire game, and Guess scored 12 points – 10 below her average – to lead the Rocket girls. No one else was in double figures, but Natalie Boone scored eight. She and Guess made a couple of threes apiece, but CCHS misfired on many more. Unable to get the ball inside, Crittenden had to rely on spotty long-range shooting that simply couldn’t keep pace with Price and Co.

The Lady Rockets trailed by 11 in the first quarter and a dozen in the third, but otherwise the first three periods were waged with Webster steadily leading by seven to nine points. In the fourth, however, CCHS started gambling a bit more and Webster raised the stakes, grabbing long rebounds from Crittenden’s missed threes and getting easy baskets on the other end.

The Lady Rockets finish the season 23-8, the second most wins in coach Shannon Hodge’s 29-year tenure and the girls’ fifth trip to the regional semifinals in school history.

Webster will take their 19-11 record into the regional championship game against Kentucky’s No. 12 team Henderson County, a rematch of the Sixth District final a week earlier. Webster was runner-up in the Sixth while Henderson (23-4) was the champion. Henderson dispatched Madisonville 48-34 in Wednesday’s other semifinal game.

Crittenden Co. 6 14 23 33
Webster Co.      15 21 33 52
CRITTENDEN – Guess 12, N.Boone 8, A.Boone 3, Hatfield 2, Driskill 4, Evans 4. FG 14. 3-pointers 4 (Guess 2, N.Boone 2). FT 1-2.
WEBSTER – Shepard 8, Shoulders 4, Hinton 2, Rakestraw 2, Yates 12, Price 24, Cates. FG 22. 3-pointers 4 (Yates). FT 4-7.

Lady Rockets play tonight in regional semifinal

Crittenden County’s Lady Rocket basketball team takes on Webster County in tonight’s nightcap at the Second Region Semifinals in Madisonville.

Crittenden (23-7) is playing in a regional semifinal for just the fifth time in school history. The girls split regular-season encounters with Webster County (18-11).

The Lady Rockets have played in two regional champion games in their history, winning the title in 2011. The girls finished runner-up in 1978 to West Hopkins. They also played in the semifinals in 1984 and 2010, losing to Webster and Henderson counties, respectively. 

Admission to tonight's game can be paid for with cash at the gate. Estimates start time is 7:30pm. Tickets are $10 each.

Henderson and Madisonville will open semifinal play in a 6pm tipoff. 

Rocket season ends with lopsided loss at Hoptown

For Crittenden County, the reward from finishing runnerup in the Fifth District to the region’s No. 1 team – Lyon County – was an opportunity to face the region’s second best squad – Hopkinsville – in the first round of the Second Region Tournament on the Tigers’ home floor.

The playoff path beyond Crittenden’s one-point victory in the district semifinal over Trigg County last week was wrought with insurmountable odds and highly problematic for a team with an RPI 25 percent lower than either of its final two postseason opponents.

Yet, the Rockets valiantly completed their assignment Tuesday night at Hoptown, losing 82-46. Predictably, it was never close. The Tigers led by 28 points early in the second period as its pressing defense and athleticism dominated both ends of the floor. 

Crittenden’s season ends with a 14-17 mark. Hopkinsville improved to 22-6.

Crittenden Co. 9 23 41 46
Hopkinsville      31 55 75 82
CRITTENDEN - Morgeson 19, Champion 13, Beverly 2, Adamson 4, Hatfield, Crider 2, Davidson 2, Keller, Conyer, Derrington, Guess, Hutchison, Yates 1, Cooksey 3. FG 16. 3-pointers 3 (Morgeson). FT 11-21.
HOPKINSVILLE – Mercer 8, Leavell 14, Johnson 6, Smith 9, Gavin, Northington 2, Harris, Dowich 2, White 7, Williams 7, Cabiness 16, Manning 11, Dudley. FG 33. 3-pointers 5. FT 11-17.

BOYS’ SECOND REGION TOURNAMENT

OPENING ROUND RESULTS

Madisonville 81, Union Co. 75, OT

Lyon County 63, Christian Co. 51

Hopkins Central 63, Henderson Co. 52

Hopkinsville 82, Crittenden Co. 46

SEMIFINAL FINALS

Thursday, March 3 at Hopkinsville

Madisonville vs Lyon County, 6pm

Hopkins Central vs Hopkinsville 7:30pm

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Saturday, March 5 at Hopkinsville, 1pm