MaxPreps Basketball Tour of Champions celebrates Mercer County High School

The 13th Annual MaxPreps Tour of Champions presented by the Army National Guard passed through Kentucky on Friday, Apr. 20 to recognize Mercer County (Harrodsburg, Ky.) High School and its girls basketball team for winning a state championship and earning a high national ranking.

Having upended Mercy 74-34 in the KHSAA Sweet 16 state championship contest, the 36-3 Titans claimed their second straight state title, broke the school record for wins in a season and earned the No. 23 ranking in MaxPreps' National Rankings!

MaxPreps, the online high school sports leader and a CBSSports.com site, and the Kentucky Army National Guard joined forces in celebrating the girls basketball season and awarding the Army National Guard national ranking trophy to head coach Chris Souder and the Titans.

During lunch, Staff Sergeant Nathan Nichols generated great interest among the Mercer County student body by displaying the prestigious hardware and passing out Tour of Champions t-shirts and Army National guard material in the cafeteria. Later that afternoon, the Kentucky Army National Guard rocked the music for the 900-member student body, who gathered in the gymnasium for a school assembly.

Titan Nation turned it up a decibel or two when assistant athletic director Charlie Cox introduced the state championship team. SSG Nichols then presented the Army National Guard national ranking trophy to Souder, who thanked the student body for its support throughout the season. "This award is as much a school trophy as it is a team trophy," Souder told the Titan faithful in attendance. "We are blessed to be a part of this school and this team.

"In a small town in Kentucky, this just doesn't happen. These kids are Mercer County girls, which makes it even more impressive." Following the presentation, the team posed for formal photos with the trophy. MaxPreps and the Army National Guard congratulate Coach Souder and the Mercer County Lady Titan basketball team on a great season, a state championship and a MaxPreps national ranking!

Click here to view the Mercer County TOC photo gallery and for more information about the Basketball TOC, please visit the MaxPreps Tour of Champions site.