Published: September 23, 2009 11:05 am      

MARK MAYNARD: Gregg goes to Ashland 9/23/09

Another player on Rose Hill’s boys’ basketball team has defected to a 64th District rival.

Sophomore Corey Gregg, who averaged a double-double for the Royals last season, has transferred to Ashland.

Gregg, a 6-foot-3 center, was one of the most consistent players in the 16th Region as a freshman, combining with All-Area forward Mike Terry in a dominating frontcourt for the Royals.

Terry, who is also a sophomore and stands 6-6, transferred to Fairview at the start of the school year.

The wheels are coming off a Rose Hill team that many figured to be in the hunt for the regional championship prior to Terry and Gregg transferring.

Ashland Blazer principal Derrick Runyon confirmed Gregg’s transfer on Tuesday morning.

Fairview was the frontrunner for the regional championship after adding Terry to its strong group of returning players, including seniors Brent Jackson, Caleb Collins and Trey Stai.

But the addition of Gregg, if he becomes eligible, gives the Tomcats a big man that they were sorely missing after the graduation of Ryan Bonner. Ashland is guard-strong with Will Skaggs, Dylan Delaney and Ryan Whetsel in the backcourt. Chris Johnson is a returning starting forward.

The race for the regional championship seems to get more interesting by the day.

Webb talk

Arizona Diamondback pitcher Brandon Webb is in wait-and-see mode about his future.

The Diamondbacks have to decide within five days after the end of the World Series whether to pick up the $8.5 million option for 2010 or buy it out for $2 million.

Conventional thinking says the D-Backs will try to re-negotiate an incentive-laden deal with Webb, who pitched on Opening Day but has been shelved since with a shoulder injury.

Webb had minor shoulder surgery in August and expects to start throwing again toward the end of October. However, he wouldn’t be throwing off a mound before the D-Backs have to make a decision.

Last week, on KTAR-AM in Phoenix, Webb said he would not rule out listening to the D-Backs about re-negotiating a deal but would want to gauge it against offers from other teams.

“If that goes down, I wouldn’t say no,” Webb said on the radio show last Wednesday. “But I would have to probably test the free-agent market, as well, and see if there’s a better offer out there.”

Webb hasn’t been completely happy with how the D-Backs have treated him. Arizona pulled a three-year contract extension in June 2008 after insurance companies raised concerns over his shoulder.

“I’m a little disappointed, but life goes on, I guess,” he said. “Like I said, I’m going to be ready to go next year and I hope it’s here in Arizona. If not, then that’s OK, too. I’ll go play somewhere else and hopefully do the things that I did here. I’m not mad, I’m just a little disappointed.”

Before this season, Webb had been practically injury-free as one of the most durable starting pitchers in the major leagues. The three-time All-Star has been with the D-backs since 2003, when he was runner-up for National League Rookie of the Year.

Webb has been the runner-up in the NL Cy Young voting the past two seasons.

Captain Gothard

Junior linebacker Mike Gothard from Marietta, Ga., was named one of the captains for Western Kentucky University’s game with Central Arkansas last week.

Gothard, an outside linebacker, is the son of former Ashland Tomcat Mike Gothard (class of 1975).

Gothard, who has been credited with 15 stops in four games, captured the Sledge Award after the opening week of the season when he had six tackles against South Florida.

WKU is 0-3 and falling 28-7 to Central Arkansas and plays at Navy on Saturday.

MARK MAYNARD can be reached at mmaynard@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2648.