When it came to honoring the best leaders in District 6-4A this year, all eyes turned to Warren County. Danny Fish and Anthony Lippe, who both led their teams to regular season district titles this season, were named coaches of the year for their work on the sidelines with the Pioneers and Lady Pioneers.

Fish, who previously coached girls basketball and softball at DeKalb County, will add his latest honor to a collection that includes being named Pat Summitt coach of the year in 2018, while Lippe has now taken the District 6-4A coaching crown in back-to-back seasons. There was no mystery on why both were recognized by their peers this year - each pulled off something unexpected with their programs.

The Pioneers were projected to finish last in the preseason by the coaches and media, something that looked to be forthcoming when the group started 2-10 early. Warren County turned its season around once it hit district play though, going 5-1 and winning all its road games on the way to the program's third district title in four years. The Pioneers tried to pull of the sweep in the district Saturday when they played for the tourney crown (game coverage can be found on the Standard website).

On the girls side, Lippe was able to guide the Lady Pioneers to back-to-back, 20-plus win seasons and saw his girls stop Coffee County's seven-year run of wins in the border battle. Warren County's thrilling 48-42 victory of the Lady Raiders - their first district loss in six years and first loss to Warren County since 2016 - clinched a share of a district title for the Lady Pioneers for the first time in four decades.

Both coaches will be guiding their programs in home region games this upcoming weekend.