Published: November 27, 2007 04:19 pm            

Lady Cards eighth grade team make it to State Elite 8

Monticello — The Wayne County Lady Cardinals Eighth Grade basketball team competed in

the 2007 Kentucky Middle School Girl's State Basketball Tournament on

November 9-11 at the Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington, Kentucky.

The Lady Cardinals competed against approximately 30 teams from all over

the state in their journey toward a state championship. This was the first

ever middle school state tournament appearance for the Lady Cardinals.

The Lady Cardinals advanced in the play in game which was scheduled to

be against Lexington Catholic on Friday, November 9.

The first round of the state tournament was set and the Lady Cards enter

as a winner to face the Metcalfe County Lady Jackets.

The game started with Wayne County leading by a score of 14-6 at the end

of the first quarter and then clinging to a 23-18 lead at the half. The

third quarter continued with a back and forth close game as Wayne County

continued to lead by 6 at the end of the third. The fourth quarter came with

Metcalfe cutting the lead to only 2 by Wayne County. Wayne County responded

well and extended their lead to 8 and eventually continued on to defeat

Metcalfe County by a score of 39-33.

The Lady Cardinals were led in scoring by TaShea Pyles with 23 (who hit

four 3 pointers), Kourtney Criswell 7, Samantha Sexton 1, Katlin Duncan 4,

and Kayla Allen 4.

The Lady Cardinals were led in rebounding by Kourtney Criswell with 7

points, who also added 5 assists. The Lady Cardinals advanced to the second

round of the Girl's Middle School State Tournament.

In the second round the Lady Cardinals would face Bernheim Lady Bruins

from Bullitt County. The Bruins had defeated Wayne County earlier in the

summer by 6 points at the Transylvania University Team Camp in Lexington.

The Lady Cardinals believing they had improved since the summer started the

game on a 14-0 run to end the first quarter with a 17-3 lead. They continued

to play well and end the half leading by 17. The third quarter began with

the same intensity starting the half with a 6-0 run then extended their lead

to 38-13 then finished off the Bruins in the fourth quarter by a score of

44-23.

The Cardinals were led in scoring by TaShea Pyles with 18 (who hit four

3 pointers), Samantha Sexton 10, Kourtney Criswell 4, Retina Duncan 4, Kayla

Allen 2, Chelsea Decker 2, Taylor Upchurch 2, and Autumn Bell 2.

The Lady Cardinals were led in rebounding by Samantha Sexton with 8 and

Katlin Duncan, TaShea Pyles, and Kourtney Criswell added 4 each.

The Lady Cardinals would advance to the Elite 8 of the middle school

state tournament to face Clay County, the defending State Champions.

After defeating Bernheim the Lady Cards would do battle with the Clay

County Lady Pirates in the Elite 8 attempting to advance to the Final Four.

Clay County a tough team would be trying to defend their State Title and win

the championship 3 of the past 4 years.

The game started with Clay County leading the first quarter by a score

of 10-3. The second quarter brought a challenge to the Lady Cardinals as

they found themselves behind by 16.

After halftime the Lady Cardinals found themselves and beat the Lady

Pirates 14-9 to cut the Clay County lead to 11 after hitting back to back 3

pointers to end the quarter.

The fourth quarter started with another run by Wayne County who hit

again, back to back 3 pointers to start the fourth quarter to cut the lead

to 5. The Lady Cardinals continued to battle and keep the game close but

could not retain the lead and eventually was defeated by eventual state

runner-up Clay County. The Lady Cardinals were led in scoring by TaShea

Pyles with 26 (who hit four 3 pointers), Kourtney Criswell 8, Katlin Duncan

2, and Samantha Sexton 2. The Lady Cardinals were led in rebounding by

TaShea Pyles with 10 and Kourtney Criswell added 7. The Lady Cardinal's

state tournament run came to end when they found themselves competing with

the state's best basketball teams.

The Elite 8 consisted of Wayne Co, St. Patrick, Madison, Webster,

Elkhorn, Lincoln County, Clay County, eventual state runner-up, and Lebanon,

eventual state champion.

Wayne County's TaShea Pyles was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The Wayne County team made a strong run and represented Wayne County

very well. The eighth grade team consists of: Kourtney Criswell, Retina

Duncan, Samantha Sexton, TaShea Pyles, Katlin Duncan, Kayla Allen, Chelsea

Decker, Auburn Decker, Tiffany Hicks, Taylor Upchurch, Autumn Bell, Hallie

Gillespie, April Dalton, MaKayla Campbell and are coached by Jarrad Parmley

and assistants Sandra Baker, Melissa Gossage, and Jeri DeBord.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.