jFinding a favorite for the girls’ 2nd Region All A Classic can prove challenging.
Two weeks ago, Caldwell County looked like it might be emerging as the leading team to earn a trip to Richmond for the All A state tournament.
However, an injury to junior guard Jacey Jaggers has cast doubts on the Lady Tigers’ front-runner status. Jaggers was leading the squad in scoring at 13.8 points a game when she suffered an ACL injury at Paducah Tilghman.
Jaggers has missed the last two games for Caldwell (7-6), which sorely misses another scoring option on the offensive end.
Still, senior Bella McConnell and her 13.1 points a game give the Lady Tigers contender’s status.
Caldwell, which wasn’t eligible for the All A event last season, hasn’t claimed the regional crown since taking back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010.
Caldwell opens the tourney at home Monday against defending champion University Heights Academy (5-10), which has designs on making another run to the finals.
However, Lady Blazers leading scorer Lily Hendricks has been banged up and doesn’t appear to be at full strength for the All A. She scores 13 points a night for University Heights.
The Lady Tigers won at UHA 66-58 on Dec. 20. Jaggers had 20 points in that game. Hendricks had 12.
If Caldwell isn’t the favorite, then Crittenden County looks to have grabbed that role.
The Lady Rockets (9-4) have won four-straight games and eight of their last nine.
Freshman guard Taylor Guess leads Crittenden with 18.8 points a game and 6.9 rebounds while junior post player Nahla Woodward gets 9.2 points and 7.9 boards a game.
The Lady Rockets are clearly the hottest team entering the regional All A tournament.
Crittenden, which last won the All A regional in 2017, hosts Livingston Central in a first round game on Monday.
The Lady Cardinals are 3-6 this season. The Lady Rockets already own a 60-25 victory over Livingston this season.
Meanwhile, Lyon County likes the draw it received in the bottom half of the regional bracket.
The Lady Lyons (6-9) will host winless Fort Campbell (0-11) in the opening round on Monday.
The winner there advances to the semifinals against Dawson Springs (4-10), which drew the lone bye in the first round.
Sophomore Rose Smith leads the Lady Lyons at 14.9 points a game.
Dawson, which will host both semifinals on Thursday and the championship game on Saturday at 4 p.m., needs just one win to reach the title tilt.
Freshman guard Brooklyn Clark pours in 21.9 points a game for the Lady Panthers, who also have to like their draw.
Lyon and Dawson have already met once this season, with the Lady Panthers winning 55-49 in Dawson on Dec. 5.
Lyon won the All A regional two years ago while Dawson is looking for its first trip to the All A state tournament since 2003.
The fun gets under way on Monday with the three first-round games.
The 2nd Region champion will advance to the state All A Classic Jan. 22-26 at Eastern Kentucky University’s McBrayer Arena.
The 2nd Region has drawn the 16th Region winner in a first round game at state at 10 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Girls 2nd Region All A Classic Schedule
Monday, Jan. 13
Livingston Central at Crittenden County, 7 p.m.
University Heights at Caldwell County, 7 p.m.
Fort Campbell at Lyon County, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 16 at Dawson Springs
Livingston-Crittenden vs. UHA-Caldwell, 6 p.m.
Fort Campbell-Lyon vs. Dawson Springs, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 18 at Dawson Springs
Championship-Semifinal winners, 4 p.m.
