Trigg County has been adding achievements to their girls’ basketball record book all season. On Thursday, they added another one. The Lady Wildcats defeated Crittenden County 48-40 to win consecutive district titles for the first time in school history.
The Lady Wildcats outscored Crittenden 19-8 in the decisive fourth quarter where they knocked down 11-of-15 free throws to secure the win. The final eight-point margin was the largest for either team in the game.
Lady Wildcat Coach Cory Coble used his bench throughout the game – sometimes by choice and sometimes by necessity. In addition to their solid free throw shooting, Trigg scored nine points off six Crittenden turnovers in the quarter. The Lady Rockets were 3-of-16 from the field and did not attempt a free throw in the final eight minutes.
Crittenden County, the tourney’s top seed, led the first seven minutes of the game until Trigg forged a 10-10 tie. Taylor Guess and Chandler Moss each scored five points in the second quarter for the Lady Rockets as they built a 19-14 lead. Olivia Noffsinger responded for Trigg as she scored eight points in a 10-2 run to end the half, capped by a 3-pointer in the final seconds for a 24-21 lead at the break.
Trigg led 25-22 early in the third quarter but didn’t hit a field goal in the third quarter. Despite missing all 10 of their shots from the field in the frame, Crittenden could only build a three-point lead after three quarters.
The Lady Wildcats took the lead for good at 35-34 with 3:26 left. That was part of a 10-0 run that saw Trigg build a 41-34 lead and assume control of the contest.
Trigg County, a 53-percent free throw shooting team, knocked down 20-of-27 for 74-percent in the title game. That helped overcome a 13-of-46 shooting performance from the field. Trigg also scored 22 points off 15 Crittenden turnovers in the game.
Crittenden shot 23-percent from the field in the second half despite getting up nine more shots than Trigg.
Olivia Noffsinger hit 10-of-12 free throws and scored a team-high 18 points. Despite leading Trigg County in scoring and steals during the season, she was left off the All-District team.
Adri Phillips added 12 points and six rebounds, and Marleigh Reynolds scored eight points and pulled down six rebounds.
Trigg also got solid play off the bench from T.T. Grubbs and Kara Hyde who saw extended time with Rylee Bush in early foul trouble.
Guess led Crittenden County (18-10) with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Natalie Boone and Nahla Woodward both added seven points.
The district title is the sixth for Trigg County and the first time they have cut down the nets at Lyon County. Trigg moved to 10-3 all-time against Crittenden County in the postseason and 3-0 in championship games. Coble also becomes the first Trigg coach to win two girls’ district titles.
Trigg County improves to 24-8 on the season and will learn their first round region tournament opponent Saturday. The Lady Wildcats will play Henderson County, Christian County, or Caldwell County Monday or Tuesday at Christian County High School. Crittenden County will play Webster County, Madisonville, or Hopkinsville in the first round.
Trigg County 10 14 5 19—48
Crittenden County 10 11 11 8—40
Trigg County (24-8) – O. Noffsinger 18, Phillips 12, Reynolds 8, Bush 5, E. Noffsinger 4, Hyde 1
Crittenden County (18-10) – Guess 18, Boone 7, Woodward 7, Moss 6, Duncan 2
