Henderson County’s girls show no signs of ever giving up the 2nd Region championship trophy.
The Lady Colonels claimed their fifth straight title on Sunday, taking control in the second quarter and going on to defeat Crittenden County 71-53 in the regional finals at Union County.
It is the 10th championship in the last 11 years for Henderson. Only Webster County in 2018 — which beat the Lady Colonels in the title tilt — puts a blemish on Henderson’s run.
Henderson is headed to Rupp Arena, where it will play 8th Region champion Simon Kenton (19-14) Thursday night in a first round game of the Sweet 16.
The Lady Colonels (26-4) will carry a 12-game winning streak into the state tournament after turning back Crittenden in the regional final.
The Lady Rockets (25-6) held early leads of 2-0 and 4-2. The game was tied three times before Henderson opened up a 14-8 lead after one quarter.
The Lady Colonels then turned to their long-range game in the second quarter to open things up.
Graci Risley and Shalyn Sprinkles each hit a pair of 3-pointers in the first 2 and a half minutes of the second quarter.
With Crittenden still within 19-11, Sprinkles and Risley connected on back-to-back treys, then Sprinkles added another. That quickly extended the margin to 28-11 with 5:30 left in the first half.
It was part of a 13-0 burst that made it a 32-11 game, and Henderson got to halftime with a 40-22 lead.
The Lady Colonels led by as much as 28 points in the third quarter before taking a 58-32 lead to the final frame.
A 10-0 run — keyed by 3-pointers 11 seconds apart by Natalie Boone — helped Crittenden get back within 63-48 following two Taylor Guess free throws with 3:17 to play.
But the Lady Rockets could get no closer as Henderson punched its ticket to Lexington.
Brooklyn Gibson scored 13 of her team-high 15 points in the first half for Henderson. Sprinkles and Jarie Thomas each tallied 14 points while Risley had 11 for the Lady Colonels.
Guess, the all-time scoring leader for girls’ basketball in the 5th District, poured in 31 points in her final game for Crittenden. That puts her career total at 2,643.
Guess will continue her basketball career at Lindsey Wilson College.
The last non-6th District team to win a girls’ 2nd Region championship was Hopkinsville in 2012.
Crittenden won its only regional title in 2011.
Henderson has now won 19 2nd Region championships since girls’ basketball was reinstated in 1975.
Henderson County 14 26 18 13 — 71
Crittenden County 8 14 10 21 — 53
Henderson County (26-4)—Gibson 15, Thomas 14, Sprinkles 14, Risley 11, Lacer 7, Veal 6, Kemp 2, Gish 2.
Crittenden County (25-6)—Guess 31, N. Boone 8, A. Boone 5, Hatfield 4, Federico 2, Rushing 2, Evans 1.
