A slow start to the second half was the undoing for a short-handed Lyon County Lady Lyons squad on the road at Mortons Gap Thursday night. Hopkins County Central rallied from a halftime deficit to take a 55-46 win over the Lady Lyons.
The Lady Lyons were without starter Courtney Collins, who is likely done for the season with an ankle injury. Additionally, Trinity Taylor and Jenna Coursey had suffered ankle injuries in the past week and still managed to give it a go Thursday night. With the injury to Collins and school activities, the Lady Lyons dressed only eight players for the game.
The Lady Storm hung in the game in the first half thanks to a big night from starting center Tyah White. The sophomore scored nine points in the opening quarter and controlled the boards down inside as Hopkins Central battled the Lady Lyons to a 12-12 draw after the opening quarter.
Gracen Wynn, who got the start for the injured Courtney Collins, and Piper Cotham combined to score all 14 of the Lady Lyons’ points in the second quarter as Lyon County inched out to a 26-23 lead at the break. Again, it was Tyah White that kept the Lady Storm within shouting distance, scoring six more in the second quarter.
Coming out of the break, the Lady Lyons struggled to get their offense going. Meanwhile, the guard combination of Calijia Mason and Addie Menser got warmed up for the Lady Storm. The pair combined to score 13 points in the third as Central battled back to take a 40-34 lead going into the final eight minutes.
Once Central got to the lead it was Menser, an 8th grader, who sealed the win by knocking down 7 of 8 at the free throw line to hold the Lady Lyons at bay in the final minutes of the game.
Piper Cotham led Lyon County with 18 points. Gracen Wynn was the only other Lady Lyon to reach double figures with 10 points.
In addition to a huge night on the glass, Tyah White was the top scorer for Hopkins Central with 21 points. Calijia Mason added 18 points. Addie Menser scored 16, all of them coming in the second half of play.
The loss ends a three-game losing streak for Lyon County and drops the Lady Lyons to 17-9 on the year. The Lady Lyons will be back on the road Tuesday night at Union County.
LCHS — 12 14 8 12 – 46
HCCHS — 12 11 17 15 – 55
Lyon County – Cotham 18, Wynn 10, Taylor 8, Holland 6, Coursey 2, Perry 2
Hopkins County Central – White 21, Mason 18, Menser 16
