After dispatching Logan County on Tuesday in the 13th-District semifinals for its first postseason win in six years, the Todd County Central girls basketball team knew Thursday’s championship matchup with Franklin-Simpson was a tall order after a pair of lopsided defeats in the regular season. The Lady Wildcats, sporting a 28-1 record and unbeaten since mid-January, jumped on the Lady Rebels early and held off a spirited second-half effort to prevail 66-37 and take home the trophy for the third time in four seasons.
Franklin-Simpson raced out to a big early advantage, leading 17-2 after back-to-back putbacks and a corner three-pointer by Naja Nolan. Abby Williams scored all six of the Lady Rebels’ points in the first quarter, and a bucket in the lane and a layup cut the Lady Wildcat lead to 11 before Vanessa Ray scored to put the Lady Wildcats up 19-6.
Franklin-Simpson pushed the margin to 16 after a steal and layup by Ray with 2:54 left in the half. Lyniah Brown capped an eight-point quarter with a layup, and Kloie Smith closed the half with a basket down low for a 38-16 advantage at the break.
The Lady Rebels continued to struggle to score against Franklin-Simpson’s length and athleticism, but they turned up the defensive pressure to hold the Lady Wildcats to only seven points in the third frame. Todd Central continued to build on the momentum with a 7-0 run to start the fourth, cutting the margin to 16 with just under six minutes to play.
However, after Alexis Taylor picked up her fifth foul for the Lady Rebels, Franklin-Simpson closed the game on a 21-8 spurt to shut the door on any hope of a comeback. Williams and Jordyn Shemwell combined for 10 points over the final eight minutes for Todd Central, but the Lady Wildcats got four points each from four players to seal the victory.
Williams was the only Lady Rebel in double figures with 13, followed by Taylor and Shemwell with nine each.
Brown led all scorers with 16, Ray scored 15, and Smith and Katleyn McAlister each added 10 points for Franklin-Simpson.
The win was the Lady Wildcats’ 13th-straight and tenth in a row in the series. Todd Central slipped to 17-12 with both teams set to play next week in the 4th-Region tournament.
Todd County Central 6 10 6 15 — 37
Franklin-Simpson 19 19 7 21 — 66
Todd County Central (17-12) — Williams 13, Shemwell 9, Taylor 9, Kay 3, Smith 2, Collins 1
Franklin-Simpson (29-1) — Brown 16, Ray 15, McAlister 10, Smith 10, Cawthorn 7, Nolan 5, Savage 3
One Response
The Lady Rebels put up a valiant effort, but Franklin-Simpson proved to be a formidable opponent in the 13th-District Title Game. 🏀 Have you been following the basketball season? It’s been quite the rollercoaster ride, with highs and lows that keep us on the edge of our seats. What are your thoughts on our team’s performance? Win or lose, they always make us proud with their determination and sportsmanship. Here’s to cheering them on in the seasons to come!