The Taylor County Cardinals are one of the teams expected to contend for the 5th Region title and they looked the part Thursday night. The Cardinals scored the first 11 points of the game and never trailed on their way to a 78-64 win over Madisonville-North Hopkins
The Cardinals did not act like the long bus ride from Campbellsville to Hopkins County bothered them much at the start. Taylor County, behind the play of sophomore Davier White, scored the first 11 points of the game. The Cardinals were hot from behind the arc, knocking down 6 threes in the first eight minutes as Taylor County held a 24-10 lead after the opening quarter.
After an old fashioned three point play extended the Taylor County lead to 27-10 at the beginning of the second, the Maroons made a charge at the Cardinals. With Landen Smith and Kanyon Johnson leading the way, Madisonville-North Hopkins went on an 11-0 run to cut the lead to 27-21.
However, the Cardinals started getting to the free throw line over the rest of the quarter and they were very effective. Taylor County made 9 of 9 at the line and pushed the lead back out to 39-26 at the half.
For the first part of the third quarter, the Maroons were able to limit the Cardinals to just a single field goal but could not make any progress because the Cardinals were making a living at the free throw line and were able to hold Madisonville at arms length.
Layken Lyons then got hot for the visiting Cardinals. Lyons, who scored 14 points in the third quarter, ignited a run that saw Taylor County push the lead out to 68-44 at the end of the third quarter.
The Cardinals appeared to be on their way to rolling to a very comfortable win early in the final quarter, pushing the lead out to 25 points at 73-48. Things got a little bit more interesting down the stretch of the game. Getting a spark from Kanyon Johnson and Ryan Bryant, Madisonville ripped off a quick 12-0 run to cut the lead to 73-60 with half the final quarter still to go.
But, that would be the end of the rally as the Maroons could get the game no closer over the final four minutes as the Cardinals held on to take the 14 point win.
Kanyon Johnson led the way for the Maroons with 22 points. Landen Smith was right behind him with 21. Ryan Bryant also hit double figures with 13, all of them coming in the second half of play.
Taylor County was led by Layken Lyons with 25 points. Kobe Colvin and Davier White scored 16 points each. White scored 15 of his points in the first half.
Madisonville-North Hopkins drops to 9-6 with the loss. They are back in action Saturday evening when they host Breathitt County.
