The script from the 2024 girls’ 5th District season is in place to be repeated in 2025 as the postseason tournament begins Monday night at Trigg County High School.
Crittenden County and Lyon County are the top two tournament seeds as they were a year ago. Last year, the Lady Rockets and the Lady Lyons split their regular season games. Crittenden defeated Lyon to win the All A Classic region title, however, the Lady Lyons turned the tables in the district tournament and defeated the Lady Rockets 77-74 in the championship.
The first part has held true again this season as the teams split their regular season games which forced a tie atop the district standings. For the first time, the ratings percentage index (RPI) created by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association was used to break that stalemate which gave the Lady Rockets the top seed.
Crittenden County (19-7) will open Monday night at six o’clock against the host school Trigg County.
The Lady Rockets swept the season series from Trigg County and have won 10 straight games against the Lady Wildcats dating back five years.
The Lady Rockets, who have no seniors on their roster, are led in scoring by junior Anna Boone whose scoring has taken a dip from last season’s 22 points per game average to 14 this year. However, Boone has been used more as a facilitator of the offense this season and has seen an increase in her rebounds and assists numbers.
Guards Elliot Evans and Jordyn Hodge are also averaging in double figures for the Lady Rockets, and veteran coach Shannon Hodge has also seen improvement from her bench as the season has progressed.
Crittenden County will face a Trigg County program that has not won a district tournament game since winning three straight titles from 2019 to 2021.
Trigg County is 8-20, nearly tripling its win total from last year. However, Coach Greg Stephens’ roster features only one senior and one junior.
Trigg’s main problem this year has been turnovers, averaging nearly 24 a game that have led to 22 opponent points. In the two losses to Crittenden County, Trigg turned the ball over 54 times and Crittenden scored 54 points from those mistakes.
Senior Reese Bush and freshman Veyda Grinols lead the Lady Wildcats in scoring at 11 points a game while Grinols averages nearly 10 rebounds a contest.
Trigg County was able to slow down Crittenden County in a 50-38 loss to the Lady Rockets in January, but the key in Monday’s game will be whether Trigg can limit their turnovers and whether Crittenden can finish once they get the ball into the paint.
The 7:30 nightcap features defending champion and two-seed Lyon County squaring off against Livingston Central, who had an identical 1-5 record as Trigg County but won the tiebreaker due to the RPI.
The Lady Lyons (20-8) come into the postseason, winners of four of five. The Lady Lyons are averaging 60 points a game while shooting 38% from the field.
A trio of sophomores leads the Lady Lyons in scoring. Point guard Piper Cotham is the top scorer for the Lady Lyons at 19.7 ppg. while Trinity Taylor adds 14 points, and Courtney Collins adds 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Lady Lyons will need to stay out of foul trouble against a physical Livingston Central team, which they beat twice during the regular season and have won six straight games against.
The Lady Cardinals (10-16) have won three straight games and will be looking to get back to the region tournament after missing out last year.
Livingston Central is led by Victoria Joiner — the only Lady Cardinal to average in double figures in scoring at 10 points a game.
Emersyn Ramage averages close to a double-double at eight points and eight rebounds.
First-year coach T.J. Palmer has pressed some young guards into some big minutes this season after junior point guard Aubrey Leahy was lost for the season with a knee injury.
Her little sister Taylor has stepped up to score six points a game, while senior Maggie Downey scores nine points a game. Freshman Brooklyn Collins averages four points and has hit 27 three-pointers.
How well Livingston Central can handle the press of Lyon County will be a big key in this one. Also, whichever team can keep its star players out of foul trouble will be a factor.
Monday’s winners will meet in the championship game on Thursday night at seven o’clock at Trigg County High School.
You can listen to coverage of the entire Fifth District tournament on Oldies Radio 100.9 FM and streaming worldwide at WKDZradio.com.
Full coverage of the district tournament can also be found here at YourSportsEdge.com.
