Crittenden County felt like they should have cut down the nets for a district championship at Trigg County four years ago, but COVID-19 protocol dashed the hopes of a Lady Rocket team that was the top seed with a 16-5 record — their season was over before the postseason began,
Four years later, Crittenden County belatedly cut down the nets at Wildcat Gym as they defeated Lyon County 65-49 on Friday night for the district championship, ending the game on a 13-0 run.
The Lady Rockets took the lead for good midway through the second quarter, with leading scorer Anna Boone taking over the game in the second half.
Boone scored 21 of her 25 points after halftime and hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter after Lyon had cut a 10-point deficit to 51-49 with 3:30 left. Boone’s 3-pointers came over a minute span that pushed their lead back to 59-49 with 2:00 left.
Early in the game, it wasn’t the leading scorers pacing the way. Andrea Federico scored 10 of her 15 points in the first half for Crittenden County, while Jenna Coursey had 10 points for Lyon County.
Boone and Piper Cotham combined to score just five points for their teams in a first half that saw neither team lead by more than five points.
Crittenden County led 26-23 at halftime and pushed the lead to 39-33 when Boone hit the first Lady Rocket 3-pointer of the game.
Cotham, who was held without a field goal in the first half, heated up in the third quarter, scoring eight points in the frame.
However, Lyon County was stymied in the paint for the entire night, missing several in close shots that would have tied the game or given the Lady Lyons the lead at crucial points of the second half.
The district championship was the ninth for Crittenden County and third in the past four years. Six of the nine titles have come under the direction of coach Shannon Hodge.
Lyon County was looking for back-to-back district titles for the first time in nine years. Lyon has never won a district championship on Trigg County’s home floor.
Both teams will advance to the Second Region Tournament that begins Monday at Christian County High School. The pairings will be finalized on Saturday.
Lyon County 13 10 18 8– 49
Crittenden County 14 12 19 19– 64
Lyon County (21-7) – Cotham 17, Taylor 15, Coursey 10, Collins 3, Perry 4
Crittenden County (21-9) – Boone 25, Federico 15, Evans 8, Hodge 6, Rushing 6, Stewart 4
