For about the second straight season, the Livingston Central Lady Cardinals return its entire roster. However, there is one big change facing the team in 2024-25 as former Cardinal player T.J. Palmer takes over as head coach. While it will be a season of adjustment for the Lady Cardinals, very few in the region have returned its entire roster in two consecutive seasons.
The Lady Cardinals are led by senior Victoria Joiner (12.3 ppg.), a 6-1 senior who can play any position on the floor and is closing in on 1,500 career points. Joiner primarily played the two-guard position last year but at times was tasked with bringing the ball up the floor against pressure and as the tallest player on the team had to wait inside for rebounds.
If she wasn’t collecting a rebound, odds were, senior Emersyn Ramage was getting the board. The 5-11 senior averaged eight points and 10 rebounds a game last year. She should collect her 1,000th career rebound in January and join Joiner, who reached the milestone in last year’s postseason.
Livingston Central also has a bevy of experienced guards returning for Palmer. Junior Aubrey Leahy (8 ppg.) and senior Maggie Downey (9 ppg.) can both run the point and have both shown signs of being able to score from the outside.
Another player whose physical growth will be noticeable is freshman Taylor Leahy who was pressed into the lineup as a middle schooler and responded with five points a game.
Senior Mikaela Holman and sophomore Neveah Jennings also saw time last year and give Palrmer some added depth.
Freshmen Brooklyn Collins, Reese Palmer, Chloe Doyle, and Jayden Meyers give the coach a deeper bench and a chance to work them together for the future along with Leahy.
BIG GAMES
Livingston Central’s schedule takes on a different look with three schools – Graves County (Dec. 3), Marshall County (Dec. 14), and Calloway County (Feb. 1) – that are usually in the mix for a First Region title.
The Lady Cardinals will also play district rival Crittenden County three times, including once in the opening round of the All A Classic region tournament.
Livingston Central will also be making a trip to Florida after Christmas to play in the Marlin Christmas Tournament.
UNDER THE RADAR PLAYER
Taylor Leahy hit the second-most 3-pointers on the team and led the Lady Cardinals at the free throw line (72%). While the experienced players receive the lion’s share of attention from their opponents, Leahy could prove to be the X Factor on this team, especially if she can knock down outside shots consistently.
Teams may look to play a zone to counter Livingston’s size and athletic ability inside, which not only leaves Leahy and her sister on the perimeter, but Downey as well. With her added height, Leahy will also take on a bigger defensive role this year.
OUTLOOK
Once again, this is an experienced Lady Cardinal team that will take to the floor and will play a physical style. However, Palmer has to find some depth, especially from his younger players as their aggressive style has also resulted in foul trouble at inopportune times.
