Hopkins County Central and Madisonville-North Hopkins keep trading the girls’ 7th District basketball championship.
The schools have passed the big trophy back and forth for six straight years after the Lady Storm held off the Lady Maroons 50-44 in Friday’s final at Caldwell County’s CAB gym.
Since 2020, Madisonville has won the district championship on even years while Hopkins Central has claimed the title on odd years.
Friday night in Princeton, it was a hot start and a balanced effort that allowed the Lady Storm to keep that trend going.
Top-seeded Hopkins Central (19-13) built a 23-10 lead early in the second quarter before Madisonville (15-10) started chipping away.
The Lady Maroons got to within 25-16 at halftime, then cut the gap to just three points, 27-24, following Macy Wright’s bucket from in close midway through the third period.
But just as it looked like Madisonville had the momentum, Kenzleigh Harrison buried a 3-pointer at the other end and the tide turned again.
The Lady Storm went on to extend the lead back to double digits at 42-32 early in the fourth quarter.
Again, though, the Lady Maroons regrouped to get back in it.
Madisonville leading scorer Riley Sword was limited to just eight points in the contest. However, she buried a 3-pointer that pulled the Lady Maroons within 44-42 with still 3:31 to play.
But Madisonville could just never draw even after falling behind early in the contest.
A Calajia Mason jumper made it 46-42.
Tyah White made one of two free throws with 2:28 remaining to put Hopkins Central up 47-42.
Madisonville kept its hopes alive on a short baseline jumper by Sadie Kirk. That cut the gap to three with 56 seconds to play.
A Hopkins Central turnover then gave the ball right back to the Lady Maroons. But a corner jumper came up empty.
The Lady Storm gained some breathing room with 38 seconds to go when White took a midcourt inbounds pass from Harrison and drove in to score to push the margin back to five at 49-44.
Addie Menser made the first of two free throws with 20 seconds left to make it 50-44.
White led Hopkins Central with 14 points while Menser added 12 and Mason finished with 11.
Macy Wright topped Madisonville with 16 points. Taylor Nelson added nine.
Both the Lady Storm and the Lady Maroons will play in the 2nd Region tournament next week at Christian County.
Madisonville-NH 10 6 12 16 — 44
Hopkins Central 19 6 15 10 — 50
Madisonville-North Hopkins (15-10)—Wright 16, Nelson 9, Sword 8, Bryant 7, Kirk 4.
Hopkins County Central (19-13)—White 14, Menser 12, Mason 11, Harrison 6, Marsh 5, Dulin 2.
