Thanks to St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine for sponsoring our girls’ high school basketball coverage this season. See all of our girls’ basketball stories here and watch for state tournament coverage March 9-13 from BB&T Arena on the campus of Northern Kentucky University.
Walton-Verona put on an impressive shooting performance in the opening game of the 8th Region girls’ basketball tournament and defeated Anderson County, 64-47, on Monday at Shelby County High School.
The Bearcats shot 51 percent (18 of 35) from the field and made 25 of 32 free throws against the team that knocked them off in the regional tournament the last two years.
Walton-Verona’s leading scorer was senior forward Hailey Ison with 25 points. She was 5-for-6 from the field with one 3-pointer and made all 14 of her free throws. Her team ended up outscoring Anderson County, 25-9, at the line.
Senior forward Morgan Simpson scored 12 points for the Bearcats and sophomore guard Rachel Lehkamp had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Walton-Verona (24-8) will play Trimble County (22-7) in the 8th Region semifinals at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The game will be a rematch of this year’s 8th Region All “A” Classic final. Walton-Verona won that game, 60-48.
WALTON-VERONA 15 12 13 24 — 64
ANDERSON COUNTY 2 19 11 15 — 47
WALTON-VERONA (24-8): Ison 4 14 25, Simpson 3 0 12, Lehkamp 3 4 10, DeZarn 1 6 8, Anderson 3 0 6, Rodgers 1 1 3. Totals 15 21 64.
ANDERSON COUNTY (22-10): Currens 2 2 12, Sims 4 2 10, Rogers 3 3 9, Ruble 0 2 8, Aldridge 0 0 6, Harley 1 0 2. Totals 10 9 47.
3-point goals: WV — Ison, Simpson 2. AC — Currens 2, Ruble 2, Aldridge 2.
RYLE 61, ST. HENRY 32 — Ryle dominated the boards and got an impressive shooting performance from eighth-grade point guard Maddie Scherr in the first round of the 9th Region tournament at BB&T Arena.
Scherr swished five 3-point shots and scored a season-high 19 points for the Raiders. She made three of her long-range bombs during her team’s 19-7 scoring run in the third quarter that gave Ryle a 45-24 lead.
“She did play extremely well and she’s feeling very comfortable in her spot now,” Ryle coach Katie Haitz said of Scherr. “She knows the game very well and she sees the floor extremely well. ”
The Raiders finished with a 32-21 advantage in total rebounds. The team leader was senior Mallory Schwartz with eight. She also scored 10 points.
“They were very aggressive on the boards and I hope that continues,” coach Haitz said of her players.
Ryle (23-6) will play Highlands (22-10) in a regional semifinal game at noon on Saturday. The Raiders won the regular-season game between the two teams, 51-40, on their home court.
“They’re an aggressive team, just like we are,” Haitz said of Highlands. “I think it’s going to be a good match-up.”
RYLE 15 11 19 16 — 61
ST. HENRY 10 7 7 8 — 32
RYLE (23-6): Scherr 7 0 19, Jones 3 2 9, M. schwartz 3 3 10, Lange 2 6 10, Williams 1 0 2, Miller 2 0 4, Branson 1 0 2, l. Schwartz 2 0 5. Totals: 21 11 61.
ST. HENRY (13-19): Potts 1 0 3, Millay 4 0 9, Darlington 2 0 4, Iloegbunam 1 4 6, Kellam 0 1 1, Kosco 1 0 3, Landry 1 1 3, Ives 1 0 3. Totals: 11 5 32.
3-point goals: R — Scherr 5, Jones, M. Schwartz, L. Schwartz. SH — Potts, Millay, Kosco, Ives.
CAMPBELL COUNTY 72, HARRISON COUNTY 36 — The Camels took a 31-18 lead in the first half and surpassed the 70-point mark for the eighth time this season in the opening round of the 10th Region tournament at Campbell County Middle School.
Senior guard Taylor Jolly made five 3-point goals and finished with a game-high 23 points for Campbell County. The team’s other double-figure scorers were senior guard Kylie Kramer with 19 and sophomore guard Taylor Clos with 14. Harrison County’s leading scorer was Madison Philpott with 18.
Campbell County (22-9) will play Clark County (18-10) in the 10th Region semifinals at 6 p.m. Friday. The two teams did not face each other during the regular season.
HARRISON COUNTY (8-24) – Philpott 6 6 18, Kellione 6 2 14, Darnell 2 0 4. Totals 14 8 36.
CAMPBELL COUNTY (22-9) – Jolly 8 2 23, Kramer 7 3 19, Clos 5 3 14, M. Schwarber 3 1 7, Turner 2 0 4, H. Schwarber 1 1 3, Fornash 0 1 1, Keeton 0 1 1. Totals 26 12 72.
3-point goals: CC — Jolly 5, Kramer 2, Clos.