By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
After taking a 16-7 lead in the first quarter, Simon Kenton had more turnovers than field goals during the rest of the game and lost to Frederick Douglass, 48-39, in the opening round of the “Sweet 16” girls state tournament on Wednesday at Rupp Arena.
The Pioneers were limited to 5, 7 and 11 points in the final three quarters of the season ending loss. They ended up committing 16 turnovers and shooting 40 percent (16 of 40) from the field.
It was a disappointing demise for Simon Kenton (26-5). The team had won 12 straight games, including an upset victory over top-ranked Louisville Sacred Heart, with three juniors, one sophomore and one freshman in the starting lineup.
“Knowing it’s our last year next year, I don’t want this feeling again,” junior Anna Kelch said in the postgame interview. “We’re going to work in the off-season. We’re going to come back and we’re going to do wonders next year. We’re doing way better than what we did is year. We’re not feeling this again, not for our last year.”
A 3-pointer by Kelch sparked a 14-2 run that gave the Pioneers a 21-9 lead early in the second quarter of Wednesday’s game.
During that spurt, freshman Bella Ober made a pair of field goals and junior Meg Gadzalla capped it off with a trey on her first field goal attempt.
In the final four minutes of the first half, however, Frederick Douglass stepped up its defense and went on an 11-0 run with five points coming off turnovers to cut the Pioneers’ lead to 21-20 at halftime.
Eighth-grade guard Tamia Waide scored seven of her 15 first-half points in the final four minutes of the half for the Broncos. At the break, Simon Kenton was shooting 43 percent (8 of 15) from the field compared to 33 percent (7 of 18) for Frederick Douglass.
“We played a great first quarter,” said Simon Kenton coach Jeff Stowers. “We played our defense, we played our style. And then we kind of got loose with the ball. In the second quarter, they had an 11-0 run. It’s a typical defensive game that we play, but if we’re not scoring on the offensive end it’s not helping us that much.”
There were three lead chances early in the third quarter that ended with the Broncos holding a 32-28 lead. In the final second of that period, Simon Kenton sophomore point guard Brynli Pernell took a charge and came up with blood over her eye, but she returned to action wearing a bandage.
Simon Kenton was outscored 11-4 in the first five minutes of the final quarter. After the Broncos took a 43-32 lead on a 3-pointer by sophomore Jaelee Knowles at the 3:00 mark, the closest the Pioneers were able to get was nine points.
Frederick Douglass ended up shooting 53.1 percent (17 of 32) from the field after connecting on 10 of 14 shots in the second half. Simon Kenton was 8-of-25 from the field in the second half and shot 40 percent (16 of 40) overall.
The Pioneers’ only double-figure scorer was Pernell with 12 points. The Broncos were led by Waide and Knowles with 18 and 17 points. Those two players made 13 of their 17 field goal attempts. Knowles also had nine rebounds and blocked five shots.
SIMON KENTON 16 5 7 11 — 39
FREDERICK DOUGLASS 7 13 12 16 — 48
SIMON KENTON (26-5): Pernell 5-13 2-2 12, Gadzalla 1-2 0-0 3, Ober 3-8 0-0 6, Kelch 3-10 0-0 8, Webb 3-5 1-3 7, Niece 1-1 0-0 2, Kabeya o-o 1-2 1. Totals: 16-40 4-7 39.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS (26-7): Waide 7-8 2-2 18, Knowles 6-9 4-4 17, Okorley 3-4 0-0 6, Bennett 0-3 5-6 5, Carr 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 17-32 11-12 48.
Three-point goals: SK — Kelch 2, Gadzalla. FD — Waide 2, Knowles.
Girls basketball state tournament at Rupp Arena
THURSDAY — LOWER BRACKET
Louisville Scared Heart (31-3) vs. Johnson Central (27-3), 11 a.m.
COOPER (25-5) vs. Louisville Mercy (19-14), 1:30 p.m.
Henderson County (27-5) vs. Marshall County (25-6), 6 p.m.
Danville Christian (25-7) vs. Daviess County (20-12), 8:30 p.m.x
FRIDAY
North Laurel (32-2) vs. George Rogers Clark (25-7), 11 a.m.
Taylor County (24-8) vs. Frederick Douglass (26-7), 1:30 p.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 6 and 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY
Semifinal games, 11 a.m. and 1:30 pm.
Championship game, 7:30 p.m.