By Audrey Carrico
NKyTribune sports reporter
For the second consecutive year, Simon Kenton is headed to Rupp Arena as the 8th Region girls basketball champion. The Pioneers claimed the title Saturday night with a definitive 63-36 victory over Anderson County in the region final at Henry County.
Ranked No. 3 in the final state media poll, Simon Kenton (31-2) will play No. 14 Ashland Blazer (26-5) in the first round of the state tournament at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Rupp Arena.
From the tip, Simon Kenton controlled the narrative in the 8th Region final, jumping out to a quick 9-0 lead. Firing on all cylinders, the Pioneers took advantage of Anderson County’s zone defense as their first three baskets came from beyond the 3-point arc.
Anderson County struggled to get scoring opportunities early as the Pioneers’ full-court pressure forced 11 first-half turnovers and held the Bearcats to just four made baskets.
Saturday’s win served as the latest chapter in a suffocating defensive run for Simon Kenton. The Pioneers held each of their three regional tournament opponents under 40 points and have now kept eight straight opponents under the 50-point mark.
Fighting back from a 16-point halftime deficit, Anderson County’s Andie Beasley hit back-to-back 3-pointers to bring the Bearcats within 10 in the third quarter. Simon Kenton suffered a near four-minute scoring drought before eighth-grader Angela Kabaya and senior Brynli Pernell each nailed a pair of 3-pointer to dash the Bearcats’ comeback hopes.
Six straight fourth-quarter baskets stretched the Pioneers’ lead to 24, putting a final exclamation point on their tournament dominance and giving coach Jeff Stowers his seventh region title in 22 seasons.
The Pioneers lived by the long ball throughout the tournament, totaling nine 3-pointers in each of their last two games on the heels of a 12-triple performance in the opener against Eminence.
Pernell finished the title game with 19 points and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. The all-tournament team included Kabaya, Bella Ober and Haylie Webb from Simon Kenton and Elin Logue from Walton-Verona.
Simon Kenton has now claimed three of the last four region crowns, including a 2023 title under Brenden Stowers, the current coach’s son.
SIMON KENTON 16 15 8 24 — 63
ANDERSON COUNTY 8 7 6 15 — 36
SIMON KENTON (31-2): Pernell 8 1 19, Sinclair 1 0 3, Couch 1 0 2, Krohman 1 0 3, Ober 3 2 8, Wiggins 1 0 2, Kabeya 6 0 16, Webb 4 0 10. Totals: 25 3 63.
ANDERSON COUNTY (23-10): Rhody 1 0 2, Wells 3 1 8, Cooper 1 0 2, Shouse 2 2 8, Beasley 3 0 9, Jarrard 2 3 7. Totals: 12 6 36.
Three-pointers: SK — Kabaya 4, Pernell 2, Webb 2, Krohman, Sinclair. AC — Beasley 3, Shouse 2, Wells.
George Rogers Clark 74, Campbell County 41
George Rogers Clark took home the 10th Region girls basketball championship trophy for the fifth straight year after defeating Campbell County, 74-41, in the title game on Saturday at Harrison County.
The Cardinals (29-2) finished the regular season ranked No. 1 in the statewide media poll and have won five district and region playoff games by big margins. Campbell County finishes the season with a 23-7 record.
Campbell County players named to the region all-tournament team were seniors Izzy Jayasuriya and Madeleine Barbian and sophomore Addie Davis.