By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Campbell County won 22 games and made it to the championship game of the 10th Region girls basketball tournament with a young team that relied on two sophomores for most of its scoring.
But the Camels’ surprising season ended Saturday when they lost to perennial power George Rogers Clark, 73-36, in the region final at Bourbon County High School.
This is the third consecutive season that GRC (30-4) has won the 10th Region title. The Cardinals were ranked No . 3 in the final state media poll and won their region playoff games by margins of 28, 59 and 47 points.
After taking a 22-9 lead in the first quarter of Saturday’s championship game, GRC outscored Campbell County, 17-4, to extend the margin to 39-13 at halftime. The Cardinals continued to pull away in the second half and now have a 36-0 record against 10th Region opponents over three seasons.
There were 11 players in GRC’s scoring column, led by sophomore Teigh Yeast with 23 points. Campbell County’s leading scorer was senior Allison Collins with 14 points.
Collins was one of three Camels named to the region all-tournament team along with sophomore Izzy Jayasuriya and freshman Stella Brockman.
George Rogers Clark will play top-ranked Louisville Sacred Heart in the first round of the “Sweet 16” girls state tournament at 6 p.m. Thursday at Rupp Arena. Last year, Sacred Heart won a state semifinal between the two teams, 57-53, and went to win its third straight state championship.
Northern Kentucky boys basketball teams will play in five region semifinal games over the next two days. The 9th Region matchups on Sunday at Truist Arena are defending champion Newport vs. Lloyd at 2 p.m. and Cooper vs. Covington Catholic at 3:30 p.m.
Basketball region tournament schedules
9TH REGION BOYS AT NKU TRUIST ARENA
Sunday — Semifinals
Lloyd (25-8) vs. Newport (30-3), 2 p.m.
Covington Catholic (26-5) vs. Cooper (23-8), 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
10TH REGION BOYS AT MASON COUNTY
Monday
Mason County (21-11) vs. Harrison County (16-14), 6 p.m.
Campbell County (24-6) vs. George Rogers Clark (30-2), 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
8TH REGION BOYS AT HENRY COUNTY
Monday
Simon Kenton (17-15) vs. North Oldham (26-5), 6:30 p.m.
Walton-Verona (23-10) vs. Spencer County (23-9), 8 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.