MURRAY – The Lady Marshals beat the Lady Mustangs handily twice during the regular season, by 40 points and 28 points, but it’s March, when you can’t take anything for granted.
“It wasn’t pretty but a win’s a win and you can’t win championships unless you’re there”, Head Coach Joseph Simmons said following the Lady Marshals 37-21 Region 1 semi-final win over McCracken County.
The Lady Mustangs led early following a 3-pointer by Megan Hayden that put them up 6-2 but the Lady Marshals finished the quarter out on a 5-0 run, two points from Lorin Powell and three from Hannah Langhi, to lead 7-6 at the end of the first quarter.
McCracken County spent the start of the second quarter trying to slow down the pace and with a foul on Sarah Adams, tied the game 7-7 at the free throw line. From there it was all Marshall County on a 10-0 run, getting the final four points of the half from Lexee Miller to lead 17-7.
Langhi opened the second half with a couple of free throws before the Lady Mustangs scored the next four points to cut the lead to 19-11. Baskets from Jessica Hicks, Powell and a final three before the buzzer by Miller gave the Lady Marshals a 26-13 lead at the end of the third quarter.
McCracken County began the fourth quarter with five unanswered points to cut the Lady Marshals lead to eight, prompting a quick time out from Simmons with 5:53 on the clock. Out of the time out, the Lady Marshals scored the next eight points, six from Langhi and two by Tera Colson to stretch the lead to 34-18. Each team put up three more points, Langhi with a free throw and field goal and a three by Mary Beavers, to finish out the game.
Simmons in post game comments said nothing’s been easy for his team all season and the fact that they are 27-7, says so much about the four seniors. “They’ve been good leaders all season and we’re going to miss those girls tremendously next year.”
Langhi led all scorers with 16 points and pulled in seven rebounds and with the McCracken County coverage of Miyah Davis, Lexee Miller stepped up, making some key baskets on her way to seven points in the game. The Lady Mustangs turned the ball over 17 times, 10 of which were Lady Marshal steals which led to 16 points.
They will meet Murray, a 57-41 winner over Graves County, in Saturday’s championship game at 7:00 pm.
SCORING
Marshall: Langhi 16, L Miller 7, Powell 6, Colson 4, Henson 2, Hicks 2
McCracken: Hayden 6, Adams 4, Beavers 3, Ellington 3, Blackford 3, Smith 2
Marshall: Field Goals 15/36, 3-pointers 1/6, Free Throws 6/11, Rebounds 24, Fouls 9, Assists 12, Turnovers 7, Steals 10
McCracken: Field Goals 5/23, 3-pointers 3/12, Free Throws 8/13, Rebounds 21, Fouls 13, Assists 4, Turnovers 17
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Marshall | 7 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 37 |
| McCracken | 6 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 21 |
