Marshall County and Bethlehem High School – the girl’s First Region champion and Fifth Region runner-up from last season, both pre-season region favorites and two top 10 teams – played in Bardstown on Friday in the season-opener for the Lady Marshals. It was the third game for the pre-season #5 ranked Banshees who came in 2-0 with wins over Washington County (79-15) and Thomas Nelson (82-53).
It’s been a long wait for Head Coach Aaron Beth and the Lady Marshals to get back on the court in competition after their March 12th Sweet 16 game at Rupp Arena against Henderson County was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic – just as they were about to take the floor. Add to that, a delay to the start of this season by more than a month when the KHSAA Board of Controls approved the Jan. 4 start date.
Nearly the entire 2019-20 Lady Marshals team returns – having no seniors on last year’s squad – along with the addition of senior Sophie Galloway who made the move from Graves County last year and the return of senior Gabbi Lovett who did not play her junior season.
The Lady Marshals jumped out to an early 6-0 lead behind a three point play by junior Jada Driver, basket by junior Halle Langhi and free throws from senior Cayson Conner before Bethlehem got on the board on a basket by freshman Carlie Thurmond. The Lady Marshals continued to hold the lead until Thurmond put the Banshees up 12-11 for their first lead of the game and they finished out the first quarter on top 17-13 following a 3-pointer from senior Ella Thompson, Bethlehem’s leading scorer.
Senior Amelia Hodges hit a three to start the second quarter on a 20-13 Bethlehem lead before eight straight points by Langhi put the Lady Marshals back up 21-20. Driver dropped in the first three of the game for the Lady Marshals for a 24-22 lead and they would stay within one, trailing Bethlehem 30-29 at halftime.
Hodges opened the third quarter just like the second, sinking a three to put the Banshees up by four. A bucket by Langhi cut it to two before a 5-0 run by Bethlehem led to a time out from Head Coach Aaron Beth. Back to back threes from Hodges and Thurmond quickly put Bethlehem up 44-31, going on to out-score the Lady Marshals 24-10 to take a 15 point lead into the fourth.
Bethlehem’s lead stretched to 17 points before the Lady Marshals began to chip away on free throws by Galloway, a three from Layne Pea that cut it to 10 points and two threes from Driver in the closing seconds to trim Bethlehem’s lead down to seven at the final buzzer.
Thompson, who led Bethlehem with 23 points, proved a difficult matchup for the Lady Marshals and the Banshees big third quarter run was too much for them to overcome.
Langhi led the Lady Marshals with 23 points, followed by Driver with 14 and Cayson Conner with 12.
The Lady Marshals will head to Bowling Green for a 2:00 game on Saturday to play the Lady Purples, champions of the Fourth Region last season and another team whose state tournament appearance abruptly ended, scheduled to take the floor at the Sweet Sixteen following the Marshall County-Henderson County game.
Marshall 13 16 10 21 – 60
Bethlehem 17 13 24 13 – 67
SCORING
Marshall: Langhi 23, Driver 12, Conner 12, Galloway 6, Pea 5
Bethlehem: Thompson 23, Hodges 20, Thurmond 9, Spaulding 7, Filiatreau 5, Bishop 3