© 2008 by Ron Harrison
The sixteen teams competing for this year's championship are Marshall County, Henderson County, Ohio County, Franklin-Simpson, Elizabethtown, Butler, DuPont Manual, Simon Kenton, Conner, Montgomery County, Henry Clay, Rockcastle County, South Laurel, Breathitt County, Johnson Central, and Rowan County. The combined record of all sixteen teams is 410-100. The teams competing this year have won a total of six championships.
South Laurel Coach Konnie Snyder started the following lineup: 5-10 So. Kendra Davidson, 5-9 Jr. Porsha Justice, 5-11 Sr. Lauren Wombles, 5-4 So. Jessica Dean, and 5-6 Sr. Johnna Sizemore. DuPont Manual Coach Stacy Pendleton countered with 5-11 Sr. Brittany Wilson, 5-8 Sr. TeAira Epps, 6-1 Jr. Avery Jones, 5-6 Jr. Jordan Trimble, and 5-7 Sr. Danielle Woodmore.
Manual raced out to a 24-6 first quarter lead on their way to a 68-34 victory over South Laurel. Fourteen players logged playing time for Manual with 10 players entering the scoring column. Manual scored 30 points off 26 South Laurel turnovers and held a 21-6 advantage in three point points.
Manual shot 49% from the field including seven of 14 from the three point line. The Lady Crimsons connected on 11 of 22 free throws and pulled down 37 rebounds. South Laurel shot 25% from the field including only two of 16 from beyond the arc. The Lady Cardinals connected on 10 of 12 free throws, grabbed 27 rebounds, and scored seven points off 17 Manual turnovers.
Brittany Wilson led Manual with 26 points and seven rebounds. Avery Jones added 10 points and five rebounds. Lauren Wombles led South Laurel with 16 points and six rebounds. 5-9 Fr. Morgan Johnson added six points.
| DuPont Manual | 68 | South Laurel | 34 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| South Laurel | 6 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 34 |
| DuPont Manual | 24 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 68 |
| South Laurel | (34) - | Davidson 0, Justice 0, Wombles 16, Dean 3, Sizemore 2, M. Johnson 6, Burchett 5, Arthur 2. |
| DuPont Manual | (68) - | Wilson 26, Epps 6, Jones 10, Trimble 4, Woodmore 7, Klein 5, Harbison 2, Shahid-Martin 4, Lauterback 2, Guess 2. |
Breathitt County Coach Peggy Moore started the following lineup: 5-11 Jr. Brittany Haddix, 5-10 8th grader Kendall Noble, 6-2 Sr. Lenae Shouse, 5-3 Sr. Amanda Southwood, and 5-3 Jr. Brittany Hardin. Rowan County Coach Scott Tackett countered with 5-7 Sr. Cassidi Spurlock, 5-7 Sr. Nicole Barr, 5-7 Jr. Amber Riddle, 5-5 Jr. Jennifer Brockman, and 5-5 Jr. Caitlin Martin.
Breathitt County erased a four point deficit at halftime to defeat Rowan County by a score of 60-49. Breathitt County shot 51.3% from the field including zero of two from the three point line. The Lady Cats connected on 20 of 29 free throws, pulled down 46 rebounds, and scored 12 points off 14 Rowan County turnovers. Rowan County shot 27.9% from the field including six of 26 from beyond the arc. The Lady Vikings connected on nine of 15 free throws, grabbed 28 rebounds, and scored 16 points off 27 Breathitt County turnovers.
Kendall Noble led the victors with 16 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and five blocked shots. Amanda Southwood also recorded 16 points. Brittany Haddix added 13 points and nine rebounds. Lenae Shouse chipped in with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Cassidi Spurlock, Caitlin Martin, and Jennifer Brockman led Rowan County with eight points each. Amber Riddle added seven points and seven rebounds.
| Breathitt County | 60 | Rowan County | 49 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Breathitt County | 16 | 8 | 13 | 23 | 60 |
| Rowan County | 13 | 15 | 6 | 15 | 49 |
| Breathitt County | (60) - | Haddix 13, Noble 16, Shouse 12, Southwood 16, Hardin 3. |
| Rowan County | (49) - | Spurlock 8, Barr 6, Riddle 7, Brockman 8, Martin 8, Hamilton 3, Muncy 3, Kiser 1, Kissinger 5. |
Butler Coach Eddy Wilson started the following lineup: 5-9 Sr. Tia Gibbs, 5-9 Sr. Brittany Harris, 5-10 Jr. Tiara Hopper, 5-7 Sr. Kara Pile, and 5-5 Jr. Shontel Bates. Marshall County Coach Howard Beth countered with 6-1 Jr. Jessica Holder, 5-10 Sr. Ashley Smith, 5-11 Jr. Hannah Ellis, 5-5 Fr. Margaret Thomas, and 5-7 Sr. Kara Fisk.
Butler scored 28 points off 29 Marshall County turnovers in a 65-38 victory. Butler shot 42.6% from the field including five of 18 from the three point line. The Bearettes connected on eight of 15 free throws and pulled down 40 rebounds. Marshall County shot 31.1% from the field including three of nine from beyond the arc. The Lady Marshalls connected on seven of 11 free throws and grabbed 32 rebounds.
Tia Gibbs led Butler with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and four steals. Tiara Hopper added 13 points and nine rebounds. Jessica Holder led Marshall County with 12 points and nine rebounds. Ashley Smith added nine points and eight rebounds.
| Butler | 65 | Marshall County | 38 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Butler | 15 | 17 | 19 | 14 | 65 |
| Marshall County | 9 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 38 |
| Butler | (65) - | Gibbs 21, Harris 7, Hopper 13, Pile 7, Bates 3, Wheat 5, Cureton 2, Reed 7. |
| Marshall County | (38) - | Holder 12, Smith 9, Ellis 3, Thomas 4, Fisk 0, Tabor 3, Hall 3, Lawson 2, Bohannon 2. |
Ohio County Coach Brad Johnson started the following lineup: 5-8 Sr. Jensen Keown, 5-4 Fr. Arielle Keown, 6-0 So. Olivia Millsaps, 5-7 Sr. Courtney Albin, and 5-6 Jr. Mariah Robinson. Rockcastle County Coach Chrysti Noble countered with 6-1 Fr. Sarah Hammond, 5-10 Jr. Ashley Robinson, 5-4 Jr. Katy Mattingly, 5-4 Jr. Mary Saylor, and 5-10 Sr. Sarah Rowe.
Ohio County overcame a 32-24 deficit at halftime to defeat Rockcastle County 60-56. Ohio County shot 38.3% from the field including only two of 18 from the three point line. The Lady Eagles connected on 12 of 23 free throws, pulled down 36 rebounds, and scored 26 points off 29 Rockcastle County turnovers. Rockcastle County shot 41.7% from the field including two of four from beyond the arc. The Lady Rockets connected on 14 of 24 free throws, grabbed 41 rebounds, and scored 11 points off 23 Ohio County turnovers.
Mariah Robinson led Ohio County with 24 points, six rebounds, and six steals. Jensen Keown added 14 points and seven rebounds. Courtney Albin chipped in with 11 points. Sarah Rowe led Rockcastle County with 20 points. Sarah Hammond added eight points and pulled down 18 rebounds.
| Ohio County | 60 | Rockcastle County | 56 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Ohio County | 12 | 12 | 19 | 17 | 60 |
| Rockcastle County | 17 | 15 | 7 | 17 | 56 |
| Ohio County | (60) - | J. Keown 14, A. Keown 6, Millsaps 2, Albin 11, Robinson 24, Henderson 3. |
| Rockcastle County | (56) - | Hammond 8, Robinson 7, Mattingly 7, Saylor 0, Rowe 20, Locklear 2, Lawrence 4, Collins 8. |
Henderson County Coach Jeff Haile started the following lineup: 5-10 Sr. Whitney Bingemer, 6-0 Jr. Danielle Dixon, 6-1 Jr. Alyse Poindexter, 5-6 Sr. Aubri Klutey, and 5-7 Sr. Rinesha Soaper. Conner Coach Kim Warfield countered with 5-10 Sr. Stephanie Hodges, 5-9 Sr. Jordan Kremer, 5-10 Jr. Gela Haynes, 5-6 Jr. Allison Long, and 5-7 So. Denin Beasley.
Alyse Poindexter and Rinesha Soaper combined for 46 points to lead Henderson County to a 60-47 victory over Conner. Henderson County shot 47.3% from the field including two of eight from the three point line. The Lady Colonels connected on six of 11 free throws, pulled down 35 rebounds, and scored 15 points off 15 Conner turnovers. Conner shot 32.1% from the field including only one of 14 from beyond the arc. The Lady Cougars connected on 10 of 15 free throws, grabbed 32 rebounds, and scored nine points off 14 Henderson County turnovers.
Alyse Poindexter led Henderson County with 27 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocked shots. Rinesha Soaper added 19 points. Allison Long led Conner with 15 points. Stephanie Hodges added 10 points and nine rebounds.
| Henderson County | 60 | Conner | 47 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Henderson County | 12 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 60 |
| Conner | 13 | 5 | 21 | 8 | 47 |
| Henderson County | (60) - | Bingemer 8, Dixon 4, Poindexter 27, Klutey 2, Soaper 19. |
| Conner | (47) - | Hodges 10, Kremer 6, Haynes 6, Long 15, Beasley 6, Johns 4. |
Elizabethtown Coach Tim Mudd started the following lineup: 5-11 Sr. Alisa Dickerson, 5-8 Jr. Dorian Downs, 6-0 Jr. Alex Jones, 5-5 Fr. Natalie Greenwell, and 5-8 Sr. Jenna Goblirsch. Johnson Central Coach Phillip Wireman countered with 6-0 Jr. Celena Conley, 5-11 Jr. Breanna Salyer, 6-1 Jr. Emily Wireman, 5-9 Jr. Hayley Meek, and 5-6 Jr. Chelsey Salyers.
Elizabethtown scored 31 points off 29 Johnson Central turnovers in a 51-31 victory. Elizabethtown shot 38.6% from the field including three of 13 from the three point line. The Lady Panthers connected on 14 of 21 free throws and pulled down 29 rebounds. Johnson Central shot 30% from the field including only two of 17 from beyond the arc. The Lady Eagles connected on five of eight free throws, grabbed 34 rebounds, and scored 12 points off 16 Elizabethtown turnovers.
Jenna Goblirsch led Elizabethtown with 22 points and six steals. Alex Jones added 10 points, nine rebounds, and four blocked shots. Celena Conley led Johnson Central with nine points and 10 rebounds.
| Elizabethtown | 51 | Johnson Central | 31 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Elizabethtown | 12 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 51 |
| Johnson Central | 6 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 31 |
| Elizabethtown | (51) - | Dickerson 6, Downs 0, Jones 10, Greenwell 7, Goblirsch 22, Luckett 2, French 1, Deaderick 3. |
| Johnson Central | (31) - | Conley 9, Salyer 4, E. Wireman 0, Meek 4, Salyers 6, Burton 2, Young 6. |
Franklin-Simpson Coach Lex Lindsey started the following lineup: 5-9 Jr. Brittany Payne, 5-6 Jr. Drea Gooch, 6-2 Fr. Chasity Gooch, 5-7 Jr. Dominique Cook, and 5-8 Sr. Kelleshia Cook. Simon Kenton Coach Jeff Stowers countered with 6-0 Jr. Kayla Smith, 5-7 Sr. Jessica Farris, 5-11 Sr. Sam Wormald, 5-6 Sr. Lauren Conley, and 5-5 Jr. Chelsea Tolliver.
Franklin-Simpson outscored Simon Kenton 14-2 in the final quarter to earn a 54-40 victory. Franklin-Simpson shot 42.6% from the field including two of 13 from the three point line. The Lady Wildcats connected on 12 of 20 free throws, pulled down 30 rebounds, and scored 11 points off 20 Simon Kenton turnovers. Simon Kenton shot 32.7% from the field including two of 18 from beyond the arc. The Lady Pioneers connected on four of four free throws, grabbed 32 rebounds, and scored seven points off 14 Franklin-Simpson turnovers.
Chasity Gooch led Franklin-Simpson with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and eight blocked shots. Kelleshia Cook added 10 points. Lauren Conley led Simon Kenton with 10 points. Jessica Farris added eight points. Kayla Smith chipped in with six points and nine rebounds.
| Franklin-Simpson | 54 | Simon Kenton | 40 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Franklin-Simpson | 18 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 54 |
| Simon Kenton | 6 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 40 |
| Franklin-Simpson | (54) - | Payne 6, D. Gooch 5, C. Gooch 26, D. Cook 3, K. Cook 10, Brown 4. |
| Simon Kenton | (40) - | Smith 6, Farris 8, Wormald 4, Conley 10, Tolliver 4, C. Figgins 6, Brown 2. |
Montgomery County Coach Janie Robinson started the following lineup: 5-11 Jr. Elizabeth Prewitt, 5-4 Jr. Katie Jo Thompson, 6-3 So. Mary Jehlik, 5-7 Jr. Mackenzie Lee, and 5-8 Sr. Maggie Prewitt. Henry Clay Coach Scott Cromwell countered with 5-11 Jr. Brittany Coles, 5-6 Sr. Hanna Blankenship, 6-2 Sr. Gwen Rucker, 5-5 Sr. Demetria Nichols, and 5-5 Sr. Raven Pricen.
Montgomery County led 50-38 at the end of three quarters and held off a fourth quarter rally by Henry Clay to earn a 65-61 victory. Montgomery County's Gwen Rucker was held to 20:35 of playing time due to foul woes and Montgomery County held a 38-28 advantage in rebounds. The victorious Lady Indians held an 18-4 advantage in bench scoring.
Montgomery County shot 51.2% from the field including one of seven from the three point line. The Lady Indians connected on 20 of 31 free throws and scored 10 points off 16 Henry Clay turnovers. Henry Clay shot 38.7% from the field including seven of 17 from beyond the arc. The Lady Blue Devils connected on six of 11 free throws and scored 16 points off 23 Montgomery County turnovers.
Maggie Prewitt led the victors with 19 points and 13 rebounds. 5-11 Jr. Kayla Webb added 13 points and eight rebounds. Mackenzie Lee and Elizabeth Prewitt chipped in with 11 and 10 points respectively. Brittany Coles led Henry Clay with 14 points including three three point baskets. Demetria Nichols, Hanna Blankenship, and Gwen Rucker added 12, 12, and 10 points respectively.
| Montgomery County | 65 | Henry Clay | 61 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Montgomery County | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 65 |
| Henry Clay | 10 | 14 | 14 | 23 | 61 |
| Montgomery County | (65) - | E. Prewitt 10, Thompson 0, Jehlik 7, Lee 11, M. Prewitt 19, Webb 13, Colliver 5. |
| Henry Clay | (61) - | Coles 14, Blankenship 12, Rucker 10, Nichols 12, Price 9, Hamilton 2, Morgan 2. |
Breathitt County Coach Peggy Moore started the following lineup: 5-11 Jr. Brittany Haddix, 5-10 8th grader Kendall Noble, 6-2 Sr. Lenae Shouse, 5-3 Sr. Amanda Southwood, and 5-3 Jr. Brittany Hardin. DuPont Manual Coach Stacy Pendleton countered with 5-11 Sr. Brittany Wilson, 5-8 Sr. TeAira Epps, 6-1 Jr. Avery Jones, 5-6 Jr. Jordan Trimble, and 5-7 Sr. Danielle Woodmore.
Manual defeated Breathitt County by a score of 52-31.
Manual shot 40.5% from the field including four of 13 from the three point line. The Lady Crimsons connected on 14 of 19 free throws, pulled down 29 rebounds, and scored 20 points off 22 Breathitt County turnovers. Breathitt County shot 31.3% from the field including two of eight from beyond the arc. The Lady Cats connected on nine of 13 free throws, grabbed 23 rebounds, and scored 12 points off 19 Manual turnovers.
Danielle Woodmore led Manual with 17 points. Brittany Wilson added 16 points and nine rebounds. Kendall Noble and Lenae Shouse led Breathitt County with 10 and nine points respectively.
| DuPont Manual | 52 | Breathitt County | 31 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Breathitt County | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 31 |
| DuPont Manual | 14 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 52 |
| Breathitt County | (31) - | Haddix 4, Noble 10, Shouse 9, Southwood 3, Hardin 3, Bowen 2. |
| DuPont Manual | (52) - | Wilson 16, Epps 9, Jones 2, Trimble 6, Woodmore 17, Shahid-Martin 2. |
Ohio County Coach Brad Johnson started the following lineup: 5-8 Sr. Jensen Keown, 5-4 Fr. Arielle Keown, 6-0 So. Olivia Millsaps, 5-7 Sr. Courtney Albin, and 5-6 Jr. Mariah Robinson. Butler Coach Eddy Wilson countered with 5-9 Sr. Tia Gibbs, 5-9 Sr. Brittany Harris, 5-10 Jr. Tiara Hopper, 5-7 Sr. Kara Pile, and 5-5 Jr. Shontel Bates.
Butler pulled away in the second half to defeat Ohio County 84-65. Butler held a 40-28 advantage in rebounds and a 16-2 advantage in second chance points.
Butler shot 47.7% from the field including two of seven from the three point line. The Bearettes connected on 20 of 31 free throws and scored 24 points off 21 Ohio County turnovers. Ohio County shot 46.7% from the field including seven of 14 from beyond the arc. The Lady Eagles connected on 16 of 21 free throws and scored 14 points off 15 Butler turnovers.
Tia Gibbs led Butler with 31 points and 15 rebounds. Tiara Hopper added 28 points and 10 rebounds. Mariah Robinson led Ohio County with 26 points. Arielle Keown added 13 points including three three point baskets.
| Butler | 84 | Ohio County | 65 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Ohio County | 15 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 65 |
| Butler | 20 | 18 | 22 | 24 | 84 |
| Ohio County | (65) - | J. Keown 6, A. Keown 13, Millsaps 2, Albin 6, Robinson 26, Henderson 3, Jurgens 6, Barnwell 3. |
| Butler | (84) - | Gibbs 31, Harris 6, Hopper 28, Pile 2, Bates 0, Wheat 8, Cureton 1, Reed 8. |
Elizabethtown Coach Tim Mudd started the following lineup: 5-11 Sr. Alisa Dickerson, 5-8 Jr. Dorian Downs, 6-0 Jr. Alex Jones, 5-5 Fr. Natalie Greenwell, and 5-8 Sr. Jenna Goblirsch. Henderson County Coach Jeff Haile countered with 5-10 Sr. Whitney Bingemer, 6-0 Jr. Danielle Dixon, 6-1 Jr. Alyse Poindexter, 5-6 Sr. Aubri Klutey, and 5-7 Sr. Rinesha Soaper.
Elizabethtown utilized good shooting from the field (50%) and free throw line (93.3%) to defeat Henderson County by a score of 57-33.
Elizabethtown shot 50% from the field including three of six from the three point line. The Lady Panthers connected on 14 of 15 free throws, pulled down 31 rebounds, and scored 15 points off 13 Henderson County turnovers. Henderson County shot 27.1% from the field including three of 16 from beyond the arc. The Lady Colonels connected on four of six free throws, grabbed 25 rebounds, and scored seven points off 12 Elizabethtown turnovers.
Alex Jones led Elizabethtown with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Whitney Bingemer led Henderson County with 17 points. Alyse Poindexter added 10 points and nine rebounds.
| Elizabethtown | 57 | Henderson County | 33 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Elizabethtown | 18 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 57 |
| Henderson County | 11 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 33 |
| Elizabethtown | (57) - | Dickerson 5, Downs 8, Jones 23, Greenwell 8, Goblirsch 9, Deaderick 4. |
| Henderson County | (33) - | Bingemer 11, Dixon 4, Poindexter 10, Klutey 2, Soaper 6. |
Montgomery County Coach Janie Robinson started the following lineup: 5-11 Jr. Elizabeth Prewitt, 5-4 Jr. Katie Jo Thompson, 6-3 So. Mary Jehlik, 5-7 Jr. Mackenzie Lee, and 5-8 Sr. Maggie Prewitt. Franklin-Simpson Coach Lex Lindsey countered with 5-9 Jr. Brittany Payne, 5-6 Jr. Drea Gooch, 6-2 Fr. Chasity Gooch, 5-7 Jr. Dominique Cook, and 5-8 Sr. Kelleshia Cook.
Franklin-Simpson defeated Montgomery County by a score of 55-49. Franklin-Simpson shot 41.3% from the field including four of 13 from the three point line. The Lady Wildcats connected on 13 of 14 free throws, pulled down 37 rebounds, and scored 10 points off 11 Montgomery County turnovers. Montgomery County shot 29.6% from the field including four of 13 from beyond the arc. The Lady Indians connected on 13 of 18 free throws, grabbed 34 rebounds, and scored 17 points off 14 Franklin-Simpson turnovers.
Kelleshia Cook, Drea Gooch, and Brittany Payne led Franklin-Simpson with 12 points each. Chasity Gooch added 11 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and seven blocked shots. Maggie Prewitt led Montgomery County with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Mackenzie Lee also recorded 12 points.
| Franklin-Simpson | 55 | Montgomery County | 49 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Montgomery County | 10 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 49 |
| Franklin-Simpson | 15 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 55 |
| Montgomery County | (49) - | E. Prewitt 2, Thompson 8, Jehlik 7, Lee 12, M. Prewitt 12, Webb 6, Colliver 2. |
| Franklin-Simpson | (55) - | Payne 12, D. Gooch 12, C. Gooch 11, D. Cook 5, K. Cook 12, Hilliard 3. |
Butler Coach Eddy Wilson started the following lineup: 5-9 Sr. Tia Gibbs, 5-9 Sr. Brittany Harris, 5-10 Jr. Tiara Hopper, 5-7 Sr. Kara Pile, and 5-5 Jr. Shontel Bates. DuPont Manual Coach Stacy Pendleton countered with 5-11 Sr. Brittany Wilson, 5-8 Sr. TeAira Epps, 6-1 Jr. Avery Jones, 5-6 Jr. Jordan Trimble, and 5-7 Sr. Danielle Woodmore.
Butler advanced to the championship game with a 58-46 victory over DuPont Manual. Butler shot 40% from the field including four of six from the three point line. The Bearettes connected on 10 of 13 free throws, pulled down 34 rebounds, and scored 22 points off 21 Manual turnovers. Manual shot 39% from the field including one of six from beyond the arc. The Lady Crimsons connected on 13 of 18 free throws, grabbed 27 rebounds, and scored 12 points off 18 Butler turnovers.
Tia Gibbs led Butler with 33 points and 12 rebounds. Tiara Hopper and Kara Pile added 10 and nine points respectively. Brittany Wilson led DuPont Manual with 18 points, eight rebounds, and six blocked shots. Avery Jones added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
| Butler | 58 | DuPont Manual | 46 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Butler | 13 | 11 | 19 | 15 | 58 |
| DuPont Manual | 8 | 8 | 17 | 13 | 46 |
| Butler | (58) - | Gibbs 33, Harris 2, Hopper 10, Pile 9, Bates 0, Reed 4. |
| DuPont Manual | (46) - | Wilson 18, Epps 4, Jones 11, Trimble 3, Woodmore 8, Harbison 2. |
Franklin-Simpson Coach Lex Lindsey started the following lineup: 5-9 Jr. Brittany Payne, 5-6 Jr. Drea Gooch, 6-2 Fr. Chasity Gooch, 5-7 Jr. Dominique Cook, and 5-8 Sr. Kelleshia Cook. Elizabethtown Coach Tim Mudd countered with 5-11 Sr. Alisa Dickerson, 5-8 Jr. Dorian Downs, 6-0 Jr. Alex Jones, 5-5 Fr. Natalie Greenwell, and 5-8 Sr. Jenna Goblirsch.
Franklin-Simpson defeated Elizabethtown by a score of 62-56. Franklin-Simpson shot 45.7% from the field including four of 13 from the three point line. The Lady Wildcats connected on 16 of 28 free throws, pulled down 28 rebounds, and scored 15 points off 13 Elizabethtown turnovers. Elizabethtown shot 43.2% from the field including four of 10 from beyond the arc. The Lady Panthers connected on 14 of 16 free throws, grabbed 28 rebounds, and scored 10 points off eight Franklin-Simpson turnovers.
Chasity Gooch led Franklin-Simpson with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Drea Gooch, Kelleshia Cook, and Dominique Cook added 13, 12, and 10 points respectively. Alex Jones led Elizabethtown with 15 points and seven rebounds. Jenna Goblirsch and Natalie Greenwell added 13 and 10 points respectively. Alisa Dickerson chipped in with nine points and eight rebounds.
| Franklin-Simpson | 62 | Elizabethtown | 56 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Franklin-Simpson | 10 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 62 |
| Elizabethtown | 7 | 8 | 20 | 21 | 56 |
| Franklin-Simpson | (62) - | Payne 4, D. Gooch 13, C. Gooch 22, D. Cook 10, K. Cook 12, Brown 1. |
| Elizabethtown | (56) - | Dickerson 9, Downs 3, Jones 15, Greenwell 10, Goblirsch 13, Luckett 2, Rediker 4. |
Franklin-Simpson Coach Lex Lindsey started the following lineup: 5-9 Jr. Brittany Payne, 5-6 Jr. Drea Gooch, 6-2 Fr. Chasity Gooch, 5-7 Jr. Dominique Cook, and 5-8 Sr. Kelleshia Cook. Butler Coach Eddy Wilson countered with 5-9 Sr. Tia Gibbs, 5-9 Sr. Brittany Harris, 5-10 Jr. Tiara Hopper, 5-7 Sr. Kara Pile, and 5-5 Jr. Shontel Bates.
Butler got an excellent 25 point effort from their bench to defeat Franklin-Simpson 58-57 for the championship. Butler star Tia Gibbs went scoreless in 14:55 minutes of action and during the game was taken to the hospital for observation because of a possible concussion. Free throw shooting was the Achilles' heel for Franklin-Simpson as they were only nine of 22 from the stripe. The Lady Wildcats had a last second opportunity for the win but a three point attempt was off target.
Butler shot 41.8% from the field including two of eight from the three point line. The Bearettes connected on 10 of 17 free throws, pulled down 38 rebounds, and scored 24 points off 19 Franklin-Simpson turnovers. Franklin-Simpson shot 50% from the field including six of 15 from beyond the arc. The Lady Wildcats connected on nine of 22 free throws, grabbed 30 rebounds, and scored 10 points off 12 Butler turnovers.
Tiara Hopper led Butler with 15 points and 11 rebounds. 5-8 Fr. Megan Cureton, 5-4 Fr. Heather Wheat, 5-7 So. Whitney Reed, and Kara Pile added nine, eight, eight, and eight points respectively. Kelleshia Cook led Franklin-Simpson with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. Chasity Gooch, Brittany Payne, and Drea Gooch added 17, 11, and 10 points respectively.
| Butler | 58 | Franklin-Simpson | 57 |
| School | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Franklin-Simpson | 13 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 57 |
| Butler | 10 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 58 |
| Franklin-Simpson | (57) - | Payne 11, D. Gooch 10, C. Gooch 17, D. Cook 0, K. Cook 19. |
| Butler | (58) - | Gibbs 0, Harris 7, Hopper 15, Pile 8, Bates 3, Reed 8, Wheat 8, Cureton 9. |
| Kendall Noble | 5-10 8th grader | Breathitt County | 2 games | 13.0 ppg 7.5 rpg 4.0 apg | |
| Mariah Robinson | 5-6 Jr. | Ohio County | 2 games | 25.0 ppg 5.5 rpg 4.0 spg | |
| Rinesha Soaper | 5-7 Sr. | Henderson County | 2 games | 12.5 ppg | |
| Maggie Prewitt | 5-8 Sr. | Montgomery County | 2 games | 15.5 ppg 12.0 rpg 4.5 apg | |
| Danielle Woodmore | 5-7 Sr. | DuPont Manual | 3 games | 10.7 ppg 4.0 apg | |
| Brittany Wilson | 5-11 Sr. | DuPont Manual | 3 games | 20.0 ppg 8.0 rpg | |
| Jenna Goblirsch | 5-8 Sr. | Elizabethtown | 3 games | 14.7 ppg 3.3 spg | |
| Alex Jones | 6-0 Jr. | Elizabethtown | 3 games | 16.0 ppg 9.0 rpg | |
| Kelleshia Cook | 5-8 Sr. | Franklin-Simpson | 4 games | 13.3 ppg 6.8 rpg 5.5 apg | |
| Brittany Payne | 5-9 Jr. | Franklin-Simpson | 4 games | 8.3 ppg | |
| Chasity Gooch | 6-2 Fr. | Franklin-Simpson | 4 games | 19.0 ppg 11.0 rpg 4.3 bpg | |
| Brittany Harris | 5-9 Sr. | Butler | 4 games | 5.5 ppg 4.0 rpg 3.8 apg | |
| Tiara Hopper | 5-10 Jr. | Butler | 4 games | 16.5 ppg 8.5 rpg | |
| Tia Gibbs | 5-9 Sr. | Butler | 4 games | 21.3 ppg 11.3 rpg 3.3 spg | MVP |
Congratulations to Coach Eddy Wilson and the Butler Bearettes for capturing the championship in a thriller over Franklin-Simpson. Several teams had a legitimate shot at the title and there was a lot of excellent individual talent on display this week.
A special thanks to the KHSAA for maintaining an excellent website with tons of information about the tourney as well as comprehensive states on each and every game. Anything you want or need to know about the 2008 Houchens Industries/KHSAA Girls' Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournament is available on their website. Also a special thanks to WL Stats for all their tireless work in generating the computer statistics for all the games.
Please feel free to send your comments and questions concerning the event, teams, or players to me at prephoops@yahoo.com.
Ron Harrison’s reports on this and other basketball events appear on http://www.kyprephoops.com.