Logan County played a strong three quarters, but perennial champion Franklin-Simpson was even stronger in the final period on the way to a 70-46 win
over the Lady Cougars in the finals of the 13th District Tournament at LCHS Thursday.With seniors Ann Dorris, Sara Speck and Michelle England playing
their hearts out, the Lady Cougars led 16-12 after the first quarter.
By halftime, F-S had gone ahead 36-28. Even though Coach Lex Lindsey's team built the lead to 13 at 47-34, the Lady Cougars scored the last six points
of the third quarter and trailed only 47-40 as the final stanza began.
All hopes of a major upset ended when Chastity Gooch, the Lady Cat center who is one of Kentucky's top-ranked juniors, took over the game in the fourth
quarter. She finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and fist-full of blocks to lead the champions to a 23-6 worksheet in the final eight minutes.
In that first quarter, Logan County did many things well. Dorris ran the offense and continually found openings in the F-S defense. The lane almost
always seemed open, and the Lady Cougars took advantage of it to get layups or kick the ball out to long-range shooters when the defenders collapsed to
the middle. In fact, Logan's first goal came when Dorris penetrated and got the ball to Meagan Williams for a 3-pointer.
Franklin led 11-5 on seven straight points by Gooch, but Coach Scot MacAllister's team roared back, scoring 11 of the final 12 points of the quarter.
Speck scored on an assist from Dorris, England hit a shot, and then England hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 12-12 on a beautifully executed inbounds play.
Speck got a defensive rebound and went downcourt to hit a 3-pointer herself to make it 15-12.
Miranda Rone hit a free throw with 13.5 seconds, and Markita Pheal blocked a Franklin shot at the
buzzer. The scoreboard showed Logan leading 16-12 at the stop.
Dorris hit two goals early in the second quarter to match points by Franklin, and Logan led 20-16.
The Lady Cats scored the next nine points, though, with Gooch controlling the boards. Dorris scored four straight points, two of them on free throws,
to cut the lead to 25-24 with 3:35 remaining in the half. The only other points the Lady Cougars managed the rest of the half came on a pair of free
throws by Rone, and the Lady Cats led 36-28 at halftime.
Franklin-Simpson's lead increased to 47-34 with two minutes left in the third, but MacAllister's team had one more charge left in it. Pheal went the
length of the court with a steal, Dorris bounced off defender Jenna Curtis for a goal, and Williams hit a shot to reduce the lead to 47-40 as the third
quarter ended.
The first nine points of the final quarter belonged to the champs, and it was 56-40 before Dorris could get two free throws to go in. The Lady Cats
just had too much Gooch and a big supporting cast for Logan to continue to contend.
Dorris, who scored 20 points, and Speck, with 11, were named to the Gerald Printing All-District Tournament team along with Franklin's Gooch, Bianca
Bryant (17 points in the finals) and Brianna Smith, Russellville's Nakia Daniel, and Todd Central Kalisha Rose.
Logan (17-11) will open regional play Tuesday at 8 p.m. against 16th District champion Russell County (18-8). The winner will meet the survivor of
Greenwood (20-10) and Glasgow (19-9) in Friday's 8 p.m. semifinal. The Fourth Region Tournament finals will be Saturday at 7 p.m. at Diddle Arena.
Franklin-Simpson (21-9) begins defense of its regional championship at 6:30 p.m. Monday against 16th District runner-up Clinton County (13-15). This
year's favorite, Bowling Green (24-2), plays Monroe County (18-7) at 8.
Score by quarters: 1) LCHS 16-12, 2) F-S 36-28, 3) F-S 47-40, Final) Franklin-Simpson 70, Logan County 46
LCHS (46) Ann Dorris 20, Sara Speck 11, Michelle England 5, Meagan Williams 5, Miranda Rone 3, Markita Pheal 2, Kayla MacAllister, Victoria Elliott,
Jasmine Jones, Meg Brown, Shannon MacAllister, Kara Lyons, Polly Cowan, Kate Brooks
F-S (70) Chastity Gooch 23, Bianca Bryant 17, Tradesha Chapman 11, Shanice Williams 9, Brianna Smith 4, Sydney Gooch 2, Taylor Clark 2, Jenna Curtis 1,
Alexis Savage 1, Covington, Reetzke