The Taylor County Lady Cardinals are headed to the semifinals of the Fifth Region Girls’ Tournament after an impressive 62-22 victory in the opening round.
Taylor County set the tone early and never looked back, rolling to quarter-by-quarter scores of 27-6, 13-5, 16-4 and 6-7 to seal the dominant win. The Lady Cardinals’ defensive intensity and balanced scoring effort proved too much for their opponent, as they controlled the paint, forced turnovers and limited second-chance opportunities throughout the night.
Kennedy Deener led the charge offensively with 14 points, knocking down five two-point field goals and adding a three-pointer. Kayley Benningfield also poured in 14 points, connecting on three shots from beyond the arc while contributing across the stat sheet with rebounds, assists and steals. Kallie added 11 points, highlighted by four two-point baskets and a three-pointer to help stretch the defense.
Greta Bradstreet and Avery Raikes each chipped in seven points apiece. Greta was efficient from the field and perfect at the free-throw line, while also pulling down five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Avery added strong work on the boards with four rebounds to go along with her scoring output.
Jaylee Vernon and Carlee McLean each contributed three points, Ansley Mattingly rounded out the scoring with one point from the free-throw line.
Taylor County finished with 17 assists and 17 steals as a team, showcasing their unselfish play and defensive pressure. The Lady Cardinals also shot efficiently, hitting 10 three-pointers and converting consistently inside the arc to build their commanding lead.
With the opening-round win, Taylor County punches its ticket to the semifinals, where the Lady Cardinals will face Elizabethtown (E-town) on Friday. Riding momentum from a complete team performance, Taylor County will look to carry its defensive intensity and balanced scoring into the next round as it continues its pursuit of a regional championship.