Lady Cats Lose to Lady Cougars on the Road

Edmonson County sophomore point guard Shelby Sowders (50) is fouled while shooting against host Grayson County Friday December 13 in Leitchfield. No foul was called.

Photos and story by Joseph Barkoff:
​When the Edmonson County Lady Cats (0-5) took to the hard wood against division rival Grayson County Lady Cougars (2-2) Friday December 13 in Leitchfield, their cumulative record since 1998 was 21-44. The Lady Cats were looking to make it fifty percent.

Despite the four loss start, the Lady Cats under head coach Jody Booth chose to make their way toward the end of the season through one of the most difficult schedules they have faced in years.

In the first half, Grayson would score first with a three but after a couple minutes of tough defense and some unlucky tips, senior shooting guard Jenna Cook made a brilliant steal in the Lady Cougars’ paint and ran the ball up court.

After a couple of passes, shots and rebounds, an offensive rebound and put-back for sophomore point guard Shelby Sowders saw the Lady Cats get on the board. With 5:46 left in the first quarter it was only 2-3 in favor of the home team.

In their next offensive possession Sowders would fire and swish a three-pointer to go up 5-3 against the Lady Cougars.

After three more lead changes, Edmonson County would go on a run and double up Grayson County 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.

No one would score in the second quarter for almost three minutes until Sowders again drained a three-pointer to go up double digits to 17-7 for the Wildcats with 5:05 left in the first half.

At half time Edmonson County lead over Grayson County 23-15.

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Edmonson County senior shooting guard Jenna Cook (3) finishes a fast break and a steal with a shot against host Grayson County Friday December 13 in Leitchfield.

​Sowders had 15 points with 3 rebounds and junior power forward Cariann Williams had 10 rebounds with 2 points, according to the Edmonson Voice Live Broadcast unofficial stats. Senior shooting guards Jenna Cook and Kennadi Swihart had 5 points, 2 rebounds with 2 steals and 1 point, 2 rebounds with 1 steal, respectively.

Then, the second half happened. There was no definitive action to cause the Lady Cats to lose. There were adjustments made by all three teams on the floor and they were apparent when they came out for the second half, Edmonson County, Grayson County and the team of referees, all.

Weird calls in some cases, like Williams slamming to the floor and bouncing gets called for a travel. In NBA games when a player slides with the ball on the deck, it is sometimes called a travel, but not in every circumstance.

With 4:43 left in the thrird quarter Cook earned her fourth foul and Booth pulled her out to preserve her for the end game.

There was quite a bit of contact it seemed, and the Live Broadcast even commented no blood, no foul at one point.

Both teams played intense defense that could be described as white on rice in the way each team defended against the other.

With under 2 minutes left in the third quarter, Grayson started to inch their way closer and with 1:00 left the score was 29-25, and Grayson County with the ball is able to score again, though unable to convert an “and one” three-point-play, Edmonson was now only ahead by 2 points.

The scoreboard read :0.5 when Williams released a shot from low in the paint for 2 points as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter with the score still in favor of the underdog Lady Cats 31-27.

At 5:57 left in the game, sophomore shooting guard Tayla Wilhite, in to play for Cook, earned her third foul, and Cook would return to play.

After two clutch free throws from Grayson County, Edmonson County’s lead was now only 2 points, 33-31. Almost a minute later, Grayson County sank a 3-pointer that would be considered a long three in a professional game and they would take the lead for the first time since the first quarter, ahead by 1 point, 33-34.

In the following offensive possession for Edmonson County, Sowders would shoot while being hacked at like a cherry tree in George Washington’s yard, but there was no call.

Grayson County took control of the ball and while moving it up their court, Cook earned her fifth and final foul of the evening with 5:05 left in the game still to play.

After another minute passed, the Lady Cats turned the ball over again, this time unforced, in their offensive zone, down 4 points with just over four minutes left.

Swihart sank a contested bucket that would have made cherry trees all over the world shudder, but there was no call, bringing the Lady Cats back within 2, but on the next Grayson County possession, Williams earned her third foul, and the lead was back to 4 for Grayson County.

Sowders couldn’t catch a break trying to move the ball back up court after being fouled, but a whistle only blew after multiple contacts had been allowed to progress until athletes are falling over at midcourt.
The clock had only 3:10 left in the game when Williams earned her fourth foul during an offensive possession and Edmonson County was now in the Bonus, so all remaining fouls committed would end in free throws for the Lady Cougars.

After two shots, Lady Cougars extended their lead to the largest of the game for them with five more points than the Lady Cats.

Then just under a minute later, the Lady Cougars would also earn themselves the Bonus and the Lady Cats would also shoot two free throws for every foul against them.

And after two shots from Williams, Grayson County’s lead was only three points, 37-40.

The last two minutes of play saw the lead then grow to eight points before reined back in to seven, and Grayson County running in circles with the ball content not to shoot as the seconds wound down.

“It’s hard to play a game when you don’t have a fair chance,” Booth said on the Edmonson Live broadcast Post Game Show.

Booth may file a grievance with the KHSAA as a result of the officials While it is difficult to be an official, sometimes coaches get frustrated when their players don’t get what is called mutual protection.

“Grayson County has good kids, they have good coaches,” he said. “I don’t want to take anything away from them.”

They adjusted in the second half adding a second player on Sowders when she got the ball, after her explosive first half, Booth said.

Booth does not care what the team’s record is this season, he said. His sights are set further down the road at Regionals and is happy to have the top tiered teams making his team better every day, as they look ahead.

On the night, Williams had 16 points with 17 rebounds, Cook had 5 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and fouled out, Swihart had 3 points with 2 rebounds and a steal and Sowders had 17 points with 4 rebounds, according to the unofficial stats in the 48-41 defeat.

The Lady Cats play again the following day, today at home against Owensboro Saturday Dec. 14 in Brownsville.