Lady Cats Say It's Their Time: Defeat Lady Raiders by 40 points in District 12 Tournament Round 1

Edmonson County Lady Cats sophomore point guard Shelby Sowders (50) pulls up for a jumper against host Trinity Lady Raiders in the KHSAA 12th District Tournament game one Monday February 24 in Whitesville.

Story and photos by Joseph Barkoff:
​Edmonson County Lady Cat basketball was on a 12-game win streak heading into Monday night’s 12th District Tournament game one against Trinity of Whitesville, in Whitesville February 24th. They, along with most of Kentucky’s other schools, canceled all of last week’s games due to weather, meaning they hadn’t played an opponent for a week.
 
Would they be stiff, rusty and sloppy? 
 
Would a traditionally tough and physical team in their opponent make the battle even more difficult?
 
Would the Lady Cats be able to hold off a young and hungry Lady Raiders on a larger stage? Would the Lady Cats’ previous offer any insight into how the game might play out?
 
No. No. Yes and no.

Edmonson County Lady Cats senior shooting guard Jenna Cook (3) moves the ball up court against host Trinity Lady Raiders in the KHSAA 12th District Tournament game one Monday February 24 in Whitesville.

Edmonson County Lady Cats senior shooting guard Kennadi Swihart (12) moves the ball up court after a steal against host Trinity Lady Raiders in the KHSAA 12th District Tournament game one Monday February 24 in Whitesville.

​The Lady Cats came out crisp, making mostly good clean passes even when pressured throughout the game.
 
Edmonson County Sophomore point guard Shelby Sowders was able to create open lanes for her teammates all evening with her speed and greatly improved ball handling and protection, even dishing some no-look passes that might make Magic Johnson smile.
 
Passing from all three guards, Sowders and Edmonson senior shooting guards, Kennadi Swihart and Jenna Cook kept the ball moving up court all night long. 
 
When the ball was in the Lady Raiders possession, the Lady Cats guards were like swarms of angry bees, stealing and tipping the ball away from the Lady Raiders in transition from tip off to buzzer.
 
Edmonson County junior power forward Cariann Williams was able to make some great swats on defense, denying the Lady Raiders points. 
 
While Williams did not have one of her signature double-double nights, with what she did have in her teammates stepping up, she did not need too. Again, to be clear, Williams did not have an off night, she had a team who had a great night alongside her.
 
By half time, the score was 40-13 in favor of Edmonson County.
 
Some unofficial stats at the half saw Edmonson County shooting above 50 percent with 15 for 27 from the field. They were out-rebounding the Lady Raiders 18-13 and had a “manageable” six turnovers versus the Lady Raiders’ 10, according to stats curator Darren Doyle on the Edmonson Live Half Time Show.
 
The best version of the replay can be found here.
 
Would the Lady Cats come out of the locker room after half time ahead by 27 and lose focus?
 
Not at all.
 
“We wanna go in the locker room with a high head if were up, even if we are down, we still wanna go in with a high head,” Swihart said after the game. “Our biggest problem for the past two years has always been the beginning of the third quarter and Booth has always told us, ‘Come out and punch it.’ IF we punch it, then basically the rest of the game is just cake, as long as we not tied neck and neck.”

Edmonson County Lady Cats junior Cariann Williams (30) swats away a shot from host Trinity Lady Raiders in the KHSAA 12th District Tournament game one Monday February 24 in Whitesville.

Edmonson County Lady Cats senior power forward Julie Norris (21) shoots a three-pointer against host Trinity Lady Raiders in the KHSAA 12th District Tournament game one Monday February 24 in Whitesville.

Edmonson County Lady Cats bench reacts with dabs after a score against host Trinity Lady Raiders in the KHSAA 12th District Tournament game one Monday February 24 in Whitesville.

When it was all said and done, the Lady Cats made a statement with a 40 point win over Trinity Lady Raiders, defeating them 64-24.
 
Their statement? They have more basketball to play.
 
“I am proud of the way we come out and we got this first game over with,” Edmonson County head coach Jody Booth said. “So, that’s a huge weight off the shoulders knowin’ that you still got more basketball to play.”
 
“We just come out for four quarters and look like a team that was ready to play in this type of a tournament and the good thing is we got more basketball to play,” Booth said. 
 
They get to play Thursday night in the Championship game and then at the “Sportscenter,” in Owensboro for the Regional Tournament, he added.
 
“We know what we are capable of, but we know its gonna get harder and harder,” Booth said.
 
Not having played for a week was a factor in the back of the team’s mind Booth said. They were a little disappointed they were unable to play against Ohio County the previous Friday and while they expected to win, they did not anticipate winning by 40 points.
 
They are a good young team, and expects them to be great team in a couple years, but its not their time, he said.
 
“It’s our time,” Booth said.
 
“We come out with a really good start and we put that foot on the gas and we kept goin’ and goin’ and goin’,” Booth said after the game on the Edmonson Live Post Game Show. “That’s what ya gotta do.”
 
The goal is a District Championship on Thursday, Booth said. 
 
Booth appreciated the large crowd cheering, especially on a Monday night game one, he said. 
 
He hopes even more folks make it to the final game he added.
 
Now, with 13 wins in a row, the best since 1997-98, Booth said, they look forward to the 12th District Championship Game on Thurs. when the face off against rival Grayson County at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27 in Whitesville, where they hope for a fourteenth victory before heading into the Regional Tournament. They are 1-1 against the Lady Cougars, with the loss being the only district one for the Lady Cats this season.
 
Some stats from the evening included Sowders with a double-double, scoring 20 with 10 boards, according to Doyle in the Edmonson Voice Live Post Game Show. Williams earned 13 with 8, Swihart had 14 with 1 board and four 3-pointers all in the first half. Cook scored 4 with 6 boards and huge handful of steals. Edmonson County senior power forwards Julie Norris shot down 8 points with 2 boards and Maggie Cassady had 3 points and a rebound.
 
Edmonson County shot 59 percent from the field, out-rebounded Trinity 30-20 and only had 10 turnovers compared to 16, according to Doyle.
 
One thing the Voice has learned covering sports in Edmonson County, Edmonson County coaches have a “process.” It involves not thinking too far ahead and focusing on the next current game, not the one past it. That process has served them all well from football to basketball and fans shouldn’t expect it to change much.