Close Book On 2021-22 Season At 20-11 In Final Four of the 10th Region - Drop Curtain on High School Careers of seniors Madison Parker, Lauren Macht, Alexis Kaeff and Bentley Fisher
Prior to coming on the floor prior to their bout with Third Ranked in the State, GRC, Coach Garren Parker promised me that his team would take their best shot. At that point, after watching the decimation laid on Pendleton County Monday night by the Lady Cardinals, I was simply hoping that we wouldn’t be embarrassed and would have a positive experience. GRC came in at 28-2 against the top competition in the state.
The first indication that my fears were unfounded was when we passed the press test. The GRC press has caused many lesser teams to wilt, but on this night, a fundamental side-middle-side attack got the job done.
Senior Lauren Macht set the tone, netting 8 points in the first quarter, where we were able to put 11 on the scoreboard, trailing 15-11 in a somewhat ask-and-answer period. Unfortunately, in the second frame we were limited to a single Madison Parker field-goal. Fortunately, GRC could do only a point better – a field goal and a free throw from Tyra Flowers, giving the 40th District Champs a non-GRCish 18-13 halftime advantage.
Late in the third stanza, while trailing 26-21, Lauren Macht put a three-pointer up that would have closed the gap to two points and cause the tournament favorites some anxious moments, especially since Ciera Byars, who had scored 11 points and contributed with her superior size to that point, had exited the game due to an injury.
However, it was not to be. The Macht 3-pointer missed its mark, GRC scored in transition and for all intents and purposes this game was history. Holding the Lady Cards to merely 45 points , 19 below their average is an accomplishment in itself, especially since this is only the third time this season that they scored so few – the other two times were losses, and they only lost two games this season. The bottom line in this contest was that GRC’s size allowed them multiple close-in shots, and second and third efforts, that often resulted in free-throws, where there too, they were an un-GRCish 4 of 11.
GRC improves to 29-2 and will play Montgomery County for the fourth time this season in Saturday night’s 7pm Championship game. GRC had most recently defeated the Lady Indians 70-53 in the 40th District finals. Our girls close the book on a 20-11 season and the high school basketball careers of Madison Parker, Lauren Macht, Alexis Kaeff, and Bentley Fisher. Over their four year careers they played on teams that won 85 and lost 33. From their sophomore year on when they began to factor in varsity games they have been 65-22. They have been Regional Champions, two-time Regional Semi-Finalists, and twice District Champs. Nice resume!!! This team began the season ranked Number 18 in all of Northern Kentucky and finished tabbed Number 7.
Box Score: BB: Parker 6, Macht 11, M.Kramer 4, Planeaux 1, Lloyd 5
Three Pointers: Macht and Lloyd
All Tournament – Madison Parker and Molly Kramer
GRC: Stamper 2, Gay 5, C.Byars 11, Flowers 5, B.Byars 18, Tabor 2, Miller 2
Three Pointers: Gay 1