HENDERSON COUNTY
The Henderson County High School Lady Colonels basketball team, coached by Jeff Haile, has had a successful season so far, with a record of 9 wins and 4 losses as of January 7, 2023. The Lady Colonels, who play in the 2nd Region, have the 2nd highest RPI in the region.
The team began the season with a tough loss against McCracken County, with a final score of 70-85. However, they quickly bounced back with a win against Male at the Independence Bank Tip-Off Classic on December 3, 2022, with a score of 58-56.
Throughout the season, the Lady Colonels have consistently performed well, with victories against Evansville Central (71-42), Massac County (72-31) at the Holiday Hoopla Classic, Evansville Mater Dei (52-51), Castle (58-46), Forest Park (41-37) at the Independence Bank Kentucky-Indiana Classic, and Washington, IN (48-38) at the Independence Bank Kentucky-Indiana Classic.
Although they faced some setbacks with losses against Gibson Southern (53-56) and Hamilton Southeastern (36-77) at the Paul Loggan Memorial Basketball Invitational, the Lady Colonels were able to recover and finish the year strong with wins against Apollo (76-36) on January 3, 2023, and Daviess County (63-31) on January 6.
Leading the team in scoring is Jarie Thomas, with a total of 158 points in 11 games, an average of 14.4 points per game. Graci Risley has also made a significant contribution to the team’s success, scoring 123 points in 11 games for an average of 11.2 points per game. Shalyn Sprinkles has scored 96 points in 11 games for an average of 8.7 points per game.
In terms of rebounding, Jarie Thomas has been a standout player, averaging 6.5 rebounds per game with a total of 71 rebounds in 11 games. Graci Risley and Brooklyn Gibson have also contributed to the team’s rebounding efforts, averaging 4.5 and 3.9 rebounds per game, respectively.
The Lady Colonels have a talented and well-rounded team, with multiple players contributing to their success on the court. They have shown resilience and determination in their victories and will no doubt continue to strive for success in the remainder of the season. It will be interesting to see how they fare against their upcoming opponents and if they can maintain their winning streak. Under the guidance of coach Jeff Haile, the Lady Colonels have proven themselves to be a strong and competitive team in the 2nd Region.
SOUTHWESTERN
The Southwestern Lady Warriors basketball team, led by Coach Junior Molden, is currently in the midst of a mixed season in Region 12. With a record of 7 wins and 6 losses, the Lady Warriors have had some impressive victories, but have also faced some tough competition.
In terms of scoring, the Lady Warriors have been strong on offense, with a total of 774 points scored this season. They have four players who have scored over 100 points so far: Kinsley Molden (222 points), Ayden Smiddy (194 points), Kaylee Young (144 points), and Payton Acey (109 points). Molden and Smiddy have been particularly efficient scorers, with both players shooting over 50% from the field. Molden has also been a strong contributor from the free throw line, making 36 out of 46 attempts (78.3%).
Defensively, the Lady Warriors have given up 738 points, but have also shown some strong performances on that end of the court. They have held opponents to an average of 56.8 points per game and have recorded four games where they have held their opponents to 50 points or fewer.
The Lady Warriors have faced some tough competition so far, with notable wins against Scott County (77-34) and Lexington Catholic (72-66). They have also suffered some tough losses, including a 33-74 defeat against Sacred Heart and a 62-77 loss against Bullitt East. In the New Year, the Lady Warriors will hope to continue improving and come out with more wins. They have a number of tough opponents coming up, including Danville (13-1), Somerset (10-5), and Mercer County (8-10).
In addition to their strong scoring and defense, the Lady Warriors have also had some key contributors on the boards. Payton Acey has been the top rebounder on the team, with 59 rebounds in 10 games, an average of 5.9 rebounds per game. Ayden Smiddy has also been a strong rebounder, with 64 rebounds in 13 games, an average of 4.9 rebounds per game. Kaylee Young has recorded 57 rebounds in 13 games, an average of 4.4 rebounds per game, while Kinsley Molden has contributed 45 rebounds in 13 games, an average of 3.5 rebounds per game.
Overall, the Southwestern Lady Warriors have shown promise this season and have the potential to make some noise in the postseason. With a balanced attack on both ends of the court and some strong individual performances, they will be a team to watch in the second half of the season. It will be interesting to see how they progress and develop under the guidance of Coach Molden as they look to make a strong push towards the playoffs.
RESULTS
The Southwestern Lady Warriors faced off against the Henderson County Lady Colonels in a highly anticipated matchup at Bowling Green High School as part of the German American Bank Classic. The Lady Colonels came out on top, defeating the Lady Warriors 61-41.
Leading the way for Southwestern was Kinsley Moulden, who had a strong all-around game with 16 points, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 rebounds. Payton Acey also had a solid outing, finishing with 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 block.
For Henderson County, Graci Risley was the standout performer, finishing with a game-high 24 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line, along with 2 assists and 1 steal. Brooklyn Gibson and Jarie Thomas also contributed offensively, finishing with 12 points and 12 points, respectively. Gibson added 7 rebounds and 1 steal to her stat line, while Thomas had 8 rebounds and 3 assists.
In the end, Henderson County proved to be too much for Southwestern, earning the 61-41 victory. Kaylee Young was named the MVP for Southwestern, finishing with 9 points on 4-for-7 shooting, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. Kiara Scott also scored 2 points for the Lady Warriors.
Henderson County’s Graci Risley was named the MVP of the game, thanks to her impressive performance. With the win, Henderson County improves to 10-3 on the season, while Southwestern falls to 7-7.
Henderson County 61 Southwestern 41 FINAL
Southwestern:
Kinsley Moulden – 16 pts, 6 asst, 1 st, 2 reb
Payton Acey – 14 pts, 3 reb, 1 blk
Henderson County:
Graci Risley – 24 pts, 5/5 FT, 2 asst, 1 st
Brooklyn Gibson – 12 pts, 7 reb, 1 st
Jarie Thomas – 12 pts, 8 reb, 3 asst
