Originally, the question coming into the 2021 girls’ 2nd Region tournament was going to be could anyone prevent it from being a Henderson County-Webster County showdown. After a short-handed Webster County team was upended in the 6th District semifinals the question now is who can stop Henderson County from winning its third title in a row, 8th in nine years, and the 6th District’s ninth in a row. The last time a team from outside the 6th District took the title was in 2012 when Hopkinsville cut down the nets.
The girls’ 2nd Region tournament will begin Tuesday night, and like the guys’ tournament this year, the first round games are being played on the home courts of district winners. Traditionally, the first round is played over two nights at one central location. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s quarterfinal round games will all be played Tuesday night at 6:30 pm on the home courts of the four district winners.
In the top game of the bracket, Hopkins County Central, the champions of the 7th District will host Hopkinsville, runner-up in the 8th District. The two teams met back on February 27, with the Lady Storm picking up a 58-53 win in Mortons Gap.
Hopkins Central, at 10-7 on the season, has won eight of its last ten games. The Lady Storm edged out Madisonville-North Hopkins 46-45 in the 7th District title game. The Lady Tigers enter the tournament at 2-9 on the season. The wins came in their season opener over Daviess County and in the semifinals of the 8th District tournament over University Heights. Hopkinsville has lost nine of its last ten games.
The next game in the bracket has 5th District champion Trigg County hosting the 6th District runner-up Union County. The two teams met on February 26 on the Bravettes home court with Union County taking the 52-43 win.
Trigg County, at 10-13 on the year, had lost six in a row entering the 5th District tournament. However, the Lady Wildcats upended Lyon County in the semifinals and then cruised by Livingston Central in the championship game. Union County, with a 14-7 record on the year, comes in having won 10 of its last 12 contests. The Bravettes upended Webster County in the 6th District semifinals, before getting steamrolled by Henderson County in the championship game.
The winners of the two games will play Friday night at 6:30 pm at Hopkins County Central High School.
In the lower half of the bracket, the Christian County Lady Colonels, winners in the 8th District, will host the Madisonville-North Hopkins Lady Maroons, the runners-up in the 7th District. The two teams did not meet during the course of the regular season.
Christian County, at 6-9 on the year, entered the district tournament having lost seven straight games. The Lady Colonels won the title by turning back Hopkinsville 51-48, their second win of the season over the Lady Tigers. The Lady Maroons, at 5-9, enter the tournament having won four of their last seven games. Two of those losses were by a total of four points to cross-county rival Hopkins County Central.
The lowest game in the bracket has regional favorite Henderson County hosting Livingston Central. The two teams did not meet during the 2021 season.
Henderson County, at 15-4, enters the regional tournament on a six game winning streak. The Lady Colonels lost one point decisions to 1st Region contender Marshall County and 3rd Region contender Owensboro Catholic, and a three point decision to 5th Region contender Elizabethtown. Livingston Central clinched a berth in the 2nd Region tournament when Crittenden County was forced out of the postseason by COVID-19 protocols. The Lady Cardinals are 9-10 on the season and have won 6 of their last 10 games. Livingston dropped a 30 point decision to Trigg County in the 5th District title game.
The winners of the two lower games will play Saturday afternoon at 2:00 pm at Hopkins County Central.
The girls’ 2nd Region title game is set for Monday, March 29, at 6:30 pm at Hopkins County Central.
