After going over two weeks without a win, the Hopkins County Central girls’ basketball team has now won three in four tries, including a 47-36 victory over Caldwell County in Morton’s Gap on Saturday. All three wins have come against 7th District competition, giving the Lady Storm the top seed in the district tournament.
The Lady Storm led wire to wire on Saturday to snap a 5-game skid against the Lady Tigers. Kire Peyton posted 5 first-quarter points and Hopkins Central led 14-7 after Mercy Sutton scored on a layup with five seconds left in the first.
Jacey Jaggers got going for Caldwell in the second and the margin was down to 5 after she scored down low with :45 to go in the half. Bri Fritz added a layup with :20 left for the last of her 6 second-quarter points and the Lady Storm took a 23-16 advantage into the break.
Trailing 30-18 after Fritz connected on a 3-pointer from the corner, Caldwell climbed back into it with work on the backboard. Jaggers completed a 3-point play and the Lady Tigers hit 4-straight free throws to pull to within 5, but Madison Grigg drilled a 3 for the Lady Storm to stop the run.
Fritz opened the fourth quarter with 4 straight to stretch the margin to double figures and Caldwell never got closer than 9 the rest of the way. AJ Hollowell and Majah Hollowell each hit two free throws to get within 43-34 with 1:35 to play, but Emile Jones answered with a layup and Sutton put back her own miss to seal it for the Lady Storm.
Both teams face off with Todd County Central when they return to the court, with the Lady Tigers making the trip to Elkton on Monday and the Lady Storm following on Tuesday.
Caldwell County 7 9 11 9 — 36
Hopkins Central 14 9 10 14 — 47
Caldwell County (3-8) — Jaggers 15, Parker 5, M. Hollowell 5, A. Hollowell 4, Gray 3, Smiley 2, Butts 2
Hopkins Central (4-5) — Fritz 15, Peyton 9, Grigg 7, Reynolds 6, Jones 5, Sutton 5
