By CHARLIE HUST
The WCHS Lady Trojan capped off a very successful holiday break by winning three straight games and claiming the McLean County Holiday Classic last week held at Apollo High School.
Webster will travel to McLean County Friday night and then back on the road next Tuesday to battle Daviess County in Owensboro.
Lady Trojans 55
Covington Holmes 40
After trailing for the most of the first half, the Lady Trojans erupted for 29 points in the second half to cruise past Covington Holmes in the first game of the McLean County Holiday Classic held at Apollo High School in Owensboro.
The tourney was moved to Apollo after straight-line winds tore off a section of the roof at McLean County High School gym on Dec. 21. The hard rain that followed ruined the gym floor as well.
After a fantastic showing at the prestigious Republic Bank Classic hosted by Lexington Catholic just before Christmas, the Lady Trojans looked very sluggish in the opening half against Holmes.
Webster trailed 16-10 at the first quarter break, unable to maneuver around the Covington Holmes full-court press. Five turnovers to open the second quarter allowed Holmes a 11-point lead with 5:01 to play in the period.
The WCHS offense finally kicked into gear late in the period to spark a rally. Darrian McNary began a 5-0 run with two free throws followed by an offensive rebound and putback from eighth grader Jessica Winders. Kaylee Duncan tied the game 24-all with one freebie and then Christian Papineau gave Webster a 26-24 lead with 0:42 remaining on a steal and layup. Janea Stovall tied the game before the halftime buzzer with a short jumper.
“I’m told them this was embarrassing, the way we played in Lexington and then come over here and play this poorly,” noted WCHS coach Tonya Wells. “This was an awful half of basketball.”
The stern lecture at halftime seemed to work as Webster opened the third quarter with a 10-0 run to take command of the game.
J-E photos by Charlie Hust.
Kristen Keeney opened the spurt with a 5-footer, followed by a jumper in the lane from Kaylee Duncan. Kenney added a baseline jumper and Kala Woolfolk added spark off the bench with a steal and layup. Kenney closed out the run with another jumper in the lane to give Webster a 45-36 advantage. Kenney had eight of her team-high 17 points in the period as Webster held its largest lead of the game.
The Lady Trojans’ defensive intensity was the key in the second half, collecting eight steals and forcing 12 Holmes’ turnovers. Webster held CHHS to just 14 points in the entire second half.
McNary was also in double figures, finishing with 11 points. Papineau added eight points, Hallie Gibson seven and five points from Kaylee Duncan. Winders, Woolfolk and Hannah Pritchett added two points each while Maddie Duncan finished with one free throw.
Webster had 14 turnovers in the first half but cut the miscues down to just three in the final two quarters.
Lady Trojans 56
Mayfield 43
A strong first quarter propelled the Lady Trojans to victory on Friday in the McLean County Holiday Classic.
Maddie Duncan scored seven of her team-high 13 points in the period as WCHS jumped on the Lady Cardinals 15-7 at the end of the first break. That quick start proved to be the difference in the game as the two teams matched baskets the rest of the way.
Mayfield outscored Webster 14-11 in the second stanza to trim the lead to 26-21 at intermission.
WC junior Georgia Keeney nailed a 3-pointer to open the third quarter and Christian Papineau scored back-to-back buckets to for a quick 7-0 run. Webster closed out the period with a 43-33 lead.
Darrian McNary was also in double figures with 10 points, nailing six consecutive free throws in the final 4:32 of the game to help ice the victory.
Kaylee Duncan added eight points while Papineau and Georgia Keeney finished with seven points apiece. Hallie Gibson finished with six points followed by three points from Kristen Keeney and two points from Jessica Winders.
Lady Trojans 63
Walton Verona 52
WC senior Darrian McNary exploded for a season-high 26 points to lead the Webster girls to the McLean County Holiday Classic title Saturday over a previously unbeaten Walton Verona squad.
The senior guard scored 18 points in the final eight minutes including one 3-pointer and 11-for-14 at the free throw line to power Webster to the championship trophy.
“That’s exactly what we need Darrian to do out there on the floor, make plays for us and get to the free throw line,” noted WCHS head coach Tonya Wells.
It was a slow start for Webster, falling behind 12-7 after the first eight minutes. Walton Verona maintained a solid lead, 23-17, heading into the locker room at halftime.
That’s when the Lady Trojans kicked-it-into-gear, opening the third quarter with a 5-0 run and out-scoring WV 17-13 and cutting the deficit to 41-36 heading into the final eight minutes. From that point on, it was the ‘D-Mac’ show as McNary used her superior quickness to blow past Walton Verona defenders and all they could do was to foul and put at the free throw line.
Christian Papineau and Kristen Keeney added seven points apiece in the win while Kaylee Duncan finished with five points, four points each from Maddie Duncan, Hallie Gibson and Georgia Keeney. Bailey Townsend completed the scoring with two points.