The rain had stopped outside Joe Stark Gymnasium just before tip-off between Simon Kenton and Dixie Heights, but inside, it was just beginning.
The Lady Pioneers unleashed a downpour from behind the arc, sinking 13 three-pointers on their way to a 72-60 victory over Dixie Heights.
Anna Kelch and Bella Ober led the storm, combining for 11 of the Lady Pioneers’ 13 three-pointers. Kelch splashed six from deep on her way to 22 points, while Ober knocked down five and finished with 20 points.
“For the last couple games my shot wasn’t going in and that’s the reason I rebounded,” Kelch said. “I feel like that rebound gave me more confidence. Getting my feet set and having the right mentality really made those shots go in.”
The shots began to fall in the second quarter, with five triples going through the net as Simon Kenton outscored the Colonels 21-7, creating a lead that would prove too much to overcome.
“It all starts on the defensive end,” Lady Pioneer coach Jeff Stowers said. “If we play good defense, it fuels our offense. We ran our stuff, executed, and rebounded. We did a lot of that tonight and got the shots.”
Their relentless pace, stifling defense, and fast-break execution overwhelmed the Colonels.
“We were falling behind in the rotation,” Dixie Heights coach Joel Stecyznski said. “We weren’t sprinting to the ball, we were jogging. In a lot of cases, if that breakdown happens with just one of the five players, if we’re not anticipating the pass we get caught behind and their shooters were knocking them down.”
Coralee Pelfrey stepped up for Dixie with 20 points, while Aubrey Elkins contributed 10, as they limited the Colonels’ top scorer, Catherine Buddenberg, to just two points.
After both teams struggled to score early, Pelfrey put Dixie on the board midway through the first quarter, but the Lady Pioneers quickly seized a 15-9 lead.
The strong second-quarter run by Simon Kenton stretched their advantage to 36-16 by halftime, and the sizable margin proved insurmountable.
“We had 15 turnovers in the first half and when you lose that many possessions, it limits you,” Steczynski said. “Simon Kenton forced us into some, but we made a lot of plays ourselves that were not characteristic of the people we had on the court at the time.”
By the end of the third quarter, the score stood at 58-34, and the game was well in hand as the benches emptied in the fourth.
Joining Kelch and Ober in double-digit scoring, Haylie Webb contributed 15 points, while Brynli Pernell added 10.
“Our offense is fierce whenever we want it to be,” Kelch said. “We play really well together, we’re connected. We have the same mindset that it doesn’t matter who gets points, we want to win as a team.”
Improving to 4-1, Simon Kenton will next head to Louisville for the 2024 Robert Alexander Center Queen of The Commonwealth Tournament, where they’ll take on Bethlehem Friday at 6:30 p.m.
In just five games, Dixie’s schedule has already been packed with tough competition, including matchups against Notre Dame and Highlands. It doesn’t get any easier as they head to Lexington Catholic High School for the White, Greer, and Maggard Holiday Classic, where they will face Rockcastle County in the first round at 6 p.m. on Thursday.
LADY PIONEERS 72, COLONELS 60
SIMON KENTON — 15-21-22-13— 72
DIXIE HEIGHTS — 9-7-18-26— 60
Scoring
SIMON KENTON (72)— Kelch 22, Ober 20, Webb 15, Pernell 10, Blevins 3, Couch 1, Kabeya 1
DIXIE HEIGHTS (60) — Pelfrey 22, Elkins 10, Carner 9, Crawford 6, Tignor 6, Puitz 4, Buddenberg 2, Allen 1
Game Stats
3-Pointers:Â Simon Kenton 13, Dixie Heights 5
Free Throws:Â Simon Kenton 8/13, Dixie Heights 13/20
Fouls:Â Simon Kenton 18, Dixie Heights 14
Records:Â Simon Kenton 4-1, Dixie Heights 2-4