A weight has finally been lifted in Walton.
For the first time since 2022, Walton-Verona is headed back to the 8th Region Tournament, ending a frustrating stretch that saw them fall short in the 32nd District three straight seasons. This time, there was no heartbreak, only relief.
Walton-Verona took care of business on its home floor Tuesday night, defeating Grant County 47-36 in the district semifinals to finally clear the hurdle that had lingered for years.
“It was a monkey off our back,” Bearcats head coach Rianna Gayheart said. “I thought we were a region-worthy team those last few years, but we were in a district with really good Simon Kenton and really good Grant County teams. It took a lot of hard work and faith and getting over that hump was big.”
That hump was especially fresh in their minds.
Last season, Grant County ended Walton’s year with a 54-43 district loss, a result that stuck with the returning players. Junior Elin Logue and freshman Ava Hargett were starters on that team, and they carried that motivation into this season.
The mindset?
“Don’t let them do what they did to us last year,” Hargett said.
This time, Walton-Verona made sure history didn’t repeat itself.
Logue led the Bearcats with 11 points, while Hargett and sophomore Nova Dryden each added 10. But more than the scoring, it was the poise, especially from a young roster with no seniors, that stood out.
“I think being older and already having that experience in a big district game like this helps a lot,” Logue said. “Just helping my teammates out, going into the game confident, I think that’s all it was.”
Hargett, who gained valuable experience as an eighth grader, has taken on even more responsibility this year as the primary ball handler.
“At first it was really nerve-wracking,” Hargett said. “But once I got out there, it’s like I’ve been doing this for a while. My teammates are really supportive and trust me a lot.”
The growth showed.
The two teams met earlier this month in Walton, with the Bearcats escaping 61-55 in overtime. On Tuesday, there was no extra session required.
“As weird as it sounds, I think an extra five or six games really helped our kids maturity-wise,” Gayheart said. “We don’t have any seniors. We have a freshman point guard. Just continuing to dig in and mature as the game goes on has been big for us.”
Part of that growth has come defensively.
Late in the regular season, Walton-Verona installed a zone defense that has since become part of its identity. It paid off in a major way, holding Grant County to 19 fewer points than in the previous meeting while disrupting passing lanes and finishing with 11 steals.
“We put in a new defense and it was really good, and we also outrebounded them,” Logue said. “Putting those two together was huge.”
The Bearcats set the tone early, opening on an 8-2 run and holding Grant County scoreless for nearly half of the first quarter. They led 8-5 after one and carried a 22-17 advantage into halftime.
When the Lady Braves cut the lead to three late in the third, Walton responded. Logue buried a three-pointer to push the margin to 33-27 entering the fourth, and the Bearcats never let it get closer.
Walton stretched the lead to 43-31 in the final quarter and sealed the win at the free-throw line, where 10 of its 14 fourth-quarter points came. The Bearcats never trailed in the 32 minutes.
Grant County, which finishes 14-13, was led by junior Olivia Ginn with 16 points.
Now, the weight is gone, but the work isn’t finished.
Walton-Verona advances to face rival Simon Kenton Lady Pioneers in the 32nd District championship Thursday at 7 p.m. in Walton. Simon Kenton won the regular-season matchup 74-45.
The Bearcats are in the region tournament again.
And this time, they made sure nothing was left hanging over them.
MORE PHOTOS: Provided by Charles Bolton
LADY BRAVES 47, BEARCATS 36
WALTON-VERONA — 8-14-11-14 — 47
GRANT COUNTY — 5-12-10-9 — 36
Scoring
Walton-Verona (47) — Logue 11, Dryden 10, Hargett 10, Kendall 9, Vonhandorf 6, Monday 1
Grant County (36) — Ginn 16, Wills 8, Ray 5, Rose 5, Miller 2
Game Stats
3-Pointers: Walton-Verona 5, Grant County 5
Free Throws: Walton-Verona 12/18, Grant County 7/7
Fouls: Walton-Verona 10, Grant County 15
Records: Walton-Verona 18-12, Grant County 14-13