Once again, the 8th Region championship will feature what Simon Kenton head coach Jeff Stowers calls the “SK-AC Invitational,” as the Lady Pioneers will meet Anderson County for the title.
It did not come easily at first for Simon Kenton.
The Lady Pioneers were slow out of the gate and trailed 13-10 with under a minute left in the first quarter. From there, though, they began to look like themselves, pulling away for a 58-37 win over Spencer County in the 8th Region semifinals at Henry County High School in New Castle.
Simon Kenton closed the first half on a 21-6 run to take a 31-19 lead into the break and began to resemble one of the top teams in the state once again.
“We just needed to get in the right mindset,” junior Brynli Pernell said. “There’s always a tough game in whatever tournament you’re playing in. That was one of our harder starts. They scouted us really well and we didn’t perform how we were supposed to. But we know who we are.”
Once things settled in, the Lady Pioneers did what they have done all season.
Known for their sticky defense, they forced 22 Spencer County turnovers and recorded 14 steals. The Lady Bears’ leading scorer, Lily Hughes, who entered averaging 12.1 points per game, was held to just four. Brynne Keefe led Spencer County with 13 points.
Simon Kenton also found their rhythm offensively. The Lady Pioneers shot nearly 40 percent from three-point range, knocking down nine triples, and finished 54 percent from the field while placing two players in double figures.
Pernell led the way with 22 points, including five of the team’s nine 3-pointers, while senior Haylie Webb added 18.
“We responded with more pressure and started getting some of what we wanted on offense as well,” Stowers said. “We got a couple run-outs, which really helped us.”
After tying the game at 13-13 and building a 12-point halftime lead, Simon Kenton opened the second half with a 9-0 run. The Lady Pioneers outscored Spencer County 19-8 in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 50-31.
From there, Simon Kenton slowed the pace and remained firmly in control for a victory that carried a little extra meaning.
Being nearly two hours apart, the schools have only met three times since 2020. Their last meeting came in the 2024 8th Region quarterfinals at Anderson County, when Spencer County pulled off an upset after a basket in the final 10 seconds gave the Lady Bears a 46-45 win.
Pernell, Webb and fellow starters Bella Ober and Anna Kelch all played in that game.
“As soon as we found out that’s who we had next, that was all that was running through our minds,” Pernell said. “There was a lot of stress and momentum. We knew we had to beat them, whether it was by 30 or by one.”
The Lady Pioneers (30-2) got their revenge and now head to their second straight 8th Region championship game. They will face Anderson County on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Henry County, an all-too-familiar opponent.
Since 2006, the two programs have faced off 20 times, including 14 meetings in the 8th Region tournament, with the Lady Pioneers claiming 13 victories, nine of them in the tournament.
Simon Kenton’s plan for the rematch is simple.
“Be us,” Stowers said. “Do what we do. It’s that simple. I think if we be us and do what we do, we’re going to be hard to beat.”
The Lady Pioneers defeated Anderson County 56-20 on Jan. 10.
LADY PIONEERS 58, LADY BEARS 37
SIMON KENTON — 13-18-19-8 — 58
SPENCER COUNTY — 13-6-12-6 — 37
Scoring
Simon Kenton (58) — Pernell 22, Webb 18, Kelch 7, Ober 6, Kabeya 5
Spencer County (37) — Bry. Keefe 13, Bro. Keefe 9, Cornell 5, Hughes 4, Scott 4, Brown 2
Game Stats
Field Goals: Simon Kenton 22/41, Spencer County 15/29
3-Pointers: Simon Kenton 9/23, Spencer County 4/11
Free Throws: Simon Kenton 5/8, Spencer County 3/4
Rebounds: Simon Kenton 14, Spencer County 15
Assists: Simon Kenton 21, Spencer County 8
Turnovers: Simon Kenton 5, Spencer County 22
Steals: Simon Kenton 14, Spencer County 2
Fouls: Simon Kenton 11, Spencer County 13
Records: Simon Kenton 30-2, Spencer County 22-9