The Switzerland County Lady Pacers finally got to play a home game on Saturday night, coming home to play Franklin County after starting the season with four straight road games, but the Lady Pacers dropped their fifth straight contest with a 61-37 loss to Class 3A Franklin County.
Switzerland County got its offense rolling early, scoring 13 points in the opening quarter, but Franklin County, led by senior Kamryn McCool, posted an impressive 23 points to grab a 23-13 lead after one.
Kamryn McCool proved difficult to control early, as she scored 12 points in the opening period; but Switzerland County kept battling with Kinsley Griffith scoring five points in the first including a three-pointer. Lexi Lay had four points on a three-pointer and a freethrow; and McKenli Scudder and Aleiah Thomas each had a basket.
Down by 10, Switzerland County kept battling to close the gap in the second stanza, with Griffith and Keirstan Oeffinger each had three-pointers in the second and Thomas had two freethrows to account for eight points. Franklin County had 12 points in the period, with Kamryn McCool accounting for nine of those; while Gabby Mitchum had a basket and Ashlin Hill contributed a freethrow.
At the half, the Lady Wildcats held a 35-21 lead, thanks in part to Franklin County converting 14 of 18 freethrow attempts while Switzerland County was 3-for-7 from the charity stripe.
Kamryn McCool matched the Switzerland County output over the first 16 minutes, as the senior had 21 on her own.
The third quarter saw both offenses slow down a bit, as Franklin County scored 11 points while Switzerland County added six more. The Lady Pacers got baskets Jody Breeck, Griffith, and Calleigh Powell.
Down by 19 as the final quarter opened, the Lady Pacers couldn’t mount a big enough charge to get close, but did score 10 points over the last eight minutes. Oeffinger and Thomas each had three-pointers in the fourth; while Lay had two freethrows and Griffith had a bucket.
Franklin County managed 15 more points in the fourth quarter, pulling away to a 61-37 final point margin.
Griffith led the way for Switzerland County with 12 points; with Thomas finishing with seven and Oeffinger added six on a pair of three-pointers. Scudder, Breeck, and Powell each had two points in the loss.
Kamryn McCool finished with 29 points; while Kendall McCool had nine and Mitchum had eight.
Now 0-5 overall heading into Wednesday’s Thanksgiving Eve game at home against North Decatur, Coach Mark Boggs’s troops have been getting a lot of experience by fire early in the year. Next comes a home game next Tuesday, November 28th against Milan; and then it’s a trip to Christian Academy on December 2nd before a home game with Owen County (Kentucky) on December 5th
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In the junior varsity game, Franklin County defeated Switzerland County 33-23.
The Lady Pacers were led by Brooke Johnson, who had nine points; while Keirstan Oeffinger had six.
Emma Sullivan had four points; and Jayden Thomas and Josie Meyer had two points each.