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Walton-Verona girls recover from slow start to win third consecutive 8th Region All “A” Classic title


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

The Walton-Verona girls basketball team got off to a slow start in the championship game of the 8th Region All “A” Classic on Friday, but the Bearcats came on strong in the second half and defeated Williamstown, 50-33, to claim the title for the third consecutive year.

Walton-Verona was limited to seven points in the first quarter and needed a last-second shot to take a 22-13 halftime lead. But the Bearcats jumped ahead, 25-15, early in the third quarter and were able to pull away.

Walton-Verona players pose for photos with championship trophy. (Photo from Twitter post)

Two players accounted for 30 of the Bearcats’ 50 points. Junior guard Haylee Neely scored a game-high 16 and senior forward Emma Gutman had 14. Neely made all 10 of her free throws and her team finished with a 20-7 scoring advantage at the line.

Williamstown shot 60 percent (12 of 20) from the field with two 3-point goals. Walton-Verona shot 44 percent (13 of 49) with four treys. 

In three regional tournament victories, Gutman scored a team-high 32 points and shot 57 percent (12 of 21) from the field. She was named to the all-tournament team along with Neely, junior Paige Hueser and senior Emma Strunk, who received the most valuable player award.

Walton-Verona advances to the Kentucky All “A” Classic small-school state tournament that begins Jan. 22 at Eastern Kentucky University. The Bearcats won the 2012 state title and lost in the championship game last year.

In the first round of this year’s state tournament, Walton-Verona will face the winner of the 9th Region championship game between St. Henry and Newport Central Catholic to be played at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lloyd High School.

In the 9th Region semifinal games, St. Henry knocked off Beechwood, 53-33, and NewCath defeated three-time defending champion Holy Cross, 61-52, on Friday.

St. Henry (11-3) will take a nine-game winning streak into Saturday’s regional final. The last time the Crusaders won the girls tournament was 1996, before any of the current players were born.

NewCath (9-7) has won five in a row behind the play of guards Annie Heck and Rylee Turner, who are both averaging 14 points per game. Senior guard Sam Grause gave the team a lift in the win over Holy Cross by scoring 13 points, nine above her season average.

Grause scored 10 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter to help the Thoroughbreds hold off Holy Cross. The Indians’ leading scorer was junior guard Grace Bezold with 25 points.

All “A” Classic girls regional tournaments

9TH REGION AT LLOYD HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
St. Henry 53, Beechwood 33
Newport Central Catholic 61, St. Henry 52
Saturday
Championship: St. Henry vs. Newport Central Catholic, 7 p.m.

10TH REGION AT ROBERTSON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Nicholas County 52, St. Patrick 37
Saturday
Robertson County vs. Bracken County, 12:45 p.m.
Augusta vs. Paris, 6 p.m.
Monday
Nicholas County winner vs. Robertson County-Bracken County winner, 6 p.m.
Tuesday
Brossart vs. Augusta-Paris winner, 6 p.m.
Thursday
Championship game, 6 p.m.

All “A” Classic boys regional tournaments

9TH REGION AT ST. HENRY HIGH SCHOOL
Monday
Villa Madonna vs. Newport Central Catholic, 6 p.m.
Beechwood vs. Ludlow, 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday
Bellevue vs. Villa Madonna-Newport Central Catholic winner, 6 p.m.
Holy Cross vs. St. Henry, 7:45 p.m.
Wednesday
Dayton vs. Beechwood-Ludlow winner, 6 p.m.
Newport vs. Lloyd, 7:45 p.m.
Friday
Semifinal games, 6 and 7:45 p.m.
Saturday
Championship game, 7 p.m.

10TH REGION AT ROBERTSON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Friday
Nicholas County 97, St. Patrick 56
Saturday
Robertson County vs. Bracken County, 2:30 p.m.
Calvary Christian vs. Brossart, 4:15 p.m.
Augusta vs. Paris, 7:45 p.m.
Monday
Nicholas County winner vs. Robertson County-Bracken County winner, 7:45 p.mn.
Tuesday
Brossart-Calvary Christian winner vs. Augusta-Paris winner, 7:45 p.m.
Thursday
Championship game, 7:45 p.m.


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