Girls Basketball Preview
James Collier
Ashland Beacon
ASHLAND
Head Coach: Stacy Davis (2nd)
Record: 26-8
Season Ended: State Tournament Quarterfinals (51-47 McCracken Co.)
Key Returning Players: Ella Sellars, Kenleigh Woods, Jaidyn Gulley, Gabby Karle
Winning a 16th Regional Championship in your first season as head coach sets the bar high for season two. That is exactly where Stacy Davis is this year after her Kittens defeated Boyd County, 67-50 in the region final to head off to the Sweet 16. Ashland ran the gauntlet in the regional round with wins over Rowan County, 71-61 in the opening round and a 45-44 victory over Russell in the semis.
But the expectations for year two will remain extremely high as Davis returns everyone from last season’s championship squad with hopes of going back-to-back.
Kenleigh Woods paced the Kittens with 18.6 points a game from the point guard position.
Fellow guard Ella Sellars added 16.8 points while leading the team from long range (32.5%). Both were active on the glass, grabbing 4.4 and 4.2 rebounds a game, respectively. Jaidyn Gulley rounded out the double-digit scorers for Ashland with 11 a game and a team-high 7.2 rebounds.
Gabby Karle (6.7ppg) and Aryanna Gulley (4.9ppg) were key contributors last season as well and Davis expects both to add to their roles this year. Jenna Delaney and Brookelyn Duckwyler added a spark from the bench and will look to do so again this season.
Ashland opened the season with a visit from 15th Region champion, Pikeville followed by an early district tilt at Fairview. Ashland travels to Cooper and Ryle after Christmas to face one of the top teams in northern Kentucky. The Kittens welcome their district rival, Boyd County for the first of two meetings on Jan. 18 with a return trip to the Lions scheduled for Feb. 6. Ashland hooks up with Conner at Lexington Christian on Feb. 3 and welcomes George Washington on Feb. 14.
BOYD COUNTY
Head Coach: Pete Fraley (28th)
Record: 21-10
Season Ended: Regional Championship (67-50 Ashland)
Key Returning Players: Audrey Biggs, Jasmine Jordan, Taylor Bartrum, Sophia Stevens
Boyd County was poised to claim another region title.
Ashland did not get that memo leaving the Lions in disarray as the Kittens hoisted the hardware and cut down the nets and the Lions have not forgotten that feeling as they look to return to the Sweet 16 in 2024. Veteran coach Pete Fraley knows how to get the best out of his squad, setting up what should be another crazy year in the 64th District.
Jasmine Jordan had a coming out season last year with 18.6 points and 11.7 rebounds a game. This season, Jordan will have help in the post with a fully healthy Audrey Biggs available after a remarkable recovery last year from an ACL tear. Biggs returned for 13 of the Lions contests last season and averaged 12 points and 4.9 rebounds an outing. Taylor Bartrum continued to be the spark plug for the Lions with 10.4 points and 6.1 boards. Sophia Stevens will be another big part of the puzzle for the Lions as the only player that saw action in all 31 games last season.
Boyd County will also lean on Bella Opell, Myla Hamilton, McKenzie Moore and Jada Ray to be contributors to the Lions this season. Opell is a bulldog on defense and kicked in 3.5 points a game. Hamilton saw limited action last season but will be a part of the rotation coming off the bench. Moore and Ray were both producers off the bench and will play in that same role this season.
Boyd County has another solid schedule this season highlighted by the top teams in the Tri-State area. Boyd will square off against George Washington and Letcher County Central in the Roundball Classic. They head to the Queen of the Commonwealth before Christmas and tangle with Ryle and Cooper after the holiday. Stepping out to the Mountain State, Boyd plays Morgantown on Jan. 26, Huntington High on the 27th and Midland on Feb. 3.
Boyd meets up with Ashland at Anderson Gymnasium on Jan. 18 followed with a home game on Feb. 6. Boyd closes the season with four more home games after the final Ashland contest with visits from Portsmouth, Morgan, Russell and Rowan.
FAIRVIEW
Head Coach: Brian Deer (1st)
Record: 8-22
Season Ended: Opening Round 64th District Tournament (64-12 Ashland)
Key Returning Players: Madison Loving
Fairview continues to rebuild with another new head coach as Brian Deer takes over in Westwood.
Fairview loses nearly all of its offense from last season with the departures of Kiera Loving and Mia Newton. Loving led the way with 15.2 points and 15.7 rebounds a game and Newton added 8.6 points an outing. The Eagles will turn to Madison Loving to lead the way as the leading scorer from last year at 5.4 points and 6.2 rebounds a game.
Fairview is facing a challenging schedule this season as a member of the 64th District and contests with Ashland and Boyd. Fairview will play Menifee County in the opening round of the 16th Region All “A” Classic on Jan. 6th. The Eagles are scheduled for home-and-home with East Carter, Raceland, Greenup and Johnson Central.
RACELAND
Head Coach: Marty Thomas (2nd)
Record: 7-24
Season Ended: Opening Round District Tournament (60-36 Russell)
Key Returning Players: Nim Maynard, Kennedy Taylor
High hopes became shattered dreams last season for Raceland after losing their final 10 contests and 12 of 13 while never putting back-to-back wins together.
Injuries and inexperience haunted the Rams last year but this season the Rams start with a healthy roster with a couple of added additions from transfers. Nim Maynard paced the Rams last season with 17.5 points a game while starting in all 31 contests. She also claimed 6.2 boards, second best on the team. Maynard will work as a shooting guard this season with the addition of Mia Adkins who came in from Russell. Lexi Boggs, Mikenna Lacks and Sophia Maynard will all share the workload at guard.
Kennedy Taylor anchored the post for the Rams with 8.9 points and 8 rebounds a game in her 22 contests. Taylor will allow the Rams to work inside out to set up the shooters on the perimeter. Carley Boyd will also work in the post for the Rams.
Raceland has a busy schedule around Christmas with three games in the Mike Bromagen Ladycats Legend at Bath County followed by playing hose of the Ryan Keeton ExP Reality Ohio River Classic after Christmas. Raceland opens district play with Lewis County on Jan. 2 at the Palace followed by a visit from Greenup on the 16th and a trip to Russell on the 18th.
RUSSELL
Head Coach: Mandy Layne (14th)
Record: 22-12
Season Ended: Semifinals 16th Region Tournament (45-44 Ashland)
Key Returning Players: Shaelyn Steele, Bella Quinn, Hannah Sanders, Kennedy Darnell
After a heartbreaking loss to Ashland in the region semifinals for the second year in a row, Russell has an agenda this season in hopes for regaining the regional crown.
Having one of the most prolific players in the region certainly helps that hope.
Russell features Shaelyn Steele whose storied career will come to an end this season after the completion of her senior campaign. Steele led the Devils in scoring and rebounding last season with 19.8 and 7.7, respectively. Joining Steele in the Devils’ potent offensive attack is Bella Quinn who took a step forward last season as a primary scorer and is expected to do more of the same this season. Quinn rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10.8 a game while shooting 37.6 percent from downtown.
Kennedy Darnell continues to become an additional scoring threat for Russell after netting 7.5 a game. Her length poses problems for teams and fits Russell’s suffocating defensive attack perfectly. Hannah Sanders will be the Devils primary post player and will need to add to her 4.8 a game from last year.
Courtney Fitzpatrick will round out the starting five after coming off the bench last season. Gabby Oborne is another scoring threat who worked well as the 6th man for Russell last year while providing another scoring option from downtown. Bethany Allen and Kamyrn Fleming will work in the post as well.
Russell will work another tough schedule with a meeting against George Washington in the Boyd County Roundball Classic on Dec. 9 followed by a trip to Cooper on Dec. 16. Russell meets Highlands in the Lady Invitational of the South on Dec. 27, Notre Dame on Jan. 6 at Franklin County and a Mountain State showdown with Morgantown and St. Albans on Jan. 26 and 27th. District play begins on Jan. 5 with a visit from Lewis County with a meeting with Greenup on Jan. 12 and Raceland on the 18th. Russell closes the season with three of their last four on the road with trips to Raceland, Wayne, WV and Boyd County. Russell will also have a home-and-home against Ashland on Jan. 24 and Feb. 12.
GREENUP COUNTY
Head Coach: Kacey Carver (Interim)
Record: 15-13
Season Ended: Opening Round 63rd District Tournament (42-37 Lewis)
Key Returning Players: Dharia Crum, Kennedy Spencer, Katie Shaffer
After a disappointing finish to last season with an early exit in the opening round of the district tournament, Greenup County finds itself in a rebuilding year. That rebuild became even more challenging with the departure of head coach Paul Miller one week before the start of the regular season. Add to the mix the departure of leading scorers and rebounders Rachel Bush and Emily Maynard and it's no secret the Musketeers will have their hands full this year.
With 35 of the Musketeers 50 points a game gone from Bush and Maynard, Greenup will have to be creative with its offensive production. Three returners from last season in Dharia Crum, Katie Shaffer and Kennedy Spencer will have to pace the Musketeers. Spencer tallied 5.4 points while Crum and Shaffer each had 4.6 a game.
Greenup will play Estill County on Dec. 15 in the Kentucky 2A Sectional and opens against Montgomery County on Dec. 20 in the Gateway Holiday Classic. Greenup travels to Lewis County on Jan. 9 to open district play followed by a trip to Russell on the 12th and Raceland on the 16th. Greenup welcomes Lewis on the 22nd, Russell on Feb. 1 and Raceland on Feb. 6.