The Trenton Lady Bulldogs used timely outside shooting, knock down free throw shooting in the final quarter, and suffocating defense to reach a level the program has not seen since 2000, winning the Class 3, District 16 championship with a 44-28 victory over Lathrop on Saturday afternoon.
Lathrop, after giving up the first basket of the game, went on a 6-0 run in the first quarter, before sophomore guard Ainsley Tolson gave some life to a slumbering Lady Bulldog attack. Tom Johnson with the call on Hot Country Z 101.7:
The shot gave Trenton some needed momentum going into the second quarter, but the Lady Bulldog still had trouble developing a working advantage until the final minute of the first half, as sophomore guard Mykah Hurley looked for the opportunity to extend Trenton’s lead:
Trenton led 18-11 at the halftime break, with a 13-8 edge in the third quarter, led by five points each from Tolson and Hurley, sending the lead to 31-19 after three quarters.
Trenton effectively closed out the Lady Mules with a combined 13 of 14 free throws made by Tolson and junior forward Ashten Whitaker in the fourth quarter, setting off a celebration that the Lady Bulldogs had waited 17 years for:
THS, now 25-3 on the season, will next play on Wednesday night at 7:45 against the District 15 champion Lawson Lady Cardinals. That game will be played at Excelsior Springs High School immediately after the 6 o’clock boys game between the Maryville Spoofhounds and Lawson Cardinals. The Trenton vs. Lawson Class 3 sectional will be broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7.
Tolson finished with a game-high 21 points for Trenton, while Hurley had 11, Ashten Whitaker 7, and Whitley Richman 5 points. Lathrop, finishing the campaign at 21-7, was paced by 14 points from center Deidra Sellers.
