With the exception of a hard-fought 60-50 win at Chillicothe on December 7th, nobody on the Trenton Lady Bulldogs schedule has been able to effectively challenge the talented and experienced THS girls in the 2018-2019 season. The latest to take on Trenton, this time in the championship game of the Lawson Invitational Tournament, was the Penney Lady Hornets, with Trenton taking the victory on Monday night, 60-33, improving their perfect record to 15-0.
The outside shooting of junior guard Nora Ford kept the Lady Hornets within shouting distance early, as two three-pointers helped to cut into Trenton’s first quarter lead, sitting at 15-8 through eight minutes of play. However, Trenton’s dominant floor game, with the defensive tenacity of Mykah Hurley, the driving, shooting, and passing abilities of Ainsley Tolson, and the ability to finish inside by Maci Moore, proved to be too much for Hamilton’s side in the second quarter, as Trenton added 22 more points to the scoreboard, leading 37-17 at the break.
A 17-6 edge for the Bulldogs in the third quarter continued to expand the lead, as Penney fell for just the third time in 13 games this season.
In the game, broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7, Lawson Tournament Most Valuable Player Maci Moore led Trenton with 25 points, while All-Tournament team selections Mykah Hurley (13 points) and Ainsley Tolson (11 points) both scored in double figures for Trenton. Nora Ford had 11 points for Hamilton, all in the first half, while Jessica Richman added 10 points, eight of those coming in the second half.
The Lawson Lady Cardinals took the third place hardware in their own tournament on Monday night, defeating North Platte, 50-30. The Richmond Lady Spartans took the consolation title, 40-36 over the Gallatin Lady Bulldogs.
In Monday night’s boys championship game, also broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7, Gallatin’s offense struggled against the Richmond quickness and athleticism cutting into the passing lanes, with the Spartans holding the Bulldogs to just 33 points in a 51-33 victory that gave the LIT title to Richmond.
Tournament MVP Dionte Marquez led Richmond with 18 points, while All-Tournament selection Calvin Swafford had 12 points. Named to the All-Tournament team from Gallatin were Dylan Burns and Tristen Gibson, although that duo combined for just 12 points in the final. Aidan Adkison led Gallatin High School with 10 points.
In the boys third place game on Monday night from Lawson High School, the Penney Hornets beat Lawson, 61-48.
Joining Marquez, Swafford, Burns, and Gibson on the boys all-tournament team were Braden Potts of Penney and Coleman Weber of the host Lawson Cardinals.
