Grayson County Middle School’s seventh-grade girls basketball team brought a little more hardware to the school’s trophy case after they earned the championship of their own Grayson County Invitational on Saturday.

The Lady Cougars pounded Bluegrass Middle School in the first game 44-3, then beat a very good team from My Old Kentucky Home 26-20 in the championship game.

The eighth-grade girls were not so fortunate as they were beaten 41-22 in the first game by an excellent Bluegrass Middle School team.

SEVENTH VS BLUEGRASS

There was little doubt about the outcome of this game as the Lady Cougars (12-2) held Bluegrass (2-9) scoreless until the 3:44 mark of the third quarter. By that time Grayson County held a 33-0 lead and they were just waiting for the championship game.

All 17 players who dressed played in the game and 10 of them hit the scoring column. Guard Brooklyn Williams had a monster game for the Lady Cougars, scoring eight points, but pulling down 14 rebounds and adding three assists and seven steals.

Mattie Stewart also scored eight points to share the team lead and added four rebounds and a pair of steals. Sloan Embry had seven points, while Sarah Stewart had five.

Raven Shelton and Jodi Decker had four points each, while Dessarae Mudd, Cortney Tomes, Kiera Brooks and Michaela Stinson all had two to complete the Cougar scoring. Mudd added five rebounds for the Lady Cougars.

SEVENTH VS OKH

My Old Kentucky Home came into this match with 29 games under its belt, 27 of which they had won, so the Lady Cougars figured to have their hands full.

Neither team led by more than two points in the first half as they traded baskets back and forth. With the score knotted at 12-12 as time ran out at the end of the half, Williams hit a running left-handed shot to beat the buzzer and give the Lady Cougars a 14-12 lead at the break. They would never trail again.

Grayson County twice led by eight points in the second half, the last time coming at 24-16 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Wildcats were never closer than six points the rest of the way.

Williams had another huge game for Grayson County, recording a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Shelton and Mudd scored four points each, while Shelton had seven rebounds and Mudd added four.

Pierce and Stewart both had two points. Tomes closed out the scoring with one point but added eight rebounds to the Lady Cougar win.

EIGHTH VS BLUEGRASS

The Colts came in with an unblemished 11-0 record and quickly showed why as they took the Lady Cougars to task.

The Lady Cougars held a brief 4-2 lead following a Katie Hayes three-pointer and 1-of-2 free throws by Karlie Blain, but that would be their last lead.

Bluegrass scored the last six points of the first period, then got a three-pointer from Tajah Haley at the start of the third to take a 13-4 lead. The Colts, a superb passing team, led 22-9 at the half, and 31-13 after three periods.

Grayson County wasted a terrific performance by Hayes, who scored 14 points, including two from behind the arc. She made it a double-double day with 10 rebounds, and also led the team with four steals and two assists.

Haley hit three three-pointers in the game and led all scorers with 16 points. Zacchea Small joined her in double figures with 12 points.

Kaylan Shull had three points for the Lady Cougars and led the team on the boards with 13 rebounds. Bailey Reed and Eleni Eversole both scored two points, and Blain finished with one to complete the Lady Cougar scoring. The eighth-grade girls’ record is now 8-8 for the season.

Grayson County’s girls will be on the road this coming Tuesday evening as they travel to Morgantown to take on the Lady Bears. Seventh-grade action begins at 5:30 p.m. with the eighth-grade game to follow.