Rocket beat Ballard after quick trip home

MARION, Ky. – Crittenden County (6-4) played its fourth game in four days on Friday morning, beating Ballard Memorial 57-51 at Rocket Arena.

Freshly home from a holiday tournament at Larue County, the Rockets hosted Ballard for an 11 a.m., start after taking the red eye back to Marion from Hodgenville the night before. 

Crittenden got its typical offensive performance from Travis Champion, who scored 22, and senior Trace Derrington dropped a dozen for his best scoring of the season.

Ballard (4-7) has now lost to the Rockets in three straight meetings.

Ballard Memorial 11 21 34 51
Crittenden County 11 23 40 57
BALLARD – Wilson 7, English 8, Birney 15, Smith 5, Overstreet 3, Barber 2, Duncan 11. FG 20. 3-pointers 5. FT 6-17.
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 2, Champion 22, Beverly 5, Adamson 6, Crider, Davidson 4, Derrington 12, Conyer 2, Cooksey 4. FG 23. 3-pointers 5 (Adamson 2, Beverly, Derrington 2). FT 6-10.

Rockets fall in final holiday tournament outing

HODGENVILLE, Ky. – Crittenden County closed out its holiday tournament action with another difficult offensive outing. Rockcastle County beat the Rockets 63-41.

Travis Champion scored 18, a bit below his average, and for the second straight game CCHS’s second-leading scorer, Preston Morgeson, was held to a mere three-point bucket. He averages a dozen a game. Crittenden got a combined 16 points from its other three starters.

Champion, who scored 59 points in the three-game tournament, was named team MVP.

The Rockets finished the tournament 1-2 and are now 5-4 overall. 

Rockcastle County (8-7) had three players with 13 points or more.

Rockcastle County 13 22 42 63
Crittenden County 11 21 36 41
ROCKCASTLE - Hopkins 23, Dillingham 1, Mullins 14, Couger 13, Chasteen 3, Durham 3, Sanders 6. FG 24. 3-pointers 8. FT 7-11.
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 3, Champion 18, Beverly 5, Adamson 2, Hatfield, Crider 2, Davidson, Keller, Conyer 1, Derrington, 6, Guess, Hutchison, Sharp, Cooksey 5. FG 15. 3-pointers 4 (Morgeson, Champion, Beverly, Derrington). FT 4-8.

Lady Rockets finish Classic with win

Grace Driskill’s 6 points in the fourth quarter helped the Lady Rockets pull away from Portland, Tenn., Thursday during the Lady Rockets’ final consolation game in the Allen County-Scottsville Magnolia Bank Classic.

The Lady Rockets (9-2)  struggled early, but were up one at the half before extending the lead to 10 by the end of the game, thanks in part to Driskill’s 6-point fourth quarter. 

The Lady Rockets are off for New Year’s and return to play on Tuesday with a District re-match with Lyon County.

Portland, Tenn. 17 21 27 36

Crittenden         12 22 33 46

PORTLAND–Gregory 12, Hester 9, Totten 10, Wasilko 3, Waggoner 2 FG:12, 3-pointers 5, FT: 5-5

CRITTENDEN– Guess 21m N.Boone 6, A.Boone 4, Hatfield 4, Driskill 8, Evans 4. FG:14. 3-pointers 1 (Guess) FT: 15-18

Rockets fall by 21 in tournament semifinal

HODGENVILLE, Ky. – Crittenden County couldn’t get going offensively and lost 61-40 in the semifinal round of the Magnolia Bank Holiday Classic against host Larue County (8-2).

The Rockets (5-3) gave up some size to the Hawks and were unable to match the home team’s patience and success on offense. Larue deployed various zones to hold the Rockets to their second lowest scoring production of the season. 

The Rockets’ second-leading scorer on the season, Preston Morgeson, got in a bit of foul trouble which didn’t help the Rockets as they tried to catch up late in the game. He finished with just three points. Travis Champion led the way with 20, but CCHS got virtually no offense from the post.

Crittenden will play in the third-pace game at 4:30pm (CST) Thursday against either Grayson County or Rockcastle County.

Crittenden County 10 23 29 40
Larue County 21 35 45 61
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 3, Champion 20, Beverly, Adamson 9, Hatfield, Crider 2, Davidson, Conyer, Derrington 6, Guess, Hutchison, Sharp, Cooksey.
LARUE – Boley 10, Childress 12, Trumbo 8, Thomas 7, Davis 2, Self 8, Allen 14. FG 21. 3-pointers 7. FT 12-15.

Lady Rockets drop 2nd straight, boys up next

SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. – Crittenden County started slowly in its second outing at the Allen County-Scottsville holiday tournament, but when Taylor Guess got going, the Lady Rockets took the lead.

Guess scored just one bucket in the first period, but dropped eight points in the second quarter as Crittenden went up by two at the half after trailing by six earlier in the game. 

Crittenden also led periodically in the last half, but couldn’t stop Metcalfe (7-6) down the stretch as the CCHS girls fell for the second straight game after winning eight in a row to start the season.

Crittenden had trouble scoring in a half court set and its zone defense was overcome by Metcalfe's accurate shooting.

Guess finished with 27 points and senior Grace Driskill and 11 rebounds. 

The Lady Rockets (8-2) will play again in the consolation bracket Thursday at Scottsville. They will face Portland, Tenn.

Meanwhile, the Rockets play tonight Larue County tonight in the Larue tournament. That game tips off at 5:30pm (CST) and can be seen live on the NFHS Network.

Metcalfe County 12 18 34 50
Crittenden County 6 20 34 46
METCALFE – Harper 8, Davis 16, Blythe 4, London 15, Glass 4, Jolly 3. FG 20. 3-pointers 4. FT 6-11.
CRITTENDEN – Guess 27, N.Boone 3, A.Boone 6, Evans 6, Hatfield, Driskill 4, McDaniel. FG 20. 3-pointers 2 (Guess, N.Boone). FT 4-4.

Lady Rockets suffer first loss of season

SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. – Losing for the first time this season, the Lady Rockets were outmanned in most positions Tuesday afternoon, falling 67-47 to Frederick Douglass in the opening game of the Allen County-Scottsville South Central Bank-Halton Classic.

Frederick Douglass is a 5A school in classified sports, and had plenty of horses to back up their now 8-2 record. The Lady Broncos have won seven straight with a frontline that featured a long and tall six-footer and a strong 5-foot-10 forward. Frederick Douglass got a dozen offense boards in the first half and dominated the game inside en route to an 11-point halftime lead.

Crittenden junior stalwart Taylor Guess scored 18 of the girls’ first-half points and finished with 33. Otherwise, the Lady Broncos defense held CCHS at bay. In the second half, Frederick Douglass hit five three-pointers to pull away comfortably. 

The Lady Rockets (8-1) will play either Metcalfe County or Bardstown in Wednesday’s consolation bracket. 

Crittenden County 10  23  29  47
Frederick Douglass 18  34  54  67
CRITTENDEN – Guess 33, N.Boone, A.Boone 4, Evans, Hatfield 2, Driskill 8, Tapp, Hunt, McDaniel, Federico. FG 15. 3-pointers none. FT 17-24.
FREDERICK DOUGLASS – Brooks 5, Baker 6, Bennett 2, Wallace 19, Darrington 12, Love 6, Price 5, Rhodes 13. FG 29. 3-pointers 8. FT 2-6.

Morgeson's deep, late 3 gives CCHS win

HODGENVILLE, Ky. – Junior guard Preston Morgeson sank a long three-pointer just before time expired Tuesday to lift the Rockets to a 63-62 victory over Whitley County in the opening game of the  Magnolia Bank Holiday Classic. 

Crittenden trailed 16-4 early in the game, but battled back and actually took a one-point lead before settling for a narrow deficit at the break. The game was back and forth in the second half. Crittenden led by four in the fourth period, but with eight seconds to go, Whitley County held a two-point edge.

On an inbounds play from beside his own basket, senior Trace Derrington threw a long pass over the Whitely County (5-2) defense and into the hands of Morgeson, well above the top of the arc. Morgeson never took a step or a dribble, and his 35-foot jump shot found nothing but net for the one-point win.

The Rockets (5-2) will face tournament host Larue County (7-2) at 5:30pm Wednesday in the tournament semifinal round.

Crittenden County 6 31 43 63
Whitley County 16 32 44 62
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 13, Champion 21, Beverly 4, Adamson 10, Crider, Davidson 4, Derrington 9, Cooksey 2. FG 27. 3-pointers 4 (Derrington, Morgeson, Champion). FT 5-6.
WHITLEY – Reynolds 28, Anderson, Magan 17, Fusin 7, Petrey 8, Queener 2. FG 25. 3-pointers 9. FT 3-5.

Lady Rockets off to best start in history

The Lady Rockets are off to their best start in school history, winning their first eight of the season.

Crittenden County weaved its way through difficult foul issues and perhaps one of its lighter defensive outings of the season, but held on to beat Calloway County 53-49 on the road Tuesday. The Lady Rockets led by as many as 11 in the second half.

Juniors Taylor Guess, Natalie Boone and Addie Hatfield were on and off the bench with foul trouble much of the game. At one point, the Lady Rockets had four middle schoolers on the floor at the same time. 

Calloway is a young team, too, however, and the Lady Rockets were able to make some key foul shots down the stretch to hold off a late surge by the Lady Lakers (2-3), who made three treys down the stretch.

Guess led the scoring with 17 points and Anna Boone, one of the team's eighth graders, scored 16. Guess has pumped in 55 points in the past three games, and Boone has dropped 46. 

It was only the second time in 10 years that at the Lady Rockets had played Calloway. They lost to the Laker girls in 2019.

The Lady Rockets haven't gotten off to this good of a start since 2011 when they won six games before losing. 

Crittenden Co. 14 25 38 53
Calloway County 10 21 32 49
CRITTENDEN – Guess 17, N.Boone 8, A.Boone 16, Evans 5, Hatfield 2, Driskill 3, McDaniel 2, Hunt. FG 16. 3-pointers 1 (Guess). FT 14-25.

CALLOWAY – Koch 2, Shumacher 13, Crouch 6, McReynolds 2, Settle 2, Clark 8, Lowe 16. FG 15. 3-pionters 6. FT 13-18,

Adamson back to lineup in win at Trinity

Rocket senior Hayden Adamson – who had been out with an injury – made his season debut against Whitesville Trinity Tuesday in a game played at St. Mary’s holiday showcase in Paducah. 

Adamson scored eight points as the Rockets won 66-59.

CCHS drained eight threes – 7 in the second half – and took the lead in the third quarter. Adamson and Trace Derrington had two threes apiece and Preston Morgeson dropped three treys. 

Travis Champion led the way with 23 points.

Whitesville Trinity 14 28 38 59
Crittenden County 9 22 46 66
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 11, Champion 23, Beverly 2, Adamson 8, Crider, Davidson 8, Derrington 6, Yates, Cooksey 8. FG 25. 3-pointers 8. (Derrington 2, Adamson 2, Morgeson 3, Champion). FT 8-12.

Girls perfect in the district, so far

Lady Rocket Addie Hatfield defends the high
post during Monday's win over Lyon County.

Junior guard Taylor Guess scored 23 on Monday as the Lady Rockets beat Lyon County 63-51 to make it a clean sweep during the first half of the regular-season league round-robin and improve to 7-0 on the season and 3-0 in the Fifth District.

Lyon’s height and length around the basket created some trouble for CCHS early, but the Lady Rockets never trailed. They led by eight or nine much of the way, but Lyon (5-5, 1-1) three times cut the margin to two.

Crittenden had to manage some minor foul trouble with Guess and Natalie Boone, but managed to pull away down the stretch.

The game was a makeup from a postponement on Dec. 10 when games were put off due to the impending tornados headed toward the area.

Lyon County 8 22 34 51
Crittendne Co. 16 31 46 63
LYON – Cothum, Butler 6, Smith 15, Calista Collins 14, Taylor 2, Holland 2, Courtney Collins 4, Perry 8. FG 21. 3-pointers 1 (Colista Collins). FT 8-11.
CRITTENDEN – Guess 23, N.Boone 11, A.Boone 10, Evans 6, Hatfield 7, Driskill 6, McDaniel. FG 23. 3-pointers none. FT 17-26. 

Undefeated girls host Lyon tonight

Leading scorer Taylor Guess and the Lady 
Rockets are looking to stay undefeated tonight.

Crittenden County's undefeated Lady Rocket basketball will host Lyon County tonight at Rocket Arena is a makeup game. The game was a postponed on Dec. 10 as deadly storms bore down western Kentucky.

The CCHS girls are 6-0 on the season and can improve to 3-0 in district play with a win against the Lady Lyons (5-4). Tonight's action in Marion will be a girls' junior varsity and varsity doubleheader. 

Tickets are available here on TicketLeap. 

If you can't make the game, watch it and all other home CCHS girls' and boys' games at the NFHS Network. Viewing requires a subscription. Recent improvements, including the addition of a live scoreboard has improved the viewing experience. 

Undisputed champions two years in a row

The 8th-grade Lady Rockets finished their season Saturday as the undefeated champion of the middle school district tournament. Crittenden's girls have never lost a basketball game, not as seventh graders last year nor as eighth graders this season. 

As far back as anyone can remember, this is the first group of girls to never lose a game in competitive middle school action. Several of these girls play on the high school varsity team as well.

CCMS defeated Lyon County 51-38 in the championship game after knocking off Caldwell County in the semifinal Saturday morning. The tournament was held at Lyon County.

TOURNAMENT SCORING

SEMIFINAL GAME 
Crittenden 34, Caldwell 29
CCMS Scoring: Anna Boone 11, Elliot Evans 8, Chloe Hunt 7, Elle McDaniel 5, Andrea Federico 2, Morgan Stewart 1.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 
Crittenden 51, Lyon County 38
CCMS Scoring: Elliot Evans 21, Anna Boone 17, Elle McDaniel 6, Georgia Holeman 3, Andrea Federico 2, Chloe Hunt 2.

Crittenden sweeps district doubleheader

The Rockets and Lady Rockets swept Trigg County in a Fifth District doubleheader Friday night at Rocket Arena.

The girls improved to 6-0 on the season and 2-0 in league play with some big scoring from eighth-graders Anna Boone and Elliot Evans. While Trigg held leading scorer Taylor Guess to 15, a bit below her average, Boone dropped a career-high 20 and Evans had her best ever, too, with 10. They did a good bit of their damage in a pivotal second quarter that saw CCHS take the lead for good.

Crittenden's makeup game with Lyon County is Monday, Dec. 20 at Marion. A win there would give the Rocket girls a 3-0 start and early command in the district regular-season race. The Lyon game was postponed on Friday, Dec. 10 as storms that spawned deadly tornados in the region were approaching. 

In the boys’ game, Crittenden led by as many as 13 in the first half, but settled for a two-point win as Trigg battled back down the stretch. 

Travis Champion scored 24 for the Rockets and Preston Morgeson dropped 17 as CCHS improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the district. Crittenden will make up its game against Lyon County on Feb. 7. That will be a key matchup as Lyon is the decided favorite in the league, and perhaps the best team in the region. 

BOYS GAME ACTION PHOTOS - GO HERE
Trigg County 9 25 38 54
Crittenden County 16 28 43 56

TRIGG – Ahart 12, Gude 2, J.Vaughn 13, Washer 2, Adams 14, K.Vaughn 11, Parham. FG 18. 3-pointers 6 (Arhart 4, J.Vaughn 1, K.Vaughn 1). FT 12-19.
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 17, Champion 24, Davidson 7, Yates 2, Cooksey 6, Derrington, Crider, Beverly. FG 20. 3-pointers 5 (Morgeson 4, Champion). FT 11-16.


GIRLS ACTION PHOTOS - GO HERE
Trigg County 7 21 34 47
Crittenden Co. 2 25 46 56
TRIGG - Noffsinger 16, Sink 2, Reynolds 16, Hyde 8, Rogers 2, Grubbs 3, Alexander. FG 16. 3-pointerse 3 (Hyde 2, Grubbs). FT 12-18.
CRITTENDEN – Taylor Guess 15, Anna Boone 20, Elliot Evans 10, Natalie Boone 8, Addie Hatfield 3, Grace Driskill. FG 21. 3-pointers 3 (A.Boone 2, N.Boone). FT 11-20.

Rockets fall at Ohio; Lady Rockets win 5th

Crittenden County had trouble getting its offense going at Ohio County Tuesday and lost 49-26.

The Rockets had just nine points at the half and made only eight field goals during the game.

Travis Champion led CCHS scoring with eight points. He had been averaging 29 points per game.

The Rockets fall to 2-3 on the season and will host Trigg County (3-2) in a district game Friday at Marion.

Crittenden Co. 7 9 16 26
Ohio County 18 25 37 49
WEBSTER – Morgeson 4, Champion 8, Beverly 3, Crider 2, Davidson 3, Keller, Conyer, Derrington 2, Guess, Hutchison, Yates 2, Sharp, Cooksey 2. FG 8. 3-pointers 1 (Morgeson). FT 9-15.
OHIO – Manning 9, Kennedy 3, Southard 6, Allen 7, Decker 13, Culbertson 7, Lindsey 7. FG 21. 3-pointers 5. FT 2-7.

Grace Driskill and Addie Hatfield apply
defensive pressure against Webster.

Guess scores 24 to beat Webster 

In perhaps the toughest test of the season thus far, the Lady Rockets beat Webster County 60-45 to remain unbeaten after five games.

Both teams played with intensity and applied ball pressure the entire length of the floor much of the time.

Crittenden took the lead for good with just over five minutes left in the first half and won going away, outscoring Webster 21-12 in the final period.

Taylor Guess scored 24 for the Lady Rockets while Grace Driskill added a dozen and Natalie Boone 10.

Senior Raigan Price, the Lady Trojans (2-3) top scorer, was out with an ankle injury. She averages 17 points a game.

Webster Co. 8 22 33 45
Crittenden Co. 8 24 39 60
WEBSTER – Wright 1, Browder, Karsyn Cates 8, Shoulders 6, Thompson 4, Austin, Rakestraw 6, Yates 8, Katelyn Cates 9. FG 18. 3-pointers 7 (Yates 2, Katelyn Cates 2, Karsyn Cates 2, Thompson). FT 2.
CRITTENDEN – Guess 24, N.Boone 10, A.Boone 5, Evans, Hatfield 9, Driskill 12, Hunt. FG 24. 3-pointers 4 (N.Boone 2, Guess 2). FT 8.

CCHS schedules reshuffled this week

Due to post-storm issues, Crittenden County has had to reshuffle its upcoming basketball schedule. 

The Rockets were supposes to play Dawson Springs Tuesday, but now they're going to play varsity only at 6pm at Ohio County.

A boys' game scheduled for Saturday at Hopkins Central has been canceled. 

The Lady Rockets were suppose to play at Dawson Springs tonight, but that game is canceled and Crittenden has picked up a game against Webster County for Tuesday night. It will be at Rocket Arena, varsity only starting at 6:30pm.

Rockets, Lady Rockets win Tuesday games

Rockets win by 18 on road

The Rockets got 24 points from Travis Champion Tuesday and Preston Morgeson and Trace Derrington also scored in double-digits with 11 and 12, respectively, as CCHS dispatched Christian Fellowship 70-52 on the road.

The Rockets improved to 2-1 with the win while CFA fell to 2-2.

Crittenden County  15 39 54 70
Christian Fellowship 11 22 32 52
CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 11, Champion 24, Beverly 4, Hatfield, Crider 3, Davidson 5, Conyer, Derrington 12, Guess, Hutchison, Yates 2, Sharp, Cooksey 9. FG 27. 3-pointers 7 (Champion 2, Morgeson 2, Derrington 2, Crider). FT 9-16.
CFA – Hovkamp 13, Grigg 9, Space, Cary 4, Dunning 19, Fletcher, E.Grigg 7, Slayden, Burns, Stemper, S.Grigg. FG 17. 3-pointers 3 (Hovkamp, Cary, E.Grigg). FT 15-32.

Guess scores 34 to beat Caldwell

In a game that started slowly on the scoreboard, Lady Rocket Taylor Guess found a hot hand to post her best offensive outing of the young season. She scored 34 – including 15 at the foul line – as Crittenden led from the jump and beat Caldwell County 54-39.

The Rocket girls led 3-0 in the Tuesday matchup after 7 minutes of play. Then, they got rolling with a faster pace.

The win lifts the Lady Rockets to 4-0 to start the season while Caldwell County is now winless in four games.

Caldwell County 5 14 20 39
Crittenden County 7 19  39     54

CALDWELL –  Smiley 5, Howell 6, Copeland 2, McKinney 5, Gray 13, Clark 3, Tyler, Thomas 3, Butts 3, Ortt 2, Thompson, Williams. FG 14. 3-pointers 5 (Gray 2, McKinney, Clark, Thomas). FT 6-10.
CRITTENDEN – Guess 34, N.Boone, A.Boone 6, Evans 8, Hatfield 2, Driskell 4, Tapp, Long, Hunt, Federico, Holeman. FG 17. 3-pointers 2 (Guess, Evans). FT 18-29.

Lady Rockets scorch Bombers 54-16

Crittenden County improved to 3-0 on Saturday, beating Ballard Memorial in trouble-free fashion. 

Crittenden led 10-0 just over a minute into the game while Ballard had scarcely gotten the ball out of its backcourt against the Lady Rocket full-court trapping press.

The previously unbeaten Bomber girls showed a little life with an 8-4 spurt after CCHS called off the trap and missed some makable shots. But once the Rockets girls got back on track they tripled the visitor’s score, 33-11, with two minutes left in half.

The game was terribly lopsided with Crittenden leading by more than 30 late, and everyone on the CCHS bench got in on the action in the fourth quarter. Ballard was scoreless in the final period. 

Junior guard Taylor Guess, who had scored 49 a few days earlier in a scrimmage against Ballard as CCHS won on the road 78-37, posted 23 this time and senior Grace Driskill added 10.

Ballard Memorial 8 12 16 16
Crittenden County 20 33 48 54
BALLARD - Yates 4, Beere, Adams, Cantrell, Smith, Stowe, Riggs, O’Conner 6, Cox 1, O’Neil, Monroe 5. FG 5. 3-pointers 2 (O’Conner, Yates). FT 4-10
CRITTENDEN - Guess 23, N.Boone 2, A.Boone 3, Evans 3, Hatfield 7, Driskill 10, Tapp, Long, McDaniel, Hunt, Federico 4, Holeman. FG 22. 3-pointers none. FT 10-16.

CCHS sweeps district doubleheader at Livingston

Champion scores 36, Downey 45

Chase Conyer (22) posts up against Livingston's
Logan Wring in Friday's game.

SMITHLAND, Ky. – Crittenden County beat Livingston Central 74-65 Friday at Smithland in what turned out to be the Champion & Downey Hour.

Point guard Travis Champion scored 36 points for the winning Rockets and Max Downey posted 45 points for his Cardinals. Those were career highs for both players, Champion a sophomore and Downey a fifth-year senior. Downey’s 45 is potentially the most points scored in a regular-season game in Livingston's basketball history. Don Ringstaff scored 46 in the 1959 Sweet 16.

The rest of the game and its characters were but a side show to the main attraction, but interesting indeed was the undercard. The rest of the production had its moments of great entertainment and intrigue. In the ring there were three technical fouls and a Rocket lineman turned pivotman, Dylan Yates, who at one point had about four or five steals in a series where Livingston turned the ball over six times in nine trips down the floor. Livingston’s eighth-grade diaper dandy, 6-foot-4 Logan Wring, had his ankle tightly tethered with a brace, limiting his input in the affair and the Cardinals’ other bigman, 6-3 senior Tyler Calendar was unavailable because of a bum ankle. 

In a pivotal run early in the fourth period, Downey scored seven straight points to bring his team to within one after Crittenden had led by as many as eight or nine a good part of the way up to that point. With Downey providing Max’s moments, Champion answered the call scoring four straight and six of eight as CCHS held off the fury and eventually pulled further ahead.

“It felt like an old fashioned Crittenden-Livingston game,” said Rocket coach Denis Hodge, pointing to a big, vocal crowd for both sides.

Livingston coach Chris Green lamented his team’s ability to match the Rocket defensive pressure and a less-than-desirable job on the boards. The Cardinals are now 0-3 overall and 0-1 in the district. 

To handle the Rockets in their next meeting way down the road on Jan. 21 at Marion, Green said his team will need to limit Champion to fewer than 20 and box out better.

As for Hodge, he was pleased for the most part with the way his team defended the Cardinals despite Downey’s big numbers. The Rockets are 1-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.

Crittenden County 23 32 45 74
Livingston Central 19 24 42 65
CRITTENDEN - Preston Morgeson 17, Travis Champion 36, Tanner Beverly 7, Luke Crider 1, Tristan Davidson 2, Chase Conyer 2, Trace Derrington, Dylan Yates 2, Holden Cooksey 7. FG 29. 3-pointers 4 (Morgeson 2, Champion, Beverly). FT 12-20.
LIVINGSTON - Max Downey 45, Jason Rains 2, Logan Wring 3, Gavin Crass 8, Casen Render 4, Jack Thomas, Drew Hosick 3. FG 22. 3-pointers 4 (Downey 3, Hosick). FT 17-25.

Girls' offense hits on all cylinders 

Elliot Evans guards Maggie Downey.

SMITHLAND, Ky. – Junior guard Natalie Boone scored a game-high and career-best 19 points as the Lady Rockets beat Livingston Central 56-36 in a pivotal early-season Fifth District matchup Friday.

Livingston concentrated much of its defensive effort on stopping Crittenden scoring stalwart Taylor Guess, but the rest of the CCHS crew picked up the offense. Guess still scored 16, just a couple of baskets below her average. Eighth-graders Elliot Evans and Anna Boone added nine and eight,  respectively. 

Crittenden jumped out early 24-6, but Livingston reeled off a 14-0 run to close within four points just before the half. Crittenden, which led from the jump, got eight points from Natalie Boone in the third period as the Lady Rockets pulled ahead comfortably and cruised to their second win of the season.
“It’s a huge win, our first district win of the season,” said Lady Rocket coach Shannon Hodge. “Any time you can go to Livingston and come home with a 20-point win it’s a good trip.”

Hodge thought Livingston was the more physical team.

“They had us on our heels at times out there,” she said.

But Natalie Boone was a calming force, Hodge explained, when things got tough.
“We challenged her last year when she was out with the injury to watch and think like a coach,” the skipper said. “She did that and brings a whole lot higher basketball IQ to the floor.”

Livingston and Crittenden are each loaded with young players. The Lady Cardinals don’t have a starter beyond ninth grade, although a couple are pandemic do-over freshmen. When the game started, there were four middle schoolers on the floor, two for each team.

Victoria Joiner led Livingston with 10 points. She was the only Lady Cardinal in double figures, and got eight of those in the second half. It was LCHS’s second loss in as many games, and first in district action.

Crittenden Co. 18 26 41 56
Livingston Central 6 20 29 36
CRITTENDEN - Guess 16, N.Boone 19, A.Boone 8, Evans 9, Hatfield 3, McDaniel 1, Driskill, Hunt. FG 22. 3-pointers (N.Boone 2, Evans). FT 9-15
LIVINGSTON - Joiner 10, Leahy 7, Downey 3, Holeman 7, Hargrove 3, Ramage 6. FG 11. 3-pointers 2 (Downey, Hargrove). FT 10-17.

CCHS basketball splits in home opener

Crittenden County's girls showed right out of the chute their ability to score, and score deep. Ten Lady Rockets got on the board as CCHS beat University Heights 60-23 in a game that didn't finish until well after 10pm Tuesday night at Rocket Arena. It was the last of a three-game set that included boys' JV and varsity games at Marion.

The Rockets opened the night's varsity action with a 76-62 loss to Union County in a game that was much more lopsided than that early in the fourth period. A late surge by CCHS closed the gap and gave Rocket Coach Denis Hodge some comfort.

Read more in the full edition of this week's Crittenden Press.

University Heights 6 15 20 23
Crittenden County     14 28 51 60
UHA – Litchfield, Davis 11, Bass 7, Dilday, Daniel 3, Hightower, Young Smith 2. FG 10. 3-pointers none. FT 2-6.
CRITTENDEN – Taylor Guess 19, Natalie Boone 7, Anna Boone 11, Elliot Evans 8, Addie Hatfield 4, Grace Driskill 2, Jaylen Tapp 1, Hannah Long, Elle McDaniel 2, Chloe Hunt 4, Andrea Federico 2, Georgia Holeman. FG 23. 3-pointers 1 (Natalie Boone). FT 13-16.

Union County 22 37 56 76
Crittenden Co. 17 28 36 62
UNION – Corbett 3, Johnson 2, Manuel 25, Mayes 4, Mackey 10, Hughes 11, Adams 2, Kanipe 19. FG 33. 3-pointers 4 (Manuel, Mackey 2, Kanipe). FT 6-16.
CRITTENDEN - Preston Morgeson 11, Travis Champion 27, Tanner Beverly 5, Tristan Davidson 4, Trace Derrington 2, Seth Guess, Jordan Hutchison 2, Chase Conyer 5, Dylan Yates 2, Holden Cooksey 4. FG 23. 3-pointers 4 (Morgeson 2, Champion 2). FT 12-21.