Rockets claim first All A win in 8 years

PRINCETON, Ky. – Crittenden County snapped a six-game losing streak against Caldwell County and more importantly won an All A Classic opener for the first time in 8 years.

The Rockets completed the deed in somewhat uncomplicated fashion, getting way ahead of the Tigers early on their home floor and winning 63-44.

Travis Champion suffered a cut under his eye
and missed part of the first half at Caldwell.

Crittenden’s prize will be a second-round matchup against surging University Heights, a team that upset Lyon County in the small-school tournament this week and beat the Rockets by 45 last week.

CCHS has had a penchant for drawing the best team in the regional All A over the past several years. The Rockets won the small-school regional crown in 2000, its only championship since the tournament began in the early 1990s.

Junior Travis Champion and senior Preston Morgeson were blazing in the first half. Champion dropped in eight in the opening period before missing part of the second after taking an elbow underneath the eye that left a large gash. He returned to finish with 20 points. Morgeson picked up the offense with Champion getting locker-room care, scoring 13 of his team’s 17 in the second quarter. He finished with five threes and 24 points.

CCHS led by as many at 24 in the second quarter. Caldwell cut it back to 16, but got no closer in the second half.

The Rockets play UHA at Princeton at 7:30pm Friday in the semifinal round.

Crittenden County 15 32 49 63

Caldwell County 9 16 25 44

CRITTENDEN – Morgeson 24, Champion 20, Walker 4, Hatfield 8, Suddoth, Sharp, Gobin 3, Guess 2, Poindexter, Counts 2. FG 25. 3-pointers 7 (Morgeson 5, Hatfield 2). FT 6-11.

CALDWELL – Phelps, Bumpus 15, Maddox, Whittington 9, Thompson 6, Hammett, Littlejohn, Rowland 3, Parker 5, Roach 6, Wall. FG 15. 3-pointers 5 (Thompson 2, Bumpus, Rowland, Parker). FT 9-16.