The McCracken County Mustangs and Community Christian Academy Warriors met at Otis Dinning Gymnasium on Monday night in the first round of the Second District postseason tournament. With sophomore Jackson Klope leading the charge, the Mustangs defeated the Warriors 66-23.
Klope led all scorers in the contest, posting 19 points for the Mustangs. Freshman Jay Martin followed behind with 12 points, six coming from beyond the arc. For Community Christian Academy, eighth-grade Bradon DeJarnatt and sophomore Cooper Reed led the Warriors with a combined 16 points for the Warriors.
The Mustangs opened the scoring in the first quarter, holding the Warriors to two points, which came from junior Ahmed Dee in the form of a field goal. Senior Connor Miller led the charge for the Mustangs in the quarter, posting nine points. Junior Dylan Jackson and Klope dropped a combined 12 points for McCracken County. Martin and sophomore Owen Grogan joined the offensive onslaught with five points combined. By the end of the opening quarter, McCracken County led 26-2.
The Mustangs continued to surge in the second quarter, outscoring the Warriors 24-15. Offensively, Klope held court on the hardwood with 11 points for McCracken County. Nine Mustang points came from beyond the arc courtesy of Martin and sophomore Carter Hawes. DeJarnatt led the Warriors at the free throw line, making three out of the four shots. Reed also posted five points for CCA in the quarter.
By halftime, the Mustangs led 50-17 over the Warriors. Klope led all scorers with 17 points in the opening half of the contest.
The Mustangs outscored the Warriors in the third quarter by three points with all hands on deck with shots from Klope, freshman Caden Fulcher, sophomore Jackson Diaz, and Hawes. The lone successful shot for the Warriors came from Reed with a 3-point field goal.
McCracken County freshman Garrett Miller led all scorers in the fourth quarter with seven points to keep the Mustangs’ significant lead. DeJarnatt posted the three points for CCA with a 3-point shot.
The Community Christian Academy finished the 2023-24 season with an 8-23 record.
UP NEXT: The McCracken County Mustangs will return to the First Region tournament to represent the Second District. The Mustangs will face the winner between the St. Mary Vikings and Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado on Thursday night in the Second District Championship.
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 66, COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 23
CCA 2 15 3 3 — 23
MCHS 26 24 6 8 — 66
CCA: B. DeJarnatt 8, C. Reed 8, A. Dee 4, J. Anderson 3. FIELD GOALS: 3 (B. DeJarnatt, C. Reed, A. Dee). 3-POINT FG: 3 (C. Reed 2, B. DeJarnatt, J. Anderson). FREE THROWS: 8/5. RECORD: 8-23.
MCHS: J. Klope 19, J. Martin 12, C. Miller 9, G. Miller 7, D. Jackson 6, C. Hawes 5, J. Dawson 2, M. Tanner 2, C. Wallace 1, O. Grogan 1, J. Diaz 1, C. Fulcher 1. FIELD GOALS: 17 (J. Klope 8, J. Martin 3, C. Miller 2, J. Dawson, C. Hawes, G. Miller. M. Tanner). 3-POINT FG: 6 (J. Martin 2, D. Jackson 2, C. Hawes, G. Miller). FREE THROWS: 11/20. RECORD: 23-7.