MURRAY — The McCracken County Lady Mustangs will return to the title matchup, looking for their third consecutive trip to the KHSAA State Tournament at Rupp Arena. In the 65-27 victory over the Carlisle County Comets, the Mustangs were led by senior Mikee Buchanan, who posted 19 points in the contest.
The Lady Mustangs will return to the CFSB Center on Saturday to face the Graves County Lady Eagles in the Mercy Health First Region Championship. This will be a rematch of the 2022 title game that sent the Lady Mustangs to their first state tournament in program history.
“Mikee is an awesome kid and player. She’s had an incredible career here at McCracken. She played loose and we’ll have to have that tomorrow night along with Claire (Johnson),” McCracken County head coach Scott Sivills said. “It’s going to be a dogfight (against Graves), but I think Claire has been waiting for this game for a long time.”
Additionally, Johnson finished with 16 points for McCracken County, and Ava Hughes finished with eight. Carlisle County senior Kiera Whitaker led the Comets with 16 points, and Macee Hogancamp finished behind with eight for her team.
The Lady Mustangs held Carlisle County to five points in the opening quarter, with Johnson and Buchanan leading the charge. Between the senior duo, 23 of the 27 points came from them. Hughes and LeZharia Bolen also added to the offensive onslaught in the first quarter with a field goal apiece. For Carlisle County, three of the five points came from the free throw line, with Whitaker and Gracyn Edging going a combined 3-for-4.
The Lady Comets kicked it into gear in the second quarter, posting 10 points but still trailing against the Lady Mustangs, who dropped 14. At the half, McCracken County led 41-15, with Johnson and Buchanan sharing a combined 31 points in the opening half. Whitaker led the Comets with eight.
The second half of the contest continued to favor the Mustangs with offensive outbursts from top to bottom of the lineup. Whitaker and Hogancamp battled on the hardwood, leaving everything on the court for their team. Whitaker posted the team’s four points in the third quarter with two field goals.
The Lady Mustangs outscored the Comets in the fourth quarter 13-8 to win and punch their ticket to the championship contest against the Lady Eagles.
Whitaker leaves behind a legacy for the Carlisle County Lady Comets in her final appearance under head coach Ember Wright.
MVP: Mikee Buchanan
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 65, CARLISLE COUNTY 27
CCHS 5 10 4 8 — 27
MCHS 27 14 11 13 — 65
CCHS: K. Whitaker 16, M. Hogancamp 8, G. Edging 3. FIELD GOALS: 10 (K. Whitaker 6, M. Hogancamp 3, G. Edging). 3-POINT FG: 0. FREE THROWS: 7/13. RECORD: 18-1
MCHS: M. Buchanan 19, C. Johnson 16, A. Hughes 8, E. Shelbourne 5, L. Bolen 4, J. Skaggs 3, A. Word 3, B. Preston 2, M. Swinford 2, R. Hill 2, A. Brison 1. FIELD GOALS: 22 (C. Johnson 8, M. Buchanan 5, A. Hughes 4, R. Hill, M. Swinford, E. Shelbourne). 3-POINT FG: 6 (M. Buchanan 3, J. Skaggs, A. Word, E. Shelbourne). FREE THROWS: 3/8. RECORD: 28-5.