03-04-2009, 09:10 PM
Strong start toward a repeat for Pioneers
Pull off another first-round rout with 61-34 victory over Spencer County
CRESTWOOD, Ky. - The Simon Kenton girls' basketball team started play in the Eighth Region tournament in a way similar to how it began the event last year.
The Pioneers hope the tourney has a similar finish, too.
Simon Kenton, the defending champion, scored the first 22 points Tuesday on its way to a 61-34 win over Spencer County in the Eighth Region's first round at South Oldham.
"We're really trying to work hard and get back to where we were last year at state," senior center Kayla Smith said. "It was a good way to come out early and get a win."
The Pioneers scored the first 28 points of last year's Eighth Region opener, against Carroll County.
On Tuesday, Smith scored 14 points and senior guard Chelsea Tolliver tallied 18, including 13 of her team's first 15, as the Pioneers (25-4) won their 15th game in a row.
"We knew everybody would be watching us," Tolliver said. "We wanted teams to be scared of us. We wanted to put fear into people that they won't want to play us."
She got Simon Kenton, the No. 1 team in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, rolling with a 3-pointer nine seconds into the game. Teammate Ali Ponzer added a steal and a layup nearly a minute later, then Tolliver hit back-to-back 3-pointers and a pair of layups off Pioneers steals.
"They were just falling for me," Tolliver, who is tied for ninth in the state in scoring, said of her shots. "It was a good shooting night - not just for me, but for the whole team, too."
Ponzer and Sydni Wainscott hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Nikki Brown made a free throw to give Simon Kenton a 22-0 lead with 1:51 left in the first quarter.
Spencer County scored its first point moments later, on a free throw by center Kenisha Marshall. The Bears (14-13) didn't get their first field goal until they were 19 seconds into the second period.
"We were playing good defense, and defense usually helps our offense," Smith said.
The 6-foot-1 Marshall averaged 17.6 points and 10.5 rebounds during the regular season, but the Pioneers defended her well. Marshall led Spencer County with 14 points, but half of those came in the fourth quarter when the game was well out of reach.
Tolliver scored 13 points in the first four minutes of the first half. Smith scored 12 in the first seven minutes of the second half as the Pioneers increased their lead to 30 in the third quarter.
"Kayla, she's an X-factor for us. When she's scoring and rebounding like we need her to, we're very tough to defend," Simon Kenton coach Jeff Stowers said of Smith.
The Pioneers will play Oldham County (13-15) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Eighth Region semifinals.
Spencer County (14-13) - Pfeiffer 2 7 12, Thomas 1 1 3, Gross 1 0 2, Marshall 5 4 14, Smith 1 0 3.
Simon Kenton (25-4) - Wainscott 2 0 6, Tolliver 7 1 18, Ponzer 2 1 6, Smith 6 0 14, Brown 3 1 7, Figgins 1 2 4, Stephenson 2 0 4, Large 1 0 2.
Spencer County 11 2 4 17 -34
Simon Kenton 25 5 19 12 -61
3-point goals - SC 2 (Pfeiffer 1, Smith 1), SK 8 (Tolliver 3, Smith 2, Wainscott 2, Ponzer 1).
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...903040328/
Pull off another first-round rout with 61-34 victory over Spencer County
CRESTWOOD, Ky. - The Simon Kenton girls' basketball team started play in the Eighth Region tournament in a way similar to how it began the event last year.
The Pioneers hope the tourney has a similar finish, too.
Simon Kenton, the defending champion, scored the first 22 points Tuesday on its way to a 61-34 win over Spencer County in the Eighth Region's first round at South Oldham.
"We're really trying to work hard and get back to where we were last year at state," senior center Kayla Smith said. "It was a good way to come out early and get a win."
The Pioneers scored the first 28 points of last year's Eighth Region opener, against Carroll County.
On Tuesday, Smith scored 14 points and senior guard Chelsea Tolliver tallied 18, including 13 of her team's first 15, as the Pioneers (25-4) won their 15th game in a row.
"We knew everybody would be watching us," Tolliver said. "We wanted teams to be scared of us. We wanted to put fear into people that they won't want to play us."
She got Simon Kenton, the No. 1 team in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, rolling with a 3-pointer nine seconds into the game. Teammate Ali Ponzer added a steal and a layup nearly a minute later, then Tolliver hit back-to-back 3-pointers and a pair of layups off Pioneers steals.
"They were just falling for me," Tolliver, who is tied for ninth in the state in scoring, said of her shots. "It was a good shooting night - not just for me, but for the whole team, too."
Ponzer and Sydni Wainscott hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Nikki Brown made a free throw to give Simon Kenton a 22-0 lead with 1:51 left in the first quarter.
Spencer County scored its first point moments later, on a free throw by center Kenisha Marshall. The Bears (14-13) didn't get their first field goal until they were 19 seconds into the second period.
"We were playing good defense, and defense usually helps our offense," Smith said.
The 6-foot-1 Marshall averaged 17.6 points and 10.5 rebounds during the regular season, but the Pioneers defended her well. Marshall led Spencer County with 14 points, but half of those came in the fourth quarter when the game was well out of reach.
Tolliver scored 13 points in the first four minutes of the first half. Smith scored 12 in the first seven minutes of the second half as the Pioneers increased their lead to 30 in the third quarter.
"Kayla, she's an X-factor for us. When she's scoring and rebounding like we need her to, we're very tough to defend," Simon Kenton coach Jeff Stowers said of Smith.
The Pioneers will play Oldham County (13-15) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Eighth Region semifinals.
Spencer County (14-13) - Pfeiffer 2 7 12, Thomas 1 1 3, Gross 1 0 2, Marshall 5 4 14, Smith 1 0 3.
Simon Kenton (25-4) - Wainscott 2 0 6, Tolliver 7 1 18, Ponzer 2 1 6, Smith 6 0 14, Brown 3 1 7, Figgins 1 2 4, Stephenson 2 0 4, Large 1 0 2.
Spencer County 11 2 4 17 -34
Simon Kenton 25 5 19 12 -61
3-point goals - SC 2 (Pfeiffer 1, Smith 1), SK 8 (Tolliver 3, Smith 2, Wainscott 2, Ponzer 1).
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...903040328/