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This has been an emotional girls’ basketball season for Boone County coach Nell Fookes.

Since Dec. 1, Fookes has experienced the dedication in her name of the basketball court at the high school gym, the death of her mother, and another Ninth Region tournament championship, her ninth in 27 years as the Rebels’ coach.

“It’s been quite a year,” Fookes said.

Though bittersweet, Fookes knows she’s in the middle of something special with her basketball team. How special remains to be seen. Boone County can take a step toward a state championship when it faces Paul Laurence Dunbar at 2:30 p.m. today in a first-round game in Bowling Green.

There has never been a girls’ champion from Northern Kentucky. Just one local team, Highlands in 1994 with Jaime Walz, has made it to the championship game.

Boone County (30-3) is favored over Dunbar (28-6). The Rebels are ranked fifth in the Litkenhous Ratings; Dunbar is unranked.

There are two notable common opponents. Dunbar lost by 22 to second-ranked Marion County, which beat the Rebels by 15. Walton-Verona beat Dunbar but lost to Boone.

“We’re going to go down there and do our best,” senior Sydney Moss said. “We’re going to have good practices.”

It’s the last hurrah for Moss during a transcendent career spanning three high schools. The Florida recruit virtually willed the Rebels to the regional title in Sunday’s final with 10 points in overtime of their victory over Notre Dame. Moss finished the regular season ranked third in the state with 24.2 points per game.

Moss likes the experience factor against Dunbar.

“We went as sophomores,” Moss said of senior teammates Lydia Nash and Elizabeth Switzer. “We’ll be fine.”

Fookes has watched Moss make an untold number of clutch plays. Then there was Sunday, when Moss seemed to be at the right place at the right time, every time, in the extra session.

“She’s such a great player and an even better person, but we’ve got other girls who can play,” Fookes said.

This is Nash’s third trip to the Sweet 16. She’s second on the team in scoring with 12.8 points, averages 5.5 rebounds and carries one of the best field goal shooting percentages in Boone County history. Nash, who’s played in 122 games at Boone and ranks ninth in the state in field goal shooting, has made 58.7 percent of her shots from the floor and also leads the team in free-throw shooting (77.2 percent).

Her low-post presence gives the Rebels a double-post with Moss and forces defenses to make difficult choices, and allows Moss to transition the team as the point guard after grabbing defensive rebounds without sacrificing size on the back end. The regular point guard, junior Jessica Jones, is coming off perhaps her most well-rounded performance in a tournament.

Other role players in addition to Switzer include long-range gunner Alexis Switzer, lanky Kathleen Murphy and physical Zuri Hill, a tenacious defender and rebounder who can score.

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Boone forward Sydney Moss puts up a shot during the 33rd District Girls Basketball Finals at Conner Feb. 23. / Greg Loring for The Enquirer

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Boone County's Sydney Moss (40) drives to the basket during the Rebels ninth region tournament game, Monday, Feb. 27,2012. / For the Enquirer/Tony Tribble