[Stardust]

http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...902030400/

Two weeks ago, Simon Kenton girls' basketball coach Jeff Stowers saw the change he had been asking of his team all season.

The Pioneers chucked finesse in favor of fight.

That physical playing style has helped Simon Kenton rise to the top of the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll.

And after a sluggish first half in their first game in nine days, the Pioneers showed they haven't forgotten their newfound approach by outmuscling No. 8 Campbell County in a 64-49 win Monday night at Simon Kenton.

Senior guard Chelsea Tolliver scored a game-high 25 points, and senior center Kayla Smith finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds to lift Simon Kenton to its sixth consecutive win.

Following Smith's lead, the Pioneers outrebounded the Camels 19-5 in the second half.

"Our mental toughness came out tonight," said Stowers, whose team finished with a 35-21 edge on the boards. "We weren't going to fold. In years past, maybe it's a different story. We wanted to smack them in the mouth right off the bat in the second half."

Leading by just two points at halftime, Simon Kenton used its pesky, trapping defense and frontcourt size advantage to gradually wear down the Camels, who were playing their first game in seven days because of last week's winter storm.