Walton-Verona 63 Simon Kenton 53

**Stardust** · 12-11-2011, 12:34 PM

Final

**Stardust** · 12-11-2011, 12:34 PM

12/10/2011
Walton-Verona 63
Simon Kenton 53
Walton-Verona 18 16 16 13 63
Simon Kenton 14 10 10 19 53
Walton-Verona (4-2) -- Clinkenbeard 9, Hoffa 10, Ginn 2, Sandlin 24, Taulbee 12, Judy 6.
Simon Kenton (2-1) -- Schmiade 6, Owings 8, Stevenson 20, Figgins 5, Cox 2, Morrison 5, Robinson 2, Tomlin 5.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/11/23/15374...z1gF4KBJ1i

**Stardust** · 12-11-2011, 12:35 PM

Junior Courtney Sandlin was all smiles Saturday after Walton-Verona's 63-53 girls' basketball victory at Simon Kenton, but the week didn't start off so great for her and the Bearcats.

With a game-high 24 points from Sandlin, Walton-Verona won its first-ever regular-season district game against the Pioneers four days after head coach Mark Clinkenbeard checked himself into a hospital after complaining of chest pain. With Clinkenbeard watching from the stands, the Bearcats took the early lead under assistant coach Dan Sullivan, a former Campbell County boys' coach, and built the advantage to 19 before emptying their bench in the fourth quarter.

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"We've been low lately so we wanted to come out and do it for coach," said Sandlin, who scored 14 points as the Bearcats took a 34-24 halftime lead. "I thought we worked hard in the paint with some hi-low in the post and we had some good post-up moves."

Walton-Verona (4-2), rated No. 4 in the Enquirer Northern Kentucky coaches' poll, dropped No. 9 Simon Kenton (2-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten. The Bearcats' two previous victories over Simon Kenton since the Pioneers joined the 32nd District in 2005 came in each of the past two district tournament finals. Walton-Verona is the defending Eighth Region champion.

"Cory Miller did a nice job with this team and we only lost one senior so it's not like we're starting over," Sullivan said of the coach who delivered the Bearcats their first regional title. Miller resigned his post last spring. "Mark and I, we've been on the staff, so we know the girls."

Clinkenbeard, who was hospitalized three days while doctors ran tests, was pleased that his team came through without him on the bench.

"The major thing I saw was the preparation. We executed," Clinkenbeard said. "Dan Sullivan is a wonderful guy to have on the bench, so I don't have to rush back. I think I'll sit out another game and then come back."

Simon Kenton coach Jeff Stowers received a team-high 20 points from senior guard Hannah Stephenson, the only Pioneer scoring in double figures, but he was not happy in general with his back court.

"We can match them," Stowers said. "But our guard play was sloppy with the ball."

Senior guard Kara Taulbee scored 12 points for the Bearcats and senior back court mate Lizzie Hoffa added 10, eight in the first half. Walton-Verona took a 17-point lead early in the third quarter on back-to-back 3-pointers by Taulbee and another trey by Molly Clinkenbeard, who finished with nine points.

"We made shots and played defense," Hoffa said. "We worked hard in practice and wanted to carry it over into the game so we could win for our coach."
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...312100049/