Despite improving drastically from a year ago, it seems the Lady Panthers have one more hurdle to clear. The hurdle comes in the form of the Fayette County Tigers. Starr’s Mill already passed their win total of 12 from last year, and boast an incredible 8-2 region record. Both of those losses have come at the hands of Fayette County.

Earlier in the season, the Tigers knocked off the Panthers 57-50 in an overtime thriller at Starr’s Mill. The rematch didn’t offer a better ending for the Mill, as they fell 47-40 at Fayette County.

“I told the girls that turnovers would decide the game,” head coach Emily Sweeney said. “If they could limit the turnovers we would win, if not then we wouldn’t.”

The Panthers played well all-around, except when it came to protecting the ball. Their 14 turnovers ultimately cost them a chance at knocking off the top team in the region. However, the mistakes didn’t prevent sophomore guard Alice Anne Hudson from tallying 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Senior Emily Nieuwstraten also contributed 15 points and three steals. Despite shooting 41 percent from the field and 38 percent from the three-point line, the Lady Panthers couldn’t overcome the Tiger defense.

Senior Trinity Brown led Fayette County with 12 points, while senior Maegan Barkley added 11 points of her own. The Tigers scored easily on offense, penetrating the Panthers defense for easy layups. They dominated the glass, getting plenty of second-chance points to help pull away from Starr’s Mill.

“[Fayette County] out-rebounded us and it really showed,” Nieuwstraten said. “That’s definitely what hurt us.”

The first quarter was close throughout. Both teams went back and forth, and neither team gained a big lead. Starr’s Mill struggled with turnovers from the start, but made shots to stay in the game. At the end of the quarter, the game was tied 14-14.

In the second quarter, Fayette County dominated the boards on offense and scored easy layups forcing Starr’s Mill to take tough shots on their end. The Panthers moved the ball well, but had to settle for outside shots throughout the period. However, the teams were toe-to-toe, with the Tigers leading 25-24 at halftime.

“It was our game for the taking and we just needed to want it more than they did,” Sweeney said. “We needed to protect the the ball and not let them dictate what we did.”

Thanks to three-pointers from Nieuwstraten and Hudson, the Panthers gained momentum to start the third quarter. Another layup gave the Panthers a 10-2 run to open the quarter. However, Fayette County answered with an 11-2 run to regain the lead. Starr’s Mill started the period strong but slowly began to play lazy as the quarter wore on. The Tigers led 38-36 going into the final quarter.

Neither team scored much in the fourth quarter, as Fayette County scored nine points while holding the Mill to four. The Panthers struggled to find any easy looks and missed their outside shots. Their poor decision making and shot selection helped seal the win for Fayette County. Once again, the Tigers narrowly bested Starr’s Mill, this time by a score of 47-40.

“Hopefully we can match up against them in the region championship,” Hudson said. “Now we have the mindset that we can beat them if we play our best.”

The Tigers, now 16-5, sit alone at the top of the region. Their next game is at home against Whitewater, who they already defeated earlier this year. The 16-6 Panthers play at Riverdale next, a team they beat 63-13 a few weeks ago. The Raiders are looking for their first region win and a huge upset against the Mill. The Panthers, however, are seeking momentum as they near the region tournament. The Lady Panthers play the front end of a varsity double-header beginning at 6 p.m.

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