NEW LEXINGTON — It was a match-up of Lady Panthers versus Lady Panthers as the Miami Trace varsity girls’ basketball team traveled to Perry County to take on New Lexington in a Division II Sectional championship game Thursday, Feb. 16.
New Lexington won the game, 52-31.
It was a bit of a tough go at the start for Miami Trace, as they trailed 6-0 and 10-3.
Miami Trace pulled to within three points before New Lexington hit a shot at the buzzer to take a 14-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Miami Trace trailed by as many as seven points in the second quarter before battling back to tie the game, 21-21 with 22 seconds to play in the half.
New Lexington hit a three-point shot scant seconds before the buzzer, taking a 24-21 halftime lead.
Early in the third quarter, Miami Trace found itself down five points. A 6-2 mini run by Miami Trace put the score at 28-27, in favor of New Lexington, with 4:48 to play in the penultimate period.
From there, however, the tide turned, irrevocably against Miami Trace.
New Lexington closed out the third quarter on a 15-0 run.
The streak carried over into the fourth quarter, reaching 19-0 and giving New Lexington a 47-27 lead with 6:11 to play in the game.
Miami Trace senior Mallory Lovett ended New Lexington’s run with a free throw at the 5:50 mark of the fourth quarter.
Down the stretch, New Lexington scored five points to Miami Trace’s three for the final score of 52-31.
Miami Trace ends the 2022-23 season with a record of 13-10.
New Lexington improves to 18-5 and moves on to the District semifinals and a game against the No. 2 seed Unioto at Piketon High School Monday at 6:15 p.m. Unioto improved to 23-0 Thursday, defeating Vinton County, 87-20.
For Miami Trace Thursday, junior Jessee Stewart led with 15 points, including hitting three three-point field goals.
Senior Hillery ‘Bean’ Jacobs scored seven points and had one three-point field goal.
Senior Hillary McCoy scored four points, junior Sue Morris and sophomore Nevaeh Lyons both scored two points and Lovett scored one.
New Lexington was led by senior Aubri Spicer with 19 points.
Freshman Chloe Dick scored 14 points and senior Kim Kellogg had seven points.
There will be more on this game in Saturday’s Record-Herald.
