Winter Storm Fern did its job, keeping the majority of 10th Region schools grounded last week. The lone exceptions were the teams playing up north, who dealt with snow but avoided the sheet of ice that hit everyone else, though nobody escaped the bitter cold.

When the region finally thawed out enough for basketball to resume late in the week, all eyes turned to the marquee matchup, top-ranked George Rogers Clark hosting No. 4 Montgomery County. This was the rematch everyone had circled after MoCo pushed GRC for 26 minutes back on January 15 in Mt. Sterling, before the Lady Cards erupted to win the fourth quarter 38-13, closing the night on a devastating 26-4 run.

Coach Jordan Perry’s Lady Indians came out in Winchester determined to prove that first meeting was no fluke, jumping ahead 11-5 in the opening minutes. But Robbie Graham’s Lady Cardinals quickly responded with a message of their own: not this time. A pull-up jumper from junior Kennedy Stamper just inside the paint near the free-throw line ignited a jaw-dropping 33-0 GRC run that blew the game wide open, propelling the Cards to a dominant 75-40 victory.

Stamper led GRC with 16 points, while sophomore Kyleigh Chestnut and senior Teigh Yeast added 14 apiece. Senior Anaya Chestnut chipped in 11. For Montgomery County, junior Elaine Purvis paced the Lady Indians with 13, and junior Baylee Warner followed with 12.

GRC was originally slated to compete in the Shirley’s Way Girls’ Louisville Invitational Tournament, but Fern wiped that plan off the calendar. Rather than sit idle on Saturday, the Lady Cards lined up a heavyweight matchup with Cooper, a legitimate state contender that earlier this season knocked Sacred Heart from the No. 1 spot. GRC handled the challenge, defeating the Lady Jaguars 67-56 and snapping Cooper’s nine-game win streak.

With those two statement wins, I can honestly say this, as of right now, Robbie Graham’s Cardinals are the No. 1 team in the region and state!

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1) GEORGE ROGERS CLARK (16-2) – Coach Robbie Graham’s top-ranked Lady Cardinals put even more distance between themselves and the rest of the region after blowing away Montgomery County and knocking off state-ranked Cooper.

GRC, having secured the No. 1 seed in the 40th District, heads to Russ Day Gym on Wednesday for a district matchup with Bourbon County. On Saturday, they’ll host Rockcastle County in the Fox 56 Home Team Showcase before wrapping up the week with a trip to Ohio to face Portsmouth.

2) CAMPBELL COUNTY (14-3) – Coach Davey Johnson’s Lady Camels hold firm at No. 2 after picking up wins over Conner and Highlands.

Campbell has a major opportunity to climb in the state rankings this week, traveling to state-ranked Cooper on Tuesday before hosting another state-ranked opponent, Boyd County, on Friday. They’ll finish the week Saturday by hosting Purcell Marian (OH) in the Campbell Classic presented by Dodds Electric.

3) BISHOP BROSSART (21-2) – The Lady ’Stangs suffered only their second loss of the season, falling 58-56 to Owensboro Catholic in the All “A” Classic semifinals. Coach Aaron Stamm’s team did notch a district win over Scott last week.

Still a solid No. 3 in the region, Brossart will host Simon Kenton on Tuesday before traveling to St. Henry on Friday.

4) MONTGOMERY COUNTY (13–7) – Coach Jordan Perry’s Lady Indians took a tough loss to top-ranked GRC but remain steady at No. 4. They bounced back the next day with an 83-32 rout of Bath County.

MoCo hosts Mason County on Monday, welcomes Lafayette on Tuesday, then hits the road Thursday to face Madison Central. They’ll stay on the road Saturday for a matchup with a strong Russell squad.

5) NICHOLAS COUNTY (12-7) – Winter Storm Fern kept the Lady Jackets grounded last week.

Coach Reesa Martin’s team hosts Estill County on Monday and, hopefully, after two postponements, finally travels to Falmouth on Thursday for a key 38th District showdown with No. 6 Pendleton County. They’ll close the week on Saturday at South Oldham.

6) PENDLETON COUNTY (11-5) – Fern also kept the Lady Cats grounded last week.

Pendleton County now faces a demanding six-day stretch with five games… four of them at home. They’ll host Robertson County on Monday, Grant County on Tuesday, and then square off with No. 5 Nicholas County in a major district matchup Wednesday. On Friday, they host Harrison County in another 38th District contest before finishing the week Saturday against East Carter at Augusta’s Third Annual Hardwood Classic.

7) SCOTT (7-13) – Coach Eric Pouncey’s Lady Eagles played just once last week, falling in a district matchup to Bishop Brossart.

This week, Scott hosts Newport Central Catholic on Monday, stays home Wednesday to face St. Henry, and caps the week with a home game against Covington Holy Cross, fresh off winning the All “A” Classic state title over the weekend.

8) MASON COUNTY (10-6) – Fern kept the Lady Royals grounded last week.

Coach Jay Fite’s squad travels to No. 4 Montgomery County on Monday, then heads to Augusta for a 39th District matchup. On Thursday, St. Patrick visits the Fieldhouse, and Saturday the Lady Royals get a special opportunity, playing Western Hills inside the historic Hoosier Gym in Knightstown, Indiana.

9) HARRISON COUNTY (10-11) – Coach Bill Watson’s Fillies played one game last week, easily managing district foe Robertson County.

Harrison County hosts Bluegrass United on Monday and travels to Falmouth on Friday for a 38th District matchup with Pendleton County.

10) BRACKEN COUNTY (9-7) – Fern kept the Lady Bears grounded last week.

Coach Jonathon Nelson’s team has a busy four-game slate ahead: hosting St. Patrick on Monday, traveling to Dayton on Wednesday, welcoming  a pretty good Beechwood team to the Igloo on Thursday, and hosting a strong Gallatin County team on Saturday.

11) PARIS (12-8) – Fern kept the Ladyhounds grounded as well.

Coach Aaron Speaks’ young squad finally returned to the gym Thursday for practice. They travel to Danville on Monday and won’t play again until Saturday’s crucial 40th District showdown on the road against Bourbon County. Paris won the earlier meeting 29-27.

12) BOURBON COUNTY (5-15) – Fern kept the Lady Colonels grounded last week.

Coach Kylie Hilander’s team hosts top-ranked GRC on Wednesday, welcomes Wolfe County on Thursday in a rematch, and finishes the week with a pivotal district matchup against visiting Paris on Saturday.

13) AUGUSTA (5-9) – Fern kept the Lady Panthers grounded last week.

Coach Dana Bach’s team stays home all week. They host Mason County on Tuesday for a 39th District game, welcoming Bath County on Wednesday, and hosting Greenup County on Saturday in the Third Annual Hardwood Classic.

14) ROBERTSON COUNTY (3-14) – Coach Brian Dufresne’s Lady Devils dropped their only game last week, falling to district rival Harrison County.

This week, Robertson County travels to Pendleton County on Monday and then to Williamstown on Friday.

15) ST. PATRICK (1-14) – Coach Isaac Klee’s Lady Saints played once last week, falling 55-45 at Williamstown. Senior Lillian Klee, the state’s leading scorer, continued her remarkable season with 38 points and 10 rebounds.

St. Patrick travels to Bracken County on Monday, hosts crosstown rival Mason County on Thursday, and ends the week at home against Clay (Portsmouth), Ohio.

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District Standings:

37th
Campbell County, 2-0
Bishop Brossart, 1-1
Scott, 0-2

38th
Nicholas County, 3-0
Pendleton County, 2-0
Harrison County, 2-2
Robertson County, 0-5

39th
Mason County, 3-0
Bracken County, 3-2
Augusta, 2-3
St. Patrick, 0-3

40th
George Rogers Clark, 5-0
Montgomery County, 2-2
Paris, 1-3
Bourbon County, 0-3