Three times this season the Penney Lady Hornets had challenged the Trenton Lady Bulldogs, and three times, all by fairly decisive margins, Trenton had taken down one of their fiercest rivals. However, Penney Head Coach Jordan Richman knew that, if his team rose to the occasion in late February, a fourth meeting, this one on the Hornets home floor, appeared likely, with the young Hornet coach preparing his team for that exact possibility.
With Trenton owning the top seed and Penney the #2 seed in Class 3, District 16, that scenario played itself out last week, with the Lady Hornets, on Saturday afternoon, taking on the Lady Bulldogs with a trip to the Class 3 state playoffs up for grabs.
In an “instant classic”, Hamilton had the better of play for the first 3-plus quarters, staggering the Grand River Conference champion Lady Bulldogs with a quick and decisive style that put Trenton in foul trouble, while a three-pronged attack led by sophomore guard Nora Ford, along with sisters McKauley and Graycen Prothero helped the Lady Hornets to a 54-39 lead with five minutes remaining in the final quarter.
What followed was one of the most dramatic comeback efforts in the history of Trenton girls basketball, as Coach Brian Upton went to a full-court press, resulting in immediate positive results for THS. Back-to-back three-point field goals, as called by Tom Johnson on Hot Country Z 101.7, ignited the rally:
Coming out of the Hornet timeout, Penney continued to scuffle, while Trenton’s surge continued:
While Penney was able to slightly regain its composure over the final minutes of regulation, Trenton still was given opportunities to slice into the lead. With the game hanging by one possession within the last minute of regulation, Ainsley Tolson of Trenton was fouled, and stepped to the free throw line with the Lady Bulldogs down two:
On the ensuing possession, a Trenton foul sent Penney to the free throw line, but both tosses were missed, leaving the ball in Trenton’s hands for the final possession of regulation, but Mykah Hurley was unable to release a potential game-winning three-point attempt before the buzzer sounded.
By the time the four-minute overtime was finished, Trenton had lost Hurley, Salem Croy, and Maci Moore to fouls, while Graycen Prothero and Kassie Moore had fouled out for the Lady Hornets. With the score tied and Trenton owning the basketball, potentially for the last shot of overtime, Hamilton put full-court pressure on the Lady Bulldogs, put a contested pass was caught cleanly by THS, leading to a 3-on-2 break. A free-throw line jump shot with 7 seconds remaining rimmed off, giving the host Lady Hornets a chance to head to the Class 3 state playoffs:
The victory, Hamilton’s first over Trenton in over two years, sends the Lady Hornets to Excelsior Springs High School on Wednesday night, as Penney plays the Higginsville Huskers (District 15 champions) in the state sectional round at 6 o’clock. The Lady Hornets season record is now 21-7, with the seven defeats all coming against high-quality competition (3 against state-ranked Trenton, two against state-ranked Mid-Buchanan, and losses to MEC members Lafayette and Savannah). Trenton’s record, with a group of student-athletes stunned by Penney in a district final for the second time in 4 1/2 months (#1 seed Trenton lost to Penney in softball in October), ends the season with a mark of 26-2.
Sophomore Nora Ford led Penney to the victory with 23 points, with Graycen Prothero scoring 16. The game’s hero, McKauley Prothero, scored 14 points, including the game-winner. With foul trouble hitting some of Trenton’s “big guns”, the scoring load went heavily to All-State junior guard Ainsley Tolson, who responded with arguably the finest game of her season, scoring a game-high 33 points, including all of Trenton’s 15 second quarter tallies.
Penney led Trenton 10-9 after one quarter, 33-24 at the half, and 47-34 after three quarters, leading to the dramatic come-from-behind efforts of the Lady Bulldogs.
In the Class 3, District 16 boys championship game, Maryville beat Penney for the second year in a row, 62-52. For the Hornets, superb senior small forward LaTroy Harper played the final game of his illustrious career, scoring 23 points. Maryville will play St. Paul Lutheran in the Class 3 sectional round, Wednesday night at 7:45 at Excelsior Springs High School.
