By Casey Castle

The George Rogers Clark High School girls basketball team handled visiting Bourbon County with ease Friday night.

The Cardinals improved to 3-0 in 40th District play with a 71-22 dismantling of the Colonels, who fall to 2-1.

Bourbon had come into the contest nearly a .500 team at 5-7, but were without their top scorer, Kennedy Kelly. Kelly averages 14.3 points a game, and without their best scoring threat, the Colonels proofed no match for GRC’s pressure defense and balanced scoring.

“You never want to have any kids out, you want everyone to be able to participate and play,” GRC coach Robbie Graham said. “Kids work hard all year and you hate to see them miss a game.”

Still, facing an out-matched opponent, the Cardinals were going to execute their gameplan, which they did — racing out to a 16-0 lead and holding the Colonels without a field goal until midway through the first quarter.

The Cards were up 38-4 midway through the second quarter and held a 50-7 lead at halftime.

“We’ve to stay in game shape,” Graham said. “We try to play a half and have our starters not play the second half. The young kids came in and battled a little bit.

“It’s good to reward the young kids some. They practice and work hard everyday.”

A dozen different Cardinals scored in the win. Shemaya Behanan had 16 points to lead the charge. She had 10 in the second quarter.

Hayley Harrison put in 12 points.  Shelbi Wilson had nine and Kennedy Igo scored eight.

Bourbon had come in to the game with wins over both Paris and Montgomery, making Friday’s game a battle for first place in the 40th District. Now the Cardinals sit alone atop the league.

“Our goal every year is to have that No. 1 seed and now we’re in the lead,” Graham said. “We’ve got  got three more to play — two with Montgomery and one at Bourbon.”

One of those is next up for the Cardinals, who enjoy a week off before traveling to Montgomery County as part of a doubleheader.