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As has been said, all things must at some point come to an end. 

Along with George Rogers Clark High School’s boys basketball season, a remarkable stretch of success rarely seen even among elites cane to a close Monday evening. 

After advancing past the 10th Region Quarterfinals with a victory against Pendleton County (15-18) on Thursday, March 7th, the Cards (30-3) saw their season come to a conclusion in the 10th Region Semifinals at Mason County High School with a 75-62 loss to the Campbell County Camels (25-6). 

With the loss comes an end to a 65-game 10th Region winning streak, as well as a streak of four consecutive 10th Region Championships. 

Until the Cards did so last season, no team had matched the feat in 70 years. 

“We played hard. We left it all on the floor,” said GRC head coach Josh Cook. “Throughout the season, you’ve always got to pick a dream. You’ve got to chase it, and this team chased it. ‘Does that mean you’re always going to get it at the end?’ No. That’s part of the game. That’s part of life.” 

Last Thursday, the team’s quest for an unprecedented fifth consecutive 10th Region Championship began when they took on Pendleton County (15-18), who had earned the right to play in the 10th Region Tournament with a victory over Nicholas County (17-14) in the 38th District Tournament. 

While the score would not be as one-sided as it was when the two teams met in the regular season, where the Cards beat the Wildcats 92-47 on De. 7, it was still very much in GRC’s control. 

The Cards jumped out quickly on offense and – led by 19 points each from seniors Breland Morrison and Reshaun Hampton – built a commanding 20-point lead by halftime en route to a 74-51 victory. 

Junior forward Maddox Campbell, in the starting lineup for the first time this season, contributed with eight points of his own. 

“I’m just trying to stay locked in,” Campbell said. “[We’re] trying to make sure we’re filling in the same holes [and] trying to get there and get to the spots…[to] make the plays.” 

Following Thursday’s victory, the Cards prepared to play Campbell County, who had advanced to the 10th Region semifinals following a 97-49 victory against Bracken County (11-20). 

In their regular season opener, the Cards had narrowly defeated Campbell County 63-60 in Alexandria. 

On Monday, they would be playing without guard Malachi Ashford – who led all scorers with 22 points in that game – as the sophomore suffered a season-ending tibial tubercle fracture in GRC’s 40th District Championship Game victory against Bourbon County. 

Campbell County’s Broc Sorgenfrei, who was unavailable for the previous game, was in the Camels’ starting lineup. 

Early on, Sorgenfrei and the Camels made their impact known. 

The team shot over 50% in the first half, including 8 of 14 from the three-point line, and built a 44-27 lead at halftime. 

However, the Cards refused to go away without a fight. 

Undaunted, Hampton and fellow senior J.P. Gaines each scored 20 points – a season-high for Gaines – to bring the deficit as low as five at the midway point of the fourth quarter. 

Yet the deficit was too much to overcome. 

Campbell County pulled away late and held on for the victory, ending the Cards’ season. 

GRC finished not only with a 30-3 record, but as 40th District Champions for the seventh consecutive season after defeating both Montgomery County and Bourbon County. 

Ashford and freshman Montez Gay, both of whom have already seen recruiting interests from schools such as Eastern Kentucky University, are set to return. 

Others set to return include Campbell, fellow juniors Eli Craig, Hampton Taylor, Chase Pace, freshman Abrahm Howard, and more. 

Senior reserve Jacob Smith, as well as starters Breland Morrison, JP Gaines, and Reshaun Hampton saw their final action in a Cardinal uniform. 

Hampton was the lone returning starter from last year’s KHSAA state runner-up team. 

“It’s been a great year. I’m extremely proud of [the players and] proud to be their coach. I’m honored to be a part of these senior’s lives. They know they represent our program well and led their team,” Cook said. “I love them as basketball players and kids, but they’re going to be great young men as well.” 

Coach Cook ended by speaking of recent success and continued confidence in George Rogers Clark High School basketball. 

“It shows our program’s in good hands. It’s been built by a lot of sacrifice and guys who have put this program first and taught guys to play for something bigger.” he said. “This program will continue to do that. I believe the future’s bright.”