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Across Kentucky, as teams in sixteen different regions competed for a chance to go to the KHSAA Sweet 16 State Tournament in Lexington, the outcome of many games came down to the final seconds. 

For the Lady Cards (30-4), games were decided in their favor during the opening seconds. 

After defeating Scott 61-33 in the 10th Region quarterfinals on Monday, March 4, the Lady Cards followed up strongly with a 92-33 victory against Mason County on Friday, March 8, and a 73-36 victory against Campbell County on Saturday, March 9, at Bourbon County High School.

The Lady Cards never trailed in any of the three contests en route to winning the 10th Region Championship. 

“To see [the players] be successful and the joy on their faces, that’s my [reason] why…I do what I do,” said GRC Lady Cards’ head coach Robbie Graham. “I love this game…It’s just brought so much joy to me and my family. For these kids, to see [them celebrate]…there’s not a price you can put on that.” 

Before getting to Saturday’s 10th Region Championship Game, the Lady Cards first had to play a youthful Mason County squad (21-12) who punched their ticket to the 10th Region Semifinals following a 56-52 win over 38th District Champion Nicholas County (22-11). 

The Lady Royals had hoped that the Lady Cards wouldn’t start as fast as they had against Scott, when they delivered eight points in the first 31 seconds. 

This time around, it took the Lady Cards only sixty seconds to build an 8-0 lead. 

By the conclusion of the first quarter, GRC had a commanding 28-5 lead punctuated by a three-point basket at the buzzer from Kyleigh Chestnut. 

Though Lexi Young attempted to get the Lady Royals to close the gap with 10 points of her own during the game, it was of little avail. 

The Lady Cards built a convincing 56-19 halftime lead – enough to begin a running clock following halftime – and finished with a season-high point total in a 92-33 win. 

Kennedy Stamper finished as the team’s leading scorer. 

“We just came out ready to play and we [were] focused on the competition and definitely locked in,” she said. “When you’ve got the energy and you’re feeling [good] and you shoot, you just know it’s going in. If it [doesn’t], you know you’re [going to] make the next one.” 

Just twenty four hours later, inside of a packed gymnasium in Paris, the Lady Cards faced Campbell County (22-11) in the 10th Region Championship Game. 

The Lady Camels had already defeated both Montgomery County (21-9) and Pendleton County (12-22), who were victorious against 29th District Champion Bracken County (17-15) earlier in the tournament in a game some considered an upset. 

During the two contests, they’d held their opponents to an average of only 32.5 points per game. 

However, the Lady Cards would once again strike early. 

After Teigh Yeast connected on a three-point shot during the Lady Cards’ opening possession, fellow sophomore Anaya Chestnut followed with a three-point basket of her own, forcing a Campbell County timeout just sixty seconds into the matchup. 

Makili Tabor, the lone senior on the Lady Cards’ 2023-24 squad, soon gave GRC another 8-0 lead with a basket of her own. 

Though the Lady Camels would briefly cut the lead in half, thanks to the efforts of senior Allison Collins’ team-high 13 points, they got no closer. 

GRC pulled away for a 13-point lead after one quarter and 26-point halftime advantage and won 73-36 to take home their 3rd consecutive 10th Region crown. 

“We knew it was going to be a tough game. We felt like we could pressure [Campbell County] and get some turnovers early.” said GRC Head Coach Robbie Graham. “They were playing some Junk Defense early, which we were able to prepare for because they did it against Montgomery [County]. The kids executed [the game plan]. Once we’re making shots and getting [into] our press, it helps us defensively a lot.” 

While the results may appear that the Lady Cards cruised to victory throughout the season, it was anything but a guarantee. 

In January, heavily-recruited Ciara Byars was lost for the season following an ACL injury. 

It was one of many adverse conditions both on and off the court that the team faced during the year.

Among other challenges, Graham’s father passed away near the start of the season and assistant coach Erica Jackson lost her brother as well. 

Graham stated that such tough situations only brought the team closer together. 

“We have a bunch of resilient kids. They get along so well. They work really, really hard,” he said.

Makili Tabor provided perspective as she was one of the first individuals to cut down the nets in celebration. 

“It’s just a really great moment to do it right here with my teammates,” Tabor said. “It’s really amazing that we get to cut down these nets with people who haven’t even made it this far, and it’s just [been] a really good experience to do it with everyone at GRC for the past six years.” 

Teigh Yeast finished with a game-high 23 points, after joining the Lady Cards this offseason when her father – Terry Yeast – became GRC’s new Athletic Director. 

Oddly enough, after winning the 12th Region Championship while playing with Mercer County last season, Yeast played against the Lady Cards’ when the two teams met at Rupp Arena. 

“I think we have changed a lot to help us physically and mentally and we’ve been really focused this past week.” she said. “It’s really good to be on GRC and going [to the state tournament]. I’m just really excited and can’t wait.” 

The experience is a new one for some, as Jailenn Green and Khania Jones will play at Rupp Arena for the first time. 

“I’ve never been to a regional championship at all or a district championship, so it’s just big to me,” Green said. “I’m glad I’m with these people.” 

“Coming in with a target on our back and being able to accomplish [everything] to get to the next level is hard, but as we stick together it becomes [real],” Jones said. 

Following Byars’ injury, her role with the team adapted.

“I talked to Ciara daily about what she felt I needed to improve on and just remained in contact with Coach Graham.” she added. “As long as I was confident and [the team] was confident we were going to be able to get it done.” 

The Lady Cards will play in the 2024 KHSAA Sweet 16 Tournament on Thursday, March 14, at Rupp Arena. 

At 6:00 p.m., they’ll play the state’s #1-ranked team and three-time defending state champion Sacred Heart Valkyries in a Sweet 16 matchup between two top-5 ranked teams. 

While the Valkyries currently hold a long winning streak against in-state opponents, the Lady Cards’ have challenged them recently, including a game earlier this year when the two teams were tied at the end of the third quarter before Sacred Heart went on to win. 

Graham offered perspective looking ahead. 

 “We’ll celebrate this one tonight,” he said. “We’ll meet tomorrow, start watching film…then we’ll hit the floor on Monday, Tuesday, [and] Wednesday, and then we’ll tip it up on Thursday.”