NEW MARKET — Southmont was unable to overcome a slow start in a 50-39 loss to Covington on Tuesday night as the Mounties celebrated senior night.
“I can’t quit thinking about the first eight minutes,” Mounties coach Dustin Oakley said. “We didn’t show up to play, we weren’t ready to guard anybody. They had a 20-6 lead after the first quarter, and the other three quarters we beat them. I have no idea what happened those first eight minutes.” After the Mounties took a brief 2-0 lead, the Trojans went on an 11-0 run to go up 11-2, and another 9-2 run to close the quarter. Reese Noble sored six-straight points, and Abby Swaney hit a pair of 3-pointers. The junior duo both scored 10 points in the win for Covington. The Trojans (13-8) maintained pace with a 26-16 halftime lead, and 39-28 lead after three quarters, before the Mounties (5-14) had a chance to make any sort of legitimate run. Natalie Manion hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter, and Belle Miller scored on a put-back to cut the lead to 39-33. A 1-of-2 free throw effort from Emma Ward, and an Addi Charles bucket cut the lead to 39-36 with four minutes left in the game, but the Trojans responded with a Noble triple, and basket from McKenna Chapman to go back up by eight, and coasted to the win. Chapman led all scorers with 13. Southmont struggled offensively, only connecting on 15-of-51 shots, and just 4-of-17 from deep. Covington was 18-of-49 from the field. The Mounties had 17 turnovers to the Trojans 11, and both teams had 34 rebounds. Lilly Ward and Miller led the Mounties with nine points each, while Manion added eight. Southmont celebrated a pair of seniors in Lilly Ward and Hailey France. “Very committed,” Oakley said about the duo. “They’ll do anything I ask. Hailey France is a great defender, probably one of our smartest players. And then Lilly Ward is just a workhorse, she just rebounds and scores, and handles the ball.” Southmont plays at Crawfordsville tonight at 6 p.m. Covington 50, Southmont 39 Covington 20 6 13 11 — 50 Southmont 6 10 12 1 1 — 39 Covington (13-8): Reese Noble 4-11 1-4 10, McKenna Chapman 4-8 5-6 13, Abby Swaney 4-6 0-0 10, Hope Linville 3-6 1-2 7, Madison Karrfalt 0-3 2-2 2, Chloe Morris 4-14 0-0 8; Totals 18-49 9-14 50 Southmont (5-14): Hailey France 0-2 0-0 0, Bailey Thompson 0-1 0-0 0, Emma Ward 1-2 1-2 3, Lilly Ward 4-15 1-2 9, Hannah Thompson 0-5 0-0 0, Addi Charles 2-12 0-0 5, Belle Miller 3-4 0-0 9, Natalie Manion 3-5 0-0 8, Claire Remley 2-3 0-0 5; Totals 15-51 5-8 39 3-Point Shooting: Covington 3-10 (Swaney 2, Noble), Southmont 4-17 (Manion 2, Remley, Charles) Rebounds: Covington 34, Southmont 34 Turnovers: Covington 11, Southmont 17