SPLIT AT THE WIG WAM: Warriors and Maroons split doubleheader

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Southwestern sophomore Jaelyn Dye (center) splits Pulaski County freshman Lilee Todd (left) and junior Hannah Murray on the way to the basket during the Warriors' 45-40 victory over the Maroons on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025.

SOMERSET - The two county schools have had a bitter rivalry on the hardwood, especially in recent years, and that continued on Tuesday as they faced off for the first time this season in a doubleheader. With both teams being ranked in the top 10 of the region, according to 12th Region Sports, fans inside the Wig Wam were in for some thrilling action.

The girls started off the night and although it ended up being a low-scoring game between the rivals, it was a thrilling contest that ended up being the closest game between the two in three years that ultimately went the way of the Warriors. Head coach Junior Molden was pleased with how his team played, especially down the stretch.

"We've learned we can play with some adversity as we found ourselves down in the fourth again, but props to Pulaski they came in here and played very well. Their zone really bothered us. Either team could have won this game, but we have found a way to win games now and hopefully we can build on this going forward," he explained.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Southwestern senior Ava Jones (center) battles for possession of the ball along with Pulaski County freshman Lilee Todd (right) and junior Madeline Butcher (left) during the Warriors' victory over the Maroons on Tuesday evening.

You might as well have called the first quarter the “3” quarter with how many three-pointers both teams hit. Taylen Ralston hit a shot from deep to get the scoring started before a pair of three-pointers from Jaelyn Dye. A three from Kinsley Molden later, and all of a sudden the Warriors held a six-point edge. Lilee Todd was able to rip a steal and three close to the end of the period though, with Southwestern ahead 9-6 after a low-scoring first eight minutes.

Ralston opened the scoring once again in the second quarter, with her floater becoming the first made two-point field goal of the ball game. Dye continued her strong start with a traditional three-point play, with Molden continuing with a made three to push the Warrior lead to 15-8.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County junior Madeline Butcher (20) shoots a three-pointer over defense from Southwestern senior Jessalyn Flynn (1) during the Maroons' loss to the Warriors on Tuesday at the Wig Wam.

After the first made basket of the night by Madeline Butcher, Dye drilled another three to push the lead up to eight points. It looked like the Warriors were going to take the advantage heading into the half, but after Caroline Heist came off the bench and scored five straight points, the Maroons had cut their deficit down to 19-15.

The Maroons came out on fire to start the second half, with back-to-back threes from Butcher and Todd giving the Maroons the lead for the first time since the first period. Molden and Ralston traded three-point baskets before a two from Dye tied the ball game up at 24-24.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Southwestern freshman McKaila Monroe (12) attempts to hit a layup past the defense of Pulaski County sophomore Bella Stevens (right) during the Warriors' contest against the Maroons on Tuesday.

Dye scored straight out of a Southwestern timeout, with a free throw from McKaila Monroe handing the home team a three-point lead. Hannah Murray scored right before the buzzer, with a half-court attempt by Molden just missing its target, as the Warriors led 27-26 heading into the final quarter.

Monroe scored the first two of the period, before Butcher came alive with five straight points to flip the lead back to the Maroons at 31-29. It once again became a three-point party in the middle of the quarter, and after Ralston caught fire from beyond the arch and hit two shots from deep, Pulaski held a 40-34 lead late and seemed to be running away with the ball game.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County junior Hannah Murray (right) attempts to rip the ball from the hands of Southwestern sophomore Kiara Scott (left) during the Maroons' contest against the Warriors.

As the great Lee Corso says, however, not so fast my friend. Mollie Osborne nailed a three deep in the corner to bring their deficit down to three, before Kenzie Williams came off the bench with a massive back door layup for two, with the Pulaski lead now at just one point. The Wig Wam reached a fever pitch after Molden was able to steal the ball near the basket and lay it up, giving Southwestern the lead back at 41-40. After both Dye and Molden nailed a pair of clutch free throws, the Warriors were able to prevail in the first of two games against their rivals this season 45-40. Coach Molden bragged on the play of his underclassmen following the game.

"Mollie had the big three in the corner, and how about Kenzie Williams, hadn't played the entire game and came off the bench and hit that big layup. I'm really happy how we played tonight," he stated.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Southwestern senior Kinsley Molden (24) hits the layup that put her team up for good in the fourth quarter in the game between the Warriors and the Pulaski County Lady Maroons on Tuesday.

Dye led the Warriors with a game-high 20 points in the victory. Other scorers included Molden with 16, Monroe and Osborne with three apiece, Williams with two and Jessalyn Flynn with one. Southwestern improves to 12-8 and will next be on the road on Thursday to take on McCreary Central.

Ralston led the Lady Maroons with 14 points in the loss. Other scorers included Butcher with 10, Todd with six and both Heist and Murray with five apiece. Pulaski falls to 14-6 and sees their nine-game winning streak come to an end. They will next travel to Rockcastle County for a district clash on Friday.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County senior Gavin Cook (11) gets fouled on a shot attempt by Southwestern senior Antajuan Dumphord (right) during the Maroons' 66-53 victory over the Warriors on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025.

It was then time for the boys to take center stage, and the Warriors gave the two-time defending regional champions all they could handle before the Maroons eventually ran away with a 66-53 victory. Head coach John Fraley stated after the game that he had to get his players' motors going after trailing following the first half.

"I told the team at half to have a little bit more pride and play more physical. We felt like we were getting pushed around a bunch during the first half, but the team answered the call in the second half," he stated.

Jarrett Simpson scored the first basket of the game before Kade Hargis drilled his first look of the game for three. A pair of free throws on each end was immediately followed by offensive put-backs by both Zach Hutchinson and Zak Anderson as Pulaski maintained a one-point lead. Neither team could build any sort of advantage midway through the quarter as they kept on trading baskets.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Southwestern junior Zach Hutchinson (1) looks to finish at the basket past the defense of Pulaski County junior Seth Farmer (31) during the Warriors' loss to the Maroons on Tuesday night.

A three from Kam Measel gave Pulaski their biggest lead so far in the contest at three points. They continued to build that advantage and looked to have a nice lead at the end of the quarter following another three from Measel. However, Simpson was able to drive the length of the court for a buzzer-beating layup, decreasing his team's deficit to 18-14 after the first period of action.

With Antajuan Dumphord back after missing a few games due to injury, the potential for the Warriors is through the roof and they proved that early on as they opened the second on a 9-1 run to take a 23-19 lead in the ball game, with multiple players scoring during the spree. After five straight points from Dumphord, that lead had grown to 28-21 and it looked like the home team had full control late in the half.

After a basket from Kaden Campbell inside, the Maroons refocused and following four points from Anderson and a three from Gavin Cook led the visitors on a 7-0 run, the game was all of a sudden tied with seconds left to play in the first half. It was Dumphord that gave the Warriors the momentum heading into the break, with a last-second shot giving his team a 32-30 lead at the half.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Southwestern senior Antajuan Dumphord (5) reacts after scoring a basket during the Warriors' contest against Pulaski County on Tuesday at the Wig Wam.

Dumphord hit two from the line to open play in the second half of basketball, although that was quickly answered on the other end by a three from Cook. Dumphord again had a basket that was answered by a three from Hargis as the game was now tied at 36-36. Hutchinson ran down to the other end and hit a three of his own to put the Warriors back ahead by three, with a basket inside from Campbell increasing that lead to five.

Again the Maroons went to work, and after a pair of basket from Seth Farmer and Ethan Idlewine, plus another three from Hargis, Pulaski had went right back ahead after a 7-0 scoring spree. It looked like the home team would take the lead into the final quarter after back-to-back baskets from Dumphord and Wyatt Stevenson, however Cook absolutely nailed a shot from long range to hand the Maroons a 46-45 lead after three.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County sophomore Kam Measel (12) fires up a three-pointer over Southwestern junior Jarrett Simpson (24) during the Maroons' contest against the Warriors on Tuesday.

Following a pair of made free throws from Anderson and a basket from Idlewine, the visitors had built their lead to five points. In fact, the Maroons outscored their opponents 12-1 over the first few minutes of the fourth to increase their lead to the biggest margin of the evening at 58-46. A three from Aiden Webb brought an end to the extended Pulaski run, but the Maroons just kept pounding the ball inside late. With no defensive stops to speak of, the Warriors just couldn't keep up with their rivals late, as the Maroons ran away with a 66-53 victory.

Anderson and Hargis tied for the game-high with 17 points apiece. Coach Fraley was very happy with the way Hargis played in the victory.

"We've kind of been waiting for him to get his opportunity for a while, and he has made the most of it the last three games. His play has been exceptional and he's just a hard and gritty player, kind of runs in the Hargis family," he explained.

Photo by Jacob Pratt: Pulaski County junior Zak Anderson (4) pulls down a rebound and attempts to maintain possession while being defended by Southwestern junior Zach Hutchinson (right) during the game between the Maroons and the Warriors on Tuesday.

Other scorers for the Maroons included Cook with 14, Idlewine and Measel with six apiece, Farmer with four and Blake Fraley with two. Pulaski improves to 12-6 and will be back in action on Friday as they travel to Rockcastle County for a district matchup.

Dumphord led the Warriors with 15 points. Other scorers included Hutchinson with 11, Simpson with 10, Campbell with seven, Webb with five, Stevenson with three and Adam Marcum with two. Southwestern falls to 8-9 and will look to snap a five-game losing streak on Friday as they take on the Somerset Christian Cougars in a crosstown district showdown.

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