PAINTSVILLE, Ky. — Martin County Cardinals eighth grade team went 1-1 in the Mountain Middle School Conference Tournament Feb. 10-11 and finished in second place.
The Mountain Middle School Conference includes Magoffin County, Johnson Central, Fallsburg and Martin County. The Cardinals pounded Fallsburg 67-28 in the opening round and fell short to Johnson Central 64-59 in the championship game.
MCMS vs. FMS
The Cardinals wasted no time jumping out 27-7 at the end of the first quarter in the opening round against Fallsburg.
Bryson Dials, Jarred Haney and Brayden Marcum got the Cardinals off and running in the first quarter. Dials led with eight points, Marcum seven and Haney six.
The Cardinals won the second quarter 14-7 to go up at the half 41-14 and never looked back.
Marcum knocked down three treys in the third to help the Cards outscore Fallsburg 16-8. He had four for the game.
Aiden Copeland led the Cardinals in the fourth quarter with eight points.
MCMS vs. JCMS
Martin County eighth grade lost to Johnson Central 64-59 in the championship game Feb. 11.
Both teams got out to a fast start and the lead went back and forth in the first quarter. Johnson Central led at the horn 14-13.
Aiden Copeland led the Cardinals with five first-quarter points. Aiden Copeland and Chase Hinkle each knocked down a 3-pointer in the first.
Johnson Central pulled ahead in the second quarter, outscoring the Cardinals 19-14. Copeland kept the Cardinals close knocking down two 3-pointers and finishing the quarter with eight points. Johnson Central took a 33-27 lead in at the half.
Bryson Dials picked it up in the third quarter scoring seven points. Perry from Johnson Central scored six of his 22 for the game to push the Eagles lead out 51-42 at the end of three.
The Cardinals fought hard in the final quarter and outscored Johnson Central 17-13, but it fell short of the win. Dials went off for 12 points in the final quarter.
Dials led with 25 points, Copeland dropped 19, Jarred Haney finished with nine and Hinkle added six.