BY BOO NEWSOME
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
PAINTSVILLE — Martin County lost a heartbreaker to Prestonsburg 2-1 in the 15th Region Tournament championship Thursday at Johnson Central High School.
The Lady Cards started the game on unsteady footing as Prestonsburg struck early, netting a goal within the first four minutes, taking an early 1-0 lead. The Lady Cards managed to regain momentum when Haley Damron was fouled in the goalie box, leading to a penalty kick opportunity. Freshman Faith Caldwell stepped up for the kick, but her shot ricocheted off the crossbar, resulting in a missed opportunity.
Both teams battled fiercely, with much of the action occurring in the midfield during the first half. Prestonsburg managed more shots on goal than the Lady Cards, resulting in a 1-0 score in favor of the Blackcats as the first half concluded.
In the second half, the Lady Cardinals displayed more energy and were more aggressive offensively. Senior Sophie McCoy delivered numerous corner kicks that tested the opposing goalie, but the Lady Cards could not convert. Unfortunately, Prestonsburg struck early in the second half, extending their lead to 2-0.
With 15:20 remaining in the second half, junior Laura Hale took a shot on goal and found the back of the net, thanks to an assist from Caldwell. This goal put the Lady Cards on the scoreboard at 2-1.
Despite their persistent efforts, the Lady Cards fell short as the final buzzer sounded.
Laura Hale scored the only goal to lead Martin County. Caldwell had one assist, while senior goalie Addison Duncan had six saves.
The Lady Cards concluded the season with an impressive 18-4 record, having clinched the 15th Region All “A” championship and making an Elite 8 appearance.
Martin County has several players with top-ranking statistics across the state. Caldwell finished her season ranked 22nd for scoring, with an impressive 33 goals. McCoy was close behind, finishing 32nd with 30 goals, while Laura Hale rounded out the top 33 with 30 goals.
McCoy emerged as the top-ranked assist leader in the state with 37 assists in 21 games. Caldwell was right behind her, ranked third with 37 assists. Lena Hale ranked 15th with 19 assists while Laura Hale finished in the 23rd spot with 17 assists.
Caldwell ranked ninth in the state for total points with 103. McCoy ranked 13th with 97 points, while Laura Hale was in the 29th spot with 77 points.
Duncan concluded the season ranked sixth for complete game shutouts, registering 11.
In team statistics, the Lady Cards ranked fifth in scoring with 139 goals in 22 games, averaging 6.3 goals per game. Their defense was evident as they ranked eighth for team defense, conceding only 18 goals in 22 games.
The Martin County team ranked third in the state for scoring margin and sixth for shutouts with 13 shutouts in 22 games.
Several Lady Cards received all-region honors. Laura Hale, Caldwell and McCoy were named First-Team All-Region. Lena Hale, Caitlyn Horn, Hailey Damron and Addison Duncan were named Second-Team. Tamara Workman and Ashdon Kerr received Honorable Mention.
