Maynard joins the 500 rebounds club
BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — After three victories over Paintsville, Magoffin and Shelby Valley, Coach Robin Newsome’s Martin County Lady Cardinals fell short in rematches with the 15th Region’s top-ranked Johnson Central and 57th District foe Paintsville.
Maci Maynard pulled down her 500th rebound versus the Tigers. She already has 250 on the season and counting. At this pace, she is set to break records.
The Lady Cards have battled sickness recently.
“The flu has taken a toll on my players and coaches. Kids have been sick for two weeks and are not able to make it out to the gym due to sickness and bad weather. Not being able to practice full strength has really thrown us off,” said Coach Newsome.
“The kids have fought through it and were just starting to get better, then the flood hit. Hopefully we can get back in school and get healthy. My thoughts and prayers go out to our community.”
Martin County is tied with Paintsville for the 2/3 seed for the 57th District that begins next week, barring any rescheduled games due to flooding or snow.
Below is a recap of recent Lady Cardinals action:
MC vs Paintsville – The Martin County Lady Cardinals squeaked by the Paintsville Lady Tigers on Feb. 4 in Inez, securing a narrow 51-49 victory.
The red and white jumped out to a 22-12 lead in the first quarter behind a balanced scoring attack. With Brooke Marcum’s 10 and Candace Spaulding’s nine first-half points, the Cards went into the break ahead of the Tigers by six digits. Paintsville battled back, but the Cardinal defense held on in the final moments.
Marcum led the Cardinals with 14 points and nine rebounds, sinking six of six at the free-throw line.
Spaulding fired in 11 points and grabbed seven off the glass, shooting 50% and a perfect five for five from the charity stripe.
Freshman Maci Maynard made her presence felt with 14 rebounds and 10 points, shooting five for six from inside the arc. She joined the prestigious 500 rebound club. With three more years to play, her ceiling is high.
Chloe May pulled down nine boards and nailed two treys for six points for Martin County, while Sophie Harless and seventh-grader Makenna Marcum each chipped in five points and six and three rebounds, respectively.
MC at vs Shelby Valley – With three Lady Cards in double-digits and Maci Maynard pulling down 20 rebounds, Martin County rose past Valley in the final quarter for a 60-53 region win.
Juniors Chloe May and Brooklyn Marcum led the offensive charge for Martin County, each scoring 17 points. May showcased her versatility, connecting on three from deep and grabbing eight rebounds. Maci Maynard dominated the boards with an impressive 20 rebounds. She fired in 15 points to complete the double-double.
Sophie Harless fought in the paint for 11 boards and flipped in a basket.
Seventh-grader Makenna Marcum also had a solid performance, adding nine points and two rebounds.
MC at Paintsville – Martin County fell to the Paintsville Tigers 61-47 on Feb. 12 in a 57th District rematch at Paintsville.
Martin County struggled offensively, shooting only 28.1% from the field (16-57) and 22.2% from 3-point range (4-18).
While Martin County found some success at the free-throw line, connecting on 11 of 14 attempts (78.6%), it was not enough to overcome their shooting woes. Paintsville’s defense proved disruptive, limiting the Lady Cardinals offensive flow.
Maci Maynard led the Lady Cardinals with another double-double with an astounding 21 rebounds and 18 points. She was 8-8 at the charity stripe. Brooklyn Marcum followed with 11 points and four boards. Chloe May knocked down a 3 from behind the arc and finished with seven points and three rebounds. Senior Candace Spaulding hit for six points and pulled four off the glass. Young gun Makenna Marcum added a trey along with two rebounds. Sophie Harless grabbed a rebound.
MC vs Johnson Central – The Lady Cards lost a 54-47 contest to the Johnson Central Eagles on Valentine’s Day at home.
The halftime score was knotted at 24 with Candace Spaulding dropping nine first-half points.
With Maci Maynard in foul trouble, the Eagles pulled away in the fourth quarter.
Spaulding fired in 14 points to lead all scorers. Chloe May connected on two from behind the arc to finish with eight points. Brooke Marcum had a solid 10-point performance. Maci Maynard and Sophie Harless each contributed six points, while Makenna Marcum added three.
Martin County is scheduled to host Phelps on Friday, with a possible reschedule due to flooding in the community.