BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

WARFIELD — The Martin County Middle School boys basketball team has been named the Tommy’s Auto Sales Players of the Week after their thrilling run to capture the Eastern Kentucky Middle School Conference championship.

The fourth-seeded Cardinals shocked the conference with back-to-back victories, toppling top-seeded Magoffin County 42-37 in the semifinals Friday before clinching the championship with a 29-27 nail-biter over Johnson Central on Saturday.

Coach Michael Coleman’s squad entered the tournament as underdogs but proved that hard work and determination outweigh rankings.

The Cardinals faced off against the Johnson Central Eagles in a tense championship showdown Saturday. Holding a slim 23-21 lead entering the final quarter, Martin County’s defense rose to the occasion, shutting down Johnson Central’s last-second attempts and sealing the championship.

The road to the title was anything but easy. The Cardinals fought hard against top-seeded Magoffin County in Friday’s semifinal matchup. Trailing 22-14 at halftime, Martin County staged a relentless second-half comeback to claim the victory.