Local Sports

Franklin captures third-straight sectional championship with 48-29 win over Shelbyville

Franklin used a 19-0 run to secure a 19-point win and its third-straight sectional championship win Saturday night at William L. Garrett Gymnasium.

Following an emotional semifinal win Friday over Columbus East, Shelbyville fell flat in its first sectional championship game appearance since 2007. Franklin scored the first 19 points of the game and rolled to a 48-29 victory.

“I feel like we gave it everything we’ve got (Friday) and we just ran out of juice,” said Shelbyville head coach Becca Hoefler. “You have to have everything you’ve got to play Franklin Community.”

The Grizzly Cubs (18-5) will face No. 9 Center Grove (21-4) in the regional championship game on Feb. 11 at Bedford North-Lawrence High School. The Trojans have won 17 straight games since a 38-34 loss to Franklin on Nov. 29.

Shelbyville’s only first-quarter points came on an Ava Wilson drive in the final seconds.

Franklin scored the first five points of the second quarter to push its lead to 24-2 before Shelbyville dug in. The Golden Bears scored the next eight points and trailed at halftime 25-10.

 

 

After a Hailey Pogue (photo) lay-in to start the third quarter cut the deficit to 13, Franklin’s Brooklyn York and Scarlett Kimbrell hit three straight three-pointers to push the lead to 34-12.

Erica Buening led Franklin with 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals. York finished with 10 points. Nine of the 11 Grizzly Cubs that took the court scored Saturday.

“We were trying to make sure they didn’t pop off on 3s. They are known for (hitting) 3s,” said Hoefler. “We were boxing out every possession to eliminate their second-chance opportunities. They are quite bigger than us. They have five basketball players on the court that will all someday play somewhere else (at the college level) and it shows on the court.”

One night after hitting 11 3s against Columbus East, Shelbyville was 0-for-8 from beyond the arc and had just eight field goals total in the loss.

Ava Wilson led Shelbyville with 13 points. Kylee Edwards finished with six.

“Ava gave it everything she had on the court. She gave it her all and I cannot fault her one second,” said Hoefler. “And Kylee is not quite 100% and (Friday) she did everything she could to win and she just ran out of juice.”

 

 

The Golden Bears closed out their most successful season in 16 years with a 15-9 record. Three seniors, Edwards, Pogue and Abby Brenner (photo) were part of a 4-20 team as freshmen. The program improved to eight and 11 wins the next two seasons, respectively.

Hoefler did not stop the game in the final minutes to bring the three seniors off the floor together, instead allowing them to finish their careers at Garrett Gymnasium on Frank Barnes Court.

“I told them it’s the last three minutes you are going to be in that uniform, go make it worth your while,” said Hoefler. “They have done so much for this program. They put Shelbyville back on the map with all their hard work. They should be proud of being a Shelbyville Golden Bear the last four years.”

Edwards’ record-breaking career ended with the single-game record for points scored and career records for points, rebounds and blocked shots.

 

 

“No regrets,” said Edwards after the game as she tried to keep her emotions in check. “Tonight was a tough one but looking back on Columbus East, that was probably the best game we ever played as a team. It was like a moment where we finally got the recognition we deserved. There were so many people that doubted us in that game, and tonight, and we showed them who we are.”

Edwards, who surpassed several notable Shelbyville athletes on her way to the career scoring record, now is the standard for future Golden Bears to chase.

“I think it will come with time,” said Edwards when asked if she understood the mark she left on the program. “Maybe when I am older I will. I’m just out here right now playing with my best friends. I enjoy playing basketball just as much as softball.

“My freshman year I remember standing on the court and the seniors were getting announced and I thought it was never going to be me. It was a couple of weeks ago (for me), it just feels so unreal.”

Edwards will take some time to heal an injured knee and ankle before preparing for her final softball season as a Golden Bear. She will play softball collegiately at Mississippi State University.

Steve Bush photos

 

Franklin 48, Shelbyville 29

FR – Klem 2-3 0-0 4, Kimbrell 2-10 0-0 5, Buening 4-10 3-4 12, Jochim 2-3 2-2 7, York 3-8 2-2 10, Sappenfield 1-4 0-0 3, Doty 0-1 0-0 0, Phillips 1-4 0-0 3, Runyon 1-1 0-0 2, Fuqua 0-1 0-1 0, Morris 0-2 0-0 0, Rinehold 1-2  0-0 2. Totals: 17-49 7-9 48.

SH – Edwards 3-5 0-0 6, Brenner 0-3 4-6 4, Simpson 0-3 0-1 0, Wilson 4-20 5-8 13, Pogue 1-2 1-2 3, E. Johnson 0-0 0-0 0, Marshall 0-0 1-2 1, Keller 0-4 2-2 2. Totals: 8-37 12-21 29.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

FR (18-5)  19    6  14    9  --  48

SH (15-9)    2    8    5  14  --  29

Three-point field goals: FR 7-29 (Klem 0-1, Kimbrell 1-7, Buening 1-2, Jochim 1-2, York 2-5, Sappenfield 1-3, Doty 0-1, Phillips 1-4, Fuqua 0-1, Morris 0-2, Rinehold 0-1), SH 0-8 (Edwards 0-1, Brenner 0-1, Wilson 0-6). Rebounds: FR 34 (Klem 5, Kimbrell 8, Buening 8, Jochim 3, York 4, Sappenfield 1, Doty 1, Phillips 2, Runyon 2, Fuqua 1), SH 21 (Edwards 5, Brenner 5, Simpson 1, Wilson 7, Pogue 3). Assists: FR 12 (Klem 1, Kimbrell 4, Buening 2, Jochim 1, York 2, Sappenfield 1, Phillips 1), SH 1 (Simpson 1). Steals: FR 7 (Klem 1, Kimbrell 1, Buening 2, Jochim 2, York 1), SH 2 (Edwards 1, Marshall 1). Blocks: FR 3 (Kimbrell 2, York 1), SH 4 (Edwards 1, Simpson 1, Wilson 2). Total fouls: FR 20, SH 12. Turnovers: FR 11, SH 16.

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