Edmonson County Girls’ basketball preview – Lady Cats on a mission

 

By T. Wampler, JPI Sports 

The Edmonson County High School girls’ basketball program enters the second year under Coach Jody Booth. The Lady Cats finished with an overall record of 21 – 8 and went 4 – 3 in the 12th District.

The Lady Cats lost to the Lady Bears 44-41 in the District 12 Tournament to see their season come to an end. Edmonson split their regular season games with Butler last season with each team winning the game on their home court, but then lost in the district tournament.

All three games were decided by three points.

“We are coming together really well,” began Coach Booth. “Last year, we did not have varsity experience except Cariann Williams, so we concentrated on getting that experience and showing improvement. And we did get better as we got into the season with experience, and we won 21 games.”

“We surprised a lot of people,” Booth added. “The great thing about that was we only had one senior.”

The Lady Cats lost one player to graduation, Chaney Browning. “We will miss her (Browning),” he continued. “We return the majority of our production.”

The team will have 4 seniors on this year’s team: Maggie Cassady, Jenna Cook, Kennadi Swihart, and Julie Norris. “Our group of seniors have just been awesome,” Booth said. “Jenna started all last year for me,” Booth said. “Julie started and was a key piece for us and Kennadi was a starter until she was injured, and we are slowly getting her back into the swing of things.”

“We restrict Jenna some, but we are glad to have her back and making progress so she will be back fully later in the season when we need her the most,” Booth added.

The KHSAA roster also lists 2 juniors, 5 sophomores, 2 freshmen, two 8th graders, and one 7th grader.

The Lady Cats will rely heavily on center standout junior Cariann Williams. Williams was the team’s top scorer and rebounder and also spent a lot of time on the free throw line last year.

Williams is not the only returning key player. Williams will be assisted by key players Julie Norris, Jenna Cook, Maggie Cassady, and Shelby Sowders, who all played pivotal roles or contributed for the Lady Cats last season and will play a big part in their success this season.

Sowders will play point guard for ECHS. Norris will be another guard with Cassady playing as a forward.

“We beefed up the schedule a little bit since we felt like we had a good team coming back,” Booth said. “We also added a sophomore that is going to help us out in our rotation and a freshman that has the potential to start for us. We are excited about the teams’ potential with the quality and depth we have on this year’s team.”

Booth said they concentrated this summer on getting stronger and being in better shape. “We know we have about 8 or 9 kids that can play in our rotation,” he said. “That helps us do different things defensively.”

Booth said they also spent time on different offensive concepts. “Overall, it’s been just a good vibe within our locker room,” he said. “Losing in the first round of the district last year really hurt us, and that’s in the back of our minds motivating us. And, it’s a maturity thing.”

Booth said with an added year of maturity, they see the potential too, like the coaches do to continue and surpass last year’s success. The coach said that maturity also brings them to the gym ready to work.

Booth said success in basketball always starts with fundamentals and defense. “We are still going to try to be a man-to-man team,” he said. “But, with a strong rotation, we will try to do a little more things pressure wise in the full court. That’s because of the added depth.”

Booth said all that was easier, in part, because it was his and his coaching staff’s second year working with the girls. On offense, he believes in “move and react” and that means handoffs, backdoor passes, curl cuts, quick hitters, and slips between screens.

Booth also thinks they can post up with Williams and some other players that have gotten stronger over the summer. “She (Williams) is always in the gym,” Booth said. “She worked out with Campbellsville this summer and that helped her, but credit to her on how much she has improved her overall game.”

“Cariann knows the play before it is going to happen and that is how she gets her blocks,” Booth continued. “She has grown into a leader including being more vocal and all our girls are becoming more vocal.”

“They are so strongly connected. We all are strongly connected,” replied Booth when asked what really stands out about the 2024-25 Lady Cats. “The team and the coaches all want to be at practice and that makes for a lot of things getting accomplished and for having fun doing it. They always flip the light switch when it is time to get serious.”

“I love teaching them and they are locked in on learning and they love to compete,” Booth added.

 

 

Booth said that District 12 will be a battle, but he sees the Lady Cats as the top contender. “Our expectations are always to win because we believe in our team,” he said. “I’m sure that’s the same way the other teams’ players and coaches feel. There is never a heavy favorite in our district.”

“Winning the district championship is always our goal and I like our chances this year,” Booth continued. “We want to reach the Region 3 Tournament and make a run at that title. I told them over the summer that a Edmonson County girls’ team in the 2000’s has only won one game in a regional tournament.”

“I challenged them, why can’t that be us this year?” Booth asked the Lady Cats.

Booth said they have the expectation to be in the region tournament, but he also told them, “Just because you should be there, does not mean you will be.” “We have to go out and play, win, and earn and prove we belong there,” he told the team.

“We are on a mission this year and we are trying to build up our numbers and build our brand,” Booth said of advancing his program in his second year. “We feel like everything is headed in the right direction. We are excited about this season.”

 

                                                         Edmonson County Girls’ Roster

#	Name	Position	Yr.	#	Name	Position	Yr.	#	Name	Position	Yr.
10	Quinnlan Alford	PF, C	Fr.		Savanah Lyons	SF	8th	34	Brookelyn Simon	SG	Fr.
15	Maggie Cassady	PF, SF	Sr.	42	Rayleigh Moon	SG, SF	Fr.	50	Shelby Sowders	PG	So.
14	Addie Childress	PF, SF	So.	21	Julie Norris	PF, SF	Sr.	12	Kennadi Swihart	SG, PG	Sr.
3	Jenna Cook	SG, PG	Sr.	22	Leilani Powell	SG	Jr.		Taryn Thogerson	SG, PG	7th
20	Emma Davis	SG, SF	So.		Emma Price	C	8th	25	Tayla Wilhite	SG	So.
11	Makinley Harp	SF	So.		Hayley Sanders	SG, PG	8th	30	Cariann Williams	PF, C	Jr.

 

Nickname: Lady Cats

Coach: Jody Booth

Region: 3

District: 12