MCKEE — Eight is great!
Just ask Eddie Mahan’s North Laurel Lady Jaguars.
They continued their dominance in the 49th District on Thursday by capturing their eighth consecutive district championship while extending their impressive win streak to 54 games after defeating host Jackson County in the district title game with a convincing 66-28 victory.
The 38-point win improved the No. 6 Lady Jaguars’ record to 28-2.
They will enter next week’s 13th Region Tournament with hopes of a three-peat.
“We got off to a rollercoaster start, with our strong defense and rebounding giving us an early lead,” Mahan said. “However, our inconsistent offense kept Jackson County in the game. It wasn’t until the third quarter that we found our rhythm and made a decisive push to secure the win and claim the championship.
“I hope our team never takes winning district championships for granted,” he added. “Considering North Laurel went 25 years without a title before our current streak of eight, these victories are a big deal for our team, program, and school. While we have our sights set on bigger goals, winning our district is always the first step.”
Senior Brooke Nichelson continued to show she’s one of the top players in the state by knocking down seven 3-pointers while finishing with a game-high 35 points and 16 rebounds. Mariella Claybrook added 12 points while Bella Sizemore finished five points.
North Laurel led 16-6 after the first quarter and 30-16 at halftime before rolling in the second half, outscoring the Lady Generals, 36-12, in the final 16 minutes.
Abby Gilbert led Jackson County (14-14) with 14 points.
