Bell Buckle, Tenn. – The Cascade Lady Champions (9-11, 3-3) held visiting District 9-AA foe Grundy County (9-11, 3-4) to just one made three-pointer and 38% FG shooting in a dominant 26-point win, 55-29, on Friday night at The Stable.

With some members of both Cascade basketball teams participating in the pregame homecoming court ceremonies, both teams came out firing on all cylinders, especially the Lady Champions.

Grundy County connected on the first basket of the game to take a 2-0 lead, and then the Lady Yellow Jackets never led again for the rest of the night. Cascade closed the final seven minutes on a 17-0 run that extended to 23-0 two minutes into the second quarter. Lady Jackets’ star, Kallie Parson, picked up her second foul of the game less than three minutes into the opening period with Cascade in front by just one point, 3-2. The Lady Champs took a 17-2 lead after the opening eight minutes.

Sophie Ray (5) for two of her game-high 18 points in Fridays' blowout win.

David Smith

As the half continued on, Sophie Ray and Lizzie Keele were the primary catalysts on the night, combining for 24 first-half points. Ray scored 13 of her game-high 18 in the first half while Keele did all her scoring damage in the first half. Caroline Parker also connected on a pair of three-pointers. 

Cascade went into halftime with a commanding 32-8 lead after the first two quarters, completely throwing Grundy County’s offensive attack out of sorts. Parson scored six points, but the Lady Champs were able to stay out of foul trouble, conceding just a pair of free-throw attempts all night. Meanwhile, Cascade went 10/13 at the line, and connected on 7/19 three-pointers compared to Grundy’s 1/10. Additionally, the Lady Champs only turned the ball over 10 times while forcing 20 Lady Jacket turnovers, including swiping 11 steals to outscore Grundy County 16-4 in points off turnovers.

Caroline Parker (2) went 3/4 from downtown for nine points against Grundy Co.

David Smith

The visitors finally managed to get some offense going in the third quarter, but the Lady Champs responded thanks to nine of Kaegan Young’s 11 points coming in the second half. Cascade outscored Grundy, 14-11, to take a 46-19 lead into the final frame. Young did it all on homecoming night, finishing with an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double while also coming away with four steals and dishing out two assists.

The fourth quarter was a formality, but the Lady Champs still maintained the same defensive intensity, giving up just 10 points in the period while scoring nine themselves to reach the final margin of victory, 55-29, that ensured Cascade holds any potential tie-breaker over the Lady Yellow Jackets.

Cascade improves to 9-11 (3-3) and will hit the road to take on non-district foe, Eagleville, LIVE on The Zinger 100.9 and AM 1400 starting at 5:45 p.m.