Difficult final for Cougar girls

     Pulaski County’s girls were a heavy underdog going into the Class 4 state championship game in Richmond Thursday evening, and they ran into a bigger, stronger, faster, talented team from Lake Taylor, finishing as state runner up after falling by 32, 61-29 to the Titans.

     Pulaski County finishes 22-9 on the season after making the third state championship appearance in school history and the first since 1992. And though the loss was difficult, it came to a veteran team that took advantage of its maturity over the youthful Cougars who start two freshmen. It was the fourth state championship for Lake Taylor, and the young Cougar girls will look forward to even more opportunities in the future, and no doubt do not intend to wait 27 years again before making another appearance in the state title game.

       The Titans were in control throughout, and both teams were guilty of numerous turnovers. But defensively, Pulaski County held Lake Taylor well under their scoring average for the season, but were dominated on the backboards. In the first half alone Lake Taylor had an 11-1 advantage in offensive rebounds.

      Jasmin Gilliam and Jordan Poole both had 14 points for the Titans and Jarmin Doster had 13. Pulaski County did not hit a three-point shot until Alaina Akers connected with just 4:44 left in the fourth quarter. Akers hit again under the two-minute mark and finished with seven points in the game. Ally Fleenor led the Cougars gals with eight.