NC won by 37 and 32 in the regular season, but Bethlehem — with only freshmen and sophomores on the team — played a very scrappy game to make it interesting into the 4thQ, when the Cards finally put them away.

 

NC got 27 from Marly Walls and 16 from LeLe Linton, and Shyla Calbert went for 14 points and 7 assists.

 

Bethlehem was led by Maddie Sparks with 17, and Carly Beam had 14.

 

Cardinals are looking for their 9th straight district title when they meet up with host Bardstown in Friday's district final. NC won both regular-season meetings, by 5 in early January at NC, and by 21 in early February at BHS.

OK BGPers, I need some help:

 

I work with a buddy of mine who's from Nelson Co. First question is: Coach Coleman, is she the one from East Jessamine?

 

And Number 2: We've placed a "friendly" wager on the 5th region tournament. He took Nelson Co. and gave me the field -- Good bet for him or for me?

OK BGPers, I need some help:

 

I work with a buddy of mine who's from Nelson Co. First question is: Coach Coleman, is she the one from East Jessamine?

 

And Number 2: We've placed a "friendly" wager on the 5th region tournament. He took Nelson Co. and gave me the field -- Good bet for him or for me?

 

Coleman was at East Jess previously. She joined the NC system this school year as an instructional coach (I believe that's correct), and was asked to take over as interim coach when longtime head coach Kelly Wood resigned in early January.

 

Nelson County has a chance to win it, but I don't know if I'd call them the favorite even though they're undefeated in the region, including an early December win over E'town. E'town has played the better schedule overall than NC, and NC has had its struggles against difficult out-of-region competition (blowout losses to Scott Co. and Franklin Co., and a 1-point loss to Highlands).

 

The drama that surrounded the coaching change at NC may hurt them in the region, or it may galvanize the players. NC also had a part-time starter dismissed a week ago. We'll find out soon enough. I do hope that NC and E'town are on opposite sides of the bracket, because that would make for a great region final, but NC would have to get past a tough John Hardin squad to get there. Cardinals won by 4 at John to close out the regular season and stay undefeated v. 5th Region foes.