Lady Tigers punch their region ticket!

Clay County took a big step toward reclaiming district supremacy Monday night, cruising past Jackson County 67–31 in the opening round of the 49th District Tournament and punching its ticket to the championship game.

With the win, the Lady Tigers will be seeking their first district title since 2017 and secured their first trip to the 13th Region Tournament since 2021 — a significant milestone for a program that has steadily worked its way back into contention.

Playing in front of a near-capacity crowd on their home floor, Clay County delivered a dominant performance from start to finish despite being without leading scorer Maci White, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

The Lady Tigers wasted little time setting the tone, racing out to an 11–0 lead behind a three-pointer from Lauryn Sizemore and four points each from Harper Rice and Carly Fultz. Jackson County responded with a brief surge, trimming the deficit to 12–10 late in the opening quarter, prompting Clay coach Gemma Parks to call a timeout as she challenged her team to regain focus.

Fultz added a late basket to give Clay a 14–10 lead after one quarter.

Clay seized control in the second period as Anna Samples provided a spark off the bench on both ends of the floor. The Lady Tigers unleashed a 12–0 run fueled by Fultz inside, Samples’ energy plays, and a barrage of three-pointers from Sizemore that broke the game open.

Kenzie Grubb capped the half with a jumper, sending Clay into the locker room with a commanding 41–18 advantage.

The momentum carried into the third quarter as Fultz dominated the paint, scoring 11 points in the period. Rice buried a three-pointer at the buzzer to extend the lead to 59–21 and trigger the running clock heading into the final quarter.

Junior Carly Fultz said the opportunity to return to the regional stage means a great deal to the team.

“It’s an honor to be able to send our seniors off in the region tournament,” Fultz said. “It was a great win, and I’m excited for my team.”

Coach Gemma Parks praised her team’s response and focus, especially with the added challenge of playing without White.

“I was proud of how our girls responded after that early stretch,” Parks said. “We challenged them to lock in defensively and play with energy, and they did just that. Everyone stepped up, shared the ball, and played for each other. Getting back to the region is a big accomplishment, but we know there’s still work to do.”

Clay County was led by Fultz, who posted a dominant double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Sizemore added 15 points on five three-pointers, while Rice contributed 14. Samples finished with eight points, and Madison Pendland and Kenzie Grubb added two points each.

The Lady Tigers now turn their attention to the district championship, where they will look to capture the program’s first 49th District crown in eight years and carry momentum into regional play.