Lady Titans Snap Rockcastle’s 10-Game Winning Streak

Casey Roberts
Herald Staff
Sports@harrodsburgherald.com

With the end of the regular season in sight, the Mercer County Lady Titans (14-13)  bounced back from their previous two game slide with an impressive 59-46 road victory over fellow 12 Region contender Rockcastle County (18-7). Junior  Anna Kate Drakeford and Freshman Teight Yeast combined for a total of 41 points to assure that the Lady Titans did not fall to Rockcastle like the previous 10 squads before them.

Heading into Friday’s match-up, Rockcastle County was regarded by many as the hottest team in the 12 Region. Winners of their last ten games, the Lady Rockets eyed 11 victories in a row when Mercer came to town Feb 10. The Lady Titans showed no fear playing on the road, drawing first blood as Drakeford found Yeast for a layup only a few short seconds after the ball was tipped. The Lady Rockets responded with a very slow and methodical first offensive possession that ended with a runner in the lane, evening the score at 2-2. Mercer’s offense didn’t take nearly as long regaining the early lead when Drakeford assisted to Yeast once again, this time on a perfectly designed back-door cut.

Both teams were held scoreless in the following minutes until Rockcastle’s Keelee King nailed a heavily contested 3-point shot that gave the Lady Rockets a short lived 5-4 lead over Mercer. After assisting for her team’s first two baskets, Drakeford recorded her first points after she knifed into the paint for one of her signature floaters.

Mercer’s lead grew to 10-5 after Junior Peyton Boyd forced a turnover and drove the length of the court for a layup. Yeast followed by scoring on a Charles Barkley like post spin move that left her defender looking lost. Rockcastle was forced to call timeout in an attempt to halt the Lady Titans first quarter momentum.

The Lady Titans’ season finale is set for Thursday, Feb. 16, against Southwestern Pulaski. It is senior night with the girls game beginning at 6 p.m.