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The Lady Cards girl’s basketball team at George Rogers Clark High School has received much praise.

If prior experience is any indicator, the future continues to look bright.

Following a 52-28 victory against Scott County Middle School on Friday, Oct. 12, the eighth-grade girl’s basketball team at Robert D. Campbell Junior High School concluded its season as regular season and conference champions with an undefeated 25-0 regular season record.

“We’ve gotten better each and every game. We play hard,” said head coach Juan Byars. “We [have] got some kids that are really stepping up, and hopefully, there will be a good opportunity to play on the high school team.”

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, the Campbell Jr. High gym hosted games for the sixth, seventh and eighth-grade teams.

Unfortunately, the sixth and seventh-graders would see their seasons end, with the latter falling to Elkhorn Middle School of Frankfort 37-27.

Lila Fugate led the seventh-grade team with seven points, while Presley Harper and Jane Sutherland each had six.

“We did have a good season. We were prepared, but we didn’t execute,” said coach Anovia Byars. “[We have a] great group of girls, and I just hope they continue to work on their game moving forward.”

Once the eighth-grade Lady Cards took the floor, it didn’t take long for them to build momentum against visiting Bourbon County.

After Kyleigh Chestnut connected on a three-point shot, the team created a pair of turnovers that quickly led to five points, putting the visiting team at an 8-0 deficit before they had an opportunity to attempt a shot.

“It motivates you [and] motivates your team”, said Chestnut. “It just sends a message out.”

By the end of the first quarter, RDC had built a commanding 24-6 lead.

The Lady Cards continued their dominant play en route to a convincing 58-18 victory.

“We came out really, really fast. We played to our capabilities,” Juan Byars said. “Most people don’t realize I’ve had these girls for four years now, so they know exactly what I want, how I want it, and when we want it. Making some shots always helps…We want to always dictate our offense from our defense.”

The Lady Cards’ 8th-grade team includes Chestnut, Lily Ervin, Clara Craig, Addison Palmer, Niesha Duncan, JaKaree King, Anna Cooper, Christine Banks and Hailey Haines.

As with many successful teams, a strong bond off the court has also helped them go a long way.

“We’re like a family and we play as a family. We do everything together,” Chestnut said. “I think it’s a point that people know that we’re [going to] play together no matter what happens.”