MANCHESTER — North Laurel captured its second consecutive 49th District championship by turning in a dominating performance against Jackson County on Tuesday.
The Lady Jaguars (17-14) set the tone early by allowing only 13 points in the first set during their 3-0 win over the Lady Generals (16-20).
The win was North Laurel’s third against Jackson County this season.
The Lady Jaguars will join Whitley County, Bell County, and Pineville as district champions entering Saturday’s 13th Region Tournament at Lynn Camp High School.
North Laurel will play either Corbin, Knox Central or Harlan County while Jackson County will face-off against Whitley County, Bell County or Pineville. The draw will be held on Thursday.
“I am so proud of these girls and the work they have put in this season,” North Laurel coach James Hendrix said. “We’ve played some tough opponents this year to prepare ourselves for the postseason, and we’ve really hit our stride the past few games.
“We came out tonight ready to play, and didn’t hesitate from the get-go,” he added. “We’ve been working all year on starting fast and staying fast, regardless of the competition. The girls accomplished that tonight, and it earned them a championship. We’ve been looking forward to the 2023 13th Region Tournament since October 25, 2022. It’s here. Now we’re ready to show up and show out. Go Jags.”
The Lady Jaguars cruised to an easy 25-13 win in the first set before picking up a 27-25 victory in the second set. They put the finishing touches on the win with a 25-16 victory in the third set.
North Laurel advanced to the title game on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Oneida Baptist earlier in the day.
The Lady Jaguars had an easy time picking up the 3-0 win over the Lady Mountaineers. They won the first set 25-5, and captured the final two sets with identical scores of 25-23.
