A season-long quest for a repeat as champions of the 51st District was completed Thursday for the Pineville Lady Lions as they defeated tournament host Barbourville 25-9, 25-18, 25-11.
From the moment we took the floor, I knew our girls were locked in. Our seniors have led this team all year and usually set the tone each game, but seeing their energy last night was different. There was never a moment I felt like it was slipping away and it truly was a team effort,” Pineville coach Samantha North said. “Every single girl that took the floor played their guts out. Every single girl on the bench and in the stands were going crazy and helped the fans match that same energy.”
North said it was a different approach for the Lady Lions in winning the second district title in program history.
“ Last year getting that first championship was very emotional, and we played with desperation when we got down early. This year was different. We knew it was going to be a hostile environment,” she said. “Barbourville had never been to a district championship, and they always have a great crowd and student section. We prepared for that, but when the doors opened the Pineville faithful flooded in. There was no home court advantage. We want to be the standard and our community, our school, and our team understood the assignment.”
Pineville improved to 25-12 on the season with the victory. Both teams advance to the 13th Region Tournament, opening Saturday at Harlan.