LEXINGTON, KY – After a tough first-round state tournament win over Pikeville, Simon Kenton junior Brynil Pernell called it “the first hump to this tournament.”
Pernell was the catalyst as they hit the ground running in a 63-50 win over Owensboro Catholic to advance to their first ever Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Sweet 16 state semifinals.
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Pernall and sophomore Brynli Ober started with 3-pointers, forcing an Aces timeout just one minute and 16 seconds into the game. Four different players sank five 3-pointers and the defense held O-Cath to 4-of-11 from the field and forced seven turnovers as SK took a 23-10 lead after eight minutes.
Simon Kenton’s Brynli Pernell (0) goes up for a layup during the Lady Pioneers’ Sweet 16 quarterfinal game against Owensboro Catholic on March 13, 2026.
“Defense wins games. When we do good on the defensive end, then our offense just comes. When we do good on the offensive end, it’s going to be a good game,” senior Haylie Webb said.
One day after Notre Dame set the state tournament record with 17 three-pointers, the Lady Pioneers made a little shooting history of their own. After making seven triples in the first half, Webb drained a corner three at the 7:08 mark of the third quarter to set a new school record in the state tournament.
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They were making shots from all over the floor in the first half, converting 54.8 percent of their attempts for a 42-23 halftime lead.
Senior Anna Kelch made SK’s final triple of the game, hitting in front of her bench to end the third quarter after the Lady Pioneers drained 40 seconds off the clock.
It was a much-needed bucket after the Aces had gone on a 20-3 run to cut a 26-point Lady Pioneer lead down to nine at 50-41. During the run, O-Cath grabbed five offensive rebounds, leading to eight second-chance points. Simon Kenton went just 3-of-10 from the field in the quarter, showing just how important Webb and Kelch’s triples were.
“We’ve been here too many times. We picked each other up. We know it’s one play at a time,” Owensboro Catholic’s Katie Hagan said.
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Kelch was the most physical player on the floor, making noticeable contributions for an already physical Simon Kenton team. She finished with 8 points, eight assists, five steals and three rebounds, but was often the first player on the floor chasing after a loose ball and constantly bumping the Aces on both ends of the floor.
Owensboro Catholic’s Taylor Mannahan, left, and Simon Kenton’s Anna Kelch, right, wrestle for the ball during the Lady Pioneers’ Sweet 16 quarterfinal game against Owensboro Catholic on March 13, 2026.
“About time she did something!” Stowers said jokingly. “Anna, when her shot’s not going, we tell her, ‘You gotta get rebounds. You gotta do other things.’ That first shot doesn’t go in and she’s hanging her head, we’ve been telling her, ‘You’re more valuable to us when you get rebounds and not rely on Haylie to get rebounds.'”
The Lady Pioneers play in much the same way as Holy Cross, which beat O-Cath 60-42 in the All “A” Classic state championship. Head coach Michael Robertson said he didn’t watch any film from that game, which he admitted would have been helpful, but the Aces did stay within 10 points until two and a half minutes left, when they were forced to foul.
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The fact that SK went almost five minutes in the final quarter without scoring, yet the lead only shrunk from 14 to 10, is another testament to the Lady Pioneers’ defense.
“We like to make things hard. Got off to the start we wanted, then we kind of bogged down. I had no idea what the situation was, but I knew in the end we were gonna get our stuff together. We got to the point where we knew they had to foul us and we just had to go make free throws,” Stowers said.
Pernell closed the game out with six free throws, going 8-for-10 at the charity stripe for the game.
Simon Kenton’s Angela Kabeya (30) is congratulated after an and-one basket during the Lady Pioneers’ Sweet 16 quarterfinal game against Owensboro Catholic on March 13, 2026.
What’s next for the Simon Kenton Lady Pioneers in the KHSAA Sweet 16 semifinals?
The Lady Pioneers will face George Rogers Clark at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 14.
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“We know who we have on the bench. Meg (Gadzala, out for the season with a knee injury), our seniors, we want to do the best for them, and I think this is our best shot,” Pernell said.
Simon Kenton’s Meg Gadzala cheers from the bench during the Lady Pioneers’ Sweet 16 quarterfinal game against Owensboro Catholic on March 13, 2026.
The GRC Cardinals won the most recent matchup 69-34 on Dec. 7, 2024, and the Lady Pioneers have a 3-2 record against them since the series started in 2009. Assumption takes on Taylor County at 11 a.m. in the other semifinal.
If it’s been said once, it’s been said a thousand times: Simon Kenton has beaten every in-state opponent on its schedule this season. To win a state championship, however, it may have to beat the two best teams it hasn’t faced yet, and the two teams above the Lady Pioneers in the Elite 16 media poll – Assumption and George Rogers Clark.
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Simon Kenton: Pernell 4 8 18, Webb 7 0 15, Kabeya 4 0 10, Ober 3 2 9, Kelch 2 2 8, Wiggins 1 0 3. Totals: 21 12 63.
Owensboro Catholic: Newby 7 0 14, Mannahan 4 0 10, Munsey 3 0 9, Hagan 3 2 8, Martin 3 0 7, Riley 1 0 2. Totals: 21 2 50.
Half: SK 42-23. 3-pointers: SK 9 (Pernell 2, Kelch 2, Kabeya 2, Ober, Webb, Wiggins); OC 6 (Munsey 3, Mannahan 2, Martin).
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Simon Kenton girls hoops beat Owensboro Catholic, reach KHSAA Final 4
