After defeating Pineville, Barbourville and Williamsburg, the Middlesboro Lady Jackets made it to the All “A” State Tournament at McBrayer Arena on the EKU campus Wednesday. The Lady Jackets fell to Covington Holy Cross, 59-35, in the opening round.

This was the Lady Jackets’ fifth all-time All “A” Classic appearance and their first since 2009.

“I’m proud of our girls,” said Middlesboro coach Scott Overbay. “It was a very hard game, but I’m proud of them for making it that far. As young as we are, no one gave us much of a chance to do anything this year. I think we are proving them wrong.”

On her first bucket of the game, Middlesboro senior guard Baylee Woody scored her 1,000th career point for the Lady Jackets. Woody led the way for Middlesboro with 17 points.

The Lady Indians were attacking the paint all game long, especially in the first half, with their center Sydney Thomas. Thomas accounted for 18 points in the first half for the Lady Indians.

“They have a really good team. It’s kind of a ‘pick-your-poison’ kind of situation when you’re defending them. They have exceptional guard play as well as inside,” Overbay said. “We didn’t do great at stopping them inside in the first half, but I thought we did a much better job of that in the second half of the game.”

The Jackets held Thomas to just two points in the second half of the game, but the damage had been done.

Leading 37-16 at halftime, the Lady Indians had the game in hand. The Lady Jackets pulled the game to within 15 points in the second half. By the final horn, the Lady Indians had secured a 24-point victory and a trip to the second round of the tournament.

“We are just trying to get a few things fixed before district tournament time rolls around,” said Overbay. “We want to perform well in the district tournament and then make it to the regional tournament and give ourselves a shot at making a run. I’m proud of the girls this season. No one gave us much of a chance to do anything, but I think we are doing a great job.”

Middlesboro will be back in action against Harlan County on January 29 at Harlan County. Holy Cross faces Metcalfe County in the second round of the state tournament on Friday.

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Middlesboro (8-13) (35) — Baylee Woody 17, Brittany Davis 6, Kailey Owens 6, Aubrey Sowders 6.

Holy Cross (17-4) (59) — Sydney Thomas 20, Grace Bezold 15, Olivia Crigle 9, Jade Simpson 7, Trinity McClendon 4, Kara Krumpleman 2, Mya Harney 2.