Class 2A girls: Hardaway rolls past Murray County for first state title

Hardaway controlled Thursday’s game from the start, but it was the Hawks’ closest game of the playoffs. They knocked out top-ranked Josey 65-45 in the semifinals after defeating Jackson, Franklin County and Columbia by an average of 54 points in the first three rounds.

Rhianna Boynton and Mikayla Johnson, the Hawks’ leading scorers all season, did the most damage against Murray County. Boynton, who averaged a double-double for the season, had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Johnson had 13 points and eight rebounds.

“They’re great players,” Hardaway coach Kelly Ellison said. “Not only do they score, but they work hard on the glass, and I think we dominated in rebounding, both offensively and defensively. They always put their best foot forward.”

Hardaway scored the first nine points of the game before No. 2 Murray County (30-2) got on the scoreboard when Bayleigh Winkler made a shot in the lane. The Hawks increased the lead to 14-4 before creating all the separation they needed with six points in the final 11 seconds of the first quarter, four on putbacks by Boynton and two on a steal and layup by Johnson, for a 20-4 lead.

Winkler scored the Indians’ first eight points and finished with a team-high 14.

Hardaway had an advantage in size and athleticism and made the most of it. The Hawks outrebounded Murray County 45-33, held the Indians to 25% shooting (including 2-for-19 on 3-pointers), and blocked 11 shots.

Akilah Shelton had eight blocked shots to go along with 11 rebounds and six points. Boynton had the other three blocks. Adazha Burrell added six points and eight rebounds.

“We always put a lot of defensive pressure on teams,” Ellison said. “That’s our thing. We start off pressing and we play a lot of man-to-man. We work on rotating and making sure we’re getting help. So that was our plan from the beginning.”

Murray County trailed by 19 points midway through the fourth quarter but made things interesting when Callan Ledford scored the first eight points of an 11-2 that cut the lead to 42-32 with 2:28 remaining. However, Hardaway scored five of the final seven points to put the game away. The Indians outscored Hardaway 30-27 over the final three quarters but were unable to overcome the early deficit.

Ledford scored all 10 of her points in the fourth quarter.

“We knew that they were a great 3-point shooting team,” Ellison said. “They’re a tough team, so we knew they were going to make runs. I told our girls to just be calm and be under control. They’re going to make a run, but we’re going to have to withstand it.”

Hardaway - 20-8-8-11 - 47

Murray County - 4-7-8-15 - 34

Hardaway (47): Mikhia Mims, Akilah Shelton 6, Adazha Burrell 6, Mikayla Johnson 13, Rhianna Boynton 22, Julia Johnson, Amari Burns, Caliyah Williams, Jenaiya Hardy, Kimberlyn Haynes.

Murray County (34): Callan Ledford 10, Bayleigh Winkler 14, Blaklee Ledford 5, Hadley Dotson, Emma Blaylock 3, Finley Dotson, Aspen Powers 2, Charlsey Richards, Aubrie Stevenson.