The Clinton County Lady Bulldogs dropped to 0-2 to start the 2023-2024 season with losses to Smith County, Tennessee, on Saturday night and Marion County last Tuesday night in the season opener.

Clinton County    43
Smith County    59

The Lady Dawgs got off to a very slow start on the local hardwood Saturday night at The Castle as Smith County, Tennessee, came to town.
It was all Smith County in the first quarter as the Lady Owls opened the game with a 24-6 first quarter score.
Landree Moons led all scores in the first quarter for the Lady Dawgs with two field goals and a free throw for five points. Sadie Ipock hit one of two from the line to round out the Lady Dawgs’ six first quarter points.
During the second quarter, the Lady Dawgs started to pick up the pace somewhat as Moons was one of several Lady Dawgs to put points on the board. Moons had nine points in the second quarter alone, followed by Bella Young with a three pointer, Makayla Smith and Crista Thacker had a field goal each and Tatum Harlan hit one of two from the foul line for 17 total points in the period.
Clinton County’s defense started to pick up as well, holding the Lady Owls to only 12 points during the eight minutes of play.
At the half, Clinton County trailed by 13, 36-23, after scoring a 7-0 run to end the half.
That run continued in the second half as Crista Thacker scored a field goal to cut the lead down to 11.
The Lady Dawgs would continue  to chip away at the Lady Owls’ lead and a 6-2 run saw Clinton County get to within seven points of the lead with 1:34 remaining in the third quarter.
Smith County answered with a 7-0 run to end the period and regain a 14 point lead, 45-31.
Smith County continued that run into the fourth quarter after Smith hit a field goal at the 7:08 mark, 45-33.
The remainder of the game was all Lady Owls, outscoring the Lady Dawgs 14-12 in the final period alone, but Smith County’s lead was built in the previous three quarters which eventually led to the win for the Lady Owls, 59-43.
Individual scoring for Clinton County was:
Moons    21
Thacker    7
Smith    4
Ipock    4
Harlan    3
Young     3
Longwell    1

Clinton County    47
Marion County    60

The Clinton County Lady Bulldogs opened its season last Tuesday night with a road trip game to Marion County.
Clinton County came out on fire in the first quarter, putting up 19 total points, compared to Marion County’s 14.
Moons led the way in the first quarter with six points, Thacker scored a field goal and knocked down a three pointer for five points, Harlan scored five points on  two field goals and a free throw, while Smith and Chloe Longwell scored two points and one point respectively.
The second quarter went much the same for the Lady Dawgs as Clinton County continued to dominate the flow of the game.
Marion County did manage to cut the lead to one point early in the second quarter, 19-18, but a 6-0 run gave the Lady Dawgs a seven point cushion, 25-18.
Clinton County finished the quarter by putting up six more points and led Marion County at the half, 31-24.
The third quarter was a bit of a rollercoster ride for the Lady Dawgs. With Clinton County starting the quarter up by seven, Marion County went on an 8-0 run to take a one point lead, 32-31.
Clinton County answered on a jump shot by Harlan, 33-32, but a 9-1 run by Marion County saw the Lady Dawgs trail, 41-34, with two minutes remaining in the period.
The Lady Dawgs fought back and cut the lead to one point at the end of the eight minutes, 41-40.
Marion County didn’t let up in the fourth quarter, opening the period with a 10-0 run to lead, 51-41.
The Lady Dawgs couldn’t recover after that ,as Clinton County fell to Marion County, 60-47.
Individual scoring for Clinton County was:
Moons    23
Harlan    9
Thacker    7
Smith    4
Ipock    2
Longwell    2
Clinton County was back in action Tuesday night (too late for press deadline) hosting district rival Monroe County and will be on the road Friday night as the Lady Dawgs travel to Metcalfe County. Friday night’s game will tip off at 6 p.m.

Crista Thacker pulled up from the middle of the lane during Saturday’s home game against Smith County, Tennessee. Clinton County dropped the game moving the Lady Dawgs to 0-2 on the year.