'Growth and development': Simon Kenton conquers obstacles in Eighth Region title defense

After the Simon Kenton Lady Pioneers beat Notre Dame on a last-second shot on Jan. 6, 2023, they had a 9-5 record and were on an upward trajectory entering the second half of the season. Unbeknownst to head coach Brenden Stowers, his team was about to endure their toughest stretch of the season.

The next day, the mother of one of the girls on the freshman team was admitted to hospice care. She had coached many of the varsity players in middle school and they were all friends with her daughter. When she passed away two days later, the team was visibly upset in a 28-point loss to Conner. They endured a four-game losing streak and a 4-6 record for the month.

Former head coach Jeff Stowers, Brenden's father, had passed on a wealth of knowledge while Brenden was still an assistant, but almost nothing could prepare him for the tumultuous month the team experienced.

"I'll forever be proud of how they handled that entire situation last year," Brenden Stowers said. "I don't think anything on the court fazes them, just because they've been through that."

It took a few weeks for the team's atmosphere to return to normal. The turning point was a 23-point win over Montgomery County, a top-10 team in the state. The Lady Pioneers put together an 8-5 record to end the season and won their first Eighth Region championship since 2018.

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Embracing a challenge

When Brenden took over for his father in April 2023, it was as if he had been hand-picked for the position. He played at Simon Kenton and Northern Kentucky University and spent 13 seasons as an assistant under his father. Year over year, his responsibilities increased from scheduling transportation and referees to running practices and calling out the defense in games.

The players, especially the upperclassmen who played under Jeff, didn't notice much of a difference from one year to the next since they knew what to expect from Brenden.

"Honestly, it was, like, pretty much the same. I don't feel like a lot of things changed," senior Rylie Flynn said.

The 2022-2023 season was a challenge unto itself because not many outsiders expected Simon Kenton to be a factor in the region. Leading scorers Seriniti Webb and Alexis Baker graduated. Then-eighth grader Brynli Pernell was about to be the team's starting point guard. Megan Gadzala, Anna Kelch and Haylie Webb started as freshmen.

"It's all about growth and development. That was the challenge for me, was being patient," Stowers said.

Mature beyond their years

Patience is still a necessity on a team with so many young stars. The team committed six straight turnovers in a recent loss to Notre Dame. Two days later, they beat Conner 43-37 but went 8-of-22 from the free throw line. The players said the keys to their success are that they don't get mad at each other after losses and work every day to correct the previous game's mistakes.

"I feel like I have those go-to people on the team that I know if I'm in my own head, I can go to them and they'll just tell me, 'Come on, Anna. You can do this.' " Kelch said.

As she did last season, Pernell leads the team in scoring, but Webb, Flynn, Kelch and Gadzala have all scored in double figures. Eighth grader Bella Ober was named to the all-tournament team at the Billy Hicks Classic.

"We're pretty good now, but we will evolve as we get older and I think we'll just get better and improve each year," Webb said.

Some of that youthful energy has translated into the team's style of play. Theirs is a swarming defense that leads to a fast-paced offense. According to Kelch, there is a process that goes as follows: box out on defense, get the rebound, push the ball up the court in transition, score, then do it all over again.

"It starts with defense," Kelch said. "You don't play defense, you don't play."

The team doesn't find it repetitive, either. They embrace the tempo because it keeps them focused on their end goal.

To be the best, you've got to beat the best

Stowers didn't change much when he took over as the head coach, but he did want to improve his team's strength of schedule. In just his second game at the helm, the Lady Pioneers upset Ryle. This year, the schedule is littered with regional contenders from across the state and includes two contests against Sacred Heart.

"It's an opportunity to compete. You want to be a state champion? Here's the three-time state champion. Go figure out where you stand right now," Stowers said.

Those two games book end a stretch that includes top-15 teams Anderson County (currently 14-1), Cooper (15-3) and Holy Cross (12-4). The players don't run from these games, either. They look forward to the challenge.

"It's fun to go in and see what all we can do and just give it our all. It helps us know where we're at as a team, too," Kelch said.

The Lady Pioneers are currently 11-5, a similar mark to this time last year. No matter what the rest of the season brings, Stowers knows the team is mature enough to handle it.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Simon Kenton Lady Pioneers embrace challenges in Eighth Region