Miami Trace senior Jessee Stewart drives to the basket past Jackson senior Mattie Walburn during a Frontier Athletic Conference game at Miami Trace High School Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023.

Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald

The Miami Trace Lady Panthers welcomed two-time defending Frontier Athletic Conference champions Jackson to Miami Trace High School Saturday, Dec. 9.

Though it is still early in the season, after three games Jackson is indeed the team to beat, the team through which the conference championship runs.

Miami Trace hung with Jackson in the first half, but when it was over, the Ironladies had improved to 3-0 in the conference with a 54-30 victory.

Jackson has won its first three conference games by an average of 21 points.

Jackson is the most experienced team in the conference with four seniors who have been starting on varsity since their freshman year.

The Ironladies are striving for a three-peat in the conference, having won in 2021-22 with a record of 8-2 and 2022-23, going 10-0.

Miami Trace senior Jessee Stewart hit the first shot of the game, a three-point field goal. She finished with a team-high 11 points. She made three threes in the game and also had two steals.

Freshman Gracie Lovett scored eight points to go along with six rebounds, two assists and a team-high four steals.

Freshman Lauren Guess scored four points and led Miami Trace with seven rebounds.

Sophomore Ryleigh Vincent had two points and six rebounds.

Senior T.J. Carpenter was the game’s leading scorer for Jackson, pouring in 27 points. She hit two of Jackson’s three three-point buckets.

Senior Mattie Walburn scored 11 points and senior Kenzie Davis scored 10.

Miami Trace shot 32 percent from the floor (11 of 34) to 37 percent for Jackson (18 of 37).

Jackson was 15 of 18 from the free throw line for 83 percent.

Miami Trace went 4 of 12 at the line for 33 percent.

Miami Trace made 4 of 10 threes for 40 percent to 3 of 8 for Jackson for 38 percent.

Jackson held an 18-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and was in front 28-19 at the half.

After three quarters of play, the Ironladies were in front, 38-24.

“When we step on the court, we should be ready to go,” Jackson head coach Matt Walburn said. “Our four senior starters have played over 70 (varsity) games together. It makes a big difference with the experience.”

The four four-year senior starters for Jackson are: T.J. Carpenter, Mattie Walburn, Sydnie Hughes and Kenzie Davis.

“And sophomore Sydney Carpenter started 23 games for me last year as a freshman,” Walburn said.

Jackson (5-0, 3-0) hosts Logan Monday and plays at Hillsboro Wednesday.

Miami Trace (2-4 overall, 0-3 in the FAC) plays at Circleville Wednesday.

In other FAC games Saturday, McClain improved to 4-1 overall, 3-1 in the FAC with a 36-22 win at Washington (3-3 overall, 2-2 FAC).

Chillicothe earned its first win of the season, defeating Hillsboro at Hillsboro, 48-44.

Hillsboro is now 2-5 overall, 1-2 in the FAC and Chillicothe is 1-4 overall, 1-3 in the FAC.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

J 18 10 10 16 — 54

MT 9 10 5 6 — 30

MIAMI TRACE — Ellie Robinette 0 (1)-0-3; Gracie Lovett 3-2-8; Allison Reeves 0-0-0; Bella Shull 0-0-0; Jessee Stewart 0 (3)-2-11; Cali Kirkpatrick 0-0-0; Katy Bock 1-0-2; Lauren Guess 2-0-4; Ryleigh Vincent 1-0-2; Zoey Grooms 0-0-0. TOTALS — 7 (4)-4-30. Free throw shooting: 4 of 12 for 33 percent. Three-point field goals: Stewart, 3; Robinette. Field goal shooting: 11 of 34 for 32 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 4 of 10 for 40 percent. Rebounds: 26 (9 offensive). Turnovers: 26. Assists: 5. Steals: 6. Fouls: 14.

JACKSON — Hattie Mollett 0-0-0; Sydney Carpenter 1-0-2; Lea Willett 0-0-0; T.J. Carpenter 8 (2)-5-27; Mattie Walburn 2 (1)-4-11; Lillian Mapes 0-0-0; Sydnie Hughes 2-0-4; Kenzie Davis 2-6-10; Lauryn Walburn 0-0-0; Jaylynn Montgomery 0-0-0. TOTALS — 15 (3)-15-54. Free throw shooting: 15 of 18 for 83 percent. Three-point field goals: Carpenter, 2; M. Walburn. Field goal shooting: 18 of 49 for 37 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 3 of 8 for 38 percent. Turnovers: 12. Offensive rebounds: 12.

Miami Trace wins j-v game against Jackson

The Miami Trace junior varsity team improved to 4-2 overall, 2-2 in the FAC with a 19-12 win over Jackson Saturday, Dec. 9.

Bella Shull and Alison Reeves each scored five to lead the game for Miami Trace. Reeves hit the team’s only three-point field goal.

Cali Kirkpatrick scored three points, Elyse Day had two points and a quartet of players — Karleigh Cooper, Paige Fitzgerald, Katy Bock and Olyvia Dunn — each scored one point for Miami Trace.

Kaylee Music and Lauryn Walburn each scored four points to pace Jackson.

Ella Armstrong and Jaylynn Montgomery each added two points for Jackson.