‘It starts with those two.’ Franklin County’s Carter and Laster at heart of a champion.

It would be incorrect to say that this Franklin County Flyers team is their team now.

It’s always been “their team.” They’ve both been integral players since they were in eighth grade.

But until Patience Laster and Nevaeh Carter reached their senior seasons, standout point guard Brooklynn Miles, who was crowned 2021’s Miss Basketball and now plays for Tennessee, drew the most acclaim and their opponents’ attention.

If not for a shot that rimmed off at the buzzer in the 2019 11th Region semifinals against the eventual champion, this would probably have made four straight trips to the girls’ state tournament for Carter and Laster this week. They also played in the 11th Region finals as eighth-graders.

They’ve been ready for this moment because they’ve been part of so many others all along the way.

“We’ve always known that we would be really good this year,” said Franklin County Coach Joey Thacker, whose Flyers play their Sweet 16 opener in Rupp Arena on Wednesday against 2nd Region champion Henderson County. “I’ve got a really good basketball team … and it starts with those two.”

Carter, a 5-foot-5 waterbug on the court, this year took over the role of point guard, a position she spelled Miles in through the seasons while also being Franklin County’s most tireless defender and energy spark. She’s averaged 11.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 3.4 steals per game as a senior.

“Since (Miles has) gone I had to step up even further to help us win,” Carter said. “It’s been fun, but it’s been hard at the same time, and a little bit frustrating. But it’s been mainly fun.”

Laster, a powerfully built 5-10 forward, has been a dominating force in the post her entire career and has expanded her game. She hit two momentum-building three-pointers in the 11th Region semifinals against Madison Southern last week. She’s averaged 11.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game this year. For her career, Laster has scored more than 1,700 points and grabbed around 1,400 rebounds, although exact stats aren’t complete on the KHSAA’s website.

Laster understands her role as a leader, especially on a team that has established a tradition of making Sweet 16s. This is Franklin County’s sixth trip in eight years.

“We have younger kids that might be scared (of these big moments),” Laster said. “We just have to be leaders and tell them it’s not that big a deal. But it is at the same time.”

Carter’s tenacity and Laster’s versatility have been big reasons why they are so successful, Thacker said.

“They both are mobile. They both disrupt the other team with their defense, and they’re multiple skilled,” Thacker explained. “Nevaeh can post up. Patience can shoot threes. They pass the ball extremely well, they look for each other, and they’ve always been winners.”

Their attitude doesn’t hurt, either.

“That is a habit that develops through elementary, middle school and high school. You just have to find those kids,” Thacker said. “They cheer the hardest for their teammates. They’re ‘Yes, sir. No, sir. What do you want me to do next? How can we improve on this?’ It’s an anomaly, really, in 2022.”

This year also marks a turning point for Thacker as his daughter, Gracie, graduates, too, as will Lauren Meadows, daughter of assistant coach Lee Meadows. Their contributions may not show up as much in the stat books, but their sacrifices and dedication have meant the world.

“You know, families and wives and all those people suffer because of what I get to do that I love,” Thacker said in the moments after winning the region title. When the horn sounded, his first hug went to Gracie. “I just wanted to thank her.”

After this tournament, Thacker’s challenge turns to finding the next Carters and Lasters, and he knows his community and his players will deliver.

“We’ve just been blessed,” Thacker said. “We’ve got a great elementary system. We’ve got a great middle school situation. I’ve got unreal assistant coaches, and this was fun.

“These kids are fun, because they give you good effort even when the shots don’t go down. They’re still sincere about their effort in practice and games every day.”

This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 6:15 AM.

Jared Peck

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-488-2883

Jared Peck, the Herald-Leader’s Digital Sports Writer, covers high school athletics and has been with the company as a writer and editor for more than 20 years. Support my work with a digital subscription