Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

High five.
No, this isn’t about Los Angeles Dodgers’ rookie Glenn Burke spontaneously raising his hand in the air and Dusty Baker — who just homered — reacting by slapping it to create the first-ever high five back in 1977.
This is about the fifth annual Tackett’s Body Shop Shootout that gets high marks as the best five-game lineup in the brief history of the event.
The Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers will host the girls’ basketball matchups between 10 of the top programs in Ohio and Kentucky.
The noon game has the Chesapeake Lady Panthers with four-year starters Natalee Hall and Brooke Webb going up against the Washington Court House Lady Lions.
Court House is 15-1 and ranked 12th in the latest Association Press poll. The Lady Lions had 5-foot-8 sophomore Rayana Burns and 6-foot junior Hannah Haithcock who has scored more than 1,000 points in her career.
At 1:45, the 17-2 West Carter (Ky.) Lady Comets face the 16-0 Minford Lady Falcons.
The Comets had 5-10 Morgan Berry and 5-4 eighth grader Allie Stone going against Minford’s 5-8 senior Erin Daniels — an Ashland University signee — along with 6-3 junior Ashley Blankenship and 5-10 junior Caitlyn Puckett.
The 3:30 game has the Division III sixth-ranked Waynesville Lady Spartans facing the Ashland (Ky.) Kittens.
Waynesville was 15-0 and led by 1,000-point scorer in 5-5 Aubrey Raines, 5-6 junior Rachel Murray and 6-foot Marcella Sizer.
Ashland is 13-4 and has one of the top players in the country with 5-8 senior Mykasa Robinson who has signed with Louisville.
The Kittens also have 5-7 Julia Parker and 5-8 junior Miranda Martin to help make them a favorite to win the 16th region.
Host Ironton (14-4) plays unbeaten and Div. IV 10th ranked Portsmouth Notre Dame.
The Lady Titans are 16-0 and are led by 6-4 junior Katie Dettwiller, 6-foot Lexi Smith who has signed to play volleyball at Wheeling Jesuit and 5-4 freshman Ava Hassel.
Ironton counters with 5-10 sophomore Lexie Arden who is being recruited by numerous Div. I colleges and 5-10 senior Lexi Wise who has signed with Glenville State.
The final game has the Div. II 10th-rnaked Miami Trace Lady Panthers playing 13-5 George Rogers Clark who returns the majority of its team from an Elite Eight performance in last year’s Kentucky state tournament.
A Final Four qualifier last season, Miami Trace is led by 6-foot Tanner Bryant who has signed with Florida Gulf Coast, 6-foot senior Victoria Fliehman who is headed to Cedarville and 5-7 sophomore Shay McDonald.
The Lady Cardinals are led by 5-10 junior Hayley Harrison who has given a verbal commitment to Tennessee-Martin.
Admission is $7 for all five games.
Tackett’s Body Shop Shootout
Saturday at Ironton Sports Center
Noon – Chesapeake Lady Panthers vs. Washington Court House Lady Lions
1:45 p.m. – Minford Lady Falcons vs. West Carter Lady Comets
3:30 p.m. – Waynesville Lady Spartans vs. Ashland Kittens
5:15 p.m. – Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers vs. Portsmouth Notre Dame Lady Titans
7:00 p.m. – Miami Trace Lady Panthers vs. George Rogers Clark Lady Cardinals
Admission: $7 for all five games