Domination and complete control doesn’t always come easy.

Just ask the Hazel Green girls basketball team.

The Trojans set an AHSAA record for consecutive wins (87) earlier this season, despite battling numerous injuries, and have the largest target on their back after creating an impenetrable empire the past decade.

The top-ranked Trojans powered ahead in the second quarter and fended off a feisty effort for a 55-45 victory over No. 8 Clay-Chalkville in Wednesday’s Class 6A Northwest Regional final at Wallace-Hanceville’s Tom Drake Coliseum.

Hazel Green (34-1) jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the first two minutes of action, Leah Brooks scoring four points, but the Cougars responded with a 4-0 spurt to pull within a single point almost midway through the opening quarter. The Trojans closed out the period with an 11-4 run, highlighted by two 3-pointers from Amiyah Redus and five points from Jaden Toney on a trey and a pair of free throws.

Clay-Chalkville once more trimmed the deficit to a single basket, scoring on 3-pointers from South Alabama signee Cheyenne Pearson and Aniyah Crenshaw, to open the second period. The Trojans countered with back-to-back buckets by Brooks and Sydney Steward and the Cougars answered with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 25-24 with 2:53 remaining in the first half.

Hazel Green closed out the opening half with a 7-0 run, powered by Toney’s five points on a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws, and held a 32-24 advantage heading into the halftime break.

Steward got the action started in the second half and Brooks scored six straight points for the Trojans in building a 40-28 lead at the 3:58 mark of the third period. However, Clay-Chalkville put together a 9-2 closing run to cut the deficit to five points heading into the final stanza.

Hazel Green’s Steward once more opened the scoring in the period and the Trojans ended a 5-0 run leading 47-37 and 3:52 remaining in the game. The Trojans made only one field goal in the final three minutes but were 6-for-6 at the free-throw line to secure the win and advance to yet another state tournament.

Did you know? Hazel Green advances to a ninth straight state tournament while seeking an AHSAA record six consecutive state titles

By the numbers: The Trojans finished shooting 51.4 percent overall – 40 percent from 3-point range – and were 13-for-16 at the foul line. Defensively, Hazel Green forced 11 turnovers, resulting in 18 points, and held a plus-3 edge on the glass. Clay-Chalkville was 46.3 percent from the field – 50 percent on 3-pointers – but only 4-of-9 at the charity stripe.

Stat sheet: Hazel Green – Brooks produced a double-double for the Trojans, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, and Toney finished with a team-high 15 points, along with four rebounds and two steals. Redus had 14 points, two assists and two steals, followed by Steward with eight points, seven assists and three boards.

Clay-Chalkville – Kamoriah Gaines led the Cougars with a game-high 20 points and Pearson finished with 12 points and three rebounds Kameron Sanders had eight points, five rebounds and three steals, and Brooklyn Phillips contributed six boards.

Coachspeak: “It’s never easy. It never is. With the stuff we’ve had to go through this year with our adversity, injuries and what these girls had to overcome, different girls on different nights had to step up and contribute. It’s the role players on our team finding different ways to win basketball games.” — Hazel Green’s Tim Miller

“We thought, coming in, our girls believed we could play with them. You can’t walk out there against Hazel Green and be fearful of them, you got to go attack and play. The kids played hard and we got after them, but Hazel Green shot the ball really well. It put a strain on our defense and that was the difference in the game. They made a few more shots than we did. I couldn’t be more proud of this team.” — Clay-Chalkville’s Kevin Conner

They said it: “One day, I was very worn out and didn’t want to be there anymore. Burned out really. I broke down and cried because I was tired of doing it. My mom showed how hard I worked and how bad we really wanted it.” — Brooks

“We work really hard and don’t play just for the fans or the community, we play for each other. We want to execute and achieve a state championship.” — Toney

What’s next? Hazel Green will play McGill-Toolen at 9 a.m. on Wednesday in the state semifinal at BJCC’s Legacy Arena.