Fairfield adds SHAC win against Lynchburg-Clay
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE – The Fairfield Lady Lions added to their Southern Hills Athletic Conference win total on Thursday (Jan. 27) by defeating the host Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs by a 60-55 score at LCHS.
Twice in the first quarter it was LCHS gaining the lead by six points, with LC starting the game with a 6-0 run off baskets by Jade Massey, Addison West and Bry Price with 5:47 left in the first quarter. After an FHS basket by Madison Bronner, LC regained their six-point lead with a bucket from West for the 8-2 advantage.
“I’m just really proud of the way our kids came out and battled, because we were going head to head with a really great team,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Whitney Lewis said. “Our energy and effort made all the difference tonight for us. There were just some pivotal plays that we just couldn't finish.
“We have looks, we had the opportunities, just couldn't finish those plays. I told the kids in the locker room that's that's a sign of a really good basketball team on our end, having those opportunities. They were there, just now we’ve got to get over the hump and finish. I think if we can continue to play like we did tonight, we're going to be a dangerous team.”
Fairfield (9-2, 16-2) answered with an 8-0 run from the 4:35 mark of the first frame to the clock reading 3:07 with a steal and layup, jumper and free throw by Faith Donley, as she gave the Lady Lions a spark off the bench. The run continued with a 3-pointer from the corner of the court by Emma Fouch with 3:07 on the clock, putting FHS in the lead at 10-8.
LC (4-6, 8-8) battled back, tying the score at 10-10 with a jumper from Macy Etienne with 2:27 left in the opening frame. FHS took the lead back with baskets by Fouch and Donley.
LC answered with a 3-pointer from Massey, followed by a layup by Etienne, but the final points of the first quarter were scored by Ella Newkirk, putting the Lady Lions in the lead at 16-15.
Lynchburg-Clay won the second frame at 17-12, leaving the halftime score 32-28 in favor of the home team.
“We get everybody's best shot,” Fairfield head coach Jeremy McGraw said. “We know that, and credit to Lynchburg tonight — they shot the ball well, they played extremely hard.
“I couldn't be more proud of these girls. We’ve had a heck of a run here in the last week. We get done with the Eastern game, then we get shut down. Then we have a game Monday, no practice Tuesday, game Wednesday, game Thursday, and I told them hey, let's go. I mean, we’re ready. We've been through a lot, you know, but now they're a little tired. But again, I'm not making any excuses, and Lynchburg played hard tonight, but I'm super proud of our girls’ response.”
LCHS built their lead to as many as eight points in the second with 1:25 left in the quarter. FHS came back with seven of the final 10 points scored in the quarter for the three-point deficit after two quarters.
To start the second, LC sank a trey off a shot by West, and that was followed with two made free throws by Ella Barry and a fast-break layup from Massey. FHS came back with baskets by Fouch and Peyton Magee, with Fouch sinking a 3-pointer.
LC eventually led by eight points with a steal and layup by Etienne and two points with 1:25 on the clock from Massey. Newkirk lifted the Lady Lions with a 3-pointer, but Etienne answered with a 3-pointer of her own for the Lady Mustangs, leaving LCHS in front at 32-24 with 37 seconds left in the second frame.
FHS scored the final four points of the second with two free throws by Bronner and a steal and layup by Braylynn Haines for the 32-28 halftime score in favor of LCHS.
FHS and LCHS were tied after three quarters at 44 points each when Haines knocked down a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left in the quarter, tying the score at 44-44. Fairfield won the quarter at 16-12, as the Lady Lions had a 3-pointer by Newkirk, two threes and a made free throw from Fouch, one made free throw by Bronner, plus five points scored by Haines (including the 3-pointer).
LCHS in the third had 3-pointers from both Etienne and Massey, plus two points each by West, Jaden Moberly and Barry.
Fairfield won the fourth quarter at 16-13, as FHS broke the tied score with 7:39 left in the fourth frame with two made free throws by Haines. LCHS answered with two straight 3-pointers made by Massey, only to see Haines and Fouch each score a basket, tying the score at 50-50.
With 3:45 left in regulation, Massey had a steal and layup, but for Fairfield it was Bronner having a three-point play, plus jumpers by Magee and Fouch, putting the Lady Lions ahead by three points with 1:48 left in the game.
Fairfield didn’t relinquish the lead for the rest of the game, winning by five points, even holding off a late charge by LCHS as they were within one point of tying the score with 1:12 left in regulation.
“It's been a heck of a ride with these kids,” McGraw said. “They put a lot of work and time into their well-deserved that [Associated Press state poll] ranking there. There's nobody that can say different.
“We've played tough games night in and night out and then we know that, you know, again, teams are going to give us everything they have. To be ranked in the state, it’s all about the kids and the girls. They deserve every accolade that they get as a team, and I'm proud of them.”
For the game, LCHS was led in scoring by Massey with 23 points, while Etienne totaled 12 points. The rest of the LCHS scoring included West with 11 points, Barry with five points, Price with two points and Moberly with two points.
Fairfield was led by Fouch with 19 points, and next was Haines with 13 points. Also for the Lady Lions Newkirk totaled eight points, Magee scored seven points, Bronner collected seven points and Donley scored six points.
The Lady Lions defeated Paint Valley Saturday by a 59-51 score in overtime. They are next scheduled to play at North Adams on Feb. 3. Lynchburg-Clay hosts Eastern on Jan. 31.
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Twice in the first quarter it was LCHS gaining the lead by six points, with LC starting the game with a 6-0 run off baskets by Jade Massey, Addison West and Bry Price with 5:47 left in the first quarter. After an FHS basket by Madison Bronner, LC regained their six-point lead with a bucket from West for the 8-2 advantage.
“I’m just really proud of the way our kids came out and battled, because we were going head to head with a really great team,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Whitney Lewis said. “Our energy and effort made all the difference tonight for us. There were just some pivotal plays that we just couldn't finish.
“We have looks, we had the opportunities, just couldn't finish those plays. I told the kids in the locker room that's that's a sign of a really good basketball team on our end, having those opportunities. They were there, just now we’ve got to get over the hump and finish. I think if we can continue to play like we did tonight, we're going to be a dangerous team.”
Fairfield (9-2, 16-2) answered with an 8-0 run from the 4:35 mark of the first frame to the clock reading 3:07 with a steal and layup, jumper and free throw by Faith Donley, as she gave the Lady Lions a spark off the bench. The run continued with a 3-pointer from the corner of the court by Emma Fouch with 3:07 on the clock, putting FHS in the lead at 10-8.
LC (4-6, 8-8) battled back, tying the score at 10-10 with a jumper from Macy Etienne with 2:27 left in the opening frame. FHS took the lead back with baskets by Fouch and Donley.
LC answered with a 3-pointer from Massey, followed by a layup by Etienne, but the final points of the first quarter were scored by Ella Newkirk, putting the Lady Lions in the lead at 16-15.
Lynchburg-Clay won the second frame at 17-12, leaving the halftime score 32-28 in favor of the home team.
“We get everybody's best shot,” Fairfield head coach Jeremy McGraw said. “We know that, and credit to Lynchburg tonight — they shot the ball well, they played extremely hard.
“I couldn't be more proud of these girls. We’ve had a heck of a run here in the last week. We get done with the Eastern game, then we get shut down. Then we have a game Monday, no practice Tuesday, game Wednesday, game Thursday, and I told them hey, let's go. I mean, we’re ready. We've been through a lot, you know, but now they're a little tired. But again, I'm not making any excuses, and Lynchburg played hard tonight, but I'm super proud of our girls’ response.”
LCHS built their lead to as many as eight points in the second with 1:25 left in the quarter. FHS came back with seven of the final 10 points scored in the quarter for the three-point deficit after two quarters.
To start the second, LC sank a trey off a shot by West, and that was followed with two made free throws by Ella Barry and a fast-break layup from Massey. FHS came back with baskets by Fouch and Peyton Magee, with Fouch sinking a 3-pointer.
LC eventually led by eight points with a steal and layup by Etienne and two points with 1:25 on the clock from Massey. Newkirk lifted the Lady Lions with a 3-pointer, but Etienne answered with a 3-pointer of her own for the Lady Mustangs, leaving LCHS in front at 32-24 with 37 seconds left in the second frame.
FHS scored the final four points of the second with two free throws by Bronner and a steal and layup by Braylynn Haines for the 32-28 halftime score in favor of LCHS.
FHS and LCHS were tied after three quarters at 44 points each when Haines knocked down a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left in the quarter, tying the score at 44-44. Fairfield won the quarter at 16-12, as the Lady Lions had a 3-pointer by Newkirk, two threes and a made free throw from Fouch, one made free throw by Bronner, plus five points scored by Haines (including the 3-pointer).
LCHS in the third had 3-pointers from both Etienne and Massey, plus two points each by West, Jaden Moberly and Barry.
Fairfield won the fourth quarter at 16-13, as FHS broke the tied score with 7:39 left in the fourth frame with two made free throws by Haines. LCHS answered with two straight 3-pointers made by Massey, only to see Haines and Fouch each score a basket, tying the score at 50-50.
With 3:45 left in regulation, Massey had a steal and layup, but for Fairfield it was Bronner having a three-point play, plus jumpers by Magee and Fouch, putting the Lady Lions ahead by three points with 1:48 left in the game.
Fairfield didn’t relinquish the lead for the rest of the game, winning by five points, even holding off a late charge by LCHS as they were within one point of tying the score with 1:12 left in regulation.
“It's been a heck of a ride with these kids,” McGraw said. “They put a lot of work and time into their well-deserved that [Associated Press state poll] ranking there. There's nobody that can say different.
“We've played tough games night in and night out and then we know that, you know, again, teams are going to give us everything they have. To be ranked in the state, it’s all about the kids and the girls. They deserve every accolade that they get as a team, and I'm proud of them.”
For the game, LCHS was led in scoring by Massey with 23 points, while Etienne totaled 12 points. The rest of the LCHS scoring included West with 11 points, Barry with five points, Price with two points and Moberly with two points.
Fairfield was led by Fouch with 19 points, and next was Haines with 13 points. Also for the Lady Lions Newkirk totaled eight points, Magee scored seven points, Bronner collected seven points and Donley scored six points.
The Lady Lions defeated Paint Valley Saturday by a 59-51 score in overtime. They are next scheduled to play at North Adams on Feb. 3. Lynchburg-Clay hosts Eastern on Jan. 31.
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