Fairfield fends off rival Lynchburg-Clay
LEESBURG – The first quarter saw the Lynchburg-Clay Lady Mustangs show what they can achieve this season as they continue to gain experience. As for their opponent, the Fairfield Lady Lions, they are built to win now, and they fended off the best LCHS had to offer and defended their home Grandle Gymnasium by a score of 64-46 Thursday, though it wasn’t an easy task by any means.
In the first quarter, the Lady Mustangs led by as many as 12 points, as they won the frame 22-18. In the first quarter, following consecutive 3-pointers by Macy Etienne, it was LCHS leading by a 22-10 score with 1:21 left in the frame.
That lead shrank to three points as Fairfield (4-0) scored eight points in the final 1:08 of the first frame with two 3-pointers from Emma Fouch and two points off a jumper by Faith Donley. The second trey by Fouch in the final minutes was from 30 feet away and went straight through the hoop, ending the scoring for the first quarter.
FHS won the second quarter at 13-6, taking the halftime lead at 31-28. In the second, it was FHS tying the score at 24-24 following a layup from Braylynn Haines, which was a part of a 6-0 run by FHS as Ella Newkirk hit two free throws and Madison Bronner scored two points on a layup.
Later, the score was tied at 26 off two made free throws by Lynchburg-Clay’s Jade Massey, only to see FHS regain the lead with a 3-pointer by Peyton Magee with 1:42 on the clock. A steal and layup by Donley, and two more made free throws by LC’s Massey, left the Lady Lions ahead by three points at halftime at 31-28.
When the third frame ended, it was FHS holding an eight-point advantage at 46-38, starting with Fairfield having two points from Haines. Later in the frame, Addison West of LCHS sank a 3-pointer to make it a two-point deficit for the Lady Mustangs, but FHS answered with four straight points by Haines and Fouch with 4:08 left in the frame.
Again, LC battled with a three-point play by Etienne for a 39-36 Lady Mustang deficit with 2:58 left in the third, and this time Fairfield came back with a layup by Magee off a steal and assist from Donley, plus a three-point play by Fouch. In what became a 7-0 run for Fairfield, Caitlyn Quickle also scored two points with a layup to put the Lady Lions ahead by 10 points with 50 seconds left in the quarter at 46-36.
LC’s Ella Barry scored the final points of the third frame, but the start of the fourth saw FHS scored two points from Haines.
FHS in the fourth frame outscored LCHS, 18-8 to seal the Southern Hills Athletic Conference win.
Scoring points for FHS in the fourth were Newkirk with a 3-pointer, Fouch with a 3-pointer, Donley with three points, Bronner with four points and Haines with six points.
Overall, Fouch and Haines each led FHS with 16 points, followed by Newkirk with nine points. The rest of the final scoring for the Lady Lions included Bronner with eight points Magee with seven points for the game, Donley with six points and Quickle with two points,.
LCHS had two 3-pointers from Massey and two points by Price in the fourth frame.
Leading LC in scoring was Etienne with 16 points, followed by Massey with 13 points and Price with eight points. The rest of LC’s scoring included Jaden Moberly with four points, West with three points and Barry with two points.
As a team, FHS was 7-of-10 from the free-throw line, while LCHS went 6-of-9. Bronner led FHS with 10 rebounds and in assists with five.
The win puts FHS at 4-0 overall, and the loss sends LCHS to a 1-2 record.
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