Lady Lions fend off Lady Bearcats

     LEESBURG – The Fairfield Lady Lions finished off a successful decade of Highland County athletics with a 44-42 non-league victory over the Paint Valley Lady Bearcats Wednesday night at Grandle Gymnasium, as this was the final sporting event in the county to finish off the first decade of the 21^st century.

     The Lady Lions (5-3) were forced to play while under foul trouble for most of the game, with the Lady ‘Cats not allowing much action inside the paint during the first half.

     Even under the heavy pressure with a majority of the starting lineup playing under foul pressure, the Lady Lions had three players finishing double figures, with Gabby Boone and Chelsey Riddle each gaining a double-double.

     “Chelsey (Riddle) and Sadie (Jones) were in foul trouble all night,” Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. “But we came together and Sirenity Smith and Kortney Paris stepped up their game tonight, did what we asked and played well. They are getting better each game.”

     Both teams were deadlocked at nine points each after the first quarter of play.

     Amber Lewis started the scoring for PV with a  jumper, but Riddle tied it at two 30 seconds later.

     After Paint Valley came back to take a 5-2 lead with a free throw from Whitney Hollon and a layup by Kayla Graves, the duo of Boone and Riddle gave the Lady Lions the lead with consecutive baskets with 2:41 left in the first. Boone finished the win with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Boone had four offensive rebounds.

     Megan Sword drained a 3-pointer with 1:25 left in the opening eight minutes to give FHS a 9-7 lead.

     Paris scored first in the second, followed by Boone to put FHS ahead 13-9 with 5:33 left in the first half.

     The Lady ‘Cats (3-7) didn’t hold back and regained the lead exactly two minutes later with a 5-0 scoring run, as Lewis and Abbie Walls put PV back on top.

     Paint Valley’s lead didn’t last long as Sword took the ball inside and made a one-handed shot for a 15-14 lead for the Lady Lions.

     Emily Bales tied the game at 15 with a free throw, but Boone was there, once again, with an inside basket. A big blow to the Lady Lions occurred with 24.5 left in the first half when Riddle was charged with her third foul.

     Fairfield outscored PV 17-10 in the third with Riddle and Sword putting the Lady Lions back in the lead with back-to-back jump shots.

     Bowman made the score 23-19 with a layup.

     In the third Riddle was charged with her fourth foul, forcing the Lady Lions to play with more intensity.

     Leading 26-21 Bowman sank a 3-pointer and at the 1:25 mark of the same quarter Sword connected from beyond the arc for a 32-23 lead.

     The Lady ‘Cats made a 3-pointer to start the fourth as Hollon put PV within four points of tying Fairfield. Hollon ended the game with a team-high 12 points.

     Boone answered with a turn-around jumper. PV came within two points of tying the game with points from Walls and Hollon.

     Riddle re-entered the game with four fouls and scored at the 3:47 mark of the final quarter. Riddle finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds (four offensive).

     “They (PV) were doubling Chelsey all night and took her out of the offense,” Hodson said. “Gabby and Megan played well and made big shots for us while Chelsey was in foul trouble.”

     At the 2:00 mark of the fourth, with Paint Valley pressuring the Lady Lions, FHS had three players on the court with four fouls.

     Walls sank a 3-pointer with 6.5 seconds left in regulation.

     FHS out-rebounded PV 28-24. PV had 17 turnovers, with the Lady Lions committing 12.

     The Lady Lions will play again Monday, Jan. 4 as they host Ross-Southeastern with JV starting at 6 p.m.

     In JV play Paint Valley defeated FHS 13-8 in one half of action. Ashley Potts led PV with five points. Kortney Paris led FHS with four.

BOX SCORE

SCORE BY QUARTERS

PVHS – 9 8 10 15 – 42

FHS – 9 8 17 10 – 44

INDIVIDUAL STATS

FHS (44)

M.Sword 3 (1) 1-3 13, K.Paris 1 2, L.Bowman 1 (1) 5, C.Riddle 5 10, G.Boone 6 2-2 14. TOTALS: 16 (3) 3-5 44.

PVHS (42)

W.Hollon 2 (2) 2-3 12, A.Walls 3 1-4 7, D.Posey 2 4-6 8, K.Graves 2 4, A.Lewis 5 10, E.Bates 0 1-2 1. TOTALS: 14 (2) 8-18 42.