Lady Saints fend off Tallulah 67-32

Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 22, 2011

NATCHEZ — The Trinity Episcopal varsity girls can add another undefeated year in district play to their collection from this past decade.

The Lady Saints finished the deal Friday night, defeating Tallulah Academy 67-32. While Bethany Ogden and Madelyn Cross led Trinity Episcopal in scoring with 29 and 15 points, respectively, Abbey Ashmore and Margaret Ward gave the Lady Saints some much-needed offensive production. Ashmore finished with 11 points and Ward scored eight points.

Once again, Trinity’s defense was a key factor in the win. After holding a good Tallulah Academy team to 33 points two and a half weeks ago, the Lady Saints kept the Lady Trojans to single-digit scoring in three of the fourth quarters of Friday night’s game. The only game the Lady Trojans managed double-figure scoring was the second quarter with 15 points. And they still trailed the Lady Saints 41-20 at halftime.

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Allie Kate Gossett was the only Tallulah Academy player to score in double figures as she finished with 14 points.

Trinity Episcopal (17-8, 6-0), the top-ranked team in Class A, plays host to Brookhaven Academy, the No. 2 team in Class AA, today.

Jim Hill 51, Natchez High 46

JACKSON — With their game against Jefferson County postponed until today, the Natchez High Lady Bulldogs had nearly a week to prepare for Jim Hill in their Division 6-6A regular-season finale.

And if fifth-ranked Natchez High was to have any chance of clinching the No. 2 seed in next month’s division tournament, it would have to upset the third-ranked Lady Tigers on their home court Friday night.

But the Lady Bulldogs could not hold on to their lead heading into the fourth quarter and eventually fell to the Lady Tigers. Jim Hill was led by Kierrariel Mitchell with a game-high 24 points and Derita Luckett with 10 points.

And that loss ended up costing Natchez High (14-5, 3-3) that No. 2 seed as the Lady Bulldogs were swept by Terry during the season. Terry also finished with a 3-3 record in division play. With the win, Jim Hill nailed down the No. 1 seed with one game remaining against Wingfield.

Natchez High took a 34-33 lead at the end of the third quarter. But Jim Hill’s trio of Mitchell, a senior guard, Luckett, a junior forward, and Jade Hooper, another senior guard, made sure the Lady Tigers would not be denied as they won the game by outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 18-12 in the fourth quarter. Hooper finished with nine points.

Ashley Minor led Natchez High with 18 points, but she was the only Lady Bulldogs player to finish in double figures. Jacquerra Williams and Keyana Miller scored seven points each.

Ferriday 55, Farmerville 44

FARMERVILLE, La. — T’Keyah Fletcher scored 20 points and Chante Poole had 17 points to lead the Ferriday Lady Trojans past the Farmerville Lady Farmers Friday night for their second straight win in District 2-2A.

The only bright spot for Farmerville was the performance put on by Sharmaine Brown, who led all scorers with 30 points. However, she got very little help from her teammates.

Ferriday (9-12, 2-2) took a 44-24 lead into the fourth quarter. Brown tried her best to get Farmerville back in the game, but it would not be enough despite a 20-11 advantage for the Lady Farmers in the final quarter.

The Lady Trojans step out of district play next Tuesday when they play host to Jena.

Franklin County 69, Tylertown 38

TYLERTOWN — Franklin County sophomore guard Kierra Sykes and junior guard Kierra Collins scored 14 points each to lead the Lady Dawgs to a 31-point win over the Tylertown Lady Chiefs in Region 7-3A action Friday night.

Vintrice Briggs added 13 points for Franklin County (17-0, 6-0). The Lady Dawgs will play in the Wayne County Rotary Shootout and will put their undefeated record on the line against host and defending Class 5A state champion Wayne County at 6 p.m. today.

Tensas Academy 36, Briarfield 19

ST. JOSEPH, La. — After a shaky first half on both ends of the court, Tensas Academy completely dominated Briarfield Academy in the second half en route to a 17-point win over the Lady Rebels in MAIS District 6-A action Friday night.

Tensas Academy scored just five points in the first quarter, but Briarfield did even worse with two points. The Lady Rebels came alive in the second quarter and outscored the Lady Chiefs 12-11 was down by just two points, 16-14, at halftime.

In the second half, Tensas Academy turned up its defensive pressure and intensity and didn’t give Briarfield many chances to get up a shot. The Lady Chiefs blanked the Lady Rebels 10-0 in the third quarter and outscored them 10-5 in the fourth quarter.

Sydney Lee led the Lady Chiefs with a game-high 12 points and Brittany Bamburg added 10 points.