WCMS girls edge Eastside to reach semis
The Warren County Middle School Lady Pioneers and the Lady Bulldogs of Eastside opened the Warren County Elementary Basketball Tournament Tuesday night in the Charlie Dalton Gym at WCHS. The Lady Pioneers advanced to the second round with a 40-33 win.
WCMS struck first with Taylor Nunley providing eight of the Lady Pioneers’ 13 points in the period. Danielle Lawson answered for Eastside as she kept the game close for the Lady Bulldogs. WCMS had a 13-9 lead with three seconds left in the first quarter when Kayla Griffin launched a 3-pointer as time expired to pull Eastside within one.
The second period was dominated by the Lady Pioneers, who posted 11 points in the period while holding Eastside to two points for the 24-14 lead at the break.
In the third Lawson once again led the charge for Eastside with eight points. Mary Kate Fisher hit the offensive boards for WCMS in the last two minutes of the period, and scored her team’s last four points to give WCMS a 30-24 lead.
Eastside struggled on offense in the final period. WCMS held the Lady Bulldogs to four points over the first six minutes, and held a 38-28 lead with just under one minute to play. Eastside added five points but Warren County’s lead was too much to overcome.
For the Lady Pioneers, Nunley led the way with 14 points. Ashlee Malone hit for nine, Fisher had eight, Taylor Hennessee had four, Amy Hutton three and Kati Rogers added two points.
For Eastside, Lawson had 14 points, Griffin had 11, Whitney Hale had four, Kelly Thompson and Dara Kilgore added two points each.