DRAFFENVILLE – Coming into Tuesday’s 4th District Tournament girl’s semi-final game between #2 Marshall County and #3 Calloway County, two of the Lady Lakers five losses this season came from the Lady Marshals and it’s hard to beat a good team the third time, but the Lady Marshals were able overcome a 25-21 deficit at halftime to beat the Lady Lakers 50-39 to move on to Thursday’s 4th District Championship game against Murray.
“We took too long to get going”, Coach Joseph Simmons said, crediting Calloway County for coming out ready to play. “Luckily we stayed within striking distance, not letting them get too far ahead.”
Tera Colson and Lexee Miller scored the first four points for the Lady Marshals and tied 4-4, Calloway’s Alicia Hornbuckle gave the Lady Lakers a 6-4 lead before a free throw by Paige Henson and 3-pointer from Miyah Davis put the Lady Marshals up 8-6. A 9-6 Marshall County lead was tied again on a three by Hornbuckle to end the first quarter tied 11-11.
Hornbuckle led the Lady Lakers in the second quarter with eight of their 14 points, giving Calloway County a 22-19 lead after the Lady Marshals fouled her for the second time in the game in the process of a 3-pointer and she sank all three at the line. Calloway’s lead was cut to two points following free throws by Hannah Langhi but a final shot before the buzzer by Jacie Spann gave the Lady Lakers a 25-21 halftime lead.
Megan Greer gave Calloway County their largest lead of game to start the second half that put them up by six points. The Lady Lakers led by six twice more in the quarter before free throws by Langhi, a basket by Paige Henson and buzzer beater 3-pointer by Davis gave the Lady Marshals a 32-31 lead to end the third quarter.
Hornbuckle’s field goal to open the fourth quarter gave Calloway County their final lead of the game at 33-32. Behind six points from Langhi, the Lady Marshals built a 42-36 lead with 2:13 left in the game. A free throw by Hornbuckle cut the lead to five points, extended back out to seven on free throws by Tera Colson.
Langhi’s final basket of the game put the Lady Marshals up by nine points at 46-37, getting their final four points on a basket by Lorin Powell and free throws by Colson.
“It’s a shame one of us has to be at home because Calloway deserves to play in that Regional Tournament next week”, Simmons said. “I’m proud of my team for competing and never quit and we made our free throws. First half we shoot four and that was one of the main talking points at halftime. Be aggressive, get to the line because we shoot foul shots fairly good as a team.”
After Hornbuckle’s 15 point first half, Simmons was happy with his defense for holding her to just three points in the second half, saying his team shot the ball better in the second half and stepped the defense up a notch, finding some different combinations they liked.
“They’re a heck of a team, you win 25 games I don’t care who you’re playing or who you are, that’s a heck of a season”, Simmons said of Calloway County.
The Lady Marshals live on to play Murray in Thursday’s 4th District Championship game and will advance to next weeks 1st Region Tournament, while the season ends for the Lady Lakers with a record of 25-6.
Calloway County boy’s beat Murray 41-31 to advance to the 4th District Championship game against the Marshals Thursday following the girl’s game.
SCORING
Calloway: Hornbuckle 18, Greer 11, Spann 6, Fritts 2, Settle 2
Marshall: Davis 15, Langhi 15, Colson 8, Powell 7, Henson 3, L Miller 2
Calloway: Field Goals 12/38, 3-pointers 2/12, Free Throws 13/18, Rebounds 24, Fouls 11, Assists 5, Turnovers 9
Marshall: Field Goals 18/42, 3-pointers 2/4, Free Throws 12/16, Rebounds 29, Fouls 13, Turnovers 6
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Calloway | 11 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 39 |
| Marshall | 11 | 10 | 11 | 18 | 50 |
