SPORTS
Forestburg girls win first game 19-15 against Saint Jo
The Forestburg Lady Horns hosted Saint Jo on Tuesday in a rivalry game.
The Lady Horns won their first game of the season in a low-scoring hard fought game 19-15, pulling away in the final minute.
Forestburg comes into most games featuring one big advantage in post player Morgan Miller. Unfortunately, every team has known that and has done their best to take her away. The Lady Panthers were no different.
Most teams have pressed the Lady Horns to prevent them from setting up their half court offense and getting Miller the ball in the post. The young Forestburg team has struggled breaking presses and traps this season.
In the first game, Saint Jo played a half-court trap that allowed the Lady Panthers to build a big lead in the first quarter. Even with the Lady Horns playing better the rest of the game, they do not have the quick scoring ability to make up many double-digit leads.
This time Forestburg was ready for the half-court trap. Still, with Saint Jo draping two girls on Miller at all times, getting the ball to her was risky.
The Lady Panthers knew attacking the basket was not much of an option. Foul calls were rare for both sides, with girls falling to the floor not guaranteeing a call. Mid-range shots from Emma Martin and some knock down perimeter shots from freshman Kate Sherwin allowed Saint Jo to hold a narrow 7-6 lead after the first quarter. Little did both teams know that would be the highest scoring quarter of the game.
Forestburg’s zone defense did a good job of taking away most of space inside the 3-point arc. Active hands prevented easy passes to Martin in the high post area the Lady Panthers wanted to get her the ball.
Even trying to pass the ball along the perimeter was tricky as the Lady Horns started jumping lazy passes. Unfortunately for them, as many steals they racked up, Forestburg struggled to convert these transition opportunities into points.
Saint Jo did not score in the second quarter while Miller’s two baskets put the Lady Horns up 10-7 at halftime.
In the third quarter the Lady Panthers retook the lead. Sherwin made two mid-range shots on back-to-back possessions. Saint Jo then got out in transition and Martin was able to finish a basket. Combined with an earlier basket she made in the quarter, the Lady Panther’s led 15-10.
Forestburg struggled to get Miller the ball in the quarter. The Lady Horns lead ball handler Athena Britain sat for a bit and the team kept trying to take and make the open 3-pointers available to them to no avail.
The only points in the quarter from Forestburg came from defensive dynamo Keeleigh Burnam, who banked in a 3-pointer in the final two minutes to cut the lead to 15-13 heading into the fourth quarter.
Both teams struggled to score for most of the quarter. The open shots from the perimeter were not going in for the Lady Horns while Saint Jo kept turning the ball over.
The Lady Panthers tried to stall with less than four minutes to go, but to no avail. With 2:26 left in the game, Forestburg got the ball to Miller who finished through contact to tie the game while also picking up the foul.
The score was tied at 15-15 and the free throw would give the Lady Horns the lead. A Forestburg player grabbed the offensive rebound and was sent to the free throw line for another chance to take the lead. She missed both.
A minute later a Saint Jo player stole the ball and was fouled in transition, giving the Lady Panthers a chance to take the lead. She missed both.
On Forestburg’s next possession, a looping high pass to Morgan found its mark and she scored to give the Lady Horns the lead 17-15 with 56 seconds left. After a turnover from Saint Jo, Forestburg had the ball out of bounds at midcourt with 46 seconds left.
An aggressive pass up the court to Sol Martinez found its mark as she beat her defender to the basket and made the layup. The basket put the Lady Horns up two scores 19-15, essentially icing the game. Forestburg would hang on to win.
Forestburg next hosts Prairie Valley at 6 p.m. on Feb. 4. Saint Jo hosts Gold-Burg at 6 p.m. on Feb. 4.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona
The Nocona Indians picked up dominant wins against Chico in their series against the Dragons last week.
The Indians won both games 11-0 by run-rule after five innings to get their first district wins of the season.
Nocona was coming off losing both games against Lindsay the previous week in its first district series and bounced back in a big way.
In the first game at home last week, the Indians scored six runs in the first inning and five in the third inning which proved to be all the offense they needed.
Kutter Cabrera led the team with three RBIs while Miller Jentry was second with two RBIs. The team finished with nine hits and drew eight walks.
On the mound, Walker Murphey pitched a shut out while striking out seven and allowing three hits. Defensively, the team committed one fielding error.
The second game saw Nocona score all of its runs in the first three innings, highlighted by scoring six runs in the second inning.
Murphey hit a three-run home run to lead the team while Brody Langford and Landon Fatheree each had two RBIs.
On the mound RJ Walker had a big day, throwing a perfect four innings which means he did not allow a hit or walk anyone. He also struck out eight batters, which put him over 100 career strikeouts in high school. The defense committed no fielding errors.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers lost their series against Bryson last week.
The first game was a close 3-0 loss, but the second game was 11-0, done after four and half innings due to run-rule.
The Panthers were coming off close losses to Perrin-Whitt from the previous week. They were hoping they could turn their fortune around playing another 1A program.
Unfortunately in the first game, the Cowboys got off to a good start, scoring three runs in the first inning, with two coming with two outs due to an error and a dropped third strike.
Saint Jo’s pitching and defense tightened up after that to not allow another run in the final six innings. Unfortunately, the Panthers had only two hits and four base runners all game as they lost the close game 3-0.
Charlie Evans and Rylan Forrest had the only two hits for Saint Jo in the game as the team struck out 18 times. Trent Gaston ended the game allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out five batters and walking two in six innings of work. The defense committed five fielding errors.
Unfortunately, things did not go as well several days later in game two. Bryson scored three runs in both the first and second innings before scoring five runs in the third inning. Saint Jo was not able to get a hit and drew two walks in the game.
The Panther defense committed six fielding errors which led to only three of the 11 runs given up were earned by the pitching staff who gave up five hits, walked six and hit four batters.
Bellevue
The Bellevue Eagles played Perrin-Whitt last week in a series.
The Pirates won the first game 11-1 by run-rule and the second game score was not updated on Game Changer.
The Eagles were coming off one-sided losses to Bryson the previous week in their first district series and was hoping to play better.
Bellevue did get out to an early lead in the first inning. River Trail hit an RBI single in the top of the first inning to go up 1-0, which proved to be the highlight of the game.
Perrin-Whitt scored three runs in the first inning, one in the second inning, two in the fourth inning and five in the fifth inning to win 11-1.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
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