Fairfield Lady Lions run away with win over Portsmouth West in season opener
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MANCHESTER — Following a first quarter where the scoring differential was only two points, the Fairfield Lady Lions broke away from the Portsmouth West Lady Senators by a score of 65-38 at the Manchester Tip-Off Classic on Saturday in the season-opening event.
This season, the Lady Lions (1-0) team is composed of only sophomores and freshmen. That didn’t matter on Saturday, as the Lady Lions started off nearly even with the Lady Senators (0-1), but the next three frames saw Fairfield add to their lead and never look back.
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Fairfield was led in scoring by sophomore Madison Bronner and sophomore Braylynn Haines with 14 points each. Bronner finished with six two-point baskets and was 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, while Haines totaled three two-point baskets, two 3-pointers and she was also 2-of-2 in free throw shooting.
After the Lady Lions trailed by a 12-10 score at the end of the first quarter, they outscored Portsmouth West 19-4 in the second frame for a 29-16 lead at halftime.
“We played man in the first quarter and had some problems, but when we switched defenses up a little bit and went to a little full-court pressure back in the zone, that gave them fits, and that was really what changed the game,” Fairfield head coach Chad Hamilton said. “We didn’t shoot real well in the first quarter, but after that we came out, made a few shots, went up and down the floor a little bit, but I think the defense is what changed the game for sure.”
In the first quarter, Fairfield scored the first points of the game with a basket in the paint by Bronner, but from there the Lady Trojans took a 6-2 lead, including a 3-pointer by Emily Sissel with 6:09 left in the opening frame.
Bronner came back with two points for the Lady Lions, and sophomore teammate Emma Fouch sank a basket, tying the score at 6-6. Fouch finished with 12 points in the win.
Later, FHS tied the score at 8-8 with a basket by Bronner with 2:43 on the clock, but Portsmouth West came back with four straight points to regain the lead.
FHS scored their final points of the first quarter with a layup by sophomore Ella Newkirk with the assist by Cadence Saunders. Newkirk totaled eight points for the game.
The second quarter saw FHS take the lead with 4:30 on the clock following a jumper by freshman Peyton Magee, and FHS didn’t trail for the remainder of the game. Magee ended the game with 11 points.
“They (PWHS) ran that man offense where they put somebody at the foul line and run everything through that, and that’s tough to stop when we can’t stop them from getting the ball there,” Hamilton said. “At that point, I thought, let’s switch it up, the game’s a little too close. I didn’t know a great deal about them.
“I knew they had a tough post player and their point guard is young and pretty solid. She hit an early three, but after that I think Cadence Saunders coming into the game paid big dividends for us, and that switched the game around as well.”
The 19-point second frame saw six points scored by Bronner, followed with five points by Magee, four points from Newkirk, and two points each off baskets by Haines and Fouch.
Leading by 13 points at halftime, the third frame Fairfield added 16 points to their totals, while the Lady Senators scored 11 points, allowing FHS to extend their lead to 45-27.
FHS in the third had six players score points with Magee and Haines each collecting four points, while Fouch, freshman Hailey Tolle, Bronner and Newkirk each scored two points. Tolle’s first career basket came off a jumper with 3:31 left in the third frame, increasing the FHS lead to 10 points at 37-27.
Fairfield outscored PWHS, 20-11 in the fourth quarter with Haines making two 3-pointers in the final eight minutes, along with two free throws for an eight-point frame.
Also in the fourth, Fouch scored six points off two two-point baskets and two made free throws. Magee, Tolle and Saunders each scored two points in the final frame.
“I was really excited because I didn’t know what to expect tonight, to be honest with you,” Hamilton said. “I thought it was going to be a close game, and I certainly didn’t expect to win like this, but to know that we can adjust and still pull away and maintain it for an entire three quarters, that’s pretty exciting to know you’ve got these girls for three more years.”
For the game, FHS totaled 25 two-point baskets, two 3-pointers and were 9-of-13 from the free-throw line. Portsmouth West finished with 14 two-point field goals, two 3-pointers and were 4-of-9 in their free-throw shooting.
“Our post players played really well. Braylynn Haines and Madison Bronner both had 14. Braylynn stepped out and hit a couple threes, which she can do. I thought everybody played well,” Hamilton said. “Cadence Saunders played great defense. Emma Fouch, Ella Newkirk and Peyton Magee, that guard trio, played really well.
“Hailey Tolle and Faith Miller came off the bench and gave us some energy and some rebounds and some minutes, so I thought all eight played well tonight. We’re at our best when the ball moves, and we’ve got a lot of girls who can shoot. Whoever’s open takes the shot, to an extent. When we slow down and can play within ourselves and the ball moves well, that’s when we’re at our best.”
Morgan Rigsby led PWHS with 13 points as she made six two-point baskets and had one free-throw conversion. Charlie Jo Howard followed with eight points, including one 3-pointer.
Next for the Lady Lions is a non-conference road game on Tuesday, Nov. 26 in Washington Court House as they’ll be facing the Washington Lady Blue Lions with a varsity-only game at 6 p.m.
This season, the Lady Lions (1-0) team is composed of only sophomores and freshmen. That didn’t matter on Saturday, as the Lady Lions started off nearly even with the Lady Senators (0-1), but the next three frames saw Fairfield add to their lead and never look back.
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Fairfield was led in scoring by sophomore Madison Bronner and sophomore Braylynn Haines with 14 points each. Bronner finished with six two-point baskets and was 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, while Haines totaled three two-point baskets, two 3-pointers and she was also 2-of-2 in free throw shooting.
After the Lady Lions trailed by a 12-10 score at the end of the first quarter, they outscored Portsmouth West 19-4 in the second frame for a 29-16 lead at halftime.
“We played man in the first quarter and had some problems, but when we switched defenses up a little bit and went to a little full-court pressure back in the zone, that gave them fits, and that was really what changed the game,” Fairfield head coach Chad Hamilton said. “We didn’t shoot real well in the first quarter, but after that we came out, made a few shots, went up and down the floor a little bit, but I think the defense is what changed the game for sure.”
In the first quarter, Fairfield scored the first points of the game with a basket in the paint by Bronner, but from there the Lady Trojans took a 6-2 lead, including a 3-pointer by Emily Sissel with 6:09 left in the opening frame.
Bronner came back with two points for the Lady Lions, and sophomore teammate Emma Fouch sank a basket, tying the score at 6-6. Fouch finished with 12 points in the win.
Later, FHS tied the score at 8-8 with a basket by Bronner with 2:43 on the clock, but Portsmouth West came back with four straight points to regain the lead.
FHS scored their final points of the first quarter with a layup by sophomore Ella Newkirk with the assist by Cadence Saunders. Newkirk totaled eight points for the game.
The second quarter saw FHS take the lead with 4:30 on the clock following a jumper by freshman Peyton Magee, and FHS didn’t trail for the remainder of the game. Magee ended the game with 11 points.
“They (PWHS) ran that man offense where they put somebody at the foul line and run everything through that, and that’s tough to stop when we can’t stop them from getting the ball there,” Hamilton said. “At that point, I thought, let’s switch it up, the game’s a little too close. I didn’t know a great deal about them.
“I knew they had a tough post player and their point guard is young and pretty solid. She hit an early three, but after that I think Cadence Saunders coming into the game paid big dividends for us, and that switched the game around as well.”
The 19-point second frame saw six points scored by Bronner, followed with five points by Magee, four points from Newkirk, and two points each off baskets by Haines and Fouch.
Leading by 13 points at halftime, the third frame Fairfield added 16 points to their totals, while the Lady Senators scored 11 points, allowing FHS to extend their lead to 45-27.
FHS in the third had six players score points with Magee and Haines each collecting four points, while Fouch, freshman Hailey Tolle, Bronner and Newkirk each scored two points. Tolle’s first career basket came off a jumper with 3:31 left in the third frame, increasing the FHS lead to 10 points at 37-27.
Fairfield outscored PWHS, 20-11 in the fourth quarter with Haines making two 3-pointers in the final eight minutes, along with two free throws for an eight-point frame.
Also in the fourth, Fouch scored six points off two two-point baskets and two made free throws. Magee, Tolle and Saunders each scored two points in the final frame.
“I was really excited because I didn’t know what to expect tonight, to be honest with you,” Hamilton said. “I thought it was going to be a close game, and I certainly didn’t expect to win like this, but to know that we can adjust and still pull away and maintain it for an entire three quarters, that’s pretty exciting to know you’ve got these girls for three more years.”
For the game, FHS totaled 25 two-point baskets, two 3-pointers and were 9-of-13 from the free-throw line. Portsmouth West finished with 14 two-point field goals, two 3-pointers and were 4-of-9 in their free-throw shooting.
“Our post players played really well. Braylynn Haines and Madison Bronner both had 14. Braylynn stepped out and hit a couple threes, which she can do. I thought everybody played well,” Hamilton said. “Cadence Saunders played great defense. Emma Fouch, Ella Newkirk and Peyton Magee, that guard trio, played really well.
“Hailey Tolle and Faith Miller came off the bench and gave us some energy and some rebounds and some minutes, so I thought all eight played well tonight. We’re at our best when the ball moves, and we’ve got a lot of girls who can shoot. Whoever’s open takes the shot, to an extent. When we slow down and can play within ourselves and the ball moves well, that’s when we’re at our best.”
Morgan Rigsby led PWHS with 13 points as she made six two-point baskets and had one free-throw conversion. Charlie Jo Howard followed with eight points, including one 3-pointer.
Next for the Lady Lions is a non-conference road game on Tuesday, Nov. 26 in Washington Court House as they’ll be facing the Washington Lady Blue Lions with a varsity-only game at 6 p.m.