Fast start leads Lady Lions to sectional title

    McDermott - Coming out the gate with an 28-0 run in the opening half, the Fairfield Lady Lions cruised the remainder of the Division IV SE District Sectional Final, as they defeated the Franklin Furnance Green Lady Bobcats 55-33 Thursday night at Northwest High School for the sectional championship.
    This is the Lady Lions' second sectional crown in the past three seasons.
    Fairfield (7-6, 11-9) not only dropped double figures in the first quarter (18-0), they put up at least 11 points per quarter in each of the next three for their first postseason win of the tournament.
    Leading by 18 after eight minutes, FHS came back with a 13 point second quarter, while holding Green to eight points for a 31-8 lead at halftime.
    The Lady Lions kept pressuring the Lady Bobcats at the start of the second half with 11 points in the third frame to build a 42-17 lead, after holding Green to nine points in the third quarter.
    With the outcome sealed, Green won the final eight minutes 16-13.
    In the first half FHS shot 10 of 13 from the free-throw line and were 7 of 23 shooting from inside the 3-point line. The Lady Lions were 2 of 9 from beyond the arc in the opening 16 minutes.
    In the second half FHS was 8 of 25 shooting from the inside, and 1 of 3 from the 3-point line.
    "The girls played really well as they jumped out to a 28 point lead," Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. "Gabby (Boone), Chelsey (Riddle) and Lauren (Bowman) all played well."
    Fairfield was led by senior post player Gabby Boone with a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds (four offensive). Boone was 8 of 14 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line. The senior also had two steals and two blocks.
    FHS junior Chelsey Riddle gained 17 points, 14 rebounds (nine offensive), two assists, two steals and two blocks for a double-double. The junior post player was 5 of 18 from the field and 7 of 12 from the free-throw line.
    Senior Lauren Bowman made three 3-pointers, two in the second quarter and one in the third. Bowman was fouled at the buzzer while shooting a 3-pointer in the first quarter, and she responded with three straight conversions from the free-throw line. Bowman finished the sectional game with 12 points, seven assists, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
    "Gabby stepped up in first with the box and one on Chelsey," Hodson said. "Gabby scored the first eight points of the game and Chelsey was patient and eventually got on track, played hard and rebounded well. Lauren hit some big three's early and ran the point when Megan got in early foul trouble."
    Megan Sword, a junior, made one bucket and two free throws for a total of four points. The junior point guard also added four steals, two rebounds and one assist. Sword shot 50 percent from the FT line with a 2 of 4 performance.
    Senior Sadie Jones scored two points and added three rebounds, three assists, one steal and one blocked shot. Sirenity Smith, Stephanie Frasier and Amanda Sanderson each had one rebound. Kortney Paris finished with four rebounds and one assist.
    "Megan (Sword) handled the point and Sadie (Jones) played well," Hodson said.
    Hodson was overall pleased with the play of his sectional champion team.
    "I told the girls before they stepped on the floor that this would not be the last game for the three seniors. They took that and ran with it,"  he said.
    The win puts Fairfield in the district tournamnet on Thursday, Feb. 25 at Jackson High School.
    
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS
GHS - 0 8 8 16 - 33
FHS - 18 13 11 13 - 55

INDIVIDUAL STATS
FHS (55)
Riddle 5 7-12 17, Boone 8 4-5 20, Bowman 0 (3) 3-3 12, Sword 1 2-4 4, Jones 1 2. TOTALS: 15 (3) 16-26 55.[[In-content Ad]]