Lady Lions grow up in a hurry with season-opening win
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — To say the young Fairfield Lady Lions are learning on the run is an understatement. The first test of their 2011-12 season came on Monday night against the East Clinton Lady Astros, and well … they Lady Lions passed with flying colors, defeating EC 49-45 for a non-league win.
Fairfield (1-0) is playing this season with no upperclassmen, but none of that matters now as they proved Monday evening they can grind out a win with tough play on the boards and a no-quit attitude they must have throughout this season.
"This is an outstanding way to start the season," Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. "This is what I told the girls in the locker room after the game, 'There are people who sat in these stands that told me we wouldn't win a game all year.' I said, 'We've already accomplished that … we're ahead.'"
This Lady Lion team with just four sophomores and the rest freshmen scored the first four points of the game, led 16-11 after the first quarter, trailed 27-25 at halftime, led 39-33 after three quarters and eventually won the season opener against a Division III team.
Fairfield was led by three ladies who scored at least 10 points with sophomore Heather Cox leading the way with 18 points, followed by freshman Kaitlyn Evans with 11 and sophomore Shelby Smithson with 10.
"I'm excited for the girls. They needed a win like this to get the season started. We have some really hard games ahead, so to get a win under their belt … it is awesome for these young kids," Hodson said.
Speaking of the productive first eight minutes of play, Cox opened the season with a jumper 20 seconds into the game for a 2-0 lead. Smithson followed with a put-back bucket for 4-0 lead.
Later in the first, Evans connected for a three-point play by sinking a layup while being fouled, followed by a converted free throw, lifting the Lady Lions to a 9-2 lead. Smithson came back with two more points in the paint.
EC answered with points from Jessica Wiget and Stephanie Hambermehl, cutting the lead of FHS to 11-7.
The teams each continued to score, but it was put-back points in the paint by Justice Hattan that gave FHS a five-point lead to end the first.
It was East Clinton who opened the second with a strong effort, capitalizing on Lady Lion turnovers to tie the game at 18 with 6:18 left in the quarter. More turnovers hurt FHS when Jordanne Finley gave the Lady Astros their first lead with a layup.
FHS continued to pressure the Lady Astros, tying the score at 20 with points from Evans. She gave her team the lead with a converted a free throw for a 21-20 Lady Lion lead.
"Kaitlyn handled the pressure. She had some turnovers, but you are going to have that when you are a point guard," Hodson said. "She handled it really well.
"Each time I called a timeout and they came out of the huddle, they did exactly what I wanted them to do. That's awesome for freshmen and sophomores to do."
As the score continued to flip-flop, EC kept the lead headed into the half with help from Misty Bean and Hambermehl.
As Fairfield opened up the third quarter, their maturity as a team began to show with Cox and Smithson combining for six straight points to overtake the Lady Astros for a 31-27 lead with 5:36 left in the quarter.
With EC cutting the FHS lead to 33-32, a layup by Cox and a 3-pointer from Haley Bobb brought the Fairfield faithful to their feet and put FHS ahead by four (37-33) with .32 seconds left in the third. Bobb wrapped up the game with five points.
EC took the lead at 43-42 following a 8-0 run with two 3-pointers by Beth Spurlock and a layup by Finley with 4:16 left in regulation. A free throw and jumper by Cox put FHS back in the top spot at 46-44.
"It's hard for a young team to keep coming back like they did," Hodson said. "A lot of the credit goes to Shelby and Heather. They got into foul trouble, came off the floor and sat there, helping, shouting instructions to the post players who went in there for them."
With 1:56 left on the scoreboard, Cox maneuvered around her defender, going straight to the hoop for two points and a three-point FHS lead (48-45). The score and game were sealed with a free throw by Cox with .25 left in the fourth.
Also in the game, FHS sophomore Cynnamon Sova-Davy scored three points.
The win puts FHS at 1-0 overall. They will play in their first Southern Hills League game on Thursday when they travel to Fayetteville, with JV starting at 6 p.m.
In JV play, the Lady Lions were defeated by the EC Lady Astros 43-2.
Scoring for FHS was Jordan Anderson with a jumper in the first quarter. EC was led by Brittany Jackson with 10 points, followed by Brooke Carpenter with nine.
GAME NOTES: FHS had a total of six players score points … FHS was 6-of-17 from the free-throw line … EC was 13-of-30 from the free-throw line … FHS made a total of 20 two-point shots, and EC made 14 two-point baskets … A total of three 3-pointers were made combined by both teams … EC committed 18 fouls … FHS committed 22 fouls … three players fouled out … Last season, FHS lost to East Clinton by 21 points.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS
ECHS — 11 16 06 12 — 45
FHS — 16 09 13 10 — 49
INDIVIDUAL STATS
FHS (49)
K.Evans 4 (0) 3-5 11
H.Bobb 1 (1) 0-2 5
J.Hattan 1 (0) 0-0 2
H.Cox 8 (0) 2-4 18
C.Sova-Davy 1 (0) 1-2 3
S.Smithson 5 (0) 0-4 10
TOTALS: 20 (1) 6-17 49
ECHS (44)
J.Finley 3 (0) 2-6 8
B.Spurlock 0 (2) 0-0 6
M.Bean 0 (0) 3-10 3
S. Hambermehl 4 (0) 4-8 12
A.Ostrander 3 (0) 0-0 6
J.Wiget 3 (0) 2-6 8
TOTALS: 14 (2) 13-30 45[[In-content Ad]]
Fairfield (1-0) is playing this season with no upperclassmen, but none of that matters now as they proved Monday evening they can grind out a win with tough play on the boards and a no-quit attitude they must have throughout this season.
"This is an outstanding way to start the season," Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. "This is what I told the girls in the locker room after the game, 'There are people who sat in these stands that told me we wouldn't win a game all year.' I said, 'We've already accomplished that … we're ahead.'"
This Lady Lion team with just four sophomores and the rest freshmen scored the first four points of the game, led 16-11 after the first quarter, trailed 27-25 at halftime, led 39-33 after three quarters and eventually won the season opener against a Division III team.
Fairfield was led by three ladies who scored at least 10 points with sophomore Heather Cox leading the way with 18 points, followed by freshman Kaitlyn Evans with 11 and sophomore Shelby Smithson with 10.
"I'm excited for the girls. They needed a win like this to get the season started. We have some really hard games ahead, so to get a win under their belt … it is awesome for these young kids," Hodson said.
Speaking of the productive first eight minutes of play, Cox opened the season with a jumper 20 seconds into the game for a 2-0 lead. Smithson followed with a put-back bucket for 4-0 lead.
Later in the first, Evans connected for a three-point play by sinking a layup while being fouled, followed by a converted free throw, lifting the Lady Lions to a 9-2 lead. Smithson came back with two more points in the paint.
EC answered with points from Jessica Wiget and Stephanie Hambermehl, cutting the lead of FHS to 11-7.
The teams each continued to score, but it was put-back points in the paint by Justice Hattan that gave FHS a five-point lead to end the first.
It was East Clinton who opened the second with a strong effort, capitalizing on Lady Lion turnovers to tie the game at 18 with 6:18 left in the quarter. More turnovers hurt FHS when Jordanne Finley gave the Lady Astros their first lead with a layup.
FHS continued to pressure the Lady Astros, tying the score at 20 with points from Evans. She gave her team the lead with a converted a free throw for a 21-20 Lady Lion lead.
"Kaitlyn handled the pressure. She had some turnovers, but you are going to have that when you are a point guard," Hodson said. "She handled it really well.
"Each time I called a timeout and they came out of the huddle, they did exactly what I wanted them to do. That's awesome for freshmen and sophomores to do."
As the score continued to flip-flop, EC kept the lead headed into the half with help from Misty Bean and Hambermehl.
As Fairfield opened up the third quarter, their maturity as a team began to show with Cox and Smithson combining for six straight points to overtake the Lady Astros for a 31-27 lead with 5:36 left in the quarter.
With EC cutting the FHS lead to 33-32, a layup by Cox and a 3-pointer from Haley Bobb brought the Fairfield faithful to their feet and put FHS ahead by four (37-33) with .32 seconds left in the third. Bobb wrapped up the game with five points.
EC took the lead at 43-42 following a 8-0 run with two 3-pointers by Beth Spurlock and a layup by Finley with 4:16 left in regulation. A free throw and jumper by Cox put FHS back in the top spot at 46-44.
"It's hard for a young team to keep coming back like they did," Hodson said. "A lot of the credit goes to Shelby and Heather. They got into foul trouble, came off the floor and sat there, helping, shouting instructions to the post players who went in there for them."
With 1:56 left on the scoreboard, Cox maneuvered around her defender, going straight to the hoop for two points and a three-point FHS lead (48-45). The score and game were sealed with a free throw by Cox with .25 left in the fourth.
Also in the game, FHS sophomore Cynnamon Sova-Davy scored three points.
The win puts FHS at 1-0 overall. They will play in their first Southern Hills League game on Thursday when they travel to Fayetteville, with JV starting at 6 p.m.
In JV play, the Lady Lions were defeated by the EC Lady Astros 43-2.
Scoring for FHS was Jordan Anderson with a jumper in the first quarter. EC was led by Brittany Jackson with 10 points, followed by Brooke Carpenter with nine.
GAME NOTES: FHS had a total of six players score points … FHS was 6-of-17 from the free-throw line … EC was 13-of-30 from the free-throw line … FHS made a total of 20 two-point shots, and EC made 14 two-point baskets … A total of three 3-pointers were made combined by both teams … EC committed 18 fouls … FHS committed 22 fouls … three players fouled out … Last season, FHS lost to East Clinton by 21 points.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS
ECHS — 11 16 06 12 — 45
FHS — 16 09 13 10 — 49
INDIVIDUAL STATS
FHS (49)
K.Evans 4 (0) 3-5 11
H.Bobb 1 (1) 0-2 5
J.Hattan 1 (0) 0-0 2
H.Cox 8 (0) 2-4 18
C.Sova-Davy 1 (0) 1-2 3
S.Smithson 5 (0) 0-4 10
TOTALS: 20 (1) 6-17 49
ECHS (44)
J.Finley 3 (0) 2-6 8
B.Spurlock 0 (2) 0-0 6
M.Bean 0 (0) 3-10 3
S. Hambermehl 4 (0) 4-8 12
A.Ostrander 3 (0) 0-0 6
J.Wiget 3 (0) 2-6 8
TOTALS: 14 (2) 13-30 45[[In-content Ad]]