Lady Eagles drop game

An undefeated District 20-AAA record for the Fairfield high school Lady Eagles varsity basketball team ended Friday evening on a split second shot by the Brownsboro Lady Bears.

The Lady Bears inbounded the ball with less than a second on the clock and made the basket, turning a 1-point Fairfield victory into a 1-point loss.

Fairfield and Brownsboro are now tied with 6-1 district records, each sustaining a loss to the other.

“Their girls played very well. They did everything they had to do to win,” FHS head coach Stephen Heers says.

A quirk of the scoreboard clock contributes to a possible feeling of being robbed of a win in Brownsboro.

Heers reports that the clock wound down to show no time remaining in the contest, but after reaching 00:00 it started counting tenths of a second. When the clock shows all zeroes, a game is usually over.

The Lady Bears inbounded the ball beneath the basket with 0.6 second remaining and made a quick basket, handing the Lady Eagles a 44-45 loss.

Other oddities were when Fairfield senior guard Joye McElroy was called for a foul after she was tripped with 1:20 left in the game, and a tie ball was called at the 7-second mark instead of a foul on Brownsboro.

“The ballgame’s over. They won 44-45 and we move on,” Heers says. “It shouldn’t have ever come down to that.”

Fairfield and Brownsboro each scored 14 points in the first period and the Lady Eagles added 16 points in the second period to take a slim 30-28 lead into the half.

The Lady Eagles coach points out that the team was in foul trouble much of the first half, but that bench players helped keep them in the game.

“Our bench came in and played well, spotting in and out,” Heers says.

Fairfield managed just seven points in the third period to fall behind 37-39, and outscored the Lady Bears 7-4 in the final stanza, until the last split second.

“We played a heck of a defensive game and I really thought we would shoot the ball better after the first quarter,” the FHS coach says.

“We never put ourselves in position to pull ahead,” he adds.

Heers points out that the Lady Eagles did not shoot well from the field all night.

Two FHS cagers reached double digits—-Jasmine Griffin scored 12 points and Barvion Wyatt had 11.

Also scoring were: Sarah Linton, 4; Kiresten Cox, 4; McElroy, 4; Jermaca Brown, 3; Mia Mayo, 2; Kathleen Chappell, 2; and Courtney Morton, 2.

Canning a 3-pointer each, both in the first period, were Misses Brown and Linton.

The team shot 71 percent from the free throw line, making 12 of 17 attempts. Miss McElroy was perfect on four free throws.

Earlier in the week, the Lady Eagles got their sixth consecutive district win in a 57-40 game with the Palestine Lady Wildcats.

Fairfield jumped out to a 14-8 lead the first period and added 15 points in the second period for a 29-19 advantage at half-time.

The Lady Eagles scored 14 points in each of the second half periods and gave up a total of 21 points for the victory.

“We played pretty flat and still won by 17,” Heers says. “But, then, you are on the road and are glad to get a win.”

Leading the offensive effort with 20 points was Miss Cox, who was joined in double digits by Miss Morton, 16 points, and Miss McElroy, 10 points.

“Kiresten played a heck of a game. She was just all over the place,” the FHS coach reports.

Also scoring were: Wyatt, 4; Gallegos, 4; Brown, 2; and Griffin, 1.

Counting a basket from 3-point range was Miss McElroy.

The FHS quintet shot 53 percent from the free throw line, making 10 of 19 attempts.

In junior varsity action at Palestine, the Lady Eagles blanked the Lady Panthers 11-0 the first period and added five points in the second period to lead 16-6 at the half.

Fairfield hit for a dozen points in the third period, but only two in the final stanza, to secure a 30-15 win.

Reaching double digits with 10 points was Keanna Cox.

Also scoring were: Denise Washington, 5; Krystal Rischer, 5; Kassi Floyd, 4; Jayda Griffin, 2; Gabby Ransom, 2; and Gabby Jackson, 2.

The jv quintet started slowly at Brownsboro, matching the Lady Bears’ three first period points, and added eight in the second period for a 11-7 lead at the half.

Second half play saw the Lady Eagles score 12 points and give up seven for a 23- 16 win.

Scoring for Fairfield were: Cox, 8; Ransom, 5; Rischer, 4; Christy Harper, 3; and Fruncheska Daniels, 3.

The Lady Eagles freshmen squad played Crossroads early in the week, opening with a 14-3 first period lead, but then scoring nothing in the second period for a 13-6 lead at half-time.

Fairfield tallied six points the third period and 11 in the fourth, giving up 11 and two, for a 31-19 win.

In double digits with 13 points was Amy Lansford.

Also scoring were: Hannah Dodds, 7; Danielle Ransom, 3; A. Johnson, 2; Hannah Worley, 2; Morgan Prihoda, 2; and Katie Gardner, 2.

The frosh started well against Brownsboro, taking an 8-4 lead the first period and carrying a 19-12 lead into half-time.

However, the Lady Eagles were held to a single point in the third period to see their advantage dwindle to a single point at 20- 19, and were outscored 8- 17 in the final stanza to drop a 28-36 decision.

In double digits again, 11 points, was Miss Lansford.

Also scoring were: Dodds, 6; Ransom, 5; Mykeshia Hudson, 4; and Gardner, 2.

The Lady Eagles were scheduled to host Athens early this week, host Palestine Westwood on Friday and close out the regular season Tuesday at Crockett.