LCMS sweeps Parsons-Riverside;Split with Leoma

By Jason Fite,

Contributing Sports Writer

Pete Noblin, Photos

The Lewis County Middle School Lady Panthers and Panthers hosted the Parsons-Riverside Lady Panthers and Panthers on Tuesday, December 8 for a boys' junior varsity game and varsity matchups. The game was moved to Lewis County High School due to the rescheduling of the annual Christmas Parade.

The boys' junior varsity game was the first game of the evening, and wasted little time building a lead from the tipoff. In a lopsided first half that saw 7 different players score for the Lewis County JV, the Panthers built an 18-4 lead.

Parsons-Riverside tightened up in the second half, outscoring Lewis County14-12, but the big lead built in the first half provided the difference in a 30-18 final.

Phenix McDonald led the Panther JV with 6 points in the game, Dakota Hull, Bo Banks, Kolt Skelton, and Corbyn Harris each had 4, and Jalen Smith and Julian Jones each had 2.

In the girls' varsity match Parsons-Riverside struck early with a 3-0 run to start the game before the Lady Panthers scored the final 4 points of the first quarter, all by Jayden Moore, and Lewis County held a 4-3 lead after the first 6 minutes.

The Lewis County defense remained strong in the second quarter, shutting out the visitors, as Jayden Moore and Gabii Ortiz combined for all the Lady Panther points in the quarter and Lewis County led 12-3 at the half.

The Lady Panthers struggled to find the bottom of the basket in the third quarter as Parsons-Riverside cut into the lead and Lewis County led 13-9 moving into the fourth quarter. The Lady Panthers fended off the visitors in the final 6 minutes of action and held on to take a 17-13 win.

Jayden Moore led in scoring with 10, Gabii Ortiz added 4, Claire Whitehead 2, and Klayr Shepherd 1. Jazmine McDonald led Parsons-Riverside with 10, and Emma Johnson had 3.

With the win the Lady Panthers improved to 7-5.

The Lewis County Panthers boys' varsity took the floor for the final matchup of the night, and struggled to find an offensive rhythm as they took a 6-4 lead after the first 6 minutes of action. The pace of the second quarter remained methodical as neither team could put together offensive consistency, and the home team took a 15-6 lead in at the half.

The third quarter was another low scoring quarter for both teams as Lewis County continued with offensive struggles but maintained the defensive control and led 18-8 going into the fourth. The Parsons-Riverside Panthers made a late run in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Panthers 6-2 in the period, but the lead that was built over the first 18 minutes of play proved to be the difference as Lewis County held on for a 20-14 win.

The win improved the Panthers record to 10-2 on the season.

The Lewis County Lady Panthers and Panthers travelled to Leoma on Monday, December 14 to take on the Lady Rebels and Rebels in a rematch of games played earlier in the season.

The Lady Panthers were looking to improve on the 51-13 loss at home earlier in the year, but the Lady Rebel defense gave the Lady Panthers problems from the tip. The Lady Rebels broke out on a 14-2 run to start the game in a first quarter marred with fouls. The Lady Rebels continued their defensive onslaught in the second as they built a 34-6 lead at the half.

After the half, the Lady Panther defense picked up, but the offensive struggles continued as the host led moving into the fourth quarter leading 41-10. With no offense in the final period, the Lady Panthers fell on the road 43-10.

Gabii Ortiz had 5 for the Lady Panthers, Jayden Moore and Addison Osborne 2 each, and Aryn Shepherd 1.

The loss dropped the Lady Panthers record to 7-6.

The Panthers were looking to get their offense back on track with the Rebels and wasted little time pulling away from the host as Cade Lomax had 13 of the team's 19 first quarter points on the way to a 19-0 lead. The Rebels got on the board in the second, matching the Panthers in the quarter, but Lewis County held a 27-7 lead at the half.

The Panther defense again caused chaos for the host in the third quarter, limiting the Rebels to 2 in the quarter, and pulling out to a comfortable 40-9 lead moving into the fourth. With a running clock, Lewis County cruised to a 44-14 win on the road.

Cade Lomax paced Lewis County with 17, Steele Moseley had 14, Drew Ray 3, Sam Moore, Phenix McDonald, Maddox Tanner, Jalen Smith, and Julian Jones 2 each.

The win improved the Panthers to 11-2 on the season.