Panthers win two in district

Panthers vs Bulldogs

The Lewis County High School Lady Panthers and Panthers hosted the Hickman County Lady Bulldogs and Bulldogs in District 11AA action on January 19, 2021 in a rematch of early-season action.

The Lady Panthers took the floor first and were looking to avenge an early-season loss to the Lady Bulldogs, but the Lady Bulldogs wasted little time seizing control of the momentum in the game. The Lady Panthers were limited to a lone Kerrigan Reeves basket in the first quarter as the Lady Bulldogs pulled out to a 13-2 lead at the end of the period.

The Lady Panthers got 5 from Keira Halbrooks in the second, but fell into a deeper deficit as the Lady Bulldogs held a 29-9 lead at the half. Hickman County used a 22-point third quarter, a quarter that saw Halbrooks book the only 5 Lady Panther points, to take a commanding 51-14 lead into the final eight minutes of play.

The Lady Panthers were shut out in the fourth, and the Lady Bulldogs cruised to a 62-14 win.

Keira Halbrooks accounted for 10 of the Lady Panthers total, and Kerrigan Reeves added 4.

Kinsley Spears and Maty Hunt each had 13 for Hickman County, Carly McKinnon 10, Gia Lawrence 8, Korbin Witherspoon 6, Harmony Dansby 5, Rachael Brewer 4, and Katieann Thompson 3.

The Panthers and Bulldogs took the floor in a rematch of an exciting December game that saw the Panthers take a 67-66 win in Centerville. It was the Panthers that pulled out in front early when Dyer Barnes (7) and Levi Thompson (6) fueled a run that gave the home team a 17-11 lead after the first eight minutes of play.

The Panthers continued to control the game in the second, outscoring the visitors 13-8 in the period to build a 30-19 lead going into the locker room at the half.

The Bulldog defense tightened up after the half, limiting the Panthers to 8 points in the period and climbing back into the game trailing the Panthers 38-31 as the game moved on to the final eight minutes of regulation. The Bulldogs got 13 points in the fourth quarter to put the Bulldogs in the game late, but Bryson Clayburn came up big in the fourth for the Panthers, dropping 10 in the period and the Panthers scratched out a 53-51 District win at home.

Bryson Clayburn, Dyer Barnes, and Levi Thompson each had 12 for the Panthers, Slade Moseley added 9, and Rett Middleton 8.

Andrew Conley had 21 for Hickman County, Jack Thigpen 15, Tyler Stocks 7, Rodqualis Dansby 4, and Kaden Jones and Case Martin 2 each.

LCHS vs Waverly

The Lewis County Lady Panthers and Panthers were on the road on January 22, travelling to Waverly to face-off with the Lady Tigers and Tigers in a District 11AA matchup.

In the girls’ matchup, it was the Lady Tigers that set the tone for the game, pulling out to an early 13-2 lead while limiting the Lady Panthers to one Jayden Hinson bucket. The second quarter was more of the same as the Lady Tigers continued to build on the lead and held a controlling 28-9 lead at the half.

The Lady Panthers had their best quarter of the night in the third with Jayden Hinson dropping 7 of the team’s 12 points and Waverly held a 42-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Lady Tigers outscored Lewis County 13-4 in the final eight minutes and took a 55-25 win.

Jayden Hinson led Lewis County with 10, Mya Siever added 7, Keira Halbrooks 4, Blayr Clayton 3, and Desirae Warman 1.

Julia Bukky had 23 for Waverly, Kylie Perry 11, Kensie Burnett 5, Emma Dreaden 4, Sierra Ladd and Mary Emma Rhodes 3 each, and Shelby Baker, Esther White, and Grace Damesworth 2 each.

The Panthers, coming off a narrowing win at home against Hickman County, were playing for a season sweep of the Tigers. The Tigers used the home court advantage early to build a quick lead in the first, pulling out to an early 15-11 lead on the Panthers. The Panthers bounced back in a 21-point second quarter that saw Rett Middleton tally 7 and Lewis County took a 32-22 lead in at the half.

The third quarter was a back-and-forth quarter that saw Lewis County edge the Tigers 19-18 with Bryson Clayburn contributing 6 to the total in the period and the Panthers maintained a 51-40 lead heading into the fourth. The Tigers clawed back in the fourth, but despite struggles at the free-throw line in the closing minutes, the Panthers held on for a 66-61 win.

Rett Middleton paced the Panthers with 20, Bryson Clayburn 13, Dyer Barnes 11, Levi Thompson 7, Braden Powers and Austin Shepherd 6, and Slade Moseley 3.

Noah Foster had 17 for the Tigers, McHale Herrin-Ritter 14, Bryce Stanfield 10, Landon Dooley 8, Nate Wiser 7, Jaxson Boswell 3, and Josh Smith 2.