Panther Season Ends In Sectionals

The Lewis County Middle School Panther basketball team travelled to Waverly on Monday, February 1st to play in the first round of the TMSAA State Sectionals, facing off against the Waverly Tigers.

The Tigers came out and took control of the momentum from the tip, going on a 9-0 run to start the game as the Panthers struggled to maintain possession. Late in the first quarter, the Panther offense found its stride and closed out the first quarter on a 9-2 run and trailed 11-9 at the end of the first.

The Panthers flipped the script in the second quarter, securing the lead midway through the period and pulling out to a 20-15 lead heading in at the half.

The Panther offense began to struggle again in the third quarter as the Tigers again forced turnovers and pulled even by the end of the period behind a 10-5 effort, and the game was tied at 25 as the game moved on to the final six minutes of regulation.

The Tiger defense continued to make the Panthers uncomfortable on the offensive end in the fourth quarter, and the Tigers pulled in front late to secure a 34-30 win, ending the Panther season.

Cade Lomax led the Panthers with 11, Steele Moseley had 8, Sam Moore 6, Dakota Hull 3, and Ryan Tanner 2.

Jadon Lambdin had 12 for the Tigers, William McKinnon and Dalton Williams 6 each, Mikey Primm 5, Conner Ammon 4, and Hayden Waggoner 2.

With the loss the Panther season ended in the quarterfinal round of the TMSAA Sectional tournament with a final record of 16-6.