Lewis County Middle Basketball

By Jason Fite

Sports writer

The Lewis County Middle School Lady Panthers and Panthers opened their 2022-23 basketball season on the road as they traveled to Lynnville to take on the Richland Middle Lady Raiders and Raiders on Tuesday, October.

The Lady Panthers and Lady Raiders took the floor at 6:00 for the first game of the evening. In a low-scoring opening quarter the Lady Raiders edged the Lady Panthers 4-3 in the opening six minutes of action.

The Lady Panthers responded in the second quarter by outscoring the Lady Raiders 6-4 in the period to take a 9-8 lead in at the half.

The third quarter was another tight quarter of action as the teams went back and forth in the period with Richland pulling even in the third as the score was tied at 16 as play moved into the fourth quarter.

Richland took advantage of Lewis County’s foul trouble in the final six minutes of regulation, outscoring the Lady Panthers 11-3 in the fourth quarter to pull away to a 27-19 win.

Jazzy Conner led Lewis County with 6 points, 5 steals, and 3 rebounds, B.B. Smith added 6 points, 6 steals, a rebound and an assist, Haylee Carroll 5 points, 8 rebounds, an assist and a steal, Jaelin Baugh 2 points and a steal, Lyric Inman 5 rebounds, and Paisley Kellogg 3 rebounds and a steal.

The Panthers and Raiders took the floor at the conclusion of the girls’ matchup, and the Panthers stormed out to a 9-6 lead at the end of the opening quarter of play.

Richland pulled closer in the second quarter as they edged the Panthers 7-5 in the period and Lewis County held on to a 14-13 lead at halftime.

The Raiders came out of the break inspired as they pulled away from the Panthers, outscoring the visitors 12-5 in the period to take a 25-19 lead into the final six minutes of action.

Richland held a 32-24 lead with just under a minute left in the game. The Panther press forced a turnover and Maddox Tanner’s floater pulled the Panthers to within 6. A Kobe Feichtinger steal led to a Tanner three to make it 32-29. Feichtinger again came up with a steal and found Phenix McDonald open for a game-tying three. The Panthers missed big free-throws in the waning seconds, but a clutch rebound by Bo Banks and a three pointer at the buzzer by Tanner gave the Panthers a come-from-behind win 35-32.

Maddox Tanner led Lewis County with 16 points and 4 steals, Dakota Hull had 10 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block, Bo Banks 6 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist, and a block, Phenix McDonald 3 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist, and Kobe Feichtinger 5 assists, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals.

-----------------

The Lewis County Middle School Lady Panthers and Panthers played their first home game of the basketball season on Thursday, October 20, hosting the Bridgeforth Middle School Bobcats of Pulaski.

In girls’ action, the Lady Panthers outscored the Lady Bobcats 8-6 in the first quarter.

The Lady Bobcats fought back in a tight second quarter and outscored the host 9-7 to make it a tie game, 15-15, as the teams went to the locker rooms for the half.

Lewis County used a late push in the third quarter as they won the period 13-8 and took a five-point lead into the fourth at 28-23.

Haylee Carroll hit a big three and Conner finished in transition to further open the game up in the final six minutes of action as the Lady Panthers pulled away late to take a 43-35 win in their home opener.

Jazzy Conner had 20 points4 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist for the Lady Panthers, Haylee Carroll had 18 points, 7 rebounds, an assist and a steal, B.B. Smith 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist and a block, Jaelin Baugh 2 points, 2 rebounds, and a block, and Paisley Kellogg 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.

In boys’ play it was Bridgeforth that jumped out in front early, taking a 7-0 lead in the early moments of the opening quarter. But the Panthers stormed back, going on a 13-0 run to finish the first with a 13-7 lead.

The red-hot Panthers extended their scoring run in the second, dropping the first 14 points of the period on their way to building a 35-11 halftime lead.

Bridgeforth tightened up after the break, but Lewis County was still able to outscore the Bobcats 12-11 in the third and held a commanding 46-21 lead as the game moved into the fourth quarter.

The Panther lead proved to be just too much for the visitors as the Panthers cruised to a 51-31 win at home.

Bo Banks ended the game with 17 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal for the Panthers. Maddox tanner had 12 points, 4 steals, and an assist, Dakota Hull 11 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal, Phenix McDonald 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists, Kobe Feichtinger 2 points, 3 steals, 2 assists, and a rebound, and Brogan Arledge had a rebound.

-----------------

The Lewis County Middle School Lady Panthers and Panthers travelled to Leoma to face the Leoma Lady Rebels and Rebels on Tuesday, November 8.

The Lady Panthers took control of the game from the opening tip with Jazzy Conner scoring the first four points of the game and the Lady Panthers building a 13-4 lead in the first six minutes of action.

The Lady Panther defense would not allow another point in the first half, shutting the Lady Rebels out in the second quarter and took a 23-4 lead at halftime.

The second half saw more of the stifling defense from Lewis County as they again limited opportunities for the Lady Rebels and outscored the host 7-5 in the third quarter to hold a 30-9 lead as play moved to the final quarter.

Lewis County would finish off Leoma in the fourth, taking the quarter by a score of 6-5 and winning the game on the road 36-14.

Jazzy Conner led the Lady Panthers with 17 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 assists, B.B. Smith added 15 points2 rebounds, 3 steals, an assist, and a block, Jaelin Baugh 2 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist, Paisley Kellogg 2 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and an assist, Zoey Collins 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block, and Lyric Inman1 rebound and 1 block.

The Panthers wasted no time jumping out in front of the Rebels as they pulled out to a 21-6 lead in the opening quarter behind 8 points from Kobe Feichtinger.

The second quarter was another offensive explosion from the Panthers as they again broke twenty in the period, outpacing the Rebels 23-8 in the second to take a commanding 44-14 lead in at the half.

The Panthers picked up where they left off at the half by limiting Rebel opportunities in the third quarter and building on their lead to make it a 59-19 game after three quarters.

With the mercy rule in effect and a running clock, the Panthers scored the only two points of the final period to take a 61-19 win.

Kobe Feichtinger ended the night with 18 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal, Maddox Tanner 17 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, Dakota Hull 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 assist, Bo Banks 6 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, and a block, Phenix McDonald 4 points, 3 steals, 1 assist, and a block, Cruz Forrester 2 points, Brogan Arledge 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 2 steals, Brodie Unger 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals, and Nolan Whitehead 1 rebound and 1 steal.

-------------------

The Lewis County Middle School Lady Panthers and Panthers hosted the Ethridge Lady Bulldogs and Bulldogs on Monday, November 14, for varsity basketball action.

The Lady Bulldogs pulled out in front early, scoring the game’s first 4 points and limiting opportunities for the Lady Panthers to get on track. Ethridge would take a 6-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Lewis County would continue to struggle offensively in the second quarter, only able to add five points to their total in the period as Ethridge would take a 16-8 lead in at the break.

The Lady Panthers would bounce back after halftime. Early in the third quarter the Lady Panthers would get five-straight points from B.B. Smith and key buckets from Paisley Kellogg and Jazzy Conner to pull to within two points trailing 22-20 midway through the third. Smith would connect on a big three to give Lewis County their first lead and free-throws from Conner at the end of the period would give the Lady Panthers a 25-22 lead after three quarters.

Lewis County would pull out to a 6-point lead early in the fourth, but back-to-back threes from Ethridge tied the game at 35. Lewis County would go on a 7-1 run to end the game and take a 42-36 win at home.

Jazzy Conner dropped 20 points in the win, along with 2 rebounds and a steal. B.B. Smith added 16 points, 2 rebounds, and an assist, Haylee Carroll returned to action with 3 points and a rebound, Paisley Kellogg 2 points and 6 rebounds, Jaelin Baugh 1 point and 1 rebound, Zoey Collins 2 rebounds, and Lyric Inman 1 rebound and 1 steal.

The Panthers scored the first nine points of the game in the boys’ matchup, 7 from Maddox Tanner, and followed the lone Ethridge point with a 10-0 run to take control early with a 19-1 lead.

The run would continue to start the second quarter as the Panthers would go up 32-1 before the Bulldogs could find a point in the second. Lewis County would hold a 41-4 lead at halftime.

Ethridge would put a short run together to start the second half, six straight points, but the Panthers would refocus and outscore the Bulldogs 14-8 with a running clock for the remainder of regulation as Lewis County ran away from Ethridge to a 55-12 win.

Bo Banks led the Panthers with 15 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 steals, and 2 blocks, Kobe Feichtinger added 13 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals, Maddox tanner 13 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals, Dakota Hull 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block, Phenix McDonald 2 points, 2 rebounds, an assist, and 2 steals, Cruz Forrester 2 points and a rebound, Jaxon Long 2 rebounds and a steal, Carson Stewart 1 rebound and 2 steals, Brodie Unger a steal and an assist, Anthony Garcia a steal, and Brogan Arledge a block.

-----------------

The Lewis County Middle School Lady Panthers and Panthers travelled to Summertown on Tuesday, November 15th to face off with the Summertown Lady Eagles and Eagles.

The Lady Panthers jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead on baskets from Jaelin Baugh and Jazzy Conner in the opening moments of the girls’ matchup and carried the momentum through the end of the period while taking an 8-3 lead. Summertown bounced back in the second quarter and outscored Lewis County 12-8 in the period, but the Lady Panthers held on to a slim 1-point advantage as the teams went in at halftime with Lewis County up 16-15. The Lady Eagles kept the momentum in the third quarter, limiting the offensive opportunities for the Lady Panthers and claiming the lead before the end of the third quarter by a score of 24-22 and set up a wild final six minutes of regulation. Conner tied the game at 24 just seconds into the fourth quarter, but the Lady panthers would never be able to overtake the lead and the Lady Eagles went on to win the game 38-35. Jazzy Conner was the leading scorer for Lewis County with 15 points and had 6 rebounds, 5 steals, and a block. B.B. Smith added 10 points3 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist, and a block, Haylee Carroll 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, an assist, and a block, Jaelin Baugh 3 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, an assist, and a block, Paisley Kellogg 2 rebounds and a steal, and Zoey Collins 2 rebounds.

Lewis County got buckets from Phenix McDonald and Maddox Tanner early in the first quarter and jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead on the Eagles. Summertown fought back to tie the game at 6, but Lewis County closed the first quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 14-6 lead into the second quarter. The Panthers would begin to open up a lead in the second quarter, outscoring the host 19-13 in the period to take a 33-19 lead into the break at halftime. Summertown bounced back in the third quarter and used a quick 6-point run to pull to within 8 points, but Lewis County was able to find their groove and reclaimed a double-digit lead at 45-32 as play moved to the fourth quarter. The Panthers would continue to fend off the Eagles and outscored Summertown 13-9 down the stretch to cruise to a 58-41 win on the road. Maddox Tanner had 17 points, a rebound, 2 assists, and 3 steals in the win. Phenix McDonald added 14 points, a steal, and a block, Dakota Hull 12 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal, and 2 blocks, Bo Banks 10 points, 8 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists, and a block, and Kobe Feichtinger 5 points, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.