Lady Cats suffer narrow loss to Central
The Lady Cats Basketball Team entered Thursday night’s game with an 8-3 record. Two of those losses were by 23 and 24 points, respectively to the Central Lady Rebels.
Thursday night, the Cats were edged by the Rebels, once again, but this game was much closer than the other two. Fredericktown led at halftime before eventually losing 56-48.
The teams traded 3-pointers early. Central led 9-6 after five made 3-pointers by the two teams. The Rebels lead increased to 22-16 after one quarter.
Raylyn Dodd scored the last basket of the first quarter and the first two of the second. The Cats trailed just 22-20. Kirsten Hanner hit her third of four 3-pointers and gave FHS the lead at 23-22 with 5:49 to play in the half. After a Central timeout, Annabeth Phillips made a 3-pointer to increase the Cats’ lead to 26-22. Paige Godsey scored to make it 28-22 with 3:59 to play in the half. Central scored three straight baskets to tie the game, but Phillips made two free throws with 9.6 seconds left to give FHS a 30-28 halftime lead.
The third quarter remained close, as Central got up by as many as five points. Rachel Hamilton scored to cut the Rebels’ lead to 44-43 with 1:45 to play in the quarter. Central got a late 3-pointer and led 47-43 entering the fourth.
Central scored four points to open the final quarter. Hamilton scored to cut the lead to six, but Lady Rebels made enough free throws in the final two minutes to keep the Cats from getting any closer.
Dodd led the Lady Cats with 15 points. Hanner had 13, Godsey scored ten, Phillips scored six, and Hamilton scored four. Callista Francis led with 11 rebounds. Phillips and Godsey each had four assists.
The Junior Varsity Lady Cats lost 54-34. Kylee Bastie led the Lady Cats with nine points. Marissa Hale and Emmaline Glore scored six points each. Maddie Burrows and Brooklynn Stephens each scored four, Mattie Whitworth scored three, and Sara White scored two.
The Lady Cats play at Ste. Genevieve, Thursday, and at Jefferson, Jan. 25.
Callista Francis shoots between two Central defenders. Francis had a team-high 11 rebounds against Central.
Kirsten Hanner puts up a 3-pointer against Central. Hanner made four of seven attempts from 3-point range and scored 13 points, Thursday night.
Paige Godsey drives to the basket against Central, Thursday. Godsey was one of three Cats in double figures against the Lady Rebels.
