The Wayne County High School basketball teams traveled to Collinwood on Tuesday night to face the Trojanettes and the Trojans in district play. The Ladycats had to go into overtime to defeat the Trojanettes, 67 – 62. The Wildcats took care of the Trojans, 66 – 49. Friday night saw the teams from Perry County come to Waynesboro. The Ladycats took care of business and defeated the Lady Vikings, while the ‘Cats fell to the Vikings, 76 – 58. After hosting Loretto on Tuesday night, the teams will conclude regular season action with “Senior Night 2021” as they face Hampshire. The Ladycats now stand at 10 – 5 on the year with the ‘Cats having a 6 – 9 record in the COVID shortened season. District quarterfinal games will begin on the 15th with Ladycat action and the Wildcats will play on the 16th.
Against the Trojanettes, Lauren Bryant continued her hot shooting as the Ladycats had a big third quarter to come from behind. The Ladycats led 11 – 10 at the end of one period, but fell behind, 28 – 23, by the half. In the third, Bryant opened the third with a three-pointer, but the Ladycats fell behind by as many as 9 points. They fought back and with 2:01 left in the quarter, Bryant hit a three that tied the game at 40 all. Lay-ups by Bryant and Jac Keaton, plus a free throw by Annie Lee, made the score 45 – 40 at the end of the third period. The Ladycats led most of the fourth quarter, but towards the end of the contest, the turnover bug bit the Ladycats as they committed 4 in the last minute and a half of action, allowing the Trojanettes to tie the contest at 58 and having the opportunity to win on a last second shot. The shot was no good, sending the game into overtime.
In the overtime period, the Ladycats went up by as much as 6, but Collinwood cut the lead to 64 – 62, with 58.6 seconds left. They fouled and the Ladycats went to the line, missing both free throws. The Trojanettes couldn’t hit their shot and had to foul again. This time, Lauren Bryant made the two free throws to open the lead to 66 – 62. Jac Keaton added one more free throw with eleven seconds left to seal the 67 – 62 win.
Bryant finished the night with 28 points, hitting 4 of 5 from long range and 5 of 6 from the foul line. She had a rebound and 3 steals. Michaela Gallian hit for 13 points and had 7 rebounds, a block, and 2 assists. Jac Keaton had 9 points with 5 rebounds and 4 assists, and Cambree Camfield and Savanna McClain each scored 8 points. Camfield had 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist, and McClain had a steal and 2 assists. Annie Lee scored one point, and Charli Woodside had a steal and an assist. The Ladycats were 42.9% from the field and 79.2% from the free throw line. They lost the rebounding battle 27 – 17 and committed 16 turnovers, many of which came in the final minutes of the contest.
The Wildcats pushed out to a 35 – 20 halftime lead against Collinwood on Tuesday night. In the third, Collinwood matched the ‘Cats’ points. At the 3:18 mark of the fourth, they cut the margin down to 10 points, 58 – 48, but they got no closer. The ‘Cats held on to win by the final score of 66 – 49. Tyler Moser and Clay Baugus combined for 48 points, scoring 25 and 23 respectively. Moser had 9 boards, 4 steals, and 3 assists, while Baugus grabbed 11 rebounds, and had 3 steals and 2 assists. Ethan Camfield hit a pair of 3 pointers for 6 points and had 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Austin Whitson scored 5 points and had 4 rebounds and a steal. Eli McClain came off the bench to add 4 points with 3 rebounds, a steal, and 3 assists. Gaynes Keaton had 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists. Landyn Prater had 2 rebounds and a steal. The ‘Cats hit 10 three pointers and shot 40% from long range. They committed 18 turnovers and matched the Trojans in rebounds at 34.
Friday night, Perry County came to town. The Ladycats took control early, going ahead 17 – 9 at the end of the first quarter. Cambree Camfield nailed a pair of three-pointers in the opening quarter. They extended the lead to 33 – 18 by the half and went on to take the 67 – 36 win.
Four Ladycats hit for double figures on the night with Savanna McClain leading the way with 18 points. She had 7 rebounds, a steal, and an assist. Cambree Camfield finished with 12 points with an assist, and Lauren Bryant had 11 points with a steal and an assist. Michaela Gallian hit for 10 points and had 3 blocks, 2 steals, and 2 assists. Jac Keaton scored 8 points and had 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and an assist. Kelsey Carroll scored 4 points and had 5 rebounds. Kenzie Griggs had 2 points, and Annie Lee and Lauren Prater each had one point. Prater also had a pair of rebounds. Jamie Lauren Hickman had a rebound, and Charlie Woodside had 2 assists. The Ladycats shot 54.3% from the field and forced 20 Lady Viking turnovers.
The Wildcats fell behind early against the Vikings on Friday night, 15 – 10, at the end of the first quarter. The Wildcats managed only 8 points in the second and fell behind, 37 – 18. The Wildcats tried to come back in the third. With 2:45 left in the third, a Tyler Moser basket cut the margin to 12. Two more consecutive baskets by Moser whittled the margin down to 8, 45 – 37. A foul and technical gave Perry County four free throws with 1:23 left in the third, and the margin grew. The ‘Cats trailed 59 – 43 at the end of the quarter and never recovered as they fell by the final score of 76 – 58.
Moser finished the night with 30 points, 11 of which came in the third quarter. He had 10 rebounds with a steal and assist. Ethan Camfield hit for 9 points in the third and finished with 14 points with 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Clay Baugus scored 10 points, and Austin Whitson and Landyn Prater each had 2 points. Baugus had 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 assists, while Whitson had a rebound. Prater had 4 boards, a steal, and an assist. Gaynes Keaton had 3 rebounds. The Wildcats shot 34.9% from the field, committed 16 turnovers which resulted in 24 Viking points off those turnovers.
Come out and cheer the teams on to wins on Thursday and support the tournament that begins Monday and Tuesday and concludes next weekend in Perry County. “GO WILDCATS AND LADYCATS!”—Submitted
