By Tabitha Evans Moore | EDITOR & PUBLISHER

LORETTO, Tenn. — The Moore County Middle School Raiderettes played determined, gritty basketball all season to earn themselves a spot in the region tourney. But on Monday in Loretto, they ran into a South Lawrence team that could not miss from the perimeter in the third quarter to end their season.

South Lawrence drew first blood. After missing on their first trey attempt, they snagged the rebound and put it back up for another perimeter shot that fell.  The Raiderettes then immediately turned over the ball and fouled the Lady Stallions. They made one of two, to take an early 3-0 lead.

The Lady Stallion came out playing fast and playing pressure in the first half. It kept Moore County slightly on their heels at first but also cost them. Several players went into the halftime locker room with two fouls each. Moore County earned a bit of foul trouble as well. Madison Hatfield and Allsion Brandon went into the halftime with three fouls each.

Hatfield made the first Raiderettes’ points of the night with a long, left-side jumper to get Moore County on the board. The Lady Stallion — who seemed determined to live or die by the three — swished another one to build their lead, 6-2.

On the next Raiderettes possession, Sadie Ivey drove in hard for two to make it 9-4. Moore County then got the turnover and Allison Brandon drove in underneath for the shot and one to cut the lead to three, 9-6. On the next South Lawrence possession, Bailey Thomas snagged a crucial rebound and fed it to Maddie Goodwin, who got fouled on the shot. She made one of two to narrow the lead to two, 9-7.

The Lady Stallion made one from the line on their next possession to make it a three-point game, then Ivey made two to make it a one-point game.

The Raiderettes trailed by just one at the end of first, 10-9.  

In the second, an opportunistic Ivey dribbled inside for two — giving the Raiderettes their first lead of the night. She stole the ball on the next Lady Stallion possession and went coast-to-coast to make it 13-10.

The Lady Stallions got a trey on their next possession to tie the game, then a steal to earn back a two-point lead 15-15.

South Lawrence then went on a five-point run with less than two minutes to play. Haven Hornaday swished a trey and then a basket two play later to pull the Raiderettes back with in five. They went into the locker room trailing 25-20.

The wheel came off for the Raiderettes in the third at South Lawrence reigned treys while holding Moore County to just four points. The Lady Stallion swished five treys in total including a 21-2 run to gain the edge and never looked back.

Moore County outscored the Lady Stallions in the fourth thanks to a trey by Goodwin, baskets from Hornaday, Hatfield, and Brandon plus a basket and one from Emmy Thomas.

But at the final buzzer, the Moore County Middle School Raiderettes ended their season at South Lawrence by a final score of 55-37.

Sadie Ivey led for Moore County with 12 and was the Raiderettes lone double-digit scorer. Haven Hornaday added seven. Maddie Goodwin scored six. Addison Brandon swished five and Madison Hatfield managed four more. Emmy Thomas scored three.

The Raiderettes are coached by Mika Phillip and ended their season with a 20-2 record. They were also the Region 4, District 15 Middle School Girls Champions. •

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