LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — The Moore County Raiderettes probably came into Friday night’s Region 5A Tournament game against Collinwood a little salty and who could blame them.

The two teams met up last year in the Region 5A semifinal game and the Raiderettes left with a bad taste in their mouth. In overtime, a Collinwood Lady Trojan intentionally fouled Ellie Graham from behind — sending her screaming with pain to the floor. The Raiderettes won that game 62-53 but Graham’s injury forced her out for the season and into extensive rehab. Several of her teammates were visibly shaken that night and it left an impression.

Friday night they got pay back with a 64-26 victory over Collinwood that was never close.

Raiderettes lead by five in the first half

Moore County got off to a sluggish six-point start in the first period. They allowed Collinwood to score seven unanswered before Ellie Graham got the Raideretttes on the boards with a a pair of free throws at around the three minute mark. Collinwood answered then Maecy Fletcher got put back points to make it 9-4. The two teams traded turnovers then Graham scored two points to end the first period with Moore County trailing 9-6.

The Raiderettes began the second period with a 10-point run. Madison Dingler got things started with a layup thanks to a Katie Fletcher steal. Then Maecy Fletcher scored underneath. Collinwood walked then Ellie Graham shot a jumper for two more points. The two teams traded turnovers then a tenacious Dingler drove through defenders to the basket. Katie Fletcher ended the run with two from the line. Graham and Katie Fletcher scored the final points of the half for Moore County to make it Raiderette 20, Collinwood 15.

Ellie Graham led in the first half with 10 points. Maecy Fletcher, Katie Fletcher, and Madison Dingler scored four each in the first.

The 10-point Moore County run in the second half started the Collinwood descent and the 17-point run in the third finished it.

Katie Fletcher started the run with the first Moore County trey of the game. Ellie Graham then stole the ball on the next play and converted it into two points. Then Katie Fletcher stole the inbound pass and scored another quick basket. Maecy Fletcher and Graham scored and then Paisley Logan — who had been quiet in the first half — hit the first of three treys in a row. Her nine points made it Raiderettes 40, Collinwood 19. It was a total kill shot. The Lady Trojans never recovered. They scored just seven fourth period points and didn’t score a single point for the last two minutes of the game.

The final scored was Moore County 64, Collinwood 26.

Graham led with 22 points

Ellie Graham led for Moore County with 22 points. Paisley Logan scored 16 points — all in the second half. Katie Fletcher scored 11 including four from the line. Madison Dingler swished seven and Maecy Fletcher fought underneath for six more. Emma Sazonov came off the bench and scored the final points on the game. •

{The Lynchburg Times is an independently-owned, community newspaper located in Lynchburg, Tennessee the home of The Jack Daniel Distillery. We focus on public service, non-partisan, rural journalism. We cover the Metro Moore County government, local tourism, Moore County schools, high school sports, Motlow State Community College, as well as whiskey industry news and regional and state stories that affect our readers.}