Maryland’s top ranked Southern Garrett stirred the Hive and struggled to fight off the pesky Yellow Jackettes defense during a 43-30 victory over Moorefield on Tuesday.
It took nearly six minutes for the Lady Rams to build an 8-0 lead and only a 12-5 score at the end of the first period.
The game opened with back-to-back turnovers as the ball was thrown out of bounds, then Southern Garrett’s Kayla Harris hit a jumper which was the first basket of her team-best 12 points.
Moorefield’s Madison McGregor netted a game-high 14 points which included a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to close the opening frame.
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Lindsey Rinker drove inside the paint for the Yellow Jackettes on the next possession and was met by Laina Holler for a jump ball.
Southern Garrett’s Rachel Reams snatched a defensive rebound and passed to Courtney Roth, who lost the ball out of bounds under the defensive pressure of Nautica Crosco.
Moorefield missed another shot and Harris got the board and passed to Hannah Witt for a basket at 5:46, 4-0.
Under the Lady Rams full-court pressure, Moorefield failed to cross the mid-court line in ten seconds.
Rinker made a block and steal, but the Yellow Jackettes didn’t capitalize even with a second chance rebound by McGregor.
Harris grabbed the ensuing rebound and one on offense before Moorefield’s Emma Baker blocked her shot and Crosco recovered the ricochet.
Reams collected a defensive rebound, then Holler scored on a layup at 4:07 for a 6-nil lead.
Both teams missed opportunities twice before Holler’s rebound led to a jumper by Witt to give the Lady Rams the 8-0 edge with 2:08 remaining in the first period.
Moorefield’s Anna Riggleman assisted Gianna Fair on a shot in the paint at the 2:01 mark, 8-2.
Fair made a defensive rebound, but the ball was stolen by Holler and Harris scored.
Harris grabbed rebounds on both ends of the floor before Brooke Davis netted a layup.
McGregor drove inside, but the ball was deflected out of bounds off the leg of Harris.
Roth swiped the ball away from Fair, but failed to score and Fair took the carom.
McGregor hit the buzzer-beater 3-pointer for the 12-5 score at the end of the first period.
Roth netted a long range jumper to start the second period, inching her closer to the 1,000th career point milestone with 18 points more needed and wasn’t able to reach that mark under the defensive pressure of Moorefield’s Emma Baker with still nine more left after the game ended.
Rinker grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled on a block attempt by Holler leading to two free throws at 7:23, 14-7.
Roth collected an offensive rebound and couldn’t find an angle for a shot with Baker defending, then passed to Holler, who lost the ball out of bounds with Crosco hovering nearby.
Roth knocked the ball away from Fair and Harris snatched the turnover, but missed the ensuing shot and Crosco made the rebound.
Rinker dished to McGregor for a 3-pointer at the 5:38 mark to cut the deficit to 14-10.
The Lady Rams coughed the ball up out of bounds, then Harris made a defensive rebound and Reams hauled in an offensive board with a pass back to Harris for a jumper.
Harris grabbed a defensive rebound and was fouled by Rinker, then Crosco deflected a pass and it was collected by Witt.
Baker stole the ball, but a pass from Rinker sailed out of bounds as miscommunication on the play sent her teammate in the wrong direction.
After a foul by Baker, the Lady Rams missed a field goal and Davis got the board and passed to Harris, who was fouled by McGregor and added two free throws.
Davis deflected a pass and McGregor wasn’t able to make the save on the sideline.
Rinker made a defensive rebound and Riggleman grabbed an offensive rebound, then Roth swiped the ball only to have it snatched back by Riggleman.
Riggleman assisted McGregor on a jumper at the 1:37 mark for an 18-12 score.
Crosco made a steal, but the Lady Rams’ Witt forced her to pick up the dribble and the pass was intercepted by Holler.
McGregor fouled Witt, who netted both free throws with just under a minute left in the first half.
Harris fouled Fair, who connected on both foul shots with 47 seconds to go, trailing 20-14.
Riggleman blocked a shot and the Lady Rams lost the ball out of bounds, then Davis blocked a shot and took the ball down the court.
Riggleman went for a block with her hand firmly hitting the ball, but a foul was called and Holler added one free throw with two seconds left on the clock.
Fair collected the rebound off the second free throw and it was ripped off her hands by Holler, but Fair denied the shot at the buzzer with Southern Garrett taking a 21-14 lead into the locker rooms.
Holler stole the ball to begin the third period and made a putback for the Lady Rams.
McGregor hit a jumper for the Yellow Jackettes on the next possession at 7:15, 23-16.
Baker stole the ball and Riggleman made two consecutive rebounds before finally scoring at 6:39, 23-18.
McGregor and Crosco committed fouls, then Roth hit a jumper.
Holler stole the ball and it was taken back by Rinker with a pass to Riggleman for a layup at 5:22, 25-20.
Harris scored for Southern Garrett on the following series with five minutes left in the third period.
A defensive rebound by Harris led to a trap by the Yellow Jackettes and the ball didn’t cross the mid-court stripe for a 10-second violation.
Riggleman and Harris locked up on the ball after a miss by Moorefield for a jump ball given to the Lady Rams.
Baker collected a defensive rebound and Rinker drew a foul by Holler, but didn’t make the shots and Riggleman made the rebound and hit the rim with Harris taking the next rebound.
Roth scored inside the paint to put the milestone watch at 14 points away and a 29-20 lead.
Roth grabbed a defensive rebound and Harris plowed into Crosco leading to one more Southern Garrett point.
Witt fouled McGregor and the Yellow Jackettes garnered two more points to cut the deficit to 30-22 with 2:40 left in the frame.
Riggleman stole the ball and it was kicked out of bounds by Reams, then McGregor walked.
Another steal by Riggleman wasn’t capitalized upon as the shot drew iron and Davis made the rebound.
McGregor blocked Roth, then Fair made a defensive rebound.
Moorefield missed and Roth made the rebound, then Witt knocked down Crosco on the way to scoring a bucket.
Witt and Rinker made rebounds off missed shots, then Harris blocked Baker, who recovered the ball and scored with 26 seconds to go as the Yellow Jackettes now trailed 32-24.
The Lady Rams lost the ball out of bounds and Moorefield missed the buzzer-beater.
Southern Garrett scored three times off turnovers in the first minute and change of the fourth period.
Witt started the final stanza with a steal and scored on the breakaway, which was followed by the same by Roth to extend the lead to 36-24 at 7:24.
Witt made another steal, but it was snatched back by Riggleman and stolen again by Witt, who scored in the process with Riggleman fouling and the extra foul shot was added at 6:37, 39-24.
Moorefield’s first shot attempt of the period was off the mark and bounced out of bounds.
Baker deflected a pass and McGregor collected the turnover, but Harris stole the ball back.
McGregor made a steal, but the ensuing shot missed and Holler got the board.
Riggleman swiped the ball away and passed to McGregor for a jumper at 5:35 as the Yellow Jackettes trailed 39-26.
Baker kicked the ball twice, then Rinker fouled Harris, who netted one free throw.
Ream grabbed the rebound and passed to Roth for a 3-pointer to give the Lady Rams a 43-26 advantage with 4:43 remaining.
After a few missed opportunities and a couple of fouls by the Lady Rams, Rinker went to the line and missed two free throws.
Roth made the rebound and was forced into a double dribble by McGregor, then Reams stole the ball and was fouled as Rinker went for a steal.
Witt walked under pressure from McGregor, then Remington Hinkle and Reams tied up for a jump ball.
There was a scramble off a miss by Southern Garrett with players diving for the ball and Reams collected the loose ball to run the clock down.
Crosco stole the ball and missed the layup, but Rinker was there for the rebound and score with 1:05 left, 43-28.
Hinkle made a defensive rebound for the Yellow Jackettes and was fouled, but didn’t connect and Claire Grove grabbed the board.
Moorefield’s Ciara Smith stole the ball and passed to Hinkle for a layup with 15 seconds left to lift the final score to 43-30 and the Lady Rams lost the ball out of bounds as the final horn sounded with the win.
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