Pressure sends Eagles packing

Defense, teamwork
key in district
showdown

By Jody Norwood
Tribune-Courier Sports
sports@tribunecourier.com

DRAFFENVILLE– Marshall County didn’t back off its defensive pressure Friday night against the visiting Lady Eagles. Margaret Thomas and Tory Fehrenbacher combined for seven steals and 10 assists, wreaking havoc on Graves County’s midcourt presence.

Marshall County opened the game with a basket by Lena Bohannon. Fehrenbacher was next on the board with a steal and a layup.

Both teams swapped seven points during the next three minutes before the Lady Marshals began to pull away. Up 11-7, Bohannon would notch a 2-point bucket with 4:14 remaining. The basket set off a 9-2 run over the final minutes of the half with Kaylin Goins, Michaela Hunt and Fehrenbacher adding to the score. With a minute remaining, Fehrenbacher used another steal for a basket as Marshall County went up 18-7.

Bohannon put a missed jumper back in at the buzzer as Marshall County ended the first quarter up 22-9.

Kelsey Lawson opened the second quarter with a trey, but Graves County would score nine points over the next three minutes to chip away at the lead. Only Hunt would score for the home team during that stretch, knocking in a pair of baskets. Mariah McKenty would hit a 3-point basket and Bohannon sank a field goal as Marshall County took a 34-20 lead into the break.

Things only got worse for Graves County at the start of the second half. The Lady Eagles tried to close the gap from 3-point range, but were unable to make their shots fall. Marshall County, meanwhile, dominated under the goal and turned the defensive rebounds into baskets by Lawson, Hunt, Bohannon and Margaret Thomas. Marshall County notched 10 points off defensive rebounds before Graves County guard Whitney Anderson hit the first 3-point basket of the third quarter with four minutes remaining.

Marshall County would outscore the visitors 12-7 through the third, running out most of the final minute.

Graves County improved their offensive rebounding in the final frame, but could not dig themselves out of the double-digit hole. Keeping a fresh rotation through the final frame, Marshall County put points on the board with seven different players in their 19-point victory.

Bohannon and Lawson led the all scorers with 14 points apiece, followed by Hunt with nine. Thomas and Fehrenbacher consistently ruffled the Lady Eagles’ feathers throughout the night on defense.