BY GALEN WELLNICKI
The Georgetown Lady Eagles will be hoping for an improved offensive performance this Thursday through Saturday when they compete in the 16-team Eaton Invitational Tournament in suburban Fort Worth.
The Lady Eagles, who dropped a 42-29 decision at 6A Waco Midway in their season opener on Monday, will begin tournament play against Azle at 9 a.m. Thursday in the main Eaton gym. They will play again Thursday in either the championship or consolation quarterfinals against either Trophy Club Byron Nelson or Cleburne.
Azle is picked fifth in District 6-5A, Byron Nelson is the seventh-place choice in 5-6A and Cleburne is expected to finishfourth in 9-5A.
Friday’s tournament schedule contains semifinals and off-the-main-bracket games in both the championship and consolation sides of the main draw. The medals games are on Saturday with the fifth-place game at 9 a.m., the third-place outing at 10:30 a.m., the consolation battle at noon and the championship contest at 1:30 p.m.
As in its scrimmage with Pflugerville Hendrickson last week, the Lady Eagles could not generate a consistent offense against the quickness, slapping hands and bumping of the Pantherettes.
Georgetown shot just 26 percent from the floor (nine of 34, including two of 10 beyond the arc) and 50 percent (nine of 18) from the line. They turned the ball over 21 times — several coming on errant passes.
While the offensive performance was subpar, GHS coach Rhonda Farney saw one major positive in a game that the Lady Eagles trailed by 20 points (35-15) late in the third quarter.
“I was really pleased with our defense,” said Farney of an effort against a Midway offense predicated on continually trying to drive to the basket after forcing turnovers with its press. “We rebounded and got shots early, but they didn’t go in. We did better late in the second half.”
Many of Georgetown’s misses came inside the paint.
Midway, which was led by JaNaia Davis with a game-high 18 points, took an 11-5 lead in the first quarter and expanded it out to 24-11 at the half as GHS missed eight free throws in the second quarter and made only two field goals.
After going down by 20 points, the Lady Eagles outscored the Pantherettes, 14-7, over the final 8:01 of the game with senior guard Maddie Vickers scoring all of her team-high 11 points during that stretch.
Farney also refered to her team as the “walking wounded.” In addition to the loss of the team’s lone returning starter — sophomore Emery Herman — to a preseason injury, senior post Emili Harris was on crutches with a lower leg problem and junior Jaelyn Knight re-injured her left shoulder late in the game. Her status was not known after the game. The original injury had kept Knight out of action for five weeks.
“We just need to get playing time for our inexpereinced players,” Farney said of the offensive woes.
Knight and sophomore post McCall Hampton each added seven points for GHS, while Knight had seven rebounds and Hampton and Vickers each added six to the GHS total of 25.
Midway, which opened its campaign with one-sided victory over Lancaster on Friday, improved to 2-0 on the season. The Pantherettes are picked to finish second in 8-6A.
Farney said she was pleased with the showings of the JV and Freshman Blue.
The JV, which led 22-19 at the half, blew open the game in the third period, outscoring Midway, 20-9, and then went on to post a 53-43 victory.
Guards Hailey Smith and Maya Perry led the GHS JV with 14 and 11 points, respectively, while Kylee Sander added nine and Mercedes Robledo put in seven.
On the freshman level, guard Graci Harris scored 18 of the Lady Eagles’ points in a 36-29 win in which GHS led 16-6 at the half. Vyctorya Lehr added 10 points.
The GHS Freshman White were scheduled to open its season Tuesday night against Salado.
***
Other teams in the Eaton Tournament are Keller Central, Paradise, Argyle Liberty, Justin Northwest, Eaton, Haltom City, Benbrook, Wichita Falls, Fort Worth Fossil Ridge, Fort Worth Dunbar, Mineral Wells and Euless Trinity.
GHS VS. WACO MIDWAY
At Midway, Nov. 6
VARSITY GAME
MIDWAY 42, GHS 29
GHS (29) — Ali Isbell 0-2 1-4 1, Josie Weirich 0-4 0-0 0, Samari O’Brien 1-2 0-0 2, Kylie Ellsworth 0-3 0-0 0, Mackenzy Mouton 0-0 0-0 0, Jaelyn Knight 2-9 2-4 7, Maddie Vickers 4-8 2-2 11, Jade Smith 0-2 1-2 1, McCall Hampton 2-4 3-6 7. Totals: 9-34 9-18 29.
MIDWAY (42) — J. Gus 0-1 0-0 0, Michayla Pullen-Monroe 4-6 0-0 8, Jacksonian Long 0-4 2-2 2, JaNaiya Davis 6-8 5-8 18, Madison Burns 0-1 1-3 1, Kayla Hill 0-2 0-0 0, Shamarya Duncan 1-4 1-2 3, Jordan Gus 1-2 1-2 4, Keighan Ridge 1-4 0-0 3, Carleyah Burrell 1-1 0-0 3, L. Parker 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 14-35 10-17 42.
Halftime score: Midway 24, GHS 11. 3-point shooting: GHS 2-10 (Isbell 0-1, Weirich 0-3, Ellsworth 0-2, Knight 1-2, Vickers 1-1, Hampton 0-1); WM 4-10 (Long 0-1, Davis 1-1, Hill 0-2, Duncan 0-1, Jor. Gus 1-2, Ridge 1-2, Burrell 1-1). Rebounds: GHS 25 (Knight 7, Vickers 6, Hampton 6). Assists: GHS 13 (Weirich 4). Steals: GHS 14 (Hampton 5, Isbell 3, Vickers 3). Blocks: GHS 0. Turnovers: GHS 21. Total fouls: GHS 17, WM 17. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none. Records: GHS, 0-1, Midway, 2-0.
SUB-VARSITY GAMES
(GHS scoring only)
GHS JV 53, MIDWAY 43 — A’brielle Abrams 1, Kylee Sander 9, Hailey Hanson 3, Hailey Smith 14, Maya Perry 11, Mercedes Robledo 7, Keiana San Miguel 6, Alicia King 2. Halftime: GHS, 22-19. GHS record: 1-0.
GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 34, MIDWAY FRESHMAN 29 — Meagan Wolfe 0, Graci Harris 18, Jordyn Stout 1, Vyctorya Lehr 10, Grace Kearney 0, Megan Herring 0, Lauren Woodard 3, Leia Crissman 2. Halftime: GHS, 16-6. GHS record: 1-0.