For coach Rhonda Farney and her Georgetown Lady Eagles, this past week’s trip to Louisiana for the Albany Invitational Tournament was both historic and productive.
In winning three of four games in the showcase-style event, Farney posted the 1,099th, 1,100th and 1,101st victories of her legendary career. The milestone 1,100th victory came in Georgetown’s third start in the event — a 36-28 overtime victory over Sulphur, a Louisiana state-ranked 5A team.
As a team, the young Lady Eagles, who had not practiced for five days prior to the event, showed an increased confidence in their abilities as a team and individuals along with improvements in execution. The 3-1 mark moved GHS to 15-7 on the year.
They opened the tournament on Wednesday with a 38-23 win over Denham Springs, a state-ranked 5A team, and dropped a 44-35 decision to unbeaten Holden, the No. 1 ranked team in Louisiana. On Thursday, they posted the historic win over Sulphur and then came back in 90 minutes to edge 5A Baton Rouge Scotlandville Magnet, 45-44.
The Lady Eagles returned home Saturday night after about 36 hours of post-tournament sight-seeing and shopping in the New Orleans area. They immediately turned their attention to the resumption of District 19-5A action on Wednesday when they visit front-running Cedar Park (6-0) at 6:30 p.m. GHS will enter that game tied for second with Rouse at 5-1.
FARNEY ON NO. 1,100
“Honestly, I’m greatfull to have been able to do something I love as long as I have,” Farney said of the 1,100th win. “I’ve never thought of this as a job. It doesn’t seem like 40 years.
“Eleven hundred is an arbitrary number. I think more about the wonderful people that I’ve come in contact with. I feel really blessed. I’ve been in position to have the ability to make a positive influence on so many young people.”
Farney reached the 1,000-win milestone on Feb. 13, 2014 when the Lady Eagles bested Lumberton in an area-round playoff game. Going into Wednesday’s Cedar Park contest, Farney, who also has coached at Goldthwaite and Ozona, has a career record of 1,101-304 (a .784 winning percentage).
No. 1,1000 did not come easy. The Lady Eagles and Lady Tors ended the first quarter deadlocked at 11 before Sulphur took a 16-15 lead off the Jo Ann Smith Court at Albany High School at halftime. GHS was outscored 8-5 in the third period and entered the final quarter down 24-20.
Trailing by as many as six early in the fourth period, the Lady Eagles tied the game and forced it into overtime on a 3-pointer by sophomore guard Kylie Ellsworth with one minute and nine seconds remaining in regulation.
The overtime was all Georgetown as sophomore forward McCall Hampton started the 8-0 run in the four-minute extra period with the only basket with 3:11 to go. The Lady Eagles added three free throws by junior guard Ali Isbell, one by sophomore McCall Hampton and the closing two by Ellsworth with 28 seconds remaining.
The games was not a good exhibition of shooting accuracy and neither team put a player in double figures. GHS junior forward Jaelyn Knight had a game-high nine points and sophomores Ellsworth and Hampton added eight points each. GHS shot 36 percent from the floor (11 of 30) and Sulphur was much colder at 25 percent (12 of 47). The Lady Eagles also struggled at the line making only 11 of 24.
Georgetown posted a 29-22 edge on the boards with 6-foot junior Jade Smith and Knight each grabbing seven. Ellsworth also had six steals and three assists.
FARNEY ON THE TOURNAMENT
“It was a good tournament for us,” Farney said. “We’ve wanted to come to Louisiana for quite a while. We were a different (more experienced) team when we made arrangements to come to this tournament. We didn’t know the strengths of the teams we would play up until just before we left for Louisiana. We had been concentrating on the district race.
“But we found great competition here and it put us against teams not unlike the teams we will be playing over the final 10 games of the 19-5A race. I think the kids confidence grew both as a team and as individuals.
“We need to become more consistent and we’re working in that direction. We began the year with no returning starters and we’re beginning to put the pieces together in the right places, and everybody on this team brings different things to the table. We still have a way to go, but we’re making progress.”
In addition, the tournament produced a few extra challenges for the Lady Eagles, who were scheduled to play two games each day within a four-hour and 30-minute time period. Each of GHS’ second opponents each day were playing their first game of the day.
Also under UIL holiday rules, Georgetown was unable to work out as a team during the five days prior to the tournament.
“We were able to counter this somewhat by our high-state of conditioning of that was enhanced during our summer conditioning program,” Farney said of the scheduling irregularities. “The time off also was good for the girls after a heavy early schedule.”
In addition to those scheduling points, the 5-10 Hampton, who was a key scoring and rebounding factor in the three victories, missed the second half of the loss to Holden with a deabilitating health problem that required medical treatment. However, she returned to the fold Thursday and played well.
In the 15-point tournament-opening win over Denham Springs at Holden, GHS expanded a 16-14 lead out go 22-16 after three quarters and then put the Yellowjackets away by outscoring them 16-7 in the four quarter with a rally started by a 3-pointer by senior guard Josie Weirich, back-to-back baskets by Hampton and five points by junior post Jade Smith.
The Lady Eagles prevailed despite hitting only 31 percent (14 of 45) from the floor and 43 percent from the line (7 of 16). The Lady Eagles did control the boards with Hampton grabbing 12, Smith 11 and junior Jaelyn Knight seven. Weirich paced the scoring with 11 points.
In the loss to unbeaten Holden on the Rockets’ homecourt, GHS fell behind by 12 midway through the second quarter, but trailed 25-16 at the half as a basket by Smith cut the lead under double digits. A bucket by J. Hughes, who had a game-high 17 points, put the Rockets ahead by 17 at 36-19 late in the third quarter.
However, GHS, playing without Hampton in the second half, went to work behind the scoring lead of Smith and Ellsworth, cutting the lead to five on a trey by Ellsworth with 5:02 to go. However, a couple turnovers enabled Holden to race back to a 12-point lead with 1:02 to go.
The Lady Eagles shot just 28 percent (9 of 32) from the floor with no player putting up more than Ellsworth’s seven points. Smith added six points, six rebounds and three blocks. With Hampton missing the second half, sophomore Mackenzy Mouton helped take up the slack on the boards with six rebounds. GHS turned the ball over 24 times against Holden’s continuous pressure defense.
The one-point win over Baton Rouge Scotlandville Magnet was a game of momentum. The Lady Eagles led 31-20 at the half, but then saw the Hornets score the 12 consecutive points at the start of the third quarter to take the lead. A bucket-and-one by Hampton put GHS back on top 34-32. With Scotlandville leading 42-41, a 3-pointer by Ellsworth with 4:27 remaining put GHS back ahead 44-42, but the Hornets deadlocked the game at 44-44 with 43 seconds remaining. A free throw by Hampton provided the game-winning point with 35 seconds to go and set up a strange ending.
With 7.1 seconds remaining, the ball was inbounded, but the clock didn’t start. One of the officials compensated for the late-starting clock by whistling the frantic closing moments to an end with 2.4 seconds left on the clock.
Hampton and Ellsworth led GHS scoring with 21 and 10 points, respectively, as the Lady Eagles continued to shot poorly, making only 36 percent from the floor (19 of 52, inclusing 3 of 19 beyond the arc) and four of 12 from the line. Hampton and Smith each had eight rebounds. Ellsworth added six assists and six steals.
FARNEY ON THE DISTRICT RACE
“We’ll be off Sunday and then work out on New Year’s Day and Tuesday before playing Cedar Park,” Farney said. “Right now, we want to finish the first half strongly and build momentum going into the second half (when GHS will play five of eight games on the road).”
The Lady Eagles will complete the first round when they play host to Bastrop Cedar Creek at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.
The second half of the race will see GHS playing Pflugerville Connally, Hutto, Bastrop, Rouse and Cedar Creek on the road. Elgin, East View and Cedar Park will visit Eagle Gym.
TOURNAMENT NOTEBOOK: Under rules of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association games against out-of-state teams do not count for or against member teams in the organization’s playoff selection process. . . . Farney invited both the host Holden and Albany coaches to bring their teams to the Jack Frost Invitational Tournament next season . . . . Two GHS sophomores Mercedes Robledo and Hailey Smith made their varsity debuts in the loss to Holden. In fact, Robledo scored the Lady Eagles’ final points in the loss to the Rockets with a 3-pointer. . . . Another highlight of the tournament was a 2-on-3 scrimmage that matched GHS assistant coaches Kellye Richardson (Texas Tech) and Kristin Curtis (Tarleton) against three student managers (Rachel Heine, Madison Rincon and Na’Keia Cook). Richardson and Curtis both displayed some of their old collegiate skills.
ALBANY INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
At Holden (La.) High School
GEORGETOWN 38, DENHAM SPRINGS 23
GHS (38) — Ali Isbell 0-3 0-0 0, Josie Weirich 3-9 2-2 11, Samari O’Brien 0-1 0-0 0, Kylie Ellsworth 1-6 2-4 4, Mackenzy Mouton 1-1 1-2 3, Jaelyn Knight 3-11 1-2 7, Maddie Vickers 1-2 0-1 2, Jade Smith 2-3 1-3 5, McCall Hampton 3-9 0-2 6. 14-45 7-16 38.
DENHAM SPRINGS (23) — Kennedy King 1-2 0-0 2, Raychelle Riley 1-3 0-0 2, Celine Rodriguez 0-0 0-0 0, Kate Thompson 2-16 1-2 5, Desiree Jones 0-7 0-0 0, Moia Robinson 4-10 5-9 13, Tronishia Muse 0-1 1-2 1, Natalie Stewart 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 8-39 7-13 23.
Halftime: GHS, 16-14. 3-point shooting: GHS 3-15 (Isbell 0-3, Weirich 3-9, Ellsworth 0-2, Vickers 0-1); DS 0-4 (King 0-1, Riley 0-2, Thompson 0-1). Rebounds: GHS 37 (Hampton 12, Smith 11, Knight 7). Assists: GHS 9 (Ellsworth 3, Weirich 2, Vickers 2). Steals: 14 (Knight 3, Weirich 3, Mouton 2, Vickers 2). Blocks: GHS 1 (Ellsworth). Turnovers: GHS 13. Total fouls: GHS 13, DS 15. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: none. Records: GHS, 13-6; Denham Springs, 11-7.
HOLDEN 44, GEORGETOWN 35
GHS (35) — Mercedes Robledo 1-1 0-0 3, Isbell 1-2 4-6 6, Weirich 1-3 0-0 2, Hailey Smith 0-0 0-0 0, O’Brien 0-2 0-0 0, Ellsworth 1-5 4-4 7, Mouton 0-0 0-0 0, Knight 1-7 2-3 4, Vickers 1-5 1-2 3, J. Smith 2-5 2-2 6, Hampton 1-2 2-2 4. Totals: 9-32 15-19 35.
HOLDEN (44) — Richardson 3-6 0-0 6, T. Forbes 0-1 0-0 0, W. Sharp 0-1 0-0 0, Hutchinson 0-1 2-2 2, K. Hughes 2-5 4-4 10, Kropog 2-9 0-1 4, A. Fetke 1-4 3-4 5, J. Hughes 7-10 2-6 17. Totals: 15-37 11-17 44.
Halftime: Holden, 25-16. 3-point shooting: GHS 2-6 (Robledo 1-1, Weirich 0-2, Ellsworth 1-2, Knight 0-1); HHS 3-10 (Hutchinson 0-1, Hughes 2-3, Kropog 0-2, Fekete 0-1, Hughes 1-3). Rebounds: GHS 31 (Mouton 6, Smith 6, Vickers 5, Knight 4). Assists: GHS 3 (O’Brien 2). Steals: GHS 10 (Knight 3, Ellsworth 2, Smith 2). Blocks: GHS 3 (Smith 3). Turnovers: GHS 24. Total fouls: GHS 18, HHS 18. Fouled out: HHS, Fekete (fourth, 2:05). Technical fouls: none. Records: GHS, 13-7; Holden, 17-0.
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
At Albany (La.) High School
GEORGETOWN 36, SULPHUR 28 (OT)
GHS (36) — Isbell 2-3 3-6 8, Weirich 0-5 1-2 1, O’Brien 0-2 0-0 0, Ellsworth 2-7 2-2 8, Mouton 0-1 0-0 0, Knight 4-5 1-2 9, Vickers 0-3 0-2, J. Smith 0-1 2-2 2, Hampton 3-3 2-8 8. Totals: 11-30 11-24 36.
SULPHUR (28) — Wyatt 3-11 2-2 8, Navarre 2-7 0-0 4, Richard 3-8 1-2 7, Gunter 3-14 1-2 7, Remie 1-5 0-2 2, Patterson 0-2 0-0 0. Totals: 12-47 4-8 26.
Halftime: Sulphur, 16-15. Regulation: 26-26. 3-point shooting: GHS 3-13 (Isbell 1-2, Weirich 0-5, O’Brien 0-1, Ellsworth 2-4, Vickers 0-1); SHS 0-6 (Wyatt 0-3, Richard 0-1, Gunter 0-1, Tremie 0-1). Rebounds: GHS 29 (Smith 7, Knight 7, Vickers 5, Hampton 5). Assists: GHS 9 (Ellsworth 3, Vickers 2, Smith 2). Steals: GHS 22 (Ellsworth 6, Isbell 4, Hampton 4). Blocks: GHS 1 (Smith). Turnovers: GHS 21. Total fouls: GHS 10, SHS 19, Fouled out: SHS, Gunter . Technical fouls: none. Records: GHS, 14-7; Sulphur, 13-4.
GEORGETOWN 45, SCOTLANDVILLE MAGNET 44
GHS (45) — Robledo 0-0 0-0 0, Isbell 3-7 0-0 6, Weirich 2-5 0-0 6, O’Brien 0-2 0-1 0, Ellsworth 4-13 1-3 10, Mouton 0-1 0-0 0, Knight 1-3 0-0 2, Vickers 0-5 0-0 0, J. Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Hampton 9-16 3-8 21. Totals: 19-52 4-12 45.
SCOTLANDVILLE (44) — Keller 6-16 0-0 14, Alexander 0-4 0-0 0, Lewis 2-4 0-0 4, Spears 7-10 2-2 17, Tate 1-3 1-2 3, Lavergne 3-4 0-0 6. Totals: 19-41 3-4 44.
Halftime: GHS, 31-20. 3-point shooting: GHS 3-19 (Isbell 0-4, Weirich 2-5, O’Brien 0-1, Ellsworth 1-7, Vickers 0-2); SMHS 3-8 (Keller 2-6, Spears 1-02). Rebounds: GHS 33 (Hampton 8, J. Smith 8, Knight 4, Isbell 4). Assists: GHS 13 (Ellsworth 6, J. Smith 3). Steals: GHS 12 (Ellsworth 6, J. Smith 2). Blocks: GHS 3 (J. Smith 2, Knight 1). Turnovers: GHS 21. Total fouls: GHS 11, SMHS 14. Fouled out: SMHS, Lavergne (fourth, :35). Technical foul: SMHS, Tate (third, 3:52). Records: Georgetown, 15-7; Scotlandville Magnet, 11-9.
Source: Lady Eagles Basketball.
DISTRICT 19-5A RACE AT A GLANCE
(Through games of Dec. 19)
Standings: Cedar Park, 6-0; Rouse, 5-1; Georgetown, 5-1; Pflugerville Connally, 4-2; Bastrop, 3-4; Hutto, 2-4; East View, 1-5; Elgin, 1-5; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-6.
Wednesday’s games — Georgetown at Cedar Park, 6:30 p.m.; Hutto at East View, 7 p.m.; Connally at Rouse, 7 p.m.; Elgin at Bastrop, 7 p.m. Bye: Cedar Creek.
Saturday’s games — Cedar Creek at Georgetown, 12:30 p.m.; East View at Elgin, 12:30 p.m.; Cedar Park at Connally, 12:30 p.m.; Rouse at Hutto, 7:30 p.m. Bye: Bastrop.
(End ot the first round)
— By GALEN WELLNICKI