Georgetown put down four three-pointers en route to a 23-2 lead after the first quarter as the Lady Eagles posted a 56-36 victory over ninth-place Bastrop Cedar Creek on Saturday at Eagle Gym.
The victory enabled GHS to solidify its hold on third place with a 6-2 record at the conclusion of the first round of the 16-game District 19-5A race. The Lady Eagles stood behind Cedar Park (8-0) and Rouse (7-1) and two games ahead of Pflugerville Connally and Bastrop, which share fourth place at 4-4.
The second half of the race opens Tuesday night with Georgetown, now 16-8 on the season, having its second-round bye. The Lady Eagles will return to action at 7 p.m. Friday when they take to the road to play Connally. The game with the Lady Cougars opens a crucial five-game stretch in which GHS also faces Hutto and Bastrop on the road and Elgin and East View at home.
After using eight points by junior guard Ali Isbell, including a pair of treys, to build their one-sided lead in the opening quarter, the Lady Eagles led 32-14 at the half and 47-24 after three periods. Cedar Creek, which fell to 1-7 and 5-21, cut the Georgetewn advantage to less than 13 points with four minutes and 50 seconds remaining in the second quarter, but could get no closer. GHS held a lead of 20 points or more over the final 9:25 of the contest.
“We got off to the fast start we wanted after Wednesday’s game with Cedar Park,” GHS coach Rhonda Farney said, referring to the Lady Eagles’ 14-4 deficit after the first quarter of their loss to the Timberwolves on Wednesday. “We don’t have a lot of experience with that situation and we struggled to maintain that early momentum.
“We really worked well in transition early. I think it gave us a big shot of confidence.”
However, she pointed to a continued problem for the Lady Eagles.
“We continued not to shoot our free throws well,” Farney said of a 12 of 29 (41 percent) performance at the line. GHS has made less than 50 percent on free throws in five of its last six games. making a combined 40 of 95 (42 percent) in those outings.
Farney was happy to see the Lady Eagles have three players with double-digit scoring totals. Junior forward Jaelyn Knight paced Georgetown scoring with 15 points, while sophomore guard Kylie Ellsworth and Isbell added 13 and 12 points, respectively. However, the Lady Eagles shot only 39 percent from the floor (19 of 48).
It was the 12th time this season that Knight led GHS scoring.
The Lady Eagles did post a 32-27 edge on the boards with 6-foot junior Jade Smith grabbing eight and sophomore forward McCall Hampton and junior guard Samari O’Brien adding five each. GHS also posted a season-high 29 steasls, including six by O’Brien and four each by sophomore post Mackenzy Mouton, senior guard Maddie Vickers and Knight.
Cedar Creek also shot below par with a 34-percent reading (13 of 38). Farney was happy that the Lady Eagles were able to hold district scoring leader Jaelyn Goodloe to eight points. Ashlan Smith led the visiting Lady Eagles with 14 points.
All three of the GHS sub-varsity teams posted late-week victories, including wins by the JV and Freshmen Blue over Cedar Creek. The Freshmen White downed Copperas Cove in a road game on Thursday.
With Graci Harris scoring 14 points, the Freshmen Blue finished the first round of 19-5A play in first place at 8-0.
Setting an example for the Lady Eagles’ varsity, the GHS JV took a 33-2 lead with 2:37 remaining in the first half to run their district record to 7-1 with a 59-12 victory. Sophomore guard Hailey Smith, who missed Wednesday’s loss to Cedar Park, led GHS with 15 points and sophomore forward Mercdes Robledo added 11 points.
Maddie LaCour scored 16 points to lead the GHS Freshman White to its 39-4 victory over Copperas Cove in which the Lady Eagles pitched a shutout in the second half. The White stands 9-3 on the season.
GEORGETOWN VS. CEDAR CREEK
At Eagle Gym, Saturday, Jan. 6
VARSITY
GHS 56, CEDAR CREEK 36
CEDAR CREEK (36) — Jayla Kinney 0-2 0-0 0, Eternity Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Samarippa 1-2 0-0 3, Aaliyah Ybarra 0-0 0-0 0, H. Reeves 0-0 0-0 0, Jayla Gaines 2-9 2-2 8, Jaelyn Goodloe 3-11 2-3 8, Kiera Marlow 0-0 0-0 0, Ashlan Smith 6-12 2-4 14, Danielle Adamez 1-1 1-1 3. Totals: 13-38 7-10 36.
GHS (56) — Ali Isbell 4-7 2-2 12, Josie Weirich 2-6 0-0 6, Samari O’Brien 0-5 0-3 0, Kylie Ellsworth 5-10 1-1 13, Mackenzy Moiuton 0-2 2-2 2, Jaelyn Knight 6-11 3-6 15, Maddie Vickers 0-0 0-0 0, Jade Smith 1-4 0-4 2, McCall Hampton 1-3 4-9 6. Totals: 19-48 12-29 56.
Halftime: GHS, 32-14. 3-point shooting: CC 3-9 (Samarippa 1-1, Gaines 2-4, Goodloe 0-2, Smith 0-2); GHS 6-18 (Isbell 2-5, Weirich 2-6, O’Brien 0-2, Ellsworth 2-5). Rebounds: CC 27 (Smith 11); GHS 32 (Smith 8, Hampton 5, O’Brien 5, Knight 4, Mouton 3, Vickers 3). Assists: GHS 16 (O’Brien 4, Knight 3, Weirich 3). Steals: CC 5, GHS 29 (O’Brien 6, Mouton 4, Knight 4, Vickers 4, Isbell 3, Weirich 3, Ellsworth 3). Blocks: CC 1 (Smith); GHS 1 (Smith). Turovers: CC 30, GHS 15. Total fouls: CC 21, GHS 15. Fouled out: none. Tecnical fouls: none. Records: Cedar Creek, 1-7 in 19-5A, 5-21; Georgetown, 6-2 in 19-5A, 16-8.
DISTRICT 19-5A RACE AT A GLANCE
(Through games of Jan. 6)
Standings: Cedar Park, 8-0; Rouse, 7-1; Georgetown, 6-2; Pflugerville Connally, 4-4; Bastrop, 4-4; East View, 2-6; Hutto, 2-6; Elgin, 2-6; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 1-7.
Saturday’s results — Georgetown 56, Cedar Creek 36; Elgin 45, East View 32; Cedar Park 55,at Connally 31; Rouse 55, Hutto 39. Bye: Bastrop.
(End ot the first round)
Tuesday’s games — Hutto at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.; Elgin at Rouse, 7 p.m.; Bastrop at East View, 7 p.m.; Connally at Cedar Creek, 7 p.m. Bye: Georgetown.
Friday’s games — Georgetown at Connally, 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at Elgin, 7 p.m., Rouse at Bastrop, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Hutto, 7 p.m. Bye: East View.
SUB-VARSITY
(GHS scoring only)
GHS JV 59, CEDAR CREEK JV 12 — Kylee Sander 7, Hailey Hanson 0, Hailey Smith 15, Maya Perry 9, SueEllen Albrecht 0, Mercedes Robledo 11, Kieana San Miguel 9, Alicia King 8. Halftime: GHS, 37-5. GHS record: 7-1 in 19-5A, 18-2.
GHS FRESHMAN BLUE 43. CEDAR CREEK FRESHMAN 22 — Graci Harris 14, Jordayn Stout 6, Vyctorya Lehr 10, Grace Kearney 2, Megan Harring 0, Lauren Woodard 5, Skylar Neugent 6. Halftime: GHS, 26-8. GHS record:GHS, 8-0 in 19-5A, 18-2.
GHS FRESHMAN WHITE 39, COPPERAS COVE FRESHMEN 4 — Natalie Hutchens 0, Kaytie Sander 4, Reece Johnson 4, McKenna Jansen 5, Cheyenne Garcia 6, Abigail Salinas 0, Leia Crissman 4, Maddie LaCour 16. Halftime: GHS, 22-4. GHS record: 9-3. (Played Thursday at Copperas Cove).
Source: Lady Eagles Basketball.
— By GALEN WELLNICKI