Fairfield beats EC 60-55

0

The Fairfield High School Lady Lions beat the East Clinton Astros girls team 60-55 Wednesday night at East Clinton High School.

Fairfield was down 22-16 in the first quarter, but things turned around in the second quarter when Fairfield picked up the pace, bringing the score to 32-26 with FHS in the lead.

The Lady Lions appeared to be headed to an easy win, but the Lady Astros rallied to get with one late in the fourth quarter. A Grace Shope three-pointer put FHS back up 53-49. Lacey Peterman had four points in short order to make it a 55-53 EC deficit and Mackenzie Campbell’s free throws made it a one point game 56-55.

But Shope grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed Fairfield free throw to all but seal the win in the waning seconds of the game.

For Fairfield, (1-1 on the year), Shope had 24 points and 11 rebounds. Abigail Newkirk finished with 10 points.

East Clinton, also 1-1, was led by Kaitlin Durbin, who had 14 points and nine rebounds. Bre Davis had eight points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots. Mackenzie Campbell tossed in eight points, grabbed five rebounds and handed out three assists.

East Clinton struggled mightily from the floor in the first quarter, connecting on just 3 of 17 from the floor. Fairfield was a cool 5 for 9 from the floor and led 13-10 after one.

The Lady Lions extended the lead to 16-12 thanks to an early second quarter three by Chloe Barber. But East Clinton found the bank to be open when Bre Davis cashed in from the wing then Mckenzie Campbell tied the game at 16-16 with 5:58 to play in the second.

EC pushed the lead to 22-16 on a three-pointer by Kaitlin Durbin with just under three minutes to go in the second. Trinity Huff scored on a stickback for Fairfield to cut the difference to 22-18. Grace Shope’s three-pointer took the EC lead down to one 22-21.

Barber made it a 7-0 run by the Lady Lions with a bucket and the visitors led 23-22. Davis ended the scoreless drought for EC with a free throw that tied the game 23-23.

Fairfield was just 4 for 16 from the field in the second while EC improved slightly at 4 for 13.

EC was 19 for 62 from the field for the game.

The Lady Lions continued their surge in the third, ultimately posting a 16-4 run when Blake Adams hit a baseline jumper, with an assist to Shope, to make it 32-26.

Fairfield, up 45-36 at the end of three, was a blister 8 for 12 in the third while East Clinton was a still cold 5 for 15. Shope led the Lady Lions with nine points and four rebounds in the period.

In the fourth, East Clinton made a move. Led by Paige Lilly, the Lady Astros drew to within 45-41. But Huff stopped the run with a scoop shot in the lane and a 48-43 Fairfield lead.

The Lady Astros, though, were not done. Kaitlin Durbin paved the way as EC pulled within 50-49, the final basket a Lacey Peterman pass to a slashing Kayla Hall for two. Fairfield called timeout with 4:26 to go in the fourth.

A three-pointer by Shope and two free throws by Abigail Newkirk put Fairfield back up 55-49. Again, EC was not ready to go away quietly. Lacey Peterman, shortly after sister Logan was taken off the court with an injury, scored four straight to make it 55-53. Campbell’s two free throws with 1:18 to play made it 56-55 Fairfield.

Newkirk hit a big layup to give the Lady Lions 58-55 advantage with a minute to play in the fourth. Shope then grabbed an offensive rebound off a Fairfield missed free throw with less than 30 seconds to play to all but seal the win.

(BOX SCORES)

Fairfield 60 East Clinton 55

F 13.10.22.15…..60

E 10.13.13.19…..45

(60) FAIRFIELD (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Newkirk 4-0-2-10 Shope 9-3-3-24 C. Arnold 2-0-1-5 L. Arnold 0-0-0-0 Reiber 0-0-1-1 Huff 2-0-0-4 Barber 2-1-0-5 Tate 0-0-2-2 Young 0-0-0-0 Sowards 0-0-0-0 Adams 2-0-2-6 Barnes 0-0-3-3. TOTALS 21-4-14-60

(45) EAST CLINTON (fg-3fg-ft-tp) La. Peterman 3-0-1-7 Campbell 3-0-2-8 Lilly 2-0-2-6 Lo. Peterman 2-0-0-4 Beener 0-0-0-0 Durbin 4-2-4-14 Davis 2-0-4-8 Christian 0-0-0-0 Hall 2-0-2-6. TOTALS 19-2-15-55

FIELD GOALS: F 21-44 (Shope 9-21 Newkirk 4-5); EC 19-62

3 PT FIELD GOALS: F 4-9 (Shope 3-5); EC 2-11

FREE THROWS: F 14-28; EC 15-24

REBOUNDS: F-35 (Shope 11 Adams 9); EC-35 (Durbin 9 Davis 7 Campbell 5 Hall 3)

ASSISTS: F-7; EC-7 (Campbell 3)

STEALS: F-6 (Shope 3); EC-10 (Lilly 2 Durbin 2 Davis 2)

BLOCKED SHOTS: F-5 (Barnes 2); EC-4 (Davis 3)

TURNOVERS: F-23; EC-14

Mark Huber is the sports editor for The Wilmington News Journal. He can be reached at 937-382-2574.

Grace Shope shoots Wednesday night at East Clinton High School.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2016/11/web1_fDSC_089720161130222514608.jpgGrace Shope shoots Wednesday night at East Clinton High School. Elizabeth Clark photo

Grace Shope led the Fairfield High School Lady Lions Wednesday night at East Clinton with 24 points.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2016/11/web1_fDSC_086820161130222521255.jpgGrace Shope led the Fairfield High School Lady Lions Wednesday night at East Clinton with 24 points. Elizabeth Clark photo
Lady Lions now 1-1 this season

By Mark Huber

The Wilmington News Journal

No posts to display