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(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Camren Mallory tries to steal possession of the ball during the Throckmorton district opener Friday, Jan. 3. Mallory had a total of six points in the game which ended with a big 59-28 win to open district play. -
(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Catherine Youngblood jumps over a Throckmorton defender to score a shot during the Friday, Jan. 3 district opener. The team came away with a 59-28 win to start out their district. -
(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Kenna Mahan looks for an open Ladycats player during the Friday, Jan. 3 matchup against Throckmorton. The district-opening game was a huge win for the team as it set sights on another championship win.
The Newcastle Ladycats controlled all aspects of the court last week against Throckmorton and scored a dominating 59-28 win to open district play.
Eleven points was the highest the Lady Hounds would score in a quarter overall throughout the game Friday, Jan. 3, with the Ladycats making key plays to keep possession and control across the court.
A key player for the Newcastle team was senior Mattie Dollar, whose experience on the court was on full display during the game. Dollar scored almost half of the points on the board for the Ladycats, with 28 overall.
The game started in the first quarter with the Lady Hounds putting up a fight with a final score of 17-11, with Newcastle ahead. It was in the second quarter where the Ladycats not only showed their spirit, but their experience.
Dollar scored 13 of the 23 points scored in the second quarter, with Catherine Youngblood scoring six points and Emma Hawkins and Allison Melton scoring two points to bring the total to 40-15 leading into the second half.
With 25 points on the Throckmorton team, the Ladycats continued to bring the heat and the Lady Hounds managed to halt some scoring from the Newcastle team.
With 20 seconds left on the scoreboard, a 2-point layup shot by Kenzie King closed out the third quarter, and the Ladycats were ahead 33 points with the score at 50-17.
The Lady Hounds looked to lessen that scoring gap and managed to make some plays in the fourth quarter, with the last 11 points made in the final two minutes of the game. Despite their ferocity at the end, the Throckmorton team could not match the fire of the Ladycats and the final score was 59-28.
Dollar led in scoring with 28 points, followed by Camren Mallory with eight points, Youngblood with seven points, Sophie Terrell with six points, Kinsey Hawkins with five points, Kenna Mahan with three points and King with two points.
The Ladycats are looking to secure another championship this year, following last year’s victory over the Turkey Valley Lady Patriots. After traveling Tuesday, Jan. 7 to face Perrin, the team will return home for a matchup against Bryson.
