By JOHN ROARK
john.roark@register-news.com
BLUFORD — In a sloppy game of spurts, it was simply one streak the Webber Township High School girls basketball team couldn’t overcome.
Olivia Clark scored eight of her 17 points during a 19-2 Wayne City run, leading the visiting Lady Indians to a 47-37 win on the Lady Trojans’ court, opening Midland Trail Conference play.
In a foul-plagued first half — there were 16 fouls in a first period that ended with WC ahead 8-7 — Webber (0-2, 0-1) led 5-0 and 7-2 in the early stages.
However, foul trouble — leading scorer Shanna Lumpkins was eventually disqualified without netting a point — caused Webber plenty of problems.
Time and time again early, the Trojans fouled in frustration. To boot, WC went to a 1-2-2 zone defense which forced the hosts to shoot from the perimeter, with little or no success.
Even when the Trojans were given chances to produce points, they struggled, making just 7 of 23 foul shots.
Wayne City emerged a 22-16 leader at the half, but an 8-0 Webber run — capped by two baskets from Hailey Martin — gave Josh Smith’s squad its last lead, 24-22. Martin’s weak-side putback ended the streak.
Wayne City, using its speed in point guard Megan Withrow and size inside with Clark, then made its move. Clark scored four times, Withrow did twice, and the Indians had built a 36-26 lead at the third break.
By the time WC got a putback from Clark, the Indians had a 41-26 lead and the contest was over.
Withrow finished with 17 points, Clark 15. Martin added 11 for Webber.
The Trojans host Goreville tonight, then play Saturday in the Edwards County Thanksgiving tournament, where they will meet Palestine/Hutsonville at 6 p.m.
Wayne City 47, Webber 37
Wayne City 8 14 14 11—47
Webber 7 9 10 11—37
WAYNE CITY (1-1, 0-1)
Torres 2 1-2 5, MWithrow 7 3-4 17, TWithrow 1 2-6 4, Bradford 0 0-0 0, OClark 7 1-2 15, Stephenson 1 0-0 2, Burner 1 0-0 2, SHedden 0 1-2 1, Spicer 0 1-3 1. Totals 19 9-19 47
WEBBER (0-2, 0-1)
Lumplkins 0 -0 0, Martin 5 1-7 11, Laird 3 1-2 7, McLaughlin 3 0-2 6, Snow 1 2-6 4, Ellington 0 3-6 3, Dobbs 1 0-0 2, Walker 1 0-0 2, Girvan 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 7-23 37
Team fouls — Wayne City 21, Webber 21. Fouled out — Lumpkins, Ellington.
Preliminary: Webber 37-28.
woodlawn 56, Noble 34
NOBLE — Whitney Lowery scored the game’s first basket on a lob pass, and Alexa Capps and Leah Sutton took turns scoring the Lady Cardinals’ next 32 points.
As a result, the Lady Cardinals were victorious in their Midland Trail Conference opener.
“(Noble) sagged back into a zone early to take away our inside game,” Woodlawn coach Eric Helbig said, “and left Alexa and Leah open from the outside. Alexa just got hot and carried us through the first quarter and gave us a lot of confidence.”
By the first stop, WHS (2-0, 1-0) led 25-8, but struggled through the second quarter before taking a 34-14 halftime lead.
“They switched up to a little gimmick defense in the second quarter to try and take away Alexa,” Helbig said. “To that end it worked. It took a little while, but eventually we were able to make something happen against it too.”
WHS then outscored the hosts 19-5 in the third period to put the game away.
Capps hit five of six 3-pointers, finishing with 23 points. Sutton added 15 and Mallory Hapeman nine.
“It was nice to go on the road and start out the conference season with a win,” Helbig said. “We know that we still have a long way to go before we reach our potential, but this was a good start.”
Woodlawn meets host Edwards County at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the Lady Lions Invitational.
Woodlawn 56, Noble 34
Woodlawn 25 9 19 3—56
Noble 8 6 5 15—34
WOODLAWN (2-0, 1-0)
Verhines 1 0-2 2, Renaiud 0 1-2 1, Lowery 3 0-0 6, Capps 9 0-0 23, Hapeman 2 5-6 9, Sutton 6 1-4 15. Totals 21 7-14 56
CISNE (1-1, 0-1)
Lamb 1 0-0 2, Thomas 4 0-0 8, Ash 6 0-12 14, Payne 1 0-0 2, Taylor 2 0-0 4, Michels 1 0-0 2, Reynolds 1 0-0 2. Totals 16 0-2 34
3-point goals — Woodlawn 7 (Capps 5, Sutton 2), Cisne 2 (Ash).
