BY GALEN WELLNICKI
Georgetown (2-2) will face host Eaton in the consolation finals of the 16-team Eaton Invitational Tournament at noon Saturday in suburban Fort Worth.
After losing to Azle, 33-26, in the opening game on Thurday morning, the Lady Eagles bounced back with a 55-40 win over Cleburne in Thursday afternoon’s consolation quarterfinals and a 40-31 victory over Paradise in Friday morning’s consolation semifinals.
The Lady Eagles will make a major step up in competition when they return home from their first of three tournaments when they face Pflugerville, which was ranked third in 6A in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches’ preseason rankings. The varsity game with the Panthers is set for 7 p.m. in Eagle Gym.
Major shooting woes continued to slow the Lady Eagles in the opener with Azle. they made just 25.7 percent from the floor (nine of 35, including a dismal 2 of 17 beyond the arch). The Class 5A Hornets, who are picked fifth in the district, countered GHS by hitting 42 percent from the floor (12 of 28) and made eight of their nine free throws.
Azle built a 17-8 halftime lead as Savannah Johnson, a 5-foot-11 senior, paced the Hornets with 11 points before fouling out. Veterans Jaelyn Knight and Maddie Vickers led GHS scoring with 10 and nine points, respectively. McCall Hampton, a 5-9 sophomore, grabbed seven rebounds.
In the win over Cleburne, the Lady Eagles used their defense as the major weapon as they built a 47-28 lead after three quarter. GHS held the Yellowjackets to just 13 makes in 48 shots from the floor (27.1 percent).
Georgetown improved its accuracy considerably, making 18 of 40 (45 percent) with Vickers and senior point gurard Josie Weirich, who hade four of seven treys, leading the way with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Hampton pulled down an early season high 12 rebounds and Vickers added 10.
Saying that her team played well in Friday’s win against Paradise, the Lady Eagles limited the Panthers to just 10 hits in 37 shots from the floor (27 percent). No Paradise player scored in double digits with three Panthers finishing with eight each.
GHS outscored Paradise, 14-4, in the final quarter to claim the win after trailing 27-26 after three quarters. Knight, a 5-11 senior, scored 13 points and Hampton grabbed 11 rebounds to pace the Lady Eagles.
Sub-varsity games Tuesday against Pflugerville will have the JV (1-0) facing the Panthers at 5:30 p.m. in Eagle Gym and the Freshman Blue (1-0) tackling their PHS counterpart st 5 p.m. and Freshman White playing the Panthers sat 6:15 p.m. in a pair of games in the lower gym.
Complete GHS statistical rseults:
EATON VARSITY TOURNAMENT
Fort Worth, Nov. 9-11
FRIDAY’S CONSOLATION SEMIFINALS
GHS 40, PARADISE 31
GHS (40) — Ali Isbell 1-4 0-0 3, Josie Weirich 1-6 2-2 5, Samari O’Brien 0-0 0-0 0, Kylee Ellsworth 0-4 0-0 0. Mackenzy Mouton 1-3 3-5 5, Jaelyn Knight 4-8 5-6 13, Maddie Vickers 2-10 1-4, McCall Hampton 3-6 2-2 8. Totals: 12-41 13-19 40.
PARADISE (31) — Saylea Mayfield 0-2 0-0 0, Hadleigh Anothony 0-1 0-0 0, Hunter Rodgers 0-4 2-2 2, Tipton 0-0 1-2 1, Kendall Candioto 0-1 0-0 0, Maddie Mitschke 3-6 2-4 8, Mariah McKinley 3-5 2-2 8, Mary Beth Pearson 1-3 1-2 4, Kaycee Martin 3-15 0-1 8. Totals: 10-37 8-13 31.
Halftime: GHS, 19-18. 3-point shooting: GHS 3-13 (Isbell 1-2, Weirich 1-6, Ellsworth 0-1, Vickers 1-3 Hampton 0-1); PHS 3-14 (Rodgers 0-3, Candioto 0-1, Mitschke 0-1, Pearson 1-3, Martin 2-6). Rebounds: GHS GHS 29 (Hampton 11, Mouton 5, Vickers 5, Knight 4). Assists: GHS 22 (Hampton 6, Mouton 4). Steals: GHS 9 (Vickers 4). Blocks: GHS 1 (Isbell). Turnovers: GHS 9. Total fouls: GHS 15, PHS 17. Fouled out: none. GHS record: 2-2.
THURSDAY’S CONSOLATION QUARTERFINALS
GHS 55, CLEBURNE 40
GHS (55) — Isbell 0-1 0-0 0.Weirich 4-8 0-0 12, O’Brien 2-6 1-1 5, Ellsworth 2-4 0-0 4, Mouton 1-1 3-3 5, Knight 2-9 5-6 9, Vickers 4-6 6-10 14, Hampton 3-5, Totals: 18-40 15-20 55.
CLEBURNE (40) — Caitlyn Cron 4-10 0-0 11, Taylor Coleman 2-6 0-1 4, Moblin 0-2 0-0 0, Maggie Marshall 2-6 0-0 5, Angelica Arsenault 0-1 0-0 0, Chloe Scott 4-12 3-4 13, Abbi Marion 1-6 0-1 2, Jayla Johnson 0-5 5-8 5. Totals: 13-48 8-14 40.
Halftime: GHS, 29-22. 3-point shooting: GHS 4-10 (Isbell 0-1, Weirich 4-7, Ellsworth 0-1, Vickers 0-1); CHS 6-21 (Cron 3-7, Coleman 0-1, Marshall 1-3, Scott 2-5, Marion 0-4, Johndon 0-1). Rebounds: GHS 33 (Hampton 12, Vickers 10). Assists: 32 (O’Brien 7, Weirich 4, Mouton 4, Hampton 4). Steals: GHS 19 (O’Brien 4, Hampton 4, Knight 3, Vickers 4). Blocks: GHS 1 (Vickers). Turnovers: GHS 20. Total fouls: GHS 15, CHS 17. Fouled out: CHS, Johnson. GHS record: 1-2.
THURSDAY’S FIRST ROUND
AZLE 33, GHS 26
GHS (26) — Isbell 0-3 0-0 0, Weirich 1-7 0-2 2, O’Brien 0-0 0-0 0, Ellsworth 0-3 0-0 0, Knight 3-6 4-5 10, Vickers 3-10 1-2 9, Jade Smith 0-1 0-0 0, Hampton 2-5 1-2 5. Totals: 9-35 6-11 26.
AZLE (33) — Regan Sawyer 0-2 0-0 0, Bailey Natusch 3-7 2-2 9, Naudia Smith 0-4 0-0 0, Maria Parkinson 0-0 1-2 1, Autum Johnson 1-3 2-2 4, Harli Wilbanks 4-6 0-0 8, Jenna McKee 0-0 0-0 0, Savanah Johnson 4-6 3-3 11. Totals: 12-28 8-9 33.
Halftime: Azle, 17-8. 3-point shooting: GHS 2-17 (Isbell 0-2, Weirich 0-6, Ellsworth 0-2, Vickers 2-7); AHS 1-8 (Sawyer 0-2, Natusch 1-5, Smith 0-1). Rebounds: GHS 22 (Hampton 7, Smith 5, Knight 4, Weirich 4), Assists: GHS 18 (Ellsworth 4, Knight 4, Vickers 3). Steals: GHS 13 (Smith 5, Hampton 4). Blocks: GHS 0. Turnovers: GHS 21. Total fouls: GHS 12, AHS 12. Fouled out: AHS (Johnson). GHS record: 0-2.
SUB-VARSITY RESULTS
TUESDAY’s GAME
(GHS scoring only)
SALADO 38, FRESHMAN WHITE 31 — Skylar Neugent 16, Cheyenne Garcia 15. Halftime: Salado, 22-15. GHS White record: 0-1.
Statistical source: Lady Eagles Basketball.