“Sometimes its just good to win,” Georgetown coach Rhonda Farney said after her Lady Eagles downed Hutto, 36-27, in a District 19-5A games Tuesday night at Eagle Gym.
The victory left GHS 2-0 in the nine-team district race on the heals of Cedar Park and Rouse, who both stand 3-0 going into Friday’s action. The Lady Eagles, now 9-5, on the season, will travel to Elgin for a 7 p.m. battle with the 1-2 Lady Wildcats, who edged Bastrop Cedar Creek, 58-52, on Tuesday. Elgin has dropped district battles to Rouse, 65-48, and Cedar Park, 58-24.
During Tuesday’s game, Georgetown led by as many as five twice in the first half at 11-6 and 13-8 and the Lady Hippos tok a four-point edge in the third quarter at 19-15. The Lady Eagles did lead 13-10 at the half and 20-19 after three quarters.
A field goal by Hutto’s Dashia Williams with seven minutes and 18 seconds remaining in the game, put the Lady Hippos ahed 21-20. However, Georgetown turned up the defense and scored 12 unanswered points as Hutto suddenly had trouble getting the ball down the court and putting up quality shots.
Senior guard Josie Weirich started the rally with a 3-pointer, sophomore forward McCall Hampton added a bucket, senior Maddies Vickers scored on a breakaway off a steal, Hampton added a free throw, junior forward Jaelyn Knight canned two free throws and Hampton added another bucket. GHS was ahead 32-21 with 2:23 to play.
Hutto tried to come back with back-to-back treys by Tamryn Burks and Emma Jones. The score stood 32-27 with 1:52 remaining.
However, The 5-foot-11 Knight concluded the night’s scoring with pairs of free throws at 46 seconds and 16 seconds.
“We got good leadership out there from Jaelyn, Maddie and Josie down the stretch,” Farney said. “We also had a great crowd backing us.”
It wasn’t artful basketball for the Lady Eagles as the made just nine of their 37 shots from the floor (24 percent) and only three of 18 beyond the arch, including two by Knight, who usually confines her shooting within the arc. GHS made 15 of 22 at the free throw line. Both teams grabbed 23 rebounds (the 5-9 Hampton has six for GHS), 6-0 junior Jade Smith blocked two shots and the Lady Eagles forced 21 turnovers.
“If we need two three-pointers from Jaelyn to win, I’m not going to complain about it,” Farney said.
Knight and Vickets combined for 28 of their teams 36 points with 15 and 13, respectively.
Hutto only got off 24 shots, making 10. No Lady Hippo scored more than eight points.
Georgetown will complete its pre-Christmas district schedule, playing host to Bastrop at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12; visiting East View at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, as part of a boys and girls varsity doubleheader and entertain Rouse on Tuesday, Dec. 19.
Georgetown swept all three sub-varsity games with Hutto. The JV won, 43-24, behind 12 points by Mercedes Robledo. The Freshman Blue took a 38-23 win with Graci Harris scoring 14 and the Freshman White prevailed 33-10 with Maddie LaCour pouring in 19 points.
The JV and Freshman Blue will play Elgin at 5:30 p.m. Friday and the Freshman White will play in the Austin Bowie Tournament on Saturday.
DISTRICT 19-5A GAME
At Eagle Gym, Tuesday, Dec. 5
GEORGETOWN 36, HUTTO 27
HUTTO (27) — Shyniaa Haynes-Wesley 1-1 1-2 3, Emma Jones 1-2 0-0 3, Tamryn Burks 3-6 0-0 8, Whitney Camero 0-1 0-0 0, Manuella Shomba 0-4 2-2 2, Catherine Hosek 0-0 0-0 0, Keyla Foster 1-4 1-4 3, Dashia Williams 4-6 0-0 8, Mikayla Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 10-24 4-8 26.
GHS (36) — Ali Isbell 0-5 0-0 0, Josie Weirich 1-5 0-0 3, Samari O’Brien 0-2 0-0 0, Kylie Ellsworth 0-2 0-1 0, Mackenzy Mouton 0-0 0-0 0, Jaelyn Knight 3-11 7-9 15, Maddie Vickers 4-5 5-8 13, Jade Smith 0-3 0-0 0, McCall Hampton 1-4 3-4 5. Totals: 9-37 15-22 36.
Halftime: GHS, 13-8. 3-point shooting: HHS 3-7 (Jones 1-1, Burks 2-4, Camero 0-1, Shomba 0-1); GHS 3-18 (Isbell 0-5, Weirich 1-5, O’Brien 0-1, Ellsworth 0-2, Knight 2-4, Vickers 0-1). Rebounds: HHS 23, GHS 23 (Hampton 6, Knight 5, Vickers 4). Assists: GHS 6 (Isbell 3). Steals: GHS 24 (Vickers 7, Hampton 4, Isbell 3, Knight 3, Smith 3). Blocks: GHS (Smith 2). Turnovers: HHS 21, GHS 11. Total fouls: HHS 16, GHS 10. Fouled out: none. Tehnical fouls: Hutto bench (4th, 3:44). Records, Hutto, 1-2 in 19-5A, 4-9; GHS, 2-0 in 19-5A, 9-5.
DISTRICT 19-5A RACE AT A GLANCE
Standings: Cedar Park, 3-0; Rouse, 3-0; Georgetown, 2-0; Pflugerville Connally, 1-1; Bastrop, 1-2; Hutto, 1-2; Elgin, 1-2; East View, 0-2; Bastrop Cedar Creek, 0-3.
Tuesday’s results: Georgetown 36, Hutto 27; Rouse 42, East View 39; Cedar Park 53, Bastrop 38; Elgin 58, Cedar Creek 52. Bye: Connally.
Friday’s games: Georgetown at Elgin, 7 p.m.; Cedar Park at East View, 7 p.m.; Cedar Creek at Bastrop, 7 p.m.; Connally at Hutto, 7 p.m. Bye: Rouse.
Tuesday (Dec. 12) games: Bastrop at Georgetown, 7 p.m.; East View at Cedar Creek, 7 p.m.; Rouse at Cedar Park, 7 p.m.; Elgin at Connally, 7 p.m. Bye: Hutto.
SUB-VARSITY
(GHS scoring only)
GEORGETOWN JV 43, HUTTO JV 24 — Kylee Sander 8, Hailey Hanson 6, Hailey Smith 9, Maya Perry 2, Mercedes Robledo 12, Sueellen Albrecht 0, Keiana San Miguel 4, Alicia King 2. Halftime: GHS, 24-5. GHS record: 12-1.
GEORGETOWN FFRESHMAN BLUE 38, HUTTO FRESHMAN A 23 — Meagan Wolfe 0, Garci Harris 14, Jordyn Stout 3, Megan Herring 9, Lauren Woodard 6, Skylar Neugent 6. Halftime: GHS, 32-9. GHS record: 12-2.
GHS FRESHMAN WHITE 33, HUTTO FRESHMAN B 10 — Natalie Hutchens 0, Kaytie Sander 0, Reece Johnson 3, Lizzette Rodriguez 0, McKenna Jansen 0, Cheyenne Garcia 7, Abigal Salinas 2, Leia Crissman 2, Maddie LaCour 19. Halftime: GHS, 6-4. GHS record: 5-3.
Source: Lady Eagles Basketball.
— By GALEN WELLNICKI