Straughn led 18-0 after the first period and rolled to a 55-19 victory over Red Level Monday night to start its annual girls Thanksgiving tournament at home.

The Lady Tigers employed the use of varied defenses from the start to force easy turnovers and buckets.

SHS coach Scott Kinsaul said he thought the girls got off to a good start.

“I think (RLS) coach (Allen) Catrett is going to do a great job with the (RLS),” Kinsaul said. ” I have a lot of respoect for him and what he does. It’s tough to coach two teams.

“We just got off to a good start and (took advantage on) a lot of turnovers and stopped them,” he said. “A lot of the credit goes to the defense.”

SHS sophomore guard Brentley Armstrong got a steal and went to the basket late in the first to give SHS a 9-0 cushion. A short time later, junior forward Jacie Williamson added another steal and a lay up for a 11-0 lead.

Catrett, who is coaching both boys and girls at RLS, had to burn two of his 30-second time outs within the first 4:26 of the game.

That didn’t matter because the girls are going to learn from this experiend and today is another day to get better, Catrett said.

“I knew that from the beginning of the season that turnovers are something we’re really going to have to work hard on,” the Red Level coach said. “We’re just going to have to continue to keep working on what we’re doing at practice. We’re just going to have to rep it, and rep it and rep it until you can get better. That’s all you can do.”

Red Level finally put points on the board with 5:48 left in the second period. Sophomore guard Deonna Harris made the front-end of a pair of free shots.

SHS took a 20-2 lead a short time later, thanks to junior Katelyn Kinsaul’s put back off of an offensive rebound.

SHS led 22-5 at halftime.

For most of the game, coach Kinsaul put in a lot of his younger girls, allowing them to gain experience on the floor.

SHS led 31-7 with 5:37 left in the third period after a free throw from junior guard Emily Wood, and then a rebound, and-1 from Williamson.

Gantt later drove the lane for SHS to put the lead to 38-11.

Straughn led 45-13 going into the fourth period.

RLS started out quick in the final eight minutes, where there was a running clock.

SHS junior guard Janelle Nurse drained one of her three 3-pointers with 4:31 left to give the hometown Lady Tigers a healthy 51-17 lead. Nurse finished with 11 points, as did Gantt.

Williamson led SHS with 17 points.

Quick and speedy junior guard Kayla Hinson led RLS with nine points. Shelby Holley chipped in eight.

In other action, Straughn’s JV suad fell 72-25 to Brantley. Payton Burnett led BHS with 22 points. Amanhi Upshaw put in 17.

BHS plays Houston Academy, who had a bye in the first round, tonight at 6.

Straughn tips off against Luverne tonight at 7:30, while Red Level plays Pleasant Home in the loser’s bracket at 4:30.