Lady Tigers tame rival Florala, earn regional bid
Published 2:00 pm Wednesday, February 15, 2023
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Red Level held off a late push by Florala and kept its season alive with a 64-53 win in a 1A South Sub-Regional girls’ game Tuesday, Feb. 14.
RLS pushed its season record to 14-6 overall, while FHS ended the year at 11-13.
Both teams began the game with strong offenses as the action went back and forth in the opening period. Kaitlyn Beverly gave the Lady Tigers a quick 3-0 lead. Kendra Anthony then put the Lady Wildcats on the board before Alyssa Thames knocked down a three for a 5-3 lead. Elizabeth Cross followed suit and started a 7-0 run. Mariah Crowell sank two free throws and scored a jumper for a 10-5 lead. Abbie Bolden cut the deficit to three with a layup as Elizabeth Sanders made it rain for a 10-10 tie. After Thames blistered the net from downtown, Crowell and Cross each scored baskets for a 16-13 lead after one.
Red Level increased its lead to nine at the start of the second. Layups by Summer and Kaitlyn Beverly along with a jumper from Cross took the score to 22-13. Anthony broke the scoreless drought at the 3:22 mark and finished with four points, but Florala trailed 28-17 at halftime.
K. Beverly dazzled with 12 points in the third including two three-pointers and a perfect four-of-four showing at the line. Anthony made three field goals, while Megan Odom got in the scoring column with four points. Boldin and Cross each collected four in the frame as RLS built a 45-31 lead after three.
FHS closed the hole down to nine after Thames and Boldin drained threes at 52-43 with 3:52 left in the game. After the score grew to 55-43, the Lady Wildcats went on a 10-1 run and only trailed 56-53. Thames made two free throws before Anthony erupted with eight straight points. The Lady Tigers stiffened up on defense and did not allow another point, while the offense ended the contest on an 8-0 run.
K. Beverly led RLS with 24 points as Crowell was next at 21. Cross earned 15 points in the win, and S. Beverly chipped in four. Anthony paced FHS with 24 points, and Thames had 11 in the loss. Boldin and Odom notched nine and six, respectively.
Red Level advances to the South Regional at Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery on Monday, Feb. 20, against Marengo at 6 p.m.
In other girls’ sub-regional action Tuesday, Andalusia ended the season with a 57-34 loss at Montgomery Catholic.