The Chapel Hill girls team got off to a quick start. They spread the ball around with ease, and executed nearly every play Coach Scott Long called. On the defensive side they played a tight man to man scheme, forcing turnovers and blocking shots, with nearly every Lady Jaguar possession ending quickly and unsuccessfully. This showed up on the scoreboard as the Lady Panthers breezed through the first quarter leading 19-6.
The second quarter reflected the first as Chapel Hill worked the ball inside and out, scoring in a multitude of ways. In fact, by the middle of the quarter, every Lady Panther starter contributed to the score, with forward Earnicia Washington and guard Kaneisha Mixon leading the way with eight points a piece. Their success on the offensive side fueled their defensive play as New Manchester struggled to gain any offensive rhythm. By halftime, Chapel Hill had seen its big lead extend even further, going up 35-16.
The Lady Panthers did not let their big lead get to their head as the continued to execute on both sides. Washington played big in the post as she scored nine points in the third quarter, while continuing her efficient rebounding. The game appeared to be in hand by the end of the quarter, with Chapel Hill leading 52-32.
The Lady Jaguars did prove something: they would not lay down and concede the game without a fight. In fact, with a little under three minutes remaining, New Manchester narrowed the gap to 10 points. However, it was too little too late as the Lady Panthers controlled the ball in the final minute, sealing the game. Washington led all scoring with 17, while guard Deesha Brefford led the New Manchester scoring with 16, with many of those coming during the attempted comeback.
The boys game began in a strange way. After the opening tipoff, won by New Manchester, the Jaguars scored. Then Chapel Hill Coach Forrest Johnstone immediately took a timeout. He was obviously frustrated with the way the Panther zone defense began the game, and it did not appear as strange because he predicted a trend. Following the timeout, the Jaguars went on to score eight straight points giving them an initial 10-0 lead. This lead put the Panthers in a hole which they could not come out of. The Jaguars continued their attack, with guards Ryan Edwards and Nashon Dortch leading the way. The Panther offense did not help their cause by forcing up difficult shots. As the first quarter ended, the Jaguars had a comfortable 20-8 lead.
The second quarter saw much of the same, with the Jaguars picking up the pace, smelling blood in the water. The Chapel Hill offense finally got to the basket, but missed several key free throw shots that would have made the game closer. New Manchester took advantage and closed out the quarter up 44-15, with Edwards leading the scoring with 11 points.
New Manchester continued to out man and outplay Chapel Hill in the third quarter. Dortch proceeded to light it up from the field once again, and the Jaguar defense wouldn't let anything come easy. Center Glenn Holloway added a few inside points and at the end of the quarter with the score 67-25, the game was over. The Jaguars never lost the lead and never allowed the Panthers to out score them in any quarter. Dortch finished with a game high 14, with Chapel Hill's Terrance Hughes leading their scoring with 10.
Chapel Hill travels to Harralson County on Tuesday, while New Manchester hosts South Paulding on the same day.
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