Skip to content

Rutherford girls finish second in Blue Suede Invitational

By Lori Cathey

Saturday afternoon the Rutherford Lady Pirates and McKenzie battled it out for the Blue Suede Invitational Girls A Championship, but the Lady Pirates fell 43-35 to the Lady Rebels.

Rutherford defeated Bethel Springs 31-16 in the opening round of the tournament and won Jan. 21 in overtime against Savannah Christian 31-26 in the semifinals. The Lady Pirates had three players named to the All-Tournament team; they were Libby Goad, Sayde Wright and Evyn Cantrell.

In the championship gamem the Lady Pirates jumped out to an early 8-5 lead behind a steal and lay-up by Libby Goad, lay-up from Evyn Cantrell and pull up jumper and lay-up by Maya Turner. McKenzie followed with a 10-2 run to take a 15-10 lead. Cantrell made a pull up jumper with three seconds to end the quarter with McKenzie leading 15-12.

McKenzie opened the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers from Briley Auvenshire and Kylie Reynolds to extend the Lady Rebels’ lead to 21-12. The Lady Pirates battled back with a 6-2 run to pull within four points behind a pull up jumper and a 3-point shot from Cantrell and offensive rebound putback by Turner. McKenzie held a 23-19 lead at the half.

The Lady Pirates came out cold in the third quarter and were outscored 15-5, with Cantrell scoring all five points for Rutherford. McKenzie took a 38-24 lead going into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Pirates outscored McKenzie 11-9 in the fourth quarter with Ellie Carson, Goad and Cantrell all scoring in the quarter but lost 43-35 to McKenzie in the championship game.

Leading the way for the Lady Pirates was Evyn Cantrell with 20 points. Libby Goad added 7 points; Maya Turner, 6 points and Ellie Carson, 2 points.

Bethel Springs started the Blue Suede Invitational by taking a 9-8 lead at the end of the first quarter with Rutherford’s Evyn Cantrell scoring 5 of the 8 points on a 3-pointer and a lay-up. Carly Warren added a 3-pointer.

In the second quarter, both teams scored four points with Sayde Wright scoring all the points for Rutherford. The Lady Pirates were down by a point at the half.

The Lady Pirates held Bethel Springs scoreless in the third quarter with Lexus Kemp, Libby Goad and Cantrell all scoring to give Rutherford a 22-13 lead. Rutherford outscored Bethel Springs 9-3 in the fourth quarter, with Ellie Carson, Maya Turner, Goad and Cantrell scoring for the Lady Pirates.

Scoring for the Lady Pirates was Evyn Cantrell with 12 points; Ellie Carson and Lexus Kemp with 4 points each; Libby Goad and Carly Warren with 3 points each; and Maya Turner, 1 point.

Monday night’s game between the Lady Pirates and Savannah Christian was a nail biter. Both teams came out playing hard for an 8-8 tie to end the first quarter. Libby Goad hit a 3-pointer; Evyn Cantrell and Sayde Wright also made baskets in the quarter.

The Lady Pirates were outscored 6-4 in the second quarter, with Wright and Cantrell each scoring a basket. Savannah Christian had a 14-12 lead at halftime.

The Lady Pirates came out in the third quarter and outscored Savannah Christian 7-6 to pull within a point (20-19). In the fourth quarter, all five points for the Lady Pirates were scored by Cantrell to force the game into overtime tied at 24-all.

In overtime, Maya Turner scored a basket, Cantrell was 4-of-4 from the free throw line and Goad added a free throw for a 31-26 victory to advance to the championship game. Evyn Cantrell was the Lady Pirates’ leading scorer with 19 points. Sayde Wright had 6 points; Libby Goad, 4 points and Maya Turner, 2 points.

Leave a Comment