WMVO Good Times Great Oldies
In a packed gym in Centerburg Wednesday Night Centerburg and Freddies Girls Basketball teams faced off with the winner claiming the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference outright. The game started fast with a basket by Centerburg’s Tiara Sheppard just 26 seconds into the game. Fredericktown’s Mya Bryant answered almost a minute and a half later to tie the game. After Lauren Ellis hit one of two free throws Cally Carpenter got her first points nailing a three from the left wing and followed that up with another score to give the Freddies a 7-3 lead with 220 to go in the opening quarter. Kayla got on the board for the Trojans with a lay in and Sheppard followed to tie the game at 7 with 115 left in the period before Cally Carpenter made 1/2 free throws with 51 seconds left in the period to give the Lady Freddies an 8-7 lead after the first quarter.
Mya Bryant got going for the Lady Freddies in the second quarter with a free throw and Lauren Ellis of Centerburg made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 9 at the 710 mark. Bryant and Larimore traded makes a minute and 49 seconds apart and Larimore missed two free throws as the game remained tied. After Ella Bouton got a three for her first points Bryant followed up with a score to give the Freddies a 16-11 win. Larimore hit two free throws and Kennedy Algire scored at the rim for the Freddies to make it 18-13 Fredericktown at the half.
In the third quarter the Freddies opened up a ten point lead on a Bryant score and Carpenter three. Larimore scored for Centerburg but Bryant answered to give the Lady Freddies a 25-15 lead with 534 to go in the quarter. Kenlee Fairall got in on the scoring action with a three with 449 left to get the Trojans closer and Ellis made it a 25-20 game with 429 left in the third. Carpenter got a bucket before Ellis hit a three to make it 27-23 Fredericktown with 338 to got in the period. Larimore then got a shot to go and was fouled, after her made free throw Fredericktown led by 3 with 224 left in the period. Bryant pushed the lead to five and Larimore hit 1/2 free throws. Carpenter got a 2 with 20 seconds left before Larimore hit a pair of free throws to make it 33-29 Freddies after 3.
In the fourth quarter Centerburg edged closer on a score by Kenlee Fairall but Carpenter answered 29 seconds later to push the lead back to 4. Kenlee Fairall then hit a three to get the game back within one before Bryant scored for the Lady Freddies who led by 3 with 636 left. Kenlee Fairall got the Lady Trojans back within one again before Carpenter hit a 3 to give the Freddies a 4 point cushion with 607 to go. Kenlee Fairall continued her fourth quarter dominance with a score but an answer on a three by Ella Bouton 15 seconds later gave the Freddies a five point lead with just over five minutes to go. Carpenter scored 4 straight after a pair of missed Trojans free throws and Chesnee Fairall got a bucket for Centerburg before an Evie Stowe three got it to 47-43. Larimore made it a two point game with a score with 123 left. The Freddies were patient and Bouton hit 1/2 free throws and Centerburg couldn’t convert on offense again. Cally Carpenter iced the game with a pair of free throws to send the Freddies to a KMAC Title 50-45.
The Freddies improved to 16-3 and finished 12-2 in the KMAC. Centerburg fell to 16-3 and finished 11-3 in the KMAC.
Cally Carpenter had 24 to lead all scorers and Mya Bryant added 17. Kenlee Fairall scored 11 for Centerburg, Kayla Larimore had 16 for Centerburg.