Middle school 7th graders split in Nevada

Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Fort Scott Middle School's Selena Gooderl (35) goes after a loose ball as teammate Dawn Hudiburg (24) screens a Nevada defender during the seventh-grade "A" game at Nevada Tuesday evening. The seventh graders split a doubleheader with the host school. (Floyd Jernigan for Rust Publishing MO-KS)

NEVADA -- Fort Scott Middle School's seventh-grade girls fell just short in the "A" Team game against host Nevada here Tuesday night, 31-29, while the FSMS "B" Team led from the start en route to a 25-19 victory.

The A Team led 10-7 at the end of the first quarter, getting the benefit of a pair of 3-pointers by Sami Bradbury and Ella Beth.

Nevada picked up the pace in the second period though, outscoring the visitors 8-5 to produce a 15-15 tie at the half. Tylin Heathman connected for half of the Nevada points.

The home team kept the momentum in the third period, outscoring Fort Scott 14-7 as Heathman and Kaylee Duncan each netted four points, with three other players connecting.

Beth kept her team in striking range, getting all 7 of the visitors' points, including a 3-pointer. Nevada held a 29-22 edge heading into the final quarter.

Fort Scott held Nevada to only 2 points in the final stanza, both on free throws. While the Tigers put up 7 points, with Beth getting 4 of them, they couldn't quite pull even. Fort Scott was three of six at the free-throw line in that final period.

Beth finished with 18 points to lead FSMS, with Sami Bradbury adding 5 Tylin Heathman led Nevada with 13.

In the B Team game, Fort Scott built a lead early and led 7-4 at the first break and 13-6 at halftime. Both teams had their best scoring quarter of the night with 8 points each in the third, producing a 21-14 margin.

Balanced scoring paced Fort Scott. Addy Williams led with 6 points, Hayley Bean added 5, and Kiran Bailey and Selena Gooderl 4 each and Dawn Hudiburg.

Rebecca Cox had a good night for Nevada, collecting 14 points, with 10 coming in the second half.

The seventh-grade A Team plays in a tournament at Anderson County in Garnett Saturday along with the eighth-grade A Team. The B Team does not play again until next Tuesday, when all four teams will take on Iola at the FSMS gymnasium. Play beings that day with the 7B game at 3:30 p.m.

The FSMS eighth-grade teams played Nevada as well but at a different location. The results will of those games will be published in the Fort Scott Tribune's Friday edition.