Beating 4-AAA co-leader by 39, Lady Ads start 8-0
After defensive gem at LC, FHS boys can’t sustain rallies vs. West
Farragut freshman Avery “Ace” Strickland (13) breaks away from the West defense on a fastbreak as teammates, including freshman Keeleigh Rogers (immediately behind in white uniform), look to help. The Lady Admirals crushed the Lady Runnin’ Rebels 80-41 in a District 4-AAA showdown of unbeatens in FHS’s Lynn E. Sexton Gymnasium Friday night, Nov. 30. Strickland scored eight points in the victory. Senior wing Morgan Carbaugh’s 23 points led the way for Farragut, improving to 8-0 overall, 2-0 in 4-AAA. West lost for first time overall, 4-1, and suffered its first district loss (2-1).
Led by senior wing Morgan Carbaugh’s game-high 23 points, Farragut improved to 8-0 overall, 2-0 in district, destroying West (4-1, 2-1) 80-41 in FHS’s Lynn E. Sexton Gymnasium Friday, Nov. 30.
Senior post/wing Brooke Christian and senior wing Sydney Chapman each added 12 points for the Lady Ads, followed by Madison Hodge, Avery Strickland and Claire Wyatt scoring eight each.
Macy Barnes added six points and Keeleigh Rogers three.
But for the FHS boys (2-6, 1-1), “We just couldn’t quite get over the hump,” Admirals skipper Jon Higgins said about his team’s rallies, from down 22-9 and 40-28, versus unbeaten West (5-0, 3-0) without catching up — losing 65-57 last Friday at FHS.
However, “I thought we showed heart, we showed resilience coming back,” Higgins added.
“We’re a young team, an inexperienced team, and we’re learning each and every day.”
A 11-0 run in the third quarter pulled Farragut to within a point, 40-39, late in the quarter.
“For a stretch there in the third quarter I thought we executed pretty well offensively,” Higgins said. “That’s been our biggest hitch so far this season is our execution offensively.
“We’ve just got to learn, as the game gets tighter we’ve got to play smarter and make smarter decisions,” he added.
“It’s like we dig out of a hole, but then we’re right back in it a couple of possessions later,” said Will Brown, senior guard/forward who led Farragut in scoring with 13 points. Junior post Alec Keathley scored 11, junior point guard Robby Geron added 10 points and freshman guard Dillon Atwell ended with eight.
However, “I thought Jude Wren (senior wing) played a really good game, especially in the second half. He’s really worked hard,” Higgins said. Wren had two points.
West guard Xavier Davis led all scorers with 24 points.
In Farragut’s 43-36 district win at Lenoir City Tuesday, Nov. 27, “Our defensive effort in that game was great,” Higgins said.
“I thought Will Brown the last couple of games has been pretty good as far as being aggressive offensively — and rebounding, he’s done an excellent job.”
