4-4A co-champ FHS ends streak, rallies past BHS
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Mya Johnston (11), Farragut senior wing, looks to drive against Natalya Hodge, Bearden sophomore point guard, during this District 4-4A showdown. - Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
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Annie Priest of Farragut, left, a junior point guard, closely guards BHS junior wing Kendall Anne Murphy at FHS Thursday, Feb. 8. - Photo courtesy of Carlos Reveiz/crfoto.com
It was a fittingly exciting game between two long-time rivals. It included numerous scoring streaks, an ejected coach and a down-to-the-wire finish.
When it was over, Farragut High School’s girls’ basketball team came from behind to defeat Bearden 42-38 Thursday night, Feb. 8, in FHS’s Lynn E. Sexton Gymnasium, earning the upcoming District 4-4A Tournament’s No. 1 seed, finishing 9-1 as regular season 4-4A co-champs with the Lady Bulldogs.
It was the first time in more than six years the Lady Admirals (17-11 overall) prevailed over their district rival, which ended a 19-game losing streak.
Down 38-37, Farragut responded, as junior guard Annie Priest drained a three with 24 seconds left in the game to give Farragut a 40-38 lead. Bearden then missed two threes, and when the Lady Ads rebounded, BHS had to foul junior guard Jaci Neubert.
Neubert calmly sank both free throws, and the Lady Admirals had the Bearden monkey off their backs.
“Our girls just battled,” FHS head coach Jason Mayfield said. “We got stop after stop after stop (down the stretch). Annie makes a huge three there to take the lead. Jaci finished it off with free throws. It was a great team effort.”
“We have a lot more work to do, but this definitely gives us a lot of confidence going forward,” Priest said.
In a span of 27 seconds in the third quarter, Lady Dawgs head coach Justin Underwood received two technical fouls and had to leave the gym. He thought it might have affected his team’s play.
“For our kids that’s a tough situation to play through,” Underwood said. “We gotta come back around and get ready for playoff basketball.”
Scoring streaks dominated the game’s first three quarters. Down 2-0, Farragut scored seven straight to lead 7-2. Bearden (25-2 starting the week) came right back with nine in a row to lead 11-7 early in the second.
From 6:25 to 2:54 in the second, FHS reeled off 12 straight to lead 19-11, only to see the Lady Bulldogs retake the lead, 20-19, with another nine-point run. Bearden led at half, 22-21.
Underwood’s technicals gave Farragut four free throws, but it made only one. The third quarter ended with BHS leading 31-28.
Twice Bearden led by six in the fourth. Guard Natalya Hodge’s lay-up with 3:59 left gave the Lady Dawgs a 38-33 lead. Neubert then made consecutive lay-ups, cutting the BHS edge to 38-37, setting up the dramatic finish.
“It gives us a lot of momentum going into the postseason,” Mayfield said.
Neubert and senior wing Mya Johnston each scored 13 for Farragut.
The Lady Bulldogs were led by Hodge with 13 points.
