It was regional basketball time in Hennessey last Thursday night (2/23). Another Eagle vs Eagle matchup as Hennessey took on Sayre.
The lady eagles were one loss away from being bumped out of the playoffs today (Feb 23rd) vs the Sayre Eagles. Sayre won the tip-off and immediately hit a 3 on the wing, followed by a fast break layup. Emily Goff responded right back with a bucket of her own. After a turnover, Sayre was able to put together a put back and-one, missing the free throw, and a three on back-to-back possessions, to give themselves an 11-2 lead with 4:36 to go in the first.
Kadee Meeker responded well though, hitting back-to-back shots to trim the lead to 2 scores for Sayre. The first quarter came to a close, Sayre held the lead 14-6. Kenna Pendergraft started the 2nd hitting a game wing 3 for her first bucket, and then a backcourt violation and a Katie Kennedy bucket, and it was just one score lead for Sayre. After a bit of a controversial call, there was finally another bucket after Sayre hit a 3 being gifted the ball back. A series of random free throws and that three led to a 20-11 score with a minute to go in the 2nd quarter.
Nobody was able to score at the buzzer, so a Kadee Meeker free throw ended our half 20-12, Sayre with the lead. After a minute of play, Sayre got on the 2nd half board diets with a layup, Emily Goff then went for 1-2 from the line for Hennessey’s first point of the half. Sayre then hit a 3 from the wing, to extend their lead to 25-13. The Eagles finally made their first field goal of the half, coming with 40 seconds to go in the 3rd.
The score going into 4th sat 27-15 Sayre. Nothing was going well for the ladies in the 4th either. An And-One bucket for Sayre doubled up the eagles in points, 32-15 with 5:16 to go in the 4th. Katie Kennedy finally got the Eagles on the board in the 4th, with a steal-and-score layup; but Sayre responded right back with a layup of their own, and then Katie Kennedy sent that message back with another layup.
Unfortunately, the score still sat at a comfortable 15-point lead for Sayre with just 3 to go for the Eagles. Kennedy, though, fouled out just seconds later. The seconds ticked by and ran out of time. The Lady Eagles season has come to a close. Final score Hennessey Lady Eagles 23 – Sayre Lady Eagles 37. Story by Taylor Ladwig, Photos by Libby Seiger
