Lady Patriots Pound South-Doyle, 58-42

Lady Patriots vs. South Doyle
Staff Photo by Mike Stanley, Jefferson County Post Sports

The Jefferson County Lady Patriots opened the newly renovated JCHS gymnasium in style on Tuesday night. The Lady Patriots used great hustle on defense and a powerful inside game to stifle the Lady Cherokees and cruise to the victory.

JCHS Head Coach, Rick SInard, however wants more consistency from his team, “We go through spurts where we look like one of the best teams in East Tennessee” He added “Then we have lulls that we can’t guard our little finger (On Defense).”

The teams were very evenly matched in the first quarter swapping buckets, and the Lady Patriot lead was just one, 14-13, at the end of the first quarter.

The final 4 minutes of the first half was anything but. With the Lady Patriots’ leading 21-20, Jefferson County ended the half on an 11-0 run to hold a commanding lead at the half, 32-20.

Sinard wasn’t convinced the run determined the outcome of the game but did agree it was very beneficial, “It helped, it certainly helped” He added “We weren’t doing a lot of good things defensively.”

The run would continue in the second half as well. The Lady Patriots would outscore South Doyle, 14-6 in the third quarter and took an insurmountable lead into the final stanza at 46-26. Credit to the Lady Cherokees for not relinquishing their defensive pressure and they were able to cut into the Jefferson County lead. However, it was too little, too late and Jefferson County would win 58-42.

Jefferson County had 3 players lead the way scoring in double figures, led by Makaila Woolard with 15 points. Tori Griffin would add 14, while senior Brooke Taylor would add 11. Julia Codispoti and Alexandra Alder would each chip in 7 for the Lady Pats.

The win puts the Lady Patriots at 14-6 overall this year and improves them to 6-2 in IMAC play. They continue conference play when Sevier County comes to Dumplin Valley Friday at 6 pm