By Willie McLawhorn

Sports Writer

LASKER – Visiting Faith Christian had too much size and experience for the Lady Eagles of Northeast Academy here Friday night as the Lady Patriots came away with a 45-22 victory.

The Lady Eagles jumped out to a 4-0 lead on baskets by Ashton Liverman and Ivey Little. Another basket by Little gave the Lady Eagles a 6-2 lead with 2:49 left in the first period.

A basket by the Lady Patriots Ashley Weeks and a three-pointer by Morgan Powell gave the Lady Patriots their first lead at 7-6 with 1:32 left.

A Patriots hoop by Erin Belton and another three by Powell sandwiched two free throws by the Lady Eagles’ Kalen Rose gave the Lady Patriots a 12-8 lead with 20 seconds remaining in the first.

A basket by Taylor Morris of Northeast closed out the scoring for the period.

The second quarter was all Faith Christian as two baskets apiece by Weeks and Belton provided the Lady Patriots with a comfortable 20-10 halftime margin.

The third quarter saw the experience and inside game of the Lady Patriots exert itself as they rolled off the first seven points of the quarter.

A layup by Little stopped the Northeast drought with the score 27-12 with 5:15 left in the quarter.

After a basket by Faith Christian’s Sarah Bradsher gave the Lady Patriots a 31-14 advantage, Northeast staged a valiant comeback effort on successive baskets by Taylor Cocke, Hannah Roye and Rose to bring the Lady Eagles within 11 points at the 1:43 mark.

However a three-pointer by Belton, two free throws by Anna Howell, and another basket by Belton dashed hopes of a Lady Eagles comeback victory as the third quarter ended with the Lady Patriots holding a 38-20 lead.

The fourth quarter was all Lady Patriots as they ran off seven points to start the period.  A basket by Morris of Northeast closed out the scoring giving the Lady Patriots their 45-22 victory.

Even though the Lady Eagles “growing pains” was evident with the number of turnovers, Head Coach Joella Brown was pleased with the team’s unselfishness.

“They play good team ball,” she said after the game.

The JV girls of Faith Christian defeated the Lady Eagles by a 25-13 score.

The Lady Patriots were led by inside duo of Stephanie Stallings and Mary Peyton Fisher who combined to score 23 of the team’s 25 points.  Northeast was led by the nine points of Madison Burch.