Following a week and a half layoff between games, the Avery Lady Vikings looked to continue its recent trend of stellar basketball as they traveled to Columbus to take on the Polk County Lady Wolverines. Avery not only netted a decisive 60-42 win over Polk, but also gave head coach Missy Lyons her 100th career victory as Lady Vikings head coach.
Avery hit on seven of its 19 shots in the first period as the Lady Vikings took a 14-10 lead after one quarter of action.
Polk continued to hang around through the first half as the Lady Wolverines outscored Avery 7-1 at the free throw line. Nevertheless, Avery used its press defense to force turnovers and additional scoring opportunities, as the Vikings took 18 more shots than Polk through the first two periods.
The Vikings were paced early by Katelynn Eudy who scored six points in the opening stanza. Avery leading scorer Sara Wiseman scored nine of her team-high 15 points in the first half and Mercedes Bentley chipped in with five off the bench in helping Avery to a 32-25 halftime edge.
As the second half ensued, it became obvious which was the better team, as Polk struggled to bring the basketball downcourt and was cold shooting from the floor. Avery kept its steady offensive stream flowing as Wiseman and Lauren Avery scored six points apiece in the third quarter to extend the Lady Viking advantage to 48-32 after three quarters.
In the final eight minutes, Avery kept Polk from any hope of clawing back into the contest. Megan Tennant scored seven of her total of nine points in the last stanza to help the Big Red to the 18-point victory.
The Vikings shot 37 percent from the floor in the win and forced 28 Lady Wolverines turnovers.
Sara Wiseman finished the game with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Lauren Avery added 12 points and seven rebounds. Tennant added nine points and seven rebounds, with nine from Mercedes Bentley and eight points in addition to nine rebounds by Katelynn Eudy. Elyse Perry also had a solid all-around game, as the senior dished 10 assists in addition to three points, five rebounds, and three steals.
The win was especially sweet for Coach Lyons, who earned win #100 as the ladies varsity head coach at Avery High School.
“We’ve worked really hard at building this program up. The first few years were a little rocky and we didn’t get a lot of victories, but it took a little while to get to where we are. It was really special to get the win tonight, especially here at Polk where we haven’t always had a lot of luck,” Coach Lyons
said following the milestone win.
“The girls played really hard and especially are working really hard. We went deeper in our bench tonight as Hayley (Pyatte) wasn’t available and Lauren (Avery) got in a little foul trouble. Everybody played and when they were in the game every one of them worked hard. The girls have putting the effort in during practice and that has carried over and paid off for us game in and game out.”
The win is the ninth in a row for the Lady Vikings, who brought its 9-1 record into its conference home opener on Monday night against the Madison Lady Patriots. Avery faced a stiff test as Madison rallied from a double-digit deficit on two separate occasions. In the end, however, Avery’s offensive firepower and stifling defense was too strong for the Lady Patriots as Avery defeated Madison by an 83-62 final score.
The Lady Vikings scorched the nets offensively to the tune of an 8-0 scoring run to begin the game and a 10-0 run late in the quarter as part of a 23 point first-quarter effort. Madison tied the score at 10-10 midway through the quarter but trailed 23-13 by quarter’s end.
Senior guard Lauren Avery led the Lady Viking surge as she scored seven points in the frame, with a pair of three-pointers from Mercedes Bentley and six points from Elyse Perry.
Madison used its own version of the press defense in the second period to get back into the game. The Lady Patriots appeared to make the Avery offense uncomfortable, forcing a number of turnovers which Madison converted into points. The Patriots made 11 of its 16 shots in the quarter to cut the Avery lead from ten points to a single point at 45-44 at halftime.
The first half score was indicative of many final scores in high school basketball. Both Avery and Madison shot 50 percent or greater from the field for the half, with the Lady Vikings paced by Lauren Avery’s 13 points. Kaitlyn Huff also tallied 13 points to lead the Lady Patriots.
In the third quarter the Big Red made a statement defensively, holding the Lady Patriots to only five points for the quarter on 2 of 13 shooting from the field. Avery kept up its hot shooting by converting 8 of 15 shot attempts. Both the senior guard Avery and teammate Sara Wiseman scored six points each as the Vikings pulled away to a 66-49 lead after three stanzas.
Madison looked to mount a comeback early in the final period behind the duo of Huff and Hannah Burnett, but the deep Avery bench and a consistent, impressive shooting effort propelled the Lady Vikings to its tenth consecutive victory.
Lauren Avery played perhaps her best game of the season as she scored 23 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and dished out six assists. Elyse Perry scored 14 points to go with eight assists, five steals and four rebounds. Fellow senior Sara Wiseman registered a double-double with 11 points and ten blocked shots. Hayley Pyatte chipped in with six points and nine rebounds.
Madison was led by Hannah Burnett with 18 points and seven rebounds, along with 17 points, four assists, and three steals from Kaitlyn Huff.
The Lady Vikings will play a pair of additional conference games this week. Avery hosted Mountain Heritage this evening and will travel to Ledger on Friday to take on Mitchell for the first meeting of the season between the perennial powers.
Avery hit on seven of its 19 shots in the first period as the Lady Vikings took a 14-10 lead after one quarter of action.
Polk continued to hang around through the first half as the Lady Wolverines outscored Avery 7-1 at the free throw line. Nevertheless, Avery used its press defense to force turnovers and additional scoring opportunities, as the Vikings took 18 more shots than Polk through the first two periods.
The Vikings were paced early by Katelynn Eudy who scored six points in the opening stanza. Avery leading scorer Sara Wiseman scored nine of her team-high 15 points in the first half and Mercedes Bentley chipped in with five off the bench in helping Avery to a 32-25 halftime edge.
As the second half ensued, it became obvious which was the better team, as Polk struggled to bring the basketball downcourt and was cold shooting from the floor. Avery kept its steady offensive stream flowing as Wiseman and Lauren Avery scored six points apiece in the third quarter to extend the Lady Viking advantage to 48-32 after three quarters.
In the final eight minutes, Avery kept Polk from any hope of clawing back into the contest. Megan Tennant scored seven of her total of nine points in the last stanza to help the Big Red to the 18-point victory.
The Vikings shot 37 percent from the floor in the win and forced 28 Lady Wolverines turnovers.
Sara Wiseman finished the game with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Lauren Avery added 12 points and seven rebounds. Tennant added nine points and seven rebounds, with nine from Mercedes Bentley and eight points in addition to nine rebounds by Katelynn Eudy. Elyse Perry also had a solid all-around game, as the senior dished 10 assists in addition to three points, five rebounds, and three steals.
The win was especially sweet for Coach Lyons, who earned win #100 as the ladies varsity head coach at Avery High School.
“We’ve worked really hard at building this program up. The first few years were a little rocky and we didn’t get a lot of victories, but it took a little while to get to where we are. It was really special to get the win tonight, especially here at Polk where we haven’t always had a lot of luck,” Coach Lyons
said following the milestone win.“The girls played really hard and especially are working really hard. We went deeper in our bench tonight as Hayley (Pyatte) wasn’t available and Lauren (Avery) got in a little foul trouble. Everybody played and when they were in the game every one of them worked hard. The girls have putting the effort in during practice and that has carried over and paid off for us game in and game out.”
The win is the ninth in a row for the Lady Vikings, who brought its 9-1 record into its conference home opener on Monday night against the Madison Lady Patriots. Avery faced a stiff test as Madison rallied from a double-digit deficit on two separate occasions. In the end, however, Avery’s offensive firepower and stifling defense was too strong for the Lady Patriots as Avery defeated Madison by an 83-62 final score.
The Lady Vikings scorched the nets offensively to the tune of an 8-0 scoring run to begin the game and a 10-0 run late in the quarter as part of a 23 point first-quarter effort. Madison tied the score at 10-10 midway through the quarter but trailed 23-13 by quarter’s end.
Senior guard Lauren Avery led the Lady Viking surge as she scored seven points in the frame, with a pair of three-pointers from Mercedes Bentley and six points from Elyse Perry.
Madison used its own version of the press defense in the second period to get back into the game. The Lady Patriots appeared to make the Avery offense uncomfortable, forcing a number of turnovers which Madison converted into points. The Patriots made 11 of its 16 shots in the quarter to cut the Avery lead from ten points to a single point at 45-44 at halftime.
The first half score was indicative of many final scores in high school basketball. Both Avery and Madison shot 50 percent or greater from the field for the half, with the Lady Vikings paced by Lauren Avery’s 13 points. Kaitlyn Huff also tallied 13 points to lead the Lady Patriots.
In the third quarter the Big Red made a statement defensively, holding the Lady Patriots to only five points for the quarter on 2 of 13 shooting from the field. Avery kept up its hot shooting by converting 8 of 15 shot attempts. Both the senior guard Avery and teammate Sara Wiseman scored six points each as the Vikings pulled away to a 66-49 lead after three stanzas.
Madison looked to mount a comeback early in the final period behind the duo of Huff and Hannah Burnett, but the deep Avery bench and a consistent, impressive shooting effort propelled the Lady Vikings to its tenth consecutive victory.
Lauren Avery played perhaps her best game of the season as she scored 23 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and dished out six assists. Elyse Perry scored 14 points to go with eight assists, five steals and four rebounds. Fellow senior Sara Wiseman registered a double-double with 11 points and ten blocked shots. Hayley Pyatte chipped in with six points and nine rebounds.
Madison was led by Hannah Burnett with 18 points and seven rebounds, along with 17 points, four assists, and three steals from Kaitlyn Huff.
The Lady Vikings will play a pair of additional conference games this week. Avery hosted Mountain Heritage this evening and will travel to Ledger on Friday to take on Mitchell for the first meeting of the season between the perennial powers.
