By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville broke the hosts with 12 unanswered points midway through the first quarter and kept bringing the thunder in a 61-29 pounding of Blue Ridge Early College Tuesday.
The Lady Yellow Jackets used a total team effort to secure the first win of Tammy Dill’s girls varsity basketball coaching career.
Early on, Ava Moore carried the banner with smooth moves to the basket on pocket passes from Hayesville guards who repeatedly drove into the paint. Moore went 3-of-3 as the Lady Jackets raced to a 21-6 first-quarter lead, then shot 4-of-4 in the second act to lead her team to a 43-16 halftime lead.
Moore, who also grabbed six rebounds, was just one of many shining stars.
Ava Shook did everything but sweep the floor and sell popcorn, tallying 18 points, seven rebounds, six steals and two assists.
Jasmine Brooks also filled the stat sheet. She cleared a team-high nine rebounds, handed out four assists and scored four points.
Caroline Wade, an eighth grader last year, was impressive off the bench with six points and three rebounds.
Aaliyah Jackson had three rebounds, three assists, two steals and two points. Briley Clampitt added four assists and two steals. Micalynn McClure contributed five points, two rebounds, two assists and a deflection. Danielle Anderson cleared five boards. Kayla Brown scored five points and pulled down three rebounds.
Kadence Morrow, Alley Gaddis, Breanna Patterson and Olivia Free took care of the ball and played sticky defense.
“I don’t want to take away from any of our players because I feel like it’s a team effort,” Dills said. “So no matter if you rebounded seven times and never scored, that’s a fundamental part of the game. You have that to give the girls the right to score.”
Ten Hayesville players landed in the scoring column.
The Lady Jackets (1-0) play at Highlands Friday.
Hayesville scoring
Shook - 18; Moore - 14; Wade - 6; Brown - 5; McClure - 5; Brooks - 4; Clampitt - 3; Free - 2; Jackson - 2 and Morrow - 2.
Hayesville leaders
Rebounds: Brooks - 9; Shook - 7; Moore - 6; Anderson - 5 and Jackson - 3.
Assists: Brooks - 5; Clampitt - 4; Jackson - 3; McClure - 2 and Shook - 2.
Steals: Shook - 6; Clampitt - 2 and Jackson - 2.
Score by quarters
Hayesville 20-43-55-61
Blue Ridge 6-16-20-29