By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
The Hayesville Junior Varsity girls basketball team that had trouble finding the basket during its first few games is no more.
Coach Meghan McQuade is getting scoring from every player on the roster nowadays. That’s translating into wins.
Last week, Hayesville’s much improved JV’s used balanced scoring to sock a pair of Smoky Mountain Conference foes.
Hayesville 36, Murphy 35
The Bulldogs held the upper hand in the first half and led 24-17 at the intermission.
Defense enabled the Lady Jackets to turn the tables, as Hayesville held the visitors to just two third quarter points and didn’t allow a field goal or three-pointer in the second half.
Hayesville protected its tenuous one-point lead as the teams traded baskets in the final stanza.
Ava Moore led the offense with 10 points and three offensive boards in three quarters before dressing for the varsity game.
Kadence Morrow tallied 7 points, all on free throws. Kayla Brown tallied six markers and Jasmine Brooks hit for four in one quarter before dressing for the varsity.
Lilly Dockery contributed 3 points, Danielle Anderson 2, Aaliyah Jackson 2 and Olivia Free 2.
Hayesville 38, Andrews 15
The Lady Jackets clung to a 5-3 first-quarter lead before putting the game on ice by outscoring the Wildcats 13-3 in the second quarter and 11-2 in the third.
“It was a good win, a good team win. We really worked together and we moved the ball well,” McQuade said.
Moore and Morrow led the attack with 8 points apiece.
Danielle Anderson was a force with 6 points and four offensive rebounds.
Brown also tallied 6 points. Dockery added 3, Kayla Eller 2, Free 2, Jackson 2 and Brooks 1.