Pierce County’s Lady Bears early season struggles continued as their losing streak reached eight games with three coming in the final week before the Christmas holiday season.
The Lady Bears (1-8) opened the busy week falling 43-34 Monday, December 16 in Homerville to Clinch County. The Lady Panthers have won each of the last four meetings dating back to the 2018-19 season.
PCHS followed Tuesday night, December 17 falling 44-28 to visiting Jeff Davis. The Lady Yellow Jackets, who won the December 3 matchup 49-25 at home, recorded their first season sweep of Pierce County since going back-to-back during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 campaigns.
PCHS will play twice the first week of 2025. The Lady Bears visit Tattnall County in the Region 3-AA opener Friday, January 3. Wayne County comes calling to Bearville Saturday, January 4.
Clinch County .....................43 Lady Bears..........................34 HOMERVILLE — Clinch County’s Tara Stevens hit four three-point shots while scoring a game-high 23 points to lead the Lady Panthers past PCHS.
Clinch County built a double-digit advantage by halftime en route to the win. The Lady Panthers claimed a 11-6 at the end of the first period. They doubled up Pierce County 105 in the second stanza to take a 2111 lead at intermission.
The Lady Bears surpassed their first half production during the third quarter only to get clipped by a point with the home team outscoring PCHS 13-12 in building a 34-23 lead. Pierce County outpointed the Lady Panthers 11-9 over final eight minutes.
Claire Murray (trey) paced PCHS with 10 points Isabella Marx was next with nine points with Ansley Hutcheson (trey) adding seven points.
Caren Drew netted four points. Madi McGatha and Keirsten Jones each contributed two points.
Jeff Davis............................44 Lady Bears..........................28 BEARVILLE — Jeff Davis pulled away from a one-point halftime lead over the final 16 minutes outscoring the Lady Bears by 15 points for the win.
The Lady Yellow Jackets opened up a five-point advantage by the end of the opening stanza at 15-10. PCHS responded outscoring the visitors 11-7 in the second period to trail 22-21 at the break.
Jeff Davis pitched a third quarter shutout, the first blanking for Pierce County since 2012-13, using a 6-0 scoring margin to stretch the margin to 28-21. The Lady Yellow Jackets closed out the game outpointing PCHS 16-7.
Murray topped the Lady Bears with 10 points. McGatha and Hutcheson finished with five points and four points respectively.
Drew netted three points while Saharah Minott, Marx and Jones chipped in two points apiece.
Lady Herons .......................59 Lady Bears..........................30 CANEY BAY — Brantley County broke away from a 13-all tie early in the second quarter blowing the game open with a 34-12 run through the end of the third period in beating the Lady Bears.
The Lady Heron, who drained a season-high nine treys, grabbed a 13-9 lead by the close of the first period in a nip-and-tuck affair. PCHS scored the first four points of the second stanza tying the game at 13-apiece. Coley’s four-point play sparked a 19-6 run to the halftime buzzer for a 32-19 advantage.
Brantley County continued to widen the margin during the third quarter outscoring the Lady Bears 15-6 for a commanding 47-25 lead. BCHS finished the game outpointing the visitors 12-5.
PCHS was paced by the 14 points of Murray. Caren and Marx bagged six points and five points respectively.
Jones finished with two points while Layla Chandel, McGatha and Minott contributed a free throw apiece.
The Lady Herons’ Summer Colley (five rebounds, team-leading three assists, steal) scored a game-high 15 points connecting on five threes.
