Seventh-ranked Ware County ended a three-game losing streak Saturday beating visiting Vidalia for a weekend split of action.
The Lady Gators (14-3 overall, 0-1 Region 1-AAAA) rolled to a 61-36 victory Saturday, January 4 over the outmatched Lady Indians (9-6). The victory completed a season sweep of Vidalia after a 69-60 road win December 3.
Ware County dropped a 59-44 decision a night earlier at Warner Robins in the region opener for both teams. The victory for sixth-ranked unbeaten Lady Demons (14-0) was their fifth straight in the series (all but one by 19-plus points) since WCHS recorded a 60-47 victory December 29, 2017.
The Lady Gators went 1-2 in Brunswick’s three-day Christmas tournament December 27-28 and December 29. Ware County opened with a 61-35 win over Dougherty of Albany before falling for the first time 56-50 to Class 6A Colquitt County (11-2) and 59-56 to Class 5A seventh-ranked Bradwell Institute (14-2).
Ware County hosted regionmate New Hampstead (2-7, 0-1) Tuesday (January 7) before traveling Friday, January 10 to region foe Perry (10-3, 1-0). The Lady Gators go Tuesday, January 14 to Jesup to face Wayne County (10-4), currently riding a 10-game winning streak, in a region clash.
Tournament No. 7 Lady Gators.....................61 Dougherty................................35 BRUNSWICK — Charlacia Jones, Baipoints ley Denton and Rhianna Mateyka combined for 34 points to lead the Lady Gators in a win over Dougherty.
Jones scored 13 points while Denton (three treys) and Mateyka followed with 11 points and 10 points respectively.
Ware County led 14-10 after one period and 27-15 at the half. The Lady Gators stretched the margin to 45-30 through three periods before finishing on a 16-5 run.
Bry Hill was next in the scoring column with nine points. Shardell Vickers followed with eight points. Lydia Munford (trey) added five points. Kyla McKelvin and A’Treasure White netted three and two points respectively.
Tournament Colquitt County .......................56 No. 7 Lady Gators ....................50
BRUNSWICK — The Lady Packers outscored Ware County 21-3 in the third quarter overcoming an 11-point halftime deficit en route to the win.
The Lady Gators claimed a 13-10 first quarter advantage and led 32-21 at the break.
The Lady Packers Aynira Walters Smith (game-high 26 points) and Amareyia Knighten (22 points) combined for all 21 points in the third quarter helping Colquitt County to a 42-35 advantage.
Jones and Denton (three threes) led Ware County with 11 points apiece. Munford (two treys) followed with eight points.
Alexis McNeal (two treys) and Hill each netted six points. Vickers contributed five points with Mateyka (trey) chipping in three points.
Tournament No. 7 Bradwell Institute...........59 No. 7 Lady Gators ....................56
BRUNSWICK — Bradwell Institute’s eight-point scoring advantage in the second period proved to be the difference as the Lady Tigers held on for the win in a Top 10 matchup.
Tied at 13-apiece after eight minutes, Bradwell Institute outpointed the Lady Gators 21-13 in the second period for a 34-26 lead.
Ware County closed the deficit to 4440 by the end of the third period and chipped one more point off the deficit during the final quarter.
Jones was the lone double-figure scorer finishing with 12 points. Munford (three treys), Denton (trey) and Mateyka (trey) all finished with nine points.
Vickers bagged eight points with Hill chipping in six points. McNeal netted three points.
The Lady Tigers’ Ta’Tyana Anderson claimed game-high scoring honors with 19 points. Jamia Ousley followed with 13 points with Parris Parham adding 11 points.
No. 6 Warner Robins...........59 No. 7 Lady Gators ................44
WARNER ROBINS — The Lady Demons pulled away from a onepoint, first quarter advantage outscoring Ware County 40-21 over the middle two periods in notching the region victory.
Warner Robins claimed a 10-9 lead by the end of the opening eight minutes. A 19-10 scoring advantage in the second period pushed the Lady Demons’ advantage to 29-19 at intermission.
The home team doubled its lead in the third quarter outscoring Ware County 21-11 to grab a comfortable 50-30 working margin. The Lady Gators outpointed Warner Robins 14-9 over the final period.
Vickers led Ware County with 10 points. Munford (two threes) and Jones contributed eight points and seven points respectively. McNeal netted six points.
Denton (trey) bagged five points with McKelvin finishing with four points. Mateyka and Hill chipped in two points apiece.
Warner Robins received a gamehigh 15 points from Kor’veanna Slaughter, 13 points from Trinitee Thomas and 11 points from Janelle Turner.
No. 7 Lady Gators................60 Vidalia32
Ware County jetted out to a 20point advantage in the opening period and cruised to the easy victory over the Lady Indians.
The Lady Gators quickly erased the memories of a three-game-losing streak building a 22-2 lead by the end of the opening stanza. They outscored Vidalia 21-12 in the second period to take a 43-14 halftime lead.
Ware County continued adding to its margin with a 13-7 scoring advantage in the third quarter opening up a 56-21 lead. The Lady Indians outpointed Ware County 11-4 in the “mercy rule” final period.
Denton (three treys) scored a career- high 16 points to lead the Lady Gators. She was a perfect 7-for-7 at the line including a rare four-point play.
Munford (three treys) and Vickers each posted nine points. McNeal (two threes) and Jones contributed eight points and seven points respectively.
McKelvin chipped in six points. White finished with four points while Hill added a free throw.
