COLONY — With only one senior in their playing rotation, Crest High’s girls knew they’d take their lumps early in the season.
Now, with their younger players starting to find their groove, the Lady Lancers are proving to be a feisty bunch.
Junior Aubree Holloran led the early scoring charge, and sophomore Lindsey Godderz picked up the baton late, as Crest fended off a challenge from Yates Center High’s Wildcats, winning 52-48.
“I told the girls, we had a rocky start (to the season,) but it’s what you do at the end that matters,” Crest head coach Megan Mason said. “We’re feeling pretty good about ourselves, getting stuff together at the right time. We just need to keep moving in the right direction.”
Crest withstood a standout performance by Yates Center’s Madelynn Collins, who scored inside, outside and everywhere in between, to the tune of 28 points.
But Yates Center’s problem, head coach Abby Collins said, was her team’s defensive shortcomings.
“We’re not very good at defense,” Coach Collins said. “We need to learn how to close on shooters, know when they’re going to drive, move our feet instead of reaching.”
Madelynn Collins drilled a pair of 3-pointers in the third quarter to help make up a six-point deficit.
But Godderz responded with a trey of her own, followed by a long jumper on Crest’s next trip down the court to re-establish a five-point lead.
Rylee Beckmon, Crest’s only senior, and Haylee Beckmon, a freshman, helped seal the win down the stretch. Each had two buckets and a free throw.
Collins tried valiantly to bring the Cats back once more, but her 3-pointer in the waning seconds was just long.
“She had a good look,” Coach Collins said. “She’s going to get her points. The girls step up. Right now, the big difference in whether we win or lose is our defense.”
Mason heaped praise on Yates Center’s standout senior.
“She’s amazing; I love watching her,” Mason said. “I knew she was going to be the biggest threat. Our main focus was her. We knew she could drive, she could post, she could shoot outside. Even though we focused on her, she still put in 28 points. It was crazy.”
Holloran scored 15 of her 19 points in the first half, and her remaining four points in the third
Godderz added 13 points, Rylee Beckmon nine and Haylee Beckmon seven.
