Lady Mustangs win two more

The McDonald County girls’ basketball team is playing its best basketball of the year heading into the postseason.

The Lady Mustangs notched two more wins this past week, winning 57-33 at Hollister on Friday, Feb. 17, before scrapping out a 54-49 win against Joplin at Mustang Arena on Tuesday night.

“We are very happy with the way things are going,” said MCHS girls coach Sean Crane. “We’ve just got to keep getting better. Our improvement down the stretch has been huge.”

The Lady Mustangs have won seven of their last eight games and have improved their record to 13-13 overall heading into the Class 5 District 7 Tournament, which begins March 2 at Webb City.

The Lady Mustangs received the No. 6 seed and will play No. 3 seed Bolivar at 6:30 p.m. March 2 in the quarterfinals. The semifinals are March 4 with the finals being played March 7.

On Tuesday, the Lady Mustangs outscored Joplin 15-5 in the fourth quarter to turn a fivepoint deficit into a 54-49 victory.

Megan Elwood and Carlie Martin each scored six points in the fourth to lead McDonald County in the final quarter.

Joplin (4-22) led 14-12 after the first quarter and 32-27 at halftime. The Eagles remained in front 44-39 entering the fourth quarter.

Martin led McDonald County with 14 points, while Carlee Cooper had 13. Roslynn Huston scored all 10 of her points in the first quarter, while Elwood scored nine, Rylee Anderson five, Analisa Ramirez two and Anna Clarkson one.

Maria Loum led Joplin with 16 points, while Bailey Ledford had 12.

MCDONALD COUNTY 57, HOLLISTER 33

Roslynn Huston scored 24

points to lead the Lady Mustangs to the win at Hollister on Friday, Feb. 17.

McDonald County led 12-6 after the first quarter and 28-15 at halftime.

The Lady Mustangs outscored Hollister 21-9 in the third quarter to go up 49-24 going into the fourth quarter.

Carlee Cooper added 10 points for McDonald County, while Carlie Martin had nine, Anna Clarkson four, Katelynn Townsend three, Natalie Gillming, Megan Elwood and Jamie Washam each with two and Rylee Anderson one.

McKenzie Hamilton and Brisa Gere each scored nine points to lead Hollister (6-20).

Bennett Horne/McDonald County Press McDonald County Lady Mustang senior Analisa Ramirez (right) drives past Reeds Spring’s Mariah Geniuk to the basket during McDonald County’s 65-31 victory in the Big 8 Conference crossover game played Monday, Feb. 13, at Mustang Arena.