Ridgeland girls win season opener
A second-quarter run and some airtight defense in the final period helped make winners out of the Ridgeland Lady Panthers in their season-opener.
Playing in an afternoon matinee at home this past Wednesday, Ridgeland overcame an eight-point deficit in the first quarter and scored a 41-31 victory over Hixson.
The Lady Panthers (1-0) fell behind 11-3 late in the first quarter, but would outscore the Lady Wildcats 19-9 in the second to take a 25-20 lead at the break.
Hixson, now coached by former Lafayette boss Tommy Swanson, cut Ridgeland’s lead to 31-28 going into the final eight minutes. However, the Black-and-white clamped down and gave up just three points in the fourth quarter en route to the win.
Freshman Shayla Rosson had a game-high 15 points in her Ridgeland debut, draining four 3-pointers and going 2 of 2 from the free throw line. Macie Boren added nine points with a pair of threes.
Madison Lennon scored six of her eight points in the final stanza, while Camby Arthur scored four of her six points in the decisive fourth quarter. Mackensie Miller had three points on a long-range shot in the second.
Rickell Crutcher scored 10 to pace Hixson, but was held scoreless in the second half.
Hixson boys 65, Ridgeland 51
The Panthers also made their season debut, but saw it spoiled by the Wildcats, who jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter and never trailed.
Hixson led 17-7 after the opening period, but Ridgeland would go on a 7-0 run in the first 4:30 of the second quarter to slice the gap down to three points. However, the Wildcats would push it back out to a 28-20 margin by intermission and they led 43-29 going into the fourth.
Ridgeland attempted to make a fourthquarter run by upping the tempo, but Hixson was up to the challenge and was able to match the Panthers point for point down the stretch.
Eugene Callahan had 21 for the visitors, followed by Nikolas Wesley with 12 and Kaden Herman with 11.
Ridgeland’s top four scorers were all freshmen. Judd Anderson paced the Panthers (0-1) with 10 points and John Hill followed with nine, while Chase Hickman and Matthew Ramsey added eight each. Ramsey had two 3-pointers.
Kobe Lewis and Kyan Clark ended the day with five points apiece. Zack Harrison finished with four and Andrew Johnson added two.