Gentry teams suffer losses at hands of Gravette

GENTRY — Though they put up a good fight and had a strong showing in the second quarter, the Lady Pioneers just couldn’t handle the visiting Lady Lions from Gravette on Dec. 18. Gravette won the game, 57-34.

The Lady Lions took the lead early, scoring 16 points to Gentry’s six in the first quarter. Shylee Morrison, a Gravette sophomore, showed the Gentry girls her skills in stealing the ball and making a fast break down the court for two several times. She also put in two shots on the free-throw line when fouled.

In the second quarter, it appeared the Lady Pioneers might reverse the tide and recover. Gentry senior Jaydon Jarnagan hit a pair of deuces and two free throws. Jaiden Wilmoth and Meledy Owens picked up a trey apiece, and Emily Toland hit a deuce. A couple of shots from the free-throw line by Randi Jo Bolinger gave Gentry 16 points to Gravette’s 14 — a pair of treys by Morrison and two free throws, a pair of deuces by Jessica Bookout and another two from Kasandra Tajchman.

But the Gravette girls kept piling on the points in the third and fourth quarters, 15 and 12, while Gentry cooled, picking up only 12 in the second half. Bookout had 10 in the second half, and Morrison added another pair of treys and a deuce.

Morrison led the scoring for Gravette, with 24 points. Bookout had 16, with Tajchman and Kaylan Chilton adding six apiece.

For Gentry, Toland was the high scorer with 10. Jarnagan, Bolinger and Owens each had six. Wilmoth added four and Ahrya Reding had two.

The win puts the Gravette girls at 6-4 overall for the season and 1-1 in conference play. Gentry was at 5-5 and 0-2.

The Lady Lions face Farmington at home on Friday (after early holiday deadlines for the Eagle Observer). Gentry travels to Berryville on Friday.

Gravette 66 Gentry 48

On the boys’ side, the Lions dominated the Pioneers until the final quarter when Gentry picked up 20 points to Gravette’s 19, but the damage had been done and the Pioneers fell to the Lions, 66-48, in the Dec. 18 contest at Gentry High School.

Gravette was up 15-10 at the end of the first quarter and 32-19 at the half. Before the final quarter of play, it was 47-28, Gravette.

Gravette had several players in double digits. Chase Austin and Issac Griffith had 12 and Brayden Trembley, 11.

Casey Bates, of Gentry, had 18 points and a big final quarter with nine. Dylan Kilgore had 14.

The win puts Gravette at 7-5 for the season and 2-1 in conference play. Gentry was at 5-6 and 0-2.

The Lions face Farmington at home on Friday (after early holiday deadlines for the Eagle Observer).

Gentry travels to Berryville on Friday.

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Emily Toland, a Gentry sophomore, looks to shoot under the basket while being guarded by Gravette’s Maggie McKenzie (left) and Abigail Beranek during the Dec. 18 game at Gentry High School.

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Jessica Bookout, Gravette senior, races to the basket for a shot against Gentry sophomore Jaiden Wilmoth during the Dec. 18 game between the two rival teams in Gentry.

Submitted/Steve Huckriede Chase Austin, a Gravette junior, puts up a shot for two in play against Gentry on Dec. 18 at Gentry High Shcool. Casey Bates of Gentry was defending against the shot.

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Gravette sophomore Shylee Morrison moves the ball around Gentry defenders Halle Reid and Meledy Owens during the Dec. 18 game between the two rival teams in Gentry.

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Jaydon Jarnagan, Gentry senior, looks for an open teammate during Gentry’s home game against Gravette on Dec. 18.

Westside Eagle Observer/RANDY MOLL Gabbi Scott, a Gravette junior, moves the ball behind Gentry defenders.