by Bryce Phillips

Star Staff

bryce.phillips@elizabethton.com

After going 52 straight game without a loss, the Lady Cyclones fell 69-57 to Martin Luther King High School Saturday night during the semifinals of the TSSAA Bluecross Basketball Championships.

And with last year’s capture of the state title and their remarkable run to this year state tournament, the Lady Cyclone are not going to let the loss be what sums them up.

“This game will not define us,” Coach Len Dugger said

Much like the night before, it was another off-beat beginning for the Lady Cyclones as they went just 7 of 23 in field goal attempts in the first half. MLK’s 6-foot Jordan Majors helped the Lady Royasl capitalize on EHS’ struggles as she posted 13 points in the first half. A bucket from Majors gave the Lady Royals a 10-point lead in second frame, before the Lady Cyclones cut the edge, sending the teams to the locker rooms with MLK up 27-20.

The third period was opened up with a three from MLK’s Molly Kafader to push the Lady Royals back out to a 10-point gap. The Lady Cyclones found some momentum, and after two back-to-back buckets from senior Megan Pietrowski were able to slash MLK’s lead to four. However, the shots would not fall for ’Betsy, allowing the Lady Royals, after a 10-point run, to climb out to a 45-31 lead with 1:30 left in the third frame. After three, the Lady Royals led 49-36.

In the fourth, the Lady Cyclones again chipped away at MLK’s lead, cutting it to six, but, after taking another 10 -point lead, the Lady Royals took control of the game as they maintain a double-digit lead for the remainder of the match up.

“I didn’t get concerned,” Kayla Marosites said about the Lady Cyclones’ second-half gameplay. “I thought we going to pull back on top, but we never did. We let it slip away.”

As the clock winded down from one minute, it became apparent that EHS’ run was coming to a close. The Elizabethton fans went to their feet and started applauding the girls, letting them know that all their accomplishments are bigger than one game.

“We love you Lady Cyclones,” some yelled.

The Lady Cyclones left the floor, some with stunned looks, other with tears in their eyes. Like his girls, Coach Dugger looked bewildered, but right before he stepped of the floor inside the Charles Murphy Athletic Center, the EHS student section yelled something to him.

“We love you Coach Dugger,” they said.

Dreams die hard, but memories last forever, and as the senior Lady Cyclones move on from the historic team, they will be able to always tell people what they were once apart of.

“Just being with a team that plays hard together and for so long has been great,” senior Sarah Robinson said. “I wish them the best of luck next year.”

MLK 69

Majors 29, Smith 20, Kafader 11, Harrison 5, Merrell 4

Elizabethton

Ka. Marosites 18, Kiser 12, Ke. Marosites 9, Pietrowski 4, McCrary 2, Perry 2, Schubert 1, Burleson 1

MLK 12 15 22 20 — 69

Elizabethton 7 13 16 21 — 57

3-point goals— MLK 3 (Kafader 1, Smith 1, Majors 1) Elizabethton 5 (Ka. Marosites 3, Kiser 2)