BRISTOL— For the second straight game, the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones were tipping off against an undefeated foe.

This time it was the Heritage High School Lady Huskies from the Wake Forest, North Carolina area in the opening round of the Doc Maples Tournament being played at Tennessee High.

When the dust settled, the Lady Cyclones walked away with an 82-36 win over the 10th ranked Lady Huskies.

With the win, Elizabethton moved to 9-0 on the season with Heritage dropping to 9-1.

“We competed and they were a very athletic team,” said Elizabethton head coach Len Dugger. “I was just glad we had some kids step up. Defensively, again you can critique what we did or didn’t do, but playing hard and playing hard for 32 minutes is the key to what we do.”

The first half saw action in which both teams should have had some shoulder pads and a helmet as the action was fast, furious, and physical.

Elizabethton worked their way out to a 20-10 lead after one and 42-23 by the break but had to work for every bucket they got.

Kayla Marosites had 12 in the opening half, but it was the play of Haley Burleson off the bench that seemed to keep the Lady Cyclones out front as Burleson added eight points, many coming from the paint where the larger Lady Huskies were roaming.

“Haley came in and not only did she score some buckets and some points, but her effort on defense was terrific and some of those buckets were tough buckets and not give-me buckets going against people and taking it to the rim,” added Dugger.

“Haley is a gamer and a tough individual. She is sort of quiet and reserved a little bit, but when she goes out to play she brings her boxing gloves,” Dugger said. “I like the way Haley plays the game and what she brings to the floor. When we need a little spark, she ignites the girls.”

Alana Brown led Heritage with six in the opening 16 minutes. Alissa Smalls added five points.

The Lady Cyclones came out the locker room with guns ablaze and a defensive mindset holding the Lady Huskies to only five points in the third quarter while tallying 24 points of their own.

Kayla Marosites was on fire in the third period dropping in 10 points in the span. Melenda Perry collected five points as well.

“Melenda played unbelievable,” Dugger said. “Anybody that plays the point for us and only has two turnovers for us is phenomenal. She has really been coming on the last few games.”

With the game pretty much determined except the final score, Coach Dugger was able to play several of his reserves in the fourth period.

Brittany Campbell led the charge with four in the final period including a nice baby hook in the paint, while Montgomery Bailey and Ashley Depew totaled three points apiece, with Depew’s adding in via a trey.

The Lady Cyclones outscored Heritage 16-8 in the final eight minutes of action.

Kayla Marosites claimed game-high honors with 22 points with three treys. Perry added 12 points with Kelci Marosites and Burleson collecting 11 points each.

Kiser pitched in for nine points.

Kayla Marosites collected a double-double as the senior pulled down 15 rebounds, blocked two Lady Huskies shots, dished out two assists and had three steals.

Kelci Marosites added seven boards, doled out four assists and added a steal. Kiser and Schubert snared four rebounds each.

Overall, Dugger was pleased with his team’s effort.

“I thought after the slow start, Schubert got really involved,” added Dugger. “I thought Emily Kiser and Kelci Marosites were very quiet with what they did but had a lot of contributions on both ends of the floor.

“Kayla looked a little leggy there but bounced back and played well in the second half,” Dugger added. “She just does so much for us, guarding the other team’s best player. Then, what she does on the glass rebounding is what we ask her to do for us.”

Dugger knows his Lady Cyclones butter their bread with the Marosites, but overall it will take a total team effort if Elizabethton is to realize its goal of getting back to the state tournament.

“It’s just like I told Kayla and Kelci in here after the game, you guys and Emily normally carry us, but it is good to get some other people involved where people will have to pick their poison,” stated Dugger.

“That was one of the highlights for me is to see us getting some offensive output and quality output from some other people,” Dugger added.

With the win, the Lady Cyclones will pair off with the Volunteer Lady Falcons tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the semifinals at Viking Hall.

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Elizabethton, 82-36

Elizabethton (82)

Kayla Marosites 22, Kelci Marosites 11, Melenda Perry 12, Emily Kiser 9, Haley Burleson 11, Emily Schubert 7, Brittany Campbell 4, Ashley Perry 3, Bailey Montgomery 3,

Heritage (36)

Alissa Smalls 10, Cydney Johnson 6, Alcenia Purnell 4, Alana Brown 9, Taylor Hughes 2, Kaven Joyner 3, Breyanna Rice 2.

Heritage…………10   13     5     8 – 36

Elizabethton……20   22   24   16 – 82

3-pt goals: Heritage 6 ( Alissa Smalls 2, Alcenia Purnell, Alana Brown 3). Elizabethton 8 (Kayla Marosites 3, Kelci Marosites, Ashley Depew, Melenda Perry, Emily Kiser, Haley Burleson).