ERWIN—For the winner and loser of the consolation game of the 2017 District 1-AA Girls’ tournament, it really was more of which poison that you were going to be handed with Greeneville and Grainger from District 2-AA waiting in the wings.
The Lady Cyclones were on the cusp of completing a great comeback only to falter in the final one minute of play missing the front end of three one and one’s to fall 42-40 as Haile Padgett’s two free throws with 3.5 seconds left to play were the difference.
“We got behind early, fought back to get an opportunity to win, and just couldn’t close the deal,” said Lady Cyclone head coach Barry Johnson. “Those missed foul shots were big, and I hate that took away from the effort that it took to get back in it.”
Elizabethton found themselves behind 14-6 at the end of the first quarter and 23-15 at the intermission as Padgett scored seven to put the Lady Devils out front.
The Lady Cyclones struggled once again offensively as Autumn Lyon and Ashley Depew with five points each kept Elizabethton only down by eight.
Whatever Johnson shared with his team at the break seemed to calm the Lady Cyclones down as Elizabethton outscored the Lady Devils 11- 5 in the third to find themselves trailing only by two points, 28-26, with the final eight minutes to play.
Elizabethton managed to take the lead and build a four-point lead in the final quarter, but the lack of success at the foul line in the closing minute proved to be too big to overcome as Padgett used her size to draw the foul that resulted in the winning points.
With the loss, the Lady Cyclones will now travel to Greeneville, a 53-44 winner over Grainger on Friday night at 7 pm.
Unicoi Co. finds its road is no easier as the Lady Devils have to travel to Grainger County to take on the Lady Grizzles on Friday.
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DISTRICT 1-AA GIRLS CONSOLATION
UNICOI COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Unicoi Co., 42-40
Unicoi Co. (42)
Neelee Griffith 2, Kaylee Hendrickson 9, Chloe Powers 5, Halie Padgett 17, Kenedy King 5, Ashtan Vance 4.
Elizabethton (40)
Ashley Depew 8, Kaylen Shell 2, Haley Burleson 5, Autumn Lyon 11, Bailey Montgomery 2, Loran Campbell 2, Brittany Campbell 8, Cameron Koroma 2.
Unicoi Co. …. 14 9 5 14 – 42
Elizabethton… 6 9 11 14 – 40
3-Pt Goal: Unicoi Co. 3 (Kaylee Hendrickson, Chloe Powers, Kenedy King). Elizabethton 2 (Ashley Depew 2).