TSSAA Class A Sectional: Wartburg Central slips past Cloudland

Published 4:08 pm Monday, March 5, 2018

WARTBURG—The Cloudland Lady Highlanders were minutes away from a berth into the TSSAA Class State Tournament.

The Wartburg Central Lady Bulldogs, however, found their footing at just the right time in the fourth quarter to push out to a 47-43 win Saturday night.

A 3-pointer from Cloudland’s Kenzie Birchfield allowed the Lady Highlander to jump out 33-25 with seven minutes left to play before Wartburg strung together a 16-2 run to climb out 44-37 with just a minute to play. The Lady Highlanders did not back down as Birchfield connected for six points with three coming from a 3-pointer with just 11 seconds left on the clock to cut Wartburg’s lead to 45-43. Needing the ball back, the Lady Highlanders fouled Lady Bulldogs Madison Holley who connected on her free throws to make it a four-point game before the clock ran out.

“The girls played hard and gave it everything that they had,” said Cloudland head coach Mike Lunsford. “We started turning it over there at the start of the fourth period . . . It was a few little thing here and there.”

The third period saw the Lady Highlanders Trinity Vines connect on two shots while Kenzie Birchfield hit a trifecta in the final two minutes to give Cloudland a 30-27 lead heading into the fourth.

At the end of the first half, the Lady Highlanders led 21-18 after outpacing Wartburg 13-8 in the quarter. Cloudland’s Jasmine Birchfield led the Highlanders with four points in the second while Kenzie Birchfield knocked down a trey. Cloudland’s Trinity Vines, Megan Lunsford, and Stacia Wilson all had buckets in the quarter.

Th Lady Bulldogs moved ahead 5-0 early in the first quarter before Cloudland’s Wilson scored five points and Vines connected on a jumper to allowed Cloudland to move ahead 7-5. Wartburg outscored Cloudland 5-1 down the first-quarter stretch to hold a small 10-8 lead heading into the second quarter.

For Cloudland, Kenzie Birchfield had a game-high 15 points as she knocked down four 3-pointers. Wilson finished the game with 11 while Vines chipped in nine. Both Lunsford and Jasmine Birchfield clocked out with four each.

For the Lady Bulldogs, who will face Unaka in the opening round of the TSSAA Class A Tournament Thursday, MaKayla Poland finished with 13 points while teammate Holley recorded 12.

Saturday’s loss brought the Lady Highlanders season to an end.

“We had a great season,” said Lunsford. “I am really proud of them. We just have to improve and get better for next year.”