Lady Bulldogs take region 1A title

Published 2:12 pm Thursday, March 2, 2023

By Allen LaMountain

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BLOUNTVILLE – The Hampton Lady Bulldogs completed a task that hasn’t been done since 2009 as they took the Region 1A championship with a 57-32 win over North Greene to host a substate game against Harriman on Saturday.
Senior point guard Madison McClain scored a game-high 20 points and ran the Bulldogs offense with efficiency and directed a stifling defense as Hampton (29-2) held the Lady Huskies to single-digit scoring in each of the last three quarters.
“It’s all about defense for us,” McClain said. “Our offense runs off our defense. Coach told us to come out with intensity and that’s what we did.”
Hampton led 18-16 in the second period when the ‘Dogs went on a 15-0 run with McClain knocking down a pair of trey’s to open a 33-16 advantage and led 33-18 at the break.
“That run was all about defense,” McClain said.
The second half was more of the same despite junior forward Macy Henry fouling out early in the third period. Ryleigh Nickels came off the bench for Henry and was solid defensively as the ‘Dogs held senior point guard Grace Buchanan scoreless for the entire contest.
Senior guard Sonya Wagner had a team-high 17 points and sophomore post Hannah Miller added eight for North Greene, who will travel to Region 2A champion Oneida. Junior post Taylor Berry scored 11 points and sophomore guard Piper Helle added ten to the Hampton score sheet.
“We talked the last couple days and thought we could wear them down,” said Lady Bulldogs head coach Brandon Carpenter. “I told the girls to come out – they are a good team with good players and well-coached – that we need to make plays early and as the game wore on, our pressure defense kind of wore them down. Our girls did a fantastic job defensively on Wagner. We have a team here that everyone has a strength individually and our quickness really bothered them.”
Region 1A Championship
Hampton 57-32
North Greene (32)
Gaby 3, Wagner 17, Bailey 2, Miller 8, M. Buchanan 2.
Hampton (57)
Helle 10, McClain 20, Henry 5, Jenkins 8, Berry 11, Estep 1, Nickels 2.
North Greene 11 7 9 5 – 32
Hampton 18 15 9 15 – 57
3-point goals: NG 2 (Wagner 2), H 7 (McClain 4, Helle 2, Berry 1)
All-Tournament Team
Unaka – Lyndie Ramsey
Cloudland – Reagan Blair, Ella Benfield
North Greene – Hannah Miller, Grace Buchanan, Sonya Wagner
Hampton
Linsey Jenkins, Piper Helle, Taylor Berry
MVP – Madison McClain

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