The Pea Ridge varsity boys and girls teams went 4-0 again last week, sweeping games with conference rivals Shiloh and Gravette.
The girls fought Shiloh on even terms in the first quarter before blowing out the Springdale girls in the second quarter to cruise to a 56-38 victory. The boys game was never competitive as the Blackhawks throttled Shiloh 65-30 in a game that wasn't as close as the score might indicate.
At Gravette Friday, the girl started slowly, trailing throughout the first half before a big third quarter sent the teams tied going into the fourth quarter. Deadly free throw shooting along with hot shooting from the floor gave the Lady 'Hawks their best offensive quarter in years, scoring 31 points to eventually win 63-54. The boys emerged with a narrow lead after one period, led by one at the break, then used a big third quarter to take control, winning by a 56-45 count.
The teams did not play Thursday, but will host Berryville in important district competition Friday evening.
Game capsules:
Pea Ridge girls 56, Shiloh 38
Decided underdogs, Shiloh came in determined to make a game of it and that they did, with the teams tied at 11-11 after one quarter. Lady Blackhawk Blakelee Winn dropped in a pair of buckets, with Hollyn Davis and Maria Socha adding lone goals while Katelyn Swope ripped a trey to provide the offense.
The 'Hawks defense stepped it up in the second period, limiting their guests to a pair of free throw and single field goal while pouring through 18 to head into the break with a 29-15 advantage. Davis sparked the surge, flinging in a pair of three-pointers, a layup and two free throws. Swope and Aidan Dayberry connected from behind the arc with Gabby Adams converting two of two free throws in the rally.
The 'Hawks cooled somewhat in the third period, with Davis' basket, Dayberry's score, Adams' trey and Winn's four for four from the line combining for 11 points. Shiloh shot through 13 to narrow the gap to 40-28 with one quarter left.
Pea Ridge lit it up behind the 3-point line in the final period with Winn sinking two with Dayberry and Swope canning two as well. Swope added a field goal with Alissa Short shooting in a free throw. The 'Hawks outscored the visitors 16-10 in the fourth to post the final 56-38 victory.
Winn and Davis led the scoring with 14 each with Swope tossing in 11. Dayberry added 8, Adams 5, Socha 2 and Short 1.
Pea Ridge boys 65, Shiloh 30
The Blackhawks came out firing, jumping out to a double digit lead in the opening minutes, outscoring the visitors by a 2-1 ratio for nearly the whole contest. Even more impressive than the 'Hawk scoring was the stifling defense the hosts applied to Shiloh. The guests' offense was kept of balance all evening and only scored in double digits in one quarter.
Shiloh made an effort to shut down the 'Hawks' leading scorer Nick Coble but failed miserably, with the senior forward jamming through 14 points via three treys and four field goals in the first quarter. Center Wes Wales scored twice underneath with Landon Allison adding a field goal to push Pea Ridge to a 20-7 lead at the first quarter buzzer.
The 'Hawks cooled off a bit in the second, and Shiloh was a but warmer but the 'Hawks still outscored their guests 15-11 to go into intermission with a big 35-18 lead. Brandon Whatley led the scoring in the period, hitting three shots and a free throw. Coble added a pair of buckets with Will Feemster and Noah Peterson also scoring from the floor to help keep Shiloh in the rear view mirror.
Carson Rhine set up Wales with a fantastic entry pass with the lanky junior laying it off the glass to boost the 'Hawk lead to 37-18 to start the third quarter. However, a series of 'Hawk turnovers and six unanswered Shiloh points shrunk the lead somewhat to 37-24 as the Shiloh fans started hoping for a comeback.
With the Blackhawks going nearly four minutes without a point, Allison rained on the Shiloh parade by ripping a 3-pointer with 3:39 left in the game, and then a defensive rebound by Pea Ridge led to a fast break with Coble draining one deep from the left side to regain the 'Hawks' 19-point lead at 43-24. Coble then scored underneath followed by a Whatley layup to get the 'Hawks their biggest lead of the evening. The game was all but over when moments later, Coble stripped a Shiloh guard of the ball, driving the length of the court to slam in the 'Hawks' 49th point, more than doubling Shiloh's total of 24. Shiloh ended their four-minute drought by scoring a bucket late to set the third quarter score at 49-26.
While the 'Hawks utilized a lot of players in the fourth quarter, the defensive intensity didn't waver as Shiloh was held to a single field goal and two free throws in the final period. Coble hit a trey early with Wilkerson adding a free shot while Wales and Allison scored goals to push the lead to 57-26 to activate the mercy rule. With the clock running down quickly, Noah Peterson managed to hit a trey and free throw with Mazon Harris scoring twice in the paint for the final 35-point victory at 65-30.
Coble led the scoring with 28, followed by Whatley 9, Wales 8, Allison 7, Peterson 6, Harris 4, Feemster 2 and Rhine 1.
Pea Ridge girls 63, Gravette 54
The Lady 'Hawks were cold from the floor in the first half as they trailed for most of the game before a third quarter rally tied the contest.
The 'Hawks only mustered 9 points in the opening quarter with Gabby Adams scoring twice, Maria Socha once with Kately Swope bombing a trey. The Lions scored 15 to get the hosts out on front 15-9 after one.
Pea Ridge was even colder from the floor in the second quarter, with a single trey by Swope and a lone free throw by Maria Socha proving all the offense. However, the 'Hawks did step up their defense, holding the Lions to just 6 points. Though falling further behind at 21-13, the deficit was still in the single digits at the break.
The second half was a different game, with the Lady 'Hawks outscoring the Lions 50-33 in the final two periods to take the contest.
Blakelee Winn did not score in the first half, but was a force in the third period, hitting three field goals and a trey to spark the comeback, Adams threw in a goal and charity toss, Swope pumped in a 3-pointer, with Alissa Short adding a goal and single free throws by Davis ans Socha. The rally knotted the score at 32-32 to set up a battle royal for the last period.
The referees got a workout in the final eight minutes as the game devolved into a free throw shooting contest, with the 'Hawks heading to the charity stripe for 19 chances. Pea Ridge hit 15 of the 19 to slowly forge ahead with with Winn's offensive outburst of three field goals and a trey adding pressure on the host Lions. Adams proved to be a bad person to foul as she converted 10 of her shots from the line. Davis was three of four from the line with Socha ripping both her free shots.
Swope added another trey in the quarter, with the distinction of scoring a 3-pointer in all four quarters. Adams and Socha added field goals over the final stretch to ice the victory.
Adams led the scoring with 19, with Winn adding 18, Swope 12, Socha 8, Davis 4 and Short 2.
Pea Ridge boys 56, Gravette 45
Balanced scoring, deep shooting and lights out free throw shooting kept the Lions at bay as the 'Hawks posted another conference victory.
The 'Hawks were 11 for 11 from the line in the first half to stay ahead of the erstwhile Lions. Carson Rhine scored a ttey and three free throws to spark the team to a first quarter lead with Coble adding a bucket and two free throws. Wales scored twice inside with Will Feemster scoring a goal and two freebies as Pea Ridge led the hosts 18-15 at the first buzzer.
Gravette came back a little in the second, outscoring Pea Ridge 14-12 to narrow the 'Hawks' lead to a single point, 30-29, at intermission. Noah Peterson scored half the points in the quarter, hitting three field goals. Coble added a shot with Brandon Whatley and Hunter Rains each converting two of two free throws.
The 'Hawks came out of the break, breathing fire on defense, limiting Gravette to just 3 points in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the 'Hawks lit it up from behind the arc, with Feemster connecting on three deep shots with Cobles trey giving Pea Ridge a 42-32 lead with one quarter left.
The Lions battled hard with the 'Hawks in the final eight minutes but could not make any headway, getting outscored 14-13 in the period as Pea Ridge earned an 11-point victory. Wales was big in the paint, scoring three times. Coble hit a trey and layup with Rhine and Feemster hitting free throws to round out the final scoring, a 56-45 Blackhawk victory.
Coble and Feemster led the scoring with 14 each. Wales scored 10, Rhine 8, Peterson 6, Whatley 2 and Rains 2 to finish out the scoring totals.
Sports on 01/16/2019