Leake cruises past Columbia
Southern Sports & Travel, By Darron Thomas
The Leake Rebelettes rolled into Columbia to take on the Columbia Lady Cougars on Friday night in the last game of the regular season for both teams before district tournament action starts. The defending overall champions battered injury stricken Columbia 75-57 to improve to 28-2 on the season. Senior Emily Kea led Leake with 15 points and was one of four starters to hit double figures in the road win.
Olivia Ryals got the Lady Cougars on the board early as the senior hit a basket off the glass for a 2-0 Columbia lead. Ryals has been sidelined most of the season with a knee injury and returned for senior night. The Lady Cougars grabbed the lead again at 4-2 on an Ashton Scarborough bucket with two minutes gone in the opening quarter but Leake reeled of 12 straight points (9 from Emily Kea) to take a 14-4 lead at the 4:08 mark. With under one minute remaining in the opening quarter, and Leake enjoying a 22-7 advantage, freshman point guard Hannah Peoples hit three baskets, the last a 3-pointer from the corner as time expired, to extend the Leake lead to 29-7 after one quarter of play.
Olivia Ryals got the Lady Cougars on the board early as the senior hit a basket off the glass for a 2-0 Columbia lead. Ryals has been sidelined most of the season with a knee injury and returned for senior night. The Lady Cougars grabbed the lead again at 4-2 on an Ashton Scarborough bucket with two minutes gone in the opening quarter but Leake reeled of 12 straight points (9 from Emily Kea) to take a 14-4 lead at the 4:08 mark. With under one minute remaining in the opening quarter, and Leake enjoying a 22-7 advantage, freshman point guard Hannah Peoples hit three baskets, the last a 3-pointer from the corner as time expired, to extend the Leake lead to 29-7 after one quarter of play.
(Above) Leake senior Emily Kea (#15) led the Rebelettes with 15 pts
Leake outscored Columbia 14-2 the first four minutes of the second quarter as the Rebelettes took their biggest lead of the night at 43-9 en-route to a 75-57 win.
Emily Kea led Leake with 15 points, Char’Lesa Tadlock added 14, Hannah Peoples 13, Jenny Wilbanks 12, Kelsey Harvey 6, Shelby Howard and Cheyenne Evans 4 each, Jessi Powers 3 and Shelbi Horn and Anna Crawford 2 apiece.
Ashton Scarborough had a game high 21 points to pace Columbia. Olivia Ryals, Lauren Williamson, Sissy Price and Hannah Martin all had 8 each and Clare Herring added 4.
The Lady Cougars fell to 15-11 with the loss and will take on Bowling Green next Friday in district 4AA tournament play.
CA....7...18...10....22...57
