Bowling Green opens season with huge win

By Johnnie Daniel

The Bowling Green Lady Bucs began the 2013-14 season by facing the defending Overall Champion Starkville Academy Lady Vols. Bowling Green, the defending AA State Champions, finished last season with a 37-2 record with both losses coming at the hands of the Lady Vols. In the season opener for both teams, Starkville entered the contest riding a 52 game win streak while the Lady Bucs had won 37 of their last 39 games.

The Lady Bucs jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead, but the Lady Vols answered and held an 11-10 lead after one quarter of play. Bowling Green again got out to a quick start in the second quarter and led by as many as 8 points. Starkville Academy closed the quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 23-21 lead at the half.

In the third quarter, the Lady Bucs continued their first-half trend of getting out to quick starts and quickly pulled ahead of the Lady Vols. Bowling Green would hold the lead this time by outscoring the Lady Vols by 11 to take a 43-34 lead into the final period of play. The Lady Bucs would stretch their lead to as many as 16 points before finishing with a 61-48 win.

The 13 point win snapped the Lady Vols 52 game winning streak and gave the Lady Bucs their first win over Starkville Academy in 4 tries. The Lady Vols defeated the Lady Bucs in last season’s opener and in the semifinals of the Overall Tournament.

Junior Kristina Jerrell led the Lady Bucs in scoring with 19 points followed by junior Reagan Moody with 14. Senior Melissa Crowe added 10 while freshmen McKinley Seal (6), Holly Waskom (5) and Katelyn Junkins (4) rounded out the scoring. The Lady Bucs were without All-State sophomore Ashley Foret who is rehabbing a knee injury. Sally Kate Richardson led Starkville Academy with 15 while Nora Katherine Carrol added 13.