South Lawrence Basketball Teams Remain Unbeaten After Sweep of Mars Hill
South Lawrence continued its undefeated start to the basketball season Tuesday night, November 3, as both the girls' and boys' teams earned victories over Mars Hill in front of their home crowd.
The Lady Stallions used a dominant first-half performance to cruise to a 50-22 victory, while the boys overcame a competitive first half before pulling away for a 47-29 win.
Both teams improved to 3-0 on the young season.
Lady Stallions Roll Past Mars Hill, 50-22
South Lawrence wasted little time establishing control of the girls' contest, using aggressive defense and a fast-paced offense to build a commanding lead.
Reagan Stutts helped set the tone early, attacking the basket and converting a three-point play in the opening minutes. The Lady Stallions continued applying pressure, forcing Mars Hill into difficult situations while creating scoring opportunities in transition.
Izzy Tate Methvin led the offensive charge, finishing with a game-high 17 points. Methvin was particularly effective in the second quarter, knocking down a pair of three-pointers while also finding success driving to the basket.
Soleil James provided another spark for South Lawrence, contributing 10 points while helping lead the team's defensive pressure. Her ability to attack the basket and create opportunities off turnovers helped the Lady Stallions maintain control throughout the first half.
South Lawrence carried a commanding 36-10 advantage into halftime, having limited the Lady Panthers to just 10 points through the first two quarters.
Mars Hill continued battling in the second half, finding some offensive success while making South Lawrence work harder for its scoring opportunities. However, the Lady Stallions' early advantage proved too much to overcome.
Emmy Wright finished with 12 points, providing another scoring threat for South Lawrence. Wright was particularly active around the basket in the second half, helping keep the offense moving.
Baylor Kate Tipps added five points, including a three-pointer in the closing moments. Stutts and Molly Brooke Stone contributed three points apiece.
The Lady Stallions also received valuable minutes from their younger players, including Tipps and Reese Rutledge, who helped maintain defensive pressure and contributed several hustle plays.
South Lawrence closed out the contest with a 50-22 victory, remaining unbeaten through its first three games.
South Lawrence scoring: Izzy Tate Methvin 17, Emmy Wright 12, Soleil James 10, Baylor Kate Tipps 5, Reagan Stutts 3, Molly Brooke Stone 3.
Stallions Use Strong Second Half to Defeat Mars Hill, 47-29
The South Lawrence boys followed with a hard-fought victory of their own, using a strong defensive effort after halftime to turn a close contest into an 18-point win.
The Stallions came out aggressive in the opening quarter, with Hank Hood connecting from three-point range and sixth-grader Madden Johns making his presence felt early.
Johns attacked the basket for a score while drawing a foul, then converted the free throw to complete a three-point play. The early offensive production helped South Lawrence establish a 14-7 advantage through the first quarter.
However, Mars Hill had no intention of going away quietly.
The Panthers began finding their rhythm in the second quarter, using an aggressive defense and timely outside shooting to chip away at the South Lawrence lead.
Mars Hill connected on consecutive three-pointers during the period, and the Panthers eventually cut the Stallions' advantage to just one point at 18-17.
With momentum shifting toward the visitors, South Lawrence needed an answer.
Briggs Gordon delivered by finding Ryker James near the basket for a score. James was fouled on a subsequent possession and converted a free throw, helping South Lawrence take a 21-17 lead into halftime.
Despite the narrow advantage, the Stallions had an opportunity to regain control after the break.
They did exactly that.
Hood opened the second half with an aggressive move inside, battling for an offensive rebound and converting a basket while drawing a foul.
Gordon later connected on a three-pointer, and Johns added points from the free-throw line as South Lawrence began extending its advantage.
While the Stallions found success offensively, it was their defense that made the biggest difference.
South Lawrence held Mars Hill to just four points in the third quarter, limiting the Panthers' scoring opportunities and forcing them into difficult possessions.
The Stallions outscored Mars Hill 11-4 during the period, extending their lead to 32-21 heading into the final six minutes.
The fourth quarter belonged to South Lawrence as well.
Hood knocked down another three-pointer, his second of the night, while Johns continued attacking the basket.
Johns delivered one of the more impressive offensive stretches late in the game, driving through traffic for a basket while drawing a foul. Moments later, he came up with a steal and converted another basket despite contact, earning another opportunity for a three-point play.
The sequence helped South Lawrence stretch its lead and put the game firmly out of reach.
Huntley Daniels also got into the scoring column late, backing down a defender and connecting on a basket as the Stallions continued their strong finish.
South Lawrence outscored Mars Hill 15-8 in the fourth quarter, completing a dominant second half in which the Stallions held a 26-12 scoring advantage.
Hood led South Lawrence with 15 points, while Johns finished close behind with 14. Together, the two accounted for 29 of the Stallions' 47 points.
James and Gordon provided additional offensive support with seven points apiece, while Corbin Roberson and Daniels each added two.
Beyond the scoring, the Stallions received important defensive contributions throughout the contest. Grayson Curtis provided valuable minutes off the bench, particularly during the second quarter, while Roberson, James, and others helped create turnovers and limit Mars Hill's opportunities.
The victory demonstrated South Lawrence's ability to respond to adversity, make adjustments, and take control of a competitive game.
After leading by just four points at halftime, the Stallions finished with a convincing 47-29 victory to improve to 3-0.
South Lawrence scoring: Hank Hood 15, Madden Johns 14, Ryker James 7, Briggs Gordon 7, Corbin Roberson 2, Huntley Daniels 2.
Up Next
Both South Lawrence basketball teams will return to action Thursday, November 5, when they travel to Coffman.
The boys' junior varsity game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., followed by the girls' varsity contest at 6:00 p.m. and the boys' varsity game at 7:00 p.m.
Both teams will look to keep their undefeated seasons intact as they continue their early-season schedules.
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