When someone says they’re going to bloody your nose, they are usually using it metaphorically.
Unfortunately, Lady Pioneer Elsa Eckenrod, Warren County senior starter and often top points maker, got her nose bloodied in the second half by a wayward limb and had to leave the game.
That’s the kind of night WCHS coach Shea Panter was dealt, including a close loss to White County, 49-42.
Starting out the first quarter a bit slow, neither team got on the board until Warren County’s Tyra Wright put up a bucket underneath halfway through the first quarter. The exchanges were give and take all the way up to a 1-point contest at halftime, 19-18, in favor of the Lady Pioneers.
Both teams stayed competitive until the fourth quarter when the Warriorettes slipped away 2 points at a time. With 2:00 remaining, a 44-40 lead by the Warriorettes was extended to a 7-point lead and final, 49-42. With 23 seconds left, Sparta controlled the rock and held on till the buzzer.
“I thought we had a good defensive game plan,” said coach Panter. “We held their two leading scorers to three field goals. We just didn’t have an answer on the offensive end. The fire went out with about 5 minutes left in the game. We had to foul to stop the clock and that put them on the free-throw line.  They hit free throws down the stretch to maintain their lead. We will use this disappointment to fuel our engines and get prepared for Cookeville this Friday.”
Rae Ann Hodges stepped up on the offense and grabbed a lot of boards for the Lady Pioneers. Hodges was tied for game-high top score with 12 points along with White County’s Brooke Stoglin. Emily Mikkola was responsible for set up and distribution while Tyra Wright made a good showing getting boards for the Lady Pioneers.
Also scoring for the Lady Pioneers were Mikkola with 8 points, Wright, Anna Bain and Megan Patch each scored 6 points, and Eckenrod hit for 2 points.
The Lady Pioneers request your support versus Cookeville and cancer. Friday, Jan. 13 is Gold Night for the Lady Pioneers, who play host to Cookeville. They are asking for all fans to be on deck to help. Gold Night is a way to raise money for pediatric cancer.
Hailey Taylor was a beloved teammate who lost her battle with brain cancer two years ago. Shirts purchased and donations made go to help others in need. If you didn’t get a chance to buy a shirt, there will be a limited supply at the game plus locations to make donations for the cause.
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