The Quitman Lady Bulldogs dispatched the Winona Ladycats 58-17 last Friday at Ballard Gymnasium. 

The Lady Bulldogs had some difficulty generating the results they sought early in the game, against a Winona side which has been struggling to field a competitive team. The visitors hit on a couple of long-range bombs which gave them an advantage until late in the opening quarter.

Allie Berry scored a jumper from the lane, and Autumn Cason scored off of an inbound play to put Quitman in front after one quarter 11-10.  

Quitman persevered and just kept playing. Strong work by Cason, who got hammered hard on consecutive drives through the lane, a great hustle play by Addison Marcee which resulted in an Annabelle Popek score, and an inbound play by Berry saw the Lady Bulldogs take a 25-14 lead into halftime. 

Coach Blake Hamrick used the opening of the second half to build playing experience among the team. To start the third quarter, Marcee was joined by Alexis Frazier, Lynlee Taylor, MyKenzy Miller and Jackalyn Alcorn.

The youthful line-up more than held its own. The point guard work by Frazier was especially noteworthy. 

Once the Lady Bulldogs found their rhythm, the scoring followed. The home side put up 17 points in the third quarter and 14 points in the final quarter, while limiting Winona to a single score in the second half.

The win evened the Lady Bulldogs’ district record at 2-2 after last Tuesday’s 35-32 win over Harmony.

The next two weeks will be a challenge of another order. Before a Jan. 23 bye date, the Lady Bulldogs travel to Mt. Vernon, host Winnsboro Jan. 12, host Mineola Jan. 16 and travel to Chapel Hill Jan. 19.