After a low-scoring, tightly-contested first half, the Mineola Lady Yellowjackets sent the visiting Quitman Lady Bulldogs packing with a 37-19 loss in the district-opening matchup last Tuesday.

Quitman came out firing, turning turnovers into buckets by Allie Berry and Annabelle Popek, going up 5-0 shortly after tip-off with a free throw by Autumn Cason.

Mineola got on the board with jumpers from Jayla Jackson and Mahayla McMahon.

Lady Bulldog Sadie Vander Schaaf netted two points before a three pointer by Lady Jacket shooter Kali Chreitzberg knotted it at seven each.

Chreitzberg later earned a trip to the line and gave Mineola an 8-7 lead after eight minutes.

The first four minutes of the second quarter saw no scoring, but plenty of scraping, scrappy play. It was a three by Cason that broke the drought. Popek dropped a contested midrange-jumper over McMahon in the lane to give Quitman a four-point advantage.

The lead nearly evaporated when Lady Jacket shooter Kyra Jackson hit a three-pointer, which she punctuated with a clap and emphatic, “Let’s go!” to close scoring, 12-11 Lady Dogs at halftime.

Caroline Castleberry provided a spark for Mineola early in the third with a trey to take the lead, then throughout the period with her hustling, one-woman press in the backcourt.

Though Quitman successfully got over the half-court line consistently, Castleberry’s pestering, persistent defense forced them to make extra, uncomfortable passes, and the applied pressure combined with that of her teammates’ eventually broke things open for the Lady Jackets.

A shot from downtown by Berry tied it 16-16.

Quitman was forced to use a timeout on an inbound play to avoid a five-second call three minutes into the half and was held scoreless for over eight more minutes.

McMahon added three buckets in the third, finishing with eight points.

Lone Lady Jacket senior Macy Fischer opened the final quarter with a three, converted a steal and a rebound into two more buckets and closed with two free throws, leading her team to victory and all scorers on the night with nine points.

Mineola tallied 15 unanswered before Kaylin Sapp sunk a three.

Popek led the Lady Dogs with seven points.

Mineola moved to 2-0 in district with a win over Harmony Friday 37-21.

Quitman fell to 0-2, losing to Chapel Hill Friday 56-30.

District play resumes for Quitman Jan. 2 at Harmony after the Lady Bulldogs host their tournament Dec. 27-28.

Mineola will be in the Tenaha tournament Dec. 28-30 and resume district Jan. 2 at Mt. Vernon.