Lady Dawgs fall short in final non-district contest against Class 5A no. 11 Georgetown

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

Crisp passing and shutdown defense in the paint helped the no. 11 Georgetown Lady Eagles overwhelm the Copperas Cove Lady dawgs in their non-district finale Tuesday at Bulldawg Stadium.
The Lady Eagles had 18 assists to the Lady Dawgs’ three and shot 51 percent from the field while holding the Lady Dawgs to just 19 percent from the field to hold Cove to their lowest point total of the season in the 48-29 loss.
It was a strong start for the Lady Dawgs as they took a 4-2 lead early with plays in the paint by seniors Yvonna Drayton and Samaria Bostick before Georgetown’s 6-foot-4 senior center Niah Williams began to make her presence known in the paint for five unanswered points for the Lady Eagles to close out the first quarter with a 7-4 lead.
Cove again took the lead on a three-pointer by junior guard T’Shayla Marie and a free throw by junior post Elianah Eady-Smith for the 8-7 lead with 6:47 left in the first half.
Georgetown regained the lead on 2 for 2 free throws by junior guard Taylor Meyners and never looked back. Three baskets by Williams on three assists from three different players and another basket by senior Morgan Larson and a pair of free throws by Cove senior Jordan McGhee pushed the score to 17-10.
A putback and 1 for 2 free throws by Cove freshman Chloe Tuiasosopo brought the Lady Dawgs back within four points, 17-13, but that is a close as they would get.
Another pair of assisted baskets by Williams and a play in the paint by senior center Sheila Lee gave the Lady Eagles a 10-points cushion at the halftime break, 23-13.
The Lady Eagles extended their lead to 15, 28-13, with two free throws by junior Erica Ramthun and two baskets by senior captain Jacqui Spencer.
Another three-pointer by Marie briefly slowed the Lady Eagles before Georgetown outscored the Lady Dawgs 11-2 to close the third quarter. Baskets by Spencer, Williams and senior Sam Folsom, along with a three-pointer by junior Brooke White, led the way for Georgetown. Cove’s two points came from senior guard Danielle McGriff at the free throw line. 
A three-pointer by Cove’s Bostick was answered with another one from White for a 42-21 score.
A free throw by McGhee, a putback by Cove sophomore post Iliana Buitron, and another three by Bostick made it a 44-27 score after the basket by Georgetown’s Larson.
The Lady Eagles pushed their lead back to 21 with baskets by Spencer and Williams for a 48-27 score with 2:08 left before a pair of free throws by Buitron closed the scoring for a 48-29 final.
Williams had a game-high in points with 23, blocks with six, and rebounds with nine to lead the Lady Eagles. Spencer added eight points and four assists followed by White (6 pts), Larson (4 pts, 3 assts), Meyners (2 pts, 4 assts), Folsom (2 pts), and Ramthum (1 pt).
Bostick led the Lady Dawgs with eight points and five rebounds. Marie added six points, two steals and an assist followed by Buitron (4 pts, 3 rebs), McGhee (3 pts, asst, blk), Tuiasosopo (3 pts, 5 rebs), Drayton (2 pts, 7 rebs), McGriff (2 pts), and Eady-Smith (1 pt, 4 rebs).
The Lady Dawgs (11-6) kick off District 12-6A play tonight at home against the Harker Heights Lady Knights (5-4).