McCarley Northway passes the ball in a game against Hartselle last year. The Lady Patriots defeated Hartselle in the same gym this past week 50-49. | Enquirer file photo

Staff Reports

Hartselle Enquirer

The Hartselle Tigers traveled to Brewer on Friday, November 18 for a rivalry on the hardwood against the Patriots. Brewer was riding high off a big win over the Decatur Red Raiders.

The Patriots won the opening tipoff, but did not get any points off their opening possession. However, Hartselle came out scoring as they took a 2-0 lead to start the game. By mid first period, the Tigers had created a 7-4 lead over the Lady Patriots. With 49 seconds left in the first, Brewers Madison Adams was fouled and went on to make both of her free throws to make it a 7-6 game. The clock wound down and the Lady Tigers took the first period lead 7-6.

With the start of the second period, Hartselle came out aggressive and made their first three pointer to make it 10-6. Brewer made a push and scored four unanswered points to tie the game at 10 with 4:30 left in the half. The game went on with nothing to show for a few minutes until Hartselle’s Anna Mathis made a three to put Hartselle back up by three with 2:30 remaining. Brewer got the ball back but turned it over giving Hartselle the ball back as they went and scored two more points making it 15-10. Brewer’s Jacie Andrews went down the court and missed a two but drew a foul to give her the opportunity to make it a 15-11 game, which she did. Almost immediately, Brewer got the ball back and Shyan Flack was fouled and sent to the line where she made both shots to make it a 15-13 game with 14 seconds remaining in the half. Hartselle got the ball back and as the clock wound down Moriah Taylor threw up a buzzer beating three that gave the Lady Tigers an 18-13 lead as they went into halftime.

The second half began much like the first as Moriah Taylor knocked in another three to give Hartselle the 21-13 lead. After a 7-2 run by Hartselle, Brewer’s Leisha Steger scored a three pointer that lessened Hartselle’s 10-point lead to seven at 25-18. The two teams went back and forth the rest of the period, which ended with five straight points by Hartselle’s Ally Mayfield that put Hartselle up 33-26.

The final period of the game started with Mathis scoring two more for Hartselle. With the game at 35-32, Ally Mayfield made another three pointer to further the Lady Tiger’s lead to 38-32. Brewer scored two, but on the very next possession Hartselle’s Mathis made another three to make it 41-34 with 4:30 left in the game. Brewer then went to the line twice, Steger made one, and Flack made two to make it 41-37. Ally Mayfield went down and made another big three for Hartselle that gave them a 7-point lead. However, Brewer then went on a 12-5 run due to a few big fouls and a turnover by Hartselle to make it 49-46 Patriots. With 30 seconds left, Taylor got another huge three to drop, tying the game at 49. However, Brewer senior Henslee Brindley would be fouled and sent to the line where she made one to give Brewer the lead with 13 seconds remaining. Hartselle was called for traveling which gave Brewer the ball back and ended the game as Brewer took the win 50-49.