J.R. Tidwell/FCT Senior Mason Trapp (42) of the Belgreen Bulldogs makes a quick dish to an open teammate Tuesday night against the Hackleburg Panthers. Trapp three points and one rebound on the night.

BELGREEN — Despite a few recent losses and missing a quality player in Josh DeVaney, the Belgreen Bulldogs boys varsity team returned to the form they are recognized for Tuesday night with a 58-23 win over the Hackleburg Panthers.

After the Bulldogs jumped out to a 5-0 lead, Hackleburg made its first field goal of the game.

That 5-2 scoreline would be the closest the game would ever be.

“We got out to a good start tonight,” Belgreen head coach Greg Watson said. “We haven’t been doing that lately. In the last three games we fell behind, but tonight we played well.”

The Bulldogs went on a 18-0 run before the Psnthers managed another field goal.

The outcome of the game was well decided by halftime, as Belgreen closed the first half with a 46-6 lead.

Nothing changed in the second half other than some bench players for the Bulldogs seeing plenty of time on the court.

The score was 56-18 at the end of the third quarter en route to Belgreen’s 35-point win.

Between the girls’ and boys’ varsity games the 2012-13 seniors were honored, including Mason Trapp, Brock Hester and Nick Miller.

It was Trapp that started the Bulldogs off on the right foot by hitting a long field goal right after play began.

It looked to be a 3-pointer, but the shot was scored as a two.

“This was a good team win all around on senior night,” Watson said. “We played well tonight, and their was no selfishness by any of the players.”

Chase Landers led the Bulldogs in points on the night with 16.

Hester had 9 points and 10 rebounds and Dustin Smith totaled 8 points and 4 rebounds.

Also scoring for Belgreen were: Miller (7 points, 8 rebounds), Hugo Castillo (5), Dakota Davis (4), Ben Inman (3), Jared Mitchell (3) and Trapp (3).

Belgreen Lady Bulldogs 56, Hackleburg 44 

The Belgreen Lady Bulldogs, who have struggled some this season, came out with a different look against Fayette County and more recently Hackleburg.

Some players who have been coming off the bench this season have been getting some more time on the court, and the Lady Bulldogs have won their last two games.

The latest was a hard-fought win over the Lady Panthers, who were never out of the relatively close match.

“When we played them before Christmas they gave us a whoopin,” Belgreen head coach Richie Hester said. “We lost Laken Bragwell for the year, but we started realizing we had a deep bench.”

“We had some girls step up and come off the bench and have a great game. The girls played as a team. This was a team effort.”

Hackleburg was ahead on the scoreboard 15-10 at the end of the first quarter, but Belgreen quickly captured the lead at 16-15.

The Lady Panthers tied the game at 20-20 by the midpoint of the second, but from that point on Belgreen would not trail in the game.

A 31-24 advantage at halftime turned into a 44-36 lead at the end of the third period en route to the region win.

Allyson [Bragwell] came off the bench and had a spectacular game,” Hester said. “She came out of a slump tonight. Alex Miller, Shellie Barber and Hanna Taylor had great games off the bench. Together we’re strong, divided we fall.”

Allyson Bragwell led the team with 28 points on the night. Also scoring for Belgreen were: Abby Hester (9), Jasmine Martine (7), Lexie Bragwell (7), Nicole Borden (6), Mollie Hester (4), Shellie Barber (3) and Hanna Taylor (2).

—stats kept by Jeremy Reed