Quitman holds on against Wayne Co.

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Dec. 10, 2003
QUITMAN The Panthers grabbed two offensive rebounds in the closing minutes of their game against the Wayne County War Eagles Tuesday night to seal their eighth win of the season.
Quitman picked up a 55-49 home win Wayne County by snatching a pair of rebounds after missing free throws.
The Panthers' Brett Jones snatched the team's their first offensive rebound off a free throw on his own miss, with 2:06 left in the game.
Quitman (8-4) was unable to score off the rebound, but the team did burn nearly 20 seconds off the game clock, as it clung to a 51-46 lead.
Prince Trotter grabbed the second offensive rebound for the Panthers with 1:36 left in the game, after his teammate Xavier Arrington missed his second shot from the charity stripe.
Trotter turned the offensive board into a lay up to give Quitman a 54-48 lead 16 seconds later.
The two late game offensive boards combined with 18 turnovers handed the War Eagles a loss in their first game of the season.
The Wayne County team's season was put on hold, as the football team made its way through the Class 4A football playoffs which culminated in the War Eagles capturing the state title over Oxford last Saturday.
Wayne County was also hampered by the loss of its leading scorer after the first half in the opening minute of the second half.
War Eagles forward David Howard, who scored 11 points in the first half and finished with 14 and 10 rebounds, picked up his fourth foul in 57 seconds into the third quarter.
Wayne County's Cedric Jones, who tallied 15 of his team-high 17 points in the second half, helped pick up the slack in the forward's absence, but the team was unable to hold onto its 26-20 halftime lead without Howard.
Quitman jumped out to a 16-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, as Wayne County committed eight turnovers to start the game.
Wayne County took its first lead of the game with 3:19 left to play in the first half, as Howard scored on a putback.
War Eagles guard Bryson Brewer gave the team a six-point lead at the half nailing a three-pointer at the buzzer to close the second quarter.
Quitman chipped away at Wayne County's lead in the third quarter out scoring the War Eagles 14-9, and the Panthers retook the lead with two free throws by Trotter. The home team didn't surrender the lead the rest of the game.
Trotter lead all Panthers' scorers with 18 points, and Antoinne McKenzie chipped in 10, all in the second half.
In the girls' contest, the Lady War Eagles shook off the rust of a three-week break to pick up a 46-37 win over the Lady Panthers.
The Wayne County girls' squad also rescheduled games during the football team's drive to the 4A state title.
Wayne County (3-2) outscored Quitman 27-18 in the second half.
War Eagles guard Ratassia Warsham led the ninth-ranked team in the state with 15 points, and Jimetra Gamblin scored 12.
Kemonica McGee tallied a game-high 17 points in the loss for the Lady Panthers (2-9), and Mashan Bonner added 12.