Russellville boys, girls take on Central-Florence
The Russellville Golden Tigers got scoring in double figures by four different players on their way to a 67-60 road win over the Central-Florence boys Jan. 4.
Eli Gipson led RHS with 17 points, with 11 of those coming in the first half. Jeb Bishop finished the night with 14, Chandler Dyas helped the cause with 13 and Brooks Scott poured in 11.
Russellville (7-3) jumped out to an early 23-9 first quarter advantage and held a 14-point lead at the half. Central came out strong in the third period, outscoring RHS 20-14. All but four of Russellville’s 14 fourth-quarter points came at the free-throw line.
Samuel Pace hit a couple of shots from beyond the three-point-line and finished with six points. Boots McCulloch added four points, and Nathan Brockway scored two.
Just before the New Year, the RHS boys finished up play in the Bracy Invitational at Deshler High School. Russellville fell to Lauderdale County by a 71-62 score and then bounced back with a 77-47 victory over Ardmore.
Against Lauderdale County, Dyas scored 27 points to lead RHS. The Golden Tigers trailed by three at the end of the first quarter, and LCHS grew the lead to six at the half.
Russellville outdid the opponent by five in the third to draw to within two going into the final quarter, but Lauderdale County held on for the win down the stretch.
Scott and Bishop scored eight points apiece for RHS, while Gipson and McCulloch finished with seven each. Pace added three points, and Conner Warhurst scored two.
Ten Golden Tigers scored in the blowout win over Ardmore. Gipson led RHS with 16, while Dyas followed closely with 15. Warhurst and Bishop scored nine apiece, Scott had eight, Brockway scored seven and Pace added six. Nicholas McSpadden had three, while Ashton Boyd and McCulloch rounded out the scoring with two points each.
In varsity girls’ action, the Lady Golden Tigers fell 37-33 at Central Jan. 4.
The Wildcats held a 21-15 halftime lead but were outscored 9-1 in the game’s third quarter by Russellville, and the Lady Golden Tigers led by a 24-22 score going into the fourth period.
The Central girls finished the game strong by getting their largest point output of the night in the fourth quarter, and they bested RHS 15-9 down the stretch to grab the win.
Jenna Whitfield led Russellville (1-8) with 11 points. Leah Rushing and Jayna Poss scored six apiece, and Avery Watts had five. Anna Beth Oliver scored three, and Jacey Moore added two.
