Eads Girls Lose Regional Battle against Pritchett, 53-47

End Season with 15-7 Record

By Betsy Barnett

March 12, 2004

Jessica Watts has been the perfect leader for Shawn Randel and his extremely young Eads girls team all season long. But the Pritchett Pirates' inside game proved too daunting for the 5'9 senior as the Pirates came to La Junta with an array of big pounders who controlled the boards for Pritchett. Eads would not be able to finish the hard, physical game seeing their hopes of returning to the state tournament dashed in the 53-47 loss to Pritchett.

Eads looked good early as their half-court trap bothered the Pirates. Eads would have the lead 22-14 after the first behind Kerissa Sicklebower's phenomenal 10 points from the outside perimeter. However, the production for the young Eagles began to fade away throughout the second and particularly in the devastating third quarters. At one point in the third Eads found themselves down by 10, 41-31, and the panic button went off. The Eagles would make a seven point run in the last minute of the third to bring themselves back into the game. By the end of three Eads found themselves down by three, 41-38, with Pritchett's inside game becoming very effective in the middle part of the contest. But the third quarter run proved too much for Eads though they struggled with everything they had throughout the fourth.

Junior Morrell Koch would not go away without a fight hitting for two three-balls and sophomore Jennie Richards would add another. Eads would hit nine treys in the contest but the game would come down to free throws instead. Behind 41-38 for most of the quarter Eads continued to hold the Pirates but could not find a way to score themselves. Coming within the two minute range the Eagles were unfortunately down by three and Pritchett went into stall mode. Eads was forced to foul and the Pirates answered hitting every free throw, six-for-six, in the final minute of the contest.

The Lady Eagles ended their 15-7 season with the Pritchett loss and will miss the services of Jessica Watts, Ashley Brown, and Sabrina Kiniston to graduation. Watts was a four-year varsity player and was a starter on the 2003 state championship team from a year ago. Eads will bring back to the table Junior Morrell Koch and sophomores Kerissa Sicklebower, Alyssa Hadley, Jennie Richards, and Braylynn Peck. They will also have the added post services from freshman Destiny Saffer.