Lady Blazers storm past Elizabethton to District 1-3A title

BLUFF CITY — A lot of championship-level teams have an ability to flip a switch and enter a gear other clubs aren't able of reaching. The Daniel Boone Lady Trailblazers showcased that ability on Monday night. The new No. 2 team in the TSWA/USA Today Network Polls for 3A trailed by seven in the first half, but stormed past Elizabethton to win the District 1-3A Championship game 83-45. "We came out a little nervous in the beginning of the game," Boone head coach John Good said. "They were hitting some shots. They had the momentum and everything. Our kids were a little rattled but they came together at halftime. Defensively, we played a little bit better and I think that's what we're good at." The district title game opened as a back-and-forth affair. In the first quarter, the Lady Trailblazers (28-3) used an 8-0 run to take its largest lead of the first half, 18-11 with 2:21 left in the first quarter. However, Elizabethton (16-13) cut its deficit to five by the end of the period. Betsy maintained its momentum and went on a 15-6 stretch to get a 30-23 lead midway through the second quarter. However, from that point on, it was all Boone. For the rest of the contest, the Lady 'Blazers out-paced Elizabethton 60-15. It started with a 10-0 run immediately following the seven-point Lady Cyclone lead. It allowed Boone to lead 38-32 at halftime. "They were very unselfish," Good said. "They came down and started finding each other. We got some easier shots and we weren't as stagnant on offense. It says a lot about them. You win district tournaments because of good players. I've been blessed with a great team." Elizabethton was held without a field goal over the final four-plus minutes of the half, as the only points in the span were a pair of free throws by Rylee May. Betsy finally ended the field goal drought with a triple by Sydney Minton with 5:57 remaining in the third quarter. Still, by the end of the third quarter, the Lady 'Blazers had extended their lead to 17 points, and out-scored the Lady Cyclones 21-0 over the final eight minutes of play. Class 3A Miss Basketball finalist Andrea Flores went off for Boone in the championship clincher. She went for 34 points, including five made triples. The Mississippi State signee hit three of those triples in the monster third frame for the Lady 'Blazers. Chattanooga signee Aaliyah Story also had a strong night, going for 24 points while playing strong interior defense that won her the conference's defensive player of the year. Laney Britton also reached double figures with 10 points. "Honestly, (Story's) a game-changer," Flores said. "I love her as a person and as a player. Love her on the defensive side. She's going to have your back, always. She's going to get those blocks. She's really, really good at what she does." May paced the Lady Cyclones with 15 points while Addison Bunn netted 13 more. The victory is the second in district title in a row for Boone. However, last season's came in Class 4A. Third Place: Tennessee High 68, David Crockett 53 After the Lady Pioneers cut a double-digit deficit down to six points at the end of the third quarter, the Lady Vikings opened the fourth on a 16-1 run to create enough separation to put Crockett away. Tennessee High (20-12) were led in scoring by a 22-point effort by Jena Latham. Addy Moore had 14 points, all in the first half. Carly Warwick scored a dozen points and Katy Granger netted 11. Meanwhile for Crockett (7-19), Kayleigh Doner led the way with 16, Autumn Wynn scored 14, and Jaidyn Howard went for 10, all in second quarter. Up Next The Region 1-3A Tournament will begin on Friday. Boone and Elizabethton will host the opening round, against Volunteer and Grainger, respectively, while Crockett and Tennessee High will travel to District 2 sites. Crockett to Greeneville and Tennessee High to Cherokee.