Wildcats Split Doubleheader Against Red Boiling Springs

Story and Photos by Rusty Ellis

The Monterey Lady Wildcats stayed step-for-step with Red Boiling Springs on Friday, but fell behind in the third quarter of their 62-41 loss.

Monterey trailed by only a single point at 9-8 at the end of the first quarter, and continued to play well in the second despite falling behind 22-17 heading into halftime.

The third quarter proved to be the biggest difference in the game, as Red Boiling Springs came out and outscored the Lady Wildcats 17-8 to push the lead to 39-25 heading into the fourth. There, Monterey just couldn’t muster up enough offense to mount a comeback and fell 62-41.

Lindsey Wright led MHS with 16 points, as head coach Michelle Farley-Carson says her team just couldn’t find the right rhythm in the second half.

“That’s just something we’ve been struggling with all year,” Farley-Carson said. “We had some issues as far as just being mentally prepared, and I feel like they came into the game just not ready to play tonight…we’re trying to work really hard to figure that out.”

The loss comes on the heels of Monterey’s district win over Bledsoe County on Thursday, a game that saw the Lady Wildcats put together a complete effort from beginning to end.

For her team to do that more consistently, Farley-Carson says that it all comes down to the girls clicking at the same time.

“I think it has a lot to do with that desire and will to win,” Farley-Carson said. “We can put different people on the floor and certain ones will click one game and not click the next…when they do, they’re a really great team to watch. I just wish people could see that more.”

The Wildcats battled back-and-forth with the Bulldogs in the following game, holding on for a 50-49 victory over Red Boiling Springs.

The offenses started out slow, as RBS took an 11-10 lead into the second quarter. The Bulldogs outscored the Wildcats once again in the frame, taking a 23-21 lead into halftime.

The two teams battled to a stalemate in the third, leading to a 37-35 lead for the visitors heading into the final frame. There, Monterey appeared to take control with a 47-41 lead at one point, but Red Boiling Springs battled back and tied the game at 49 with 30 seconds remaining in the game.

The Wildcats caught a break when they earned a trip to the free throw line for Collin Fowler, who sank the first one to give Monterey a 50-49 lead. A last-second three fell just short for the Bulldogs, as the Wildcats earned the one-point victory.

Silas Randolph led the way with 28 points for head coach Lynus Martin, who says he honestly wasn’t quite sure how his team won, but he was glad they did.

“I really don’t know, maybe luck,” Martin said. “We didn’t shoot it very well from the outside…what you just saw is a typical game. That’s kind of where we’re at. We struggle to score, and it’s ugly basketball.”

Randolph gave the team the spark it needed in the fourth when he took over and helped the team build the lead. For Martin, it’s just another example of how important to the team his senior is.

“If we didn’t have him, we wouldn’t be very good,” Martin said. “You see how the defense revolves around him…if we can’t hit open shots when we throw it out, we’re in trouble. He had to keep fighting, and he did something he doesn’t do very well: he shot two big free throws at the end.”

Monterey will be back in action on Tuesday when they take on Jackson County beginning at 6 P.M.

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