On Friday night at Laker gym, the Lady Lakers and Laker boys played host to the Bulldogs of Clinton County, and both teams came away with good district wins.
In the first game, the Lady Lakers and Clinton County were tied 8-8 at the end of the first quarter, but it was Russell County taking control early in the second quarter and never looked back enroute to a 52-34 victory. Senior Jaterria Coffey and Junior Addison Hart both came off the bench for Coach Brett Blankenship’s team and had their best games of the year. Coffey hit two three pointers early in the first half, and Hart hit four three-pointers in the second half, including back to back to back threes for the Lady Lakers as they pulled away from the Lady Bulldogs. Hart finished with 14 points and Coffey finished with 12 to lead Russell County, who saw their record improve to 2-4 on the season.
In the boys game, the Lakers led 22-11 at the end of the first quarter but Clinton County made a run early in the second quarter to cut into the lead, and Russell County led 38-31 at halftime behind Mayes Gosser with 12 first half points, Owen Loy with 11, and Dylan Stanelle off the Laker bench with 8 points all in the first half. Russell County outscored Clinton County 21-15 in the third quarter behind outstanding play and shooting from Sophomore Maddox Shearer and Senior Trace Stringer. Shearer finished with 14 points and Stringer with 12, all scoring for both players coming in the second half. Clinton County fought back, cutting the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter, but the Lakers held on for a 76-68 win. Russell County improved to 4-1, while Clinton fell to 4-2. In addition to Shearer’s 14 points and Stringer’s 12, Loy had 17 and Gosser with 15.
On Saturday, the Laker boys traveled to Barren County to play Pleasure Ridge Park. The Lakers lost a close one to the Louisville school by a score of 60-59.
Both Lady Lakers and Laker boys will be in Gatlinburg this week for three games each. You can get results each morning on the Laker Sports Report with Zac Oakes on Laker Country 1049 WJRS.