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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

BIRMINGHAM – The Thompson Warriors faced a tough road test in the form of the reigning Class 6A runners up, the Huffman Vikings.

In the end, Thompson passed the test and defeated Huffman 57-47 on Monday, Nov. 18 at Huffman High School to earn the team’s second-straight win.

The Warriors offense started off strong as KK Fenderson scored six points off three field goals in the first quarter while Kayla Russell also scored six in the first thanks to her pair of 3-pointers.

In all, Thompson scored 20 points off just four different players and got the early advantage over the Vikings, leading 20-9 at the end of the first quarter.

Huffman’s offense bounced back in the second quarter and scored 15 points to keep pace with the Warriors.

However, Thompson matched that 15-point output as Russell hit two more 3-pointers and Fenderson and Sydney Coney went a combined 5-for-6 from the free throw line in the remaining time before the break.

That left the double-digit lead intact at halftime as the Warriors led 35-34.

The Vikings got the better of Thompson out of the break and outscored the visitors 14-6 in the third quarter thanks to strong shooting from deep and the free throw line.

On the opposite side, the Warriors went cold from the foul stripe, shooting just 2-for-10 in the third, and only got field goals from Coney during that stretch.

Huffman used that run to make it a one-possession game going into the fourth, with Thompson’s lead just at 41-38.

The Vikings deep shooting continued to make an impact in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors withstood the pressure on the other end of the court.

Coney knocked down another pair of shots from the field during the final quarter, but it was Thompson’s free throw shooting that helped Madison Pierce’s side pull away. Destinee Ealy, Breanna Castille and Russell shot a combined 12-for-14 from the free throw line in the fourth.

That sealed the 10-point victory for the Warriors to keep their winning ways going.

Russell led Thompson with 18 points, Coney scored 15 points and Fenderson made it three double-digit scorers with 10 points. Castille and Ealy each added five points.

The Warriors will look to make it three wins in a row when they take on the Helena Huskies on Thursday, Nov. 21 at 5:30 p.m. at Warrior Arena.