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By LAUREN SEXTON | Sports Reporter

PELHAM  – County rivals Pelham and Chelsea faced each other in a final county battle of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Thanks to a strong defensive mindset in the second quarter, the Hornets were able to pick up a 58-48 victory over the Panthers.

Pelham started the evening out strong after outscoring Chelsea by two points for a 12-10 lead. Tiauna King and Laci Gogan totaled a combined six points for the Panthers. 

Gogan picked three points from the free-throw line and King posted three points outside the arc. Karma Wynn and Kaitlynn Hollingsworth both went two-for-two from the free-throw line, while Alayna Noble tacked on two points from the paint.

Chelsea’s Haley Trotter and Olivia Pryor tacked on a combined eight points from four field goals. Madison Moore knocked down two points.

Chelsea turned the table in the second quarter with a much more defensive mindset and limited Pelham to six points from King and Gogan before the first half concluded. 

The Hornets’ offense picked up the lead after knocking down 16 points in the second quarter. Moore led Chelsea with six points from two field goals.

Pryor went two-for-two from the free throw line and tacked on an additional two points from inside the paint. Sophia Brown also knocked down a basket in the paint and picked up a point from a single free throw.

Madeline Epperson and Trotter totaled a combined three points.

Separation only continued to increase between the Panthers and the Hornets, but not without a fight from Pelham.

The Panthers scored 16 points in the third quarter, however, the Hornets outscored Pelham by two points for a 44-34 lead.

Claire Robinson led the Panthers with five points, while Hollingsworth followed with three points.

Taylor Howard, Averi Smith, Gogan and Wynn posted two points each from inside the arc.

Trotter carried the Hornets after picking up 10 out of Chelsea’s 18 points knocked down during the third quarter. 

Moore posted four points, while Pryor and Brown totaled a combined four points.

Chelsea maintained its 10-point lead over Pelham before the second half concluded. The Panthers fell to the Hornets 58-48.

Lexi Reed went four-for-four from the free throw line for the Hornets, while Caroline Brown and Sophia Brown went two-for-two for Chelsea.

Trotter totaled four points from two field goals.

Wynn knocked down six of Pelham’s 14 points in the final quarter. Hollingsworth picked up two points from the free-throw line, Gogan posted two points in the paint and King knocked down a three-point field goal.

Wynn and Gogan led the Panthers with 10 points each, while King knocked down nine and Hollingsworth added seven points.

Trotter carried the Hornets with 19 points posted. Moore and Pryor followed Trotter with 12 points.