Hiwassee Dam tops Swain, Summit Charter
Hiwassee Dam – In their first two-game week of the season, the Lady Eagles came away with two wins.
They first defeated Swain County on Dec. 3, then ended the week by taking down Summit Charter on Thursday.
In their first game of the week, they got a win at home over the Big Smoky Mountain Conference’s Swain County. The Lady Eagles got the win to spoil their season opener.
The Lady Eagles jumped out to a large first-quarter lead after scoring 26 points in the opening frame, only allowing the Lady Maroon Devils nine points.
In the second quarter, the Lady Eagles scored 16 more points to take a 42-20 lead into halftime.
The Lady Eagles exploded for 23 points in the third quarter and only allowed six points to extend their lead heading into the fourth quarter of the game.
It was a low-scoring fourth quarter, as both teams combined for only 10 points en route to the Lady Eagles getting a 73-28 win.
From heels to high tops
In their second game of the week, the Lady Eagles celebrated homecoming with a 63-26 win over Summit Charter on Friday night.
The game started with a mid-range jump shot from Sky Taylor. The Lady Eagles scored eight consecutive points before Summit got on the board halfway through the first quarter.
Late in the first, both teams exchanged possessions where they both put up points. The Lady Eagles led 18-8 after one quarter.
The Lady Eagles built on their lead in the second quarter with 12 more points. Summit start the quarter with a 3-pointer, but Hiwassee Dam then claimed a 10-point lead again, prompting Summit to call a timeout.
Right out of the timeout, Olivia McNabb blocked a shot, then passed it to Brinkley Payne, who sent it up the court to give Brooklyn Hyde a fast break, where she scored on a layup. Hyde then drained a 3-pointer to further extend the Lady Eagles’ lead at halftime.
Summit started the second half with four straight points, but the Lady Eagles continued to score and build their lead even further. After Summit’s four straight points to start the half, they went scoreless the rest of the third quarter.
The Lady Eagles scored 27 unanswered points before Summit’s next score, which came on a free throw in the fourth quarter.
Following that made free throw, the Lady Eagles only allowed Summit to score five more points in the game. The Lady Eagles celebrated homecoming night with a 63-26 win.
Four Lady Eagles were in double-digit points Friday night, with Brinkley Payne scoring 17 points, Brooklyn Hyde 13, and Olivia McNabb and Sky Taylor 12 each.
The Lady Eagles on the homecoming court include Olivia McNabb, Bella Stiles, Avery McNabb and Sarah Stock.
“I thought we played good in spurts. Homecoming night is a big event and a lot of distractions, a lot of things going on, so sometimes it’s hard to get focused back in on what we’re here to do,” head coach David Payne said.
He added that it was good to win on homecoming night.
“It’s one of our biggest crowds. A lot of people are here that might not come just to watch a ball game, but they’re here to watch the festivities, so to be able to win in front of that kind of crowd with people from their family possibly that might not come to other ball games, it is special,” Payne said.
“When you have that and Senior Night, you always want to end it on a good note, so that was a positive.”
The Lady Eagles will play their first Little Smoky Mountain Conference game Friday, when they travel to Highlands. They return home at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 16, to take on Robbinsville.