DUANE SHERRILLSports Writer

The Lady Wildcats continued their perfect start in district play by dispatching Lawrence County this past week 55-39 as the Tullahoma girls shot the lights out early and often, leading cover-to-cover on the road against their traditional foe.

Olivia Bowen got hot early for the Lady ‘Cats as she bombed a pair of 3-pointers in the first to give her squad the early advantage. Her prowess from the outside seemed to be contagious as both McLayne Bobo and Lucy Nutt got in on the act in the opening stanza, also hooping 3s from beyond the arc. For Nutt, the three-ball was all she hit in the contest as she recorded 3-pointers in each of the first three periods of the tilt for a total of nine points on the night. In all, Tullahoma hit nine 3-pointers in the district contest, However outside shooting wasn’t Lawrence County’s long suit as they only managed to sink three from downtown. One of those came from Jacie Scott in the first as she led her team in the opening period with five on her way to 11 on the night.

Holding a 14-9 lead after one, Bowen and Nutt got busy canning 3-pointers while Lily Melton heated up from the field, swishing a trifecta of deuces and a free throw. She led her team with 15 points for the game. For the hosts, Scott was really all they had going on in the second as she scored four. Lawrence found themselves down 27-18 at the half after a nine-point second period.

Things got worse for the hosts in the third as Bobo came out hot, scoring six of her game total 11 in the period, making it a scoring flush by registering a 3-pointer, field goal and a free throw. Meanwhile Nutt hit her three and Melton had a pair of field goals and a free throw to contribute to Tullahoma’s 16-point showing in the third. Lawrence countered with the arrival of their leading scorer, Katie Griswell who got six points in the quarter while Emmy Clark contributed four. Griswell led all scorers on the night with 16.

Sporting a 43-30 lead going into the final period, the Tullahoma girls knocked down their free throws, with Nyjah Gibbs and Bobo combining for four hits from the charity stripe while Lily Melton and Bowen both canned 3s. Morgan Carr also contributed two. Griswell had her best period of the night with six for the hosts but it was not enough to draw them back as they were again outscored in the fourth, this time 12-9 by the visitors.

With the win, Tullahoma went into homecoming night against Page, tied with Lincoln County for tops in the district. Tullahoma will play at Lincoln County Tuesday night. Results of the homecoming matchup were not available at press-time.