Lewis County Herald - Serving Hohenwald, Lewis County Tennessee Since 1898

By Jason Fite/Sports Writer

Pete Noblin/Photos

The Lewis County Lady Panthers and Panthers hosted the Hickman County Lady Bulldogs and Bulldogs on Friday night, December 2nd.

The Lady Panthers and Lady Bulldogs took the floor to open action on Friday night, and it was the visitors from Hickman County that took control early. Hickman County took an early lead and posted 11 points in the opening quarter while limiting Lewis County to a lone Addi Osborne free throw in building an 11-1 lead after eight minutes of play. Hickman County would increase their lead in the second period as they outscored the home team 18-8 in the quarter, with half of Lewis County's points coming from Klayr Shepherd, and the Lady Bulldogs held a 29-9 lead at halftime. After the break Hickman County used another big quarter, 17 points, to further increase their lead despite 5 points from Kerrigan Reeves as the Lady Bulldogs went up 46-18. the Lady Panthers would fight back in the fourth, getting points from seven different players, outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 19-8 over the final eight minutes of play. But Hickman County's early lead proved the difference as the Lady Panthers fell 54-37. Kerrigan Reeves led the Panthers in the loss with 7 points, Jayden Moore and Ruth Jennings each had 5, Desirae Warman, Klayr Shepherd, and Gabbi Ortiz 4 each, Blayr Clayton, Kailee Thomas, and Keira Halbrooks 2 apiece, and Addi Osborne and Aryn Shepherd 1 point each.

The boys' tilt between the Panthers and Bulldogs was a competitive game from the opening tip. Bryson Clayburn accounted for 7 of Lewis County's 11 first quarter points but the visiting Bulldogs took a 15-11 lead in the first eight minutes. The Panther defense amped up in the second, limiting Hickman County to one bucket and claiming the lead 24-17 as Clayburn chipped in 6 more in the second. The Bulldogs would claw back in the third, outscoring Lewis County 18-11 to tie the game at 35 as the game moved to the fourth quarter. Dyer Barnes put the Panthers on his back down the stretch, scoring 10 in the fourth before fouling out, and the Panthers would hold on to win 53-47. Dyer Barnes ended the night as leading scorer with 17, Bryson Clayburn finished with 14, Kyle Holcomb had 9, Cade Lomax 5, and Wyatt Bosheers and Malachi Bruce each had 4.

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The Lewis County High School Lady Panthers and Panthers travelled to Hampshire on Tuesday night, November 28th for games against the Lady hawks and Hawks.

The Lady Hawks secured the lead early in the first quarter and went on to take a 11-6 advantage into the second period. The Lady Panthers struggled to find their offense into the second quarter as the Lady Hawk defense again limited Lewis County to only 6 points in the quarter and Hampshire took a 22-12 lead into the break at halftime. Both teams would find scoring opportunities hard to come by after the break in the third quarter, as Lewis County held Hampshire to only 7 points but found themselves in a deeper hole only scoring 4 points in the period to make it a 29-16 game with Hampshire out in front as the game moved into the final eight minutes of action. Down the stretch the Lady Hawks would continue to pull away, outscoring the Lady Panthers 12-6 in the fourth and handing Lewis County a 41-22 loss. Keira Halbrooks scored 8 points in the loss, Kerrigan Reeves, Desirae Warman, and Klayr Shepherd each had 4, and Addi Osborne had 2.

The Panthers jumped on the Hawks early in the boys' matchup, with Dyer Barnes accounting for 11 of Lewis County's 17 first quarter points as the visitors secured a 17-10 lead at the end of the opening quarter. The hot shooting continued in the second with Bryson Clayburn dropping 7 in the period and the Panther defense held the Hawks to 3 points and Lewis County took a 32-13 lead in at the half. Lewis County had its highest scoring quarter of the evening in the third as Barnes again paced the Panthers with 10 of the teams 23 in the quarter as the took complete control of the game and took a 56-19 lead into the final period of regulation. With a running clock in the fourth, Lewis County was outscored 4-1 but the Panthers took the win 57-23. Dyer Barnes had 24 points, Bryson Clayburn added 15, Wyatt Bosheers and Cade Lomax 5 each, Kyle Holcomb 4, Malachi Bruce 2, and Jaxon Fite and Drew Ray 1 each.