Melissa McClendon
LOCUST GROVE - Locust Grove dominated the Kansas Comets Saturday night in front of a home crowd at the Pirate Arena.
The Pirates beat Kansas 56-35.
The Lady Pirates were not as successful.
The Lady Comets burned the Lady Pirates 76-42.
Loaded with seniors, the Lady Pirates struggled from the tipoff.
Kansas went on a nine-point scoring streak before Locust Grove’s Sarah Boren hit a three-pointer to get her team on the board.
Kansas answered back with three of their own.
At the end of the first quarter, the Lady Pirates trailed 19-9.
Locust Grove had trouble shutting down the Lady Comets’ Kelsey Barnwell.
Barnwell totaled 16 first half points to lead her team.
The Lady Pirates got a boost from the bench with Courtney Freeman entered the game.
Freeman took charge, scoring seven points but it was not enough to narrow the Comets growing lead.
At the end of the first half Kansas was up 34-23.
After the break, Barnwell racked up a couple of threes and a pair of free throws.
The Lady Pirates continued to struggle to stop the Kansas offense while scoring only seven third quarter points.
Five of the seven came from the free throw line.
Kansas continued its assault in the fourth quarter taking the win 76-42.
Locust Grove was led in scoring by Balie Neel with 12 points.
Freeman followed with 11.
Kansas was led by Barnwell’s 26 points.
The Pirates didn’t have as much trouble cooling the Comets with the help of double-digit performances by Trey Conner, Kevin Pilant and Pudd Ross.
Just four minutes into the game Kansas was able to tie the score at 6-6.
That was the last time the Comets would be anywhere close to Locust Grove.
At the end of the fist quarter the Pirates were up by 11.
Baskets by Ross, Conner, Pilant and a three point shot by Chase Knott boosted Locust Grove to a 34-13 lead at the end of the first half.
Darrien Dawson added three points to the Pirates’ total in the third quarter and Knott added a three point play when he was fouled on a made shot then sunk the free throw.
Locust Grove added six more points in the fourth quarter as the Pirates went on to a 56-35 victory over Kansas.
Conner led the Pirates with 14 points in the game while Ross and Pilant had 10 each.
Locust Grove will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to Salina.
The girls game will tip off at 6:30 p.m.
Girls
Kansas 76 LG 42
K - 19 15 21 21 - 76
LG - 9 14 7 12 - 42
Balie Neel 12, Courtney Freeman 11, Breanna Jarrell 9, Kelsey Rowden 3, Sarah Boren 3, Michaela Smith 2, Sabina Burton 2.
Boys
LG 56 Kansas 35
K - 6 7 14 8 - 35
LG - 17 17 16 6 - 56
Trey Conner 14, Kevin Pilant 10, Pud Ross 10, Adrian Houser 8, Chase Knott 6, C.J. Stafford 5, Darrien Dawson 3.
Friday
Boys
Adair 41 Ketchum 33
A - 9 9 7 16 - 41
K - 6 13 6 8 - 33
A - Heath Peper 11, Travis Brachtenbach 9 Logan Crawford 7, Mason Hudson 4, Seth Stricklen 4, Michael Fraley 2, Marshall Timmons 2, Vern
Barnes 2.
