The Whiteface Lady Lopes recovered from a tough first quarter to put the visiting Smyer Lady Cats away 61-17 in UIL District 5-2A high school girls’ basketball action Friday.
The Lady Cats took the tip, but both teams missed chances at the basket early. The first score came from a free throw by Emily Blankenship.
Hannah Blankenship added two more free throws for a 3-0 Whiteface lead, but Smyer’s Maegan Smith closed the gap to 3-2 on the next Lady Cat possession.
That prompted a timeout from the Smyer bench. The Lady Cats set up another score from Smith for a 4-3 lead with five minutes left in the first quarter.
The teams went back and forth the rest of the quarter. Tymmyah Olenga was fouled on a basket and made her free throw for a 6-4 Whiteface lead, but Smith tied things up on the next Lady Cat possession.
The final score of the quarter came from Jaedyn Rector with just 21 seconds left in the period for an 8-6 Whiteface lead.
The Lady Lopes went on a tear in the second quarter with an 11-0 run before finishing the half out with a 21-9 lead.
After that it was all Whiteface. The Lady Lopes held Smyer scoreless and outscored the Lady Cats 17-8 in the fourth.
Three Lady Lopes were in double figure scoring. Emily Blankenship had 16 points, Olenga had 14 and Kambry Sanders had 10. Rector had nine points, Hannah Blankenship had eight and Abi Soliz had four.
For the Lady Cats, Smith had seven points. Kira Posadas and Jada Hernandez had three each.
Kenzie Zapata and Ellie Nelson had two each.
The Lady Lopes will host Sundown on Friday at 6:15 p.m. The Lady Cats will be in Ropes for a 6:15 p.m. game on Friday.