By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - After a huge win against state-ranked Meadow Heights Tuesday (Feb. 8) night at home, the Dexter Lady Bearcats had to go on the road Thursday (Feb. 10) to face the Cape Central Lady Tigers. Both teams battled back and forth throughout the contest, and neither team ever had a double-digit lead. Despite beginning the game flat on the defensive side, the Lady Bearcats came out on top, with a final score of 48-41.

Alison Jarrell hit a trey in the opening minute of the game for the ‘Lady Cats, helping them mount a quick 5-0 run. Poor defensive play, coupled with a steal by Chelsea Vinson, allowed the Lady Tigers to creep back into the game and take the lead with 4:00 left in the first. Cape jumped out to a seven point lead at one point, but Dexter battled back, ending the quarter down by only three points.


 A quick layup by Brittany Harris cut Cape’s lead to one, but the Tigers quickly put up seven unanswered points, increasing their lead to eight. After a timeout and very fiery talk from coach Chad Allen, Whitehead hit two free-throws for the ‘Cats, Hannah Noe came up with a steal, Paige Patterson deflected a Vinson pass into Noe’s hands, and Dexter was able to creep back within four points. Chelsea Pannier hit a three in the closing minute of the second quarter to boost Cape Central’s lead to seven going into halftime.

Noe hit a deep trey to start the second half for the Bearcats. Sloppy passing led to several turnovers against Dexter in the frame, but key shots by Taylor Owens and Harris pushed the Bearcats ahead by one with 2:30 left on the clock. Patterson drew a charge on Alayah Cooper-Johnson to hold Cape Central to only two points in the third.

Both teams traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter, but solid free-throw shooting from Katelynn Frazier, Whitehead, and Noe helped keep the ‘Cats in the lead. Harris was a force to be reckoned with during the frame, coming up with a three-point play, blocking a jumper from Vinson, and drawing a charge from Cooper-Johnson with less than a minute left in the game. Despite forcing four turnovers in the frame and a late offensive surge, Cape Central wasn’t able to retake the lead, giving Dexter the seven point victory.

“We came out flat tonight defensively,” said Dexter head coach Chad Allen after the game. “I thought we gave up way too many good looks, inside especially. I thought the girls responded well in the second half; we came out better defensively, and a whole lot more active.”


“Those two charges in the second half, with Paige [Patterson] and Brittany [Harris], really gave us a spark. Katelynn Frazier had a couple great offensive boards, and Taylor Owens came off the bench played really well defensively in the second half.”

“We had a few girls step up, give us a spark, and we really got after it in the second half.”

The Lady ‘Cats will face the Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs Monday (Feb. 14) night at the Bearcat Event Center, in a make-up game from last Monday (Feb. 7) that was postponed due to inclement weather conditions. There will be one half of JV play, scheduled for a 6:00 p.m. tipoff, followed by the full Varsity game at 7:00 p.m.

Photos above Top Photo:Mollie Whitehead defends Cape Central’s Alayah Cooper-Johnson during Thursday night’s Lady Bearcat victory.
Bottom photo:Brittany Harris drives to the basket for the Lady ‘Cats. ShowMe Times photos by Andrew Cato

                                                                     

	1st Q	2nd Q	3rd Q	4th Q	FINAL
DEXTER	10	8	12	18	48
CAPE CENTRAL	13	12	2	14	41

                                                                                                                                                                                  

DEXTER	FG	3s	FT	TOTAL
Whitehead	1	--	3-4	5
Frazier	1	--	4-6	6
Noe	--	1	1-2	4
Jarrell	--	2	--	6
Cobb	2	--	--	4
Owens	2	--	1-2	5
Harris	6	--	5-7	17
Patterson	--	--	1-2	1

                                                                                                                               

CAPE CENTRAL	FG	3s	FT	TOTAL
Cooper-Johnson	5	--	4-6	14
Schaller	2	--	1-2	5
Pannier	1	2	--	8
Vinson	5	--	--	10
Williams	2	--	--	4