Jeff Kaley
WAURIKA — Career scoring leader Brittany Elkins got some offensive help from three teammates in the third quarter, and it was enough for the Lady Eagles to repulse a late assault by Ryan, in a 41-40 victory at Waurika’s 2009 Homecoming Game.
Although the Lady Eagles rode a scoring roller-coaster much of the night, Elkins, Kacee Daily, Carly Norton and Micah Smith fueled a 19-7 run in the third period that provided just enough scoring for Waurika to turn back a threat from the Cowgirls, rise to 9-10 for the season and sweep the annual series with county rival RHS.
Not all records are available, but Elkins is thought to have become the first Waurika female to top 1,500 points in her career, when the senior had 22 points in a win over Ringling. In her final homecoming contest, Elkins was limited to 14 points by the Cowgirls, but 7 of those tallies came in the crucial third quarter.
In addition, senior Daily had 5 points, Norton had 4 and senior Smith had 3, which propelled a 19-7 run that turned Ryan’s 24-18 halftime lead into a 37-31 Waurika edge going into the fourth frame.
The Lady Eagles needed all of those points. After WHS’ lead grew to as many as 12 tallies, its offense went dry in the fourth period and the Cowgirls were able to pull within 41-40, with 35 seconds remaining. However, Elkins and Daily maintained possession for the final 35 seconds and RHS got no more scoring opportunities.
While 14 points brought Elkins’ career total to 1,527, Daily and Norton finished with 9 points each, as the Lady Eagles won their third straight game.
They were able to do so despite a game-high 25 points from Ryan’s Alaina Martin. After Waurika had opened a 10-5 lead in the first quarter, Martin dropped in 11 of her points in sparking a 19-8 run in the second stanza that gave the Cowgirls a halftime edge.
Shelby Thompson had 7 points and Shaylee Kimbro added 6 for RHS, which had fallen, 51-38, when the teams met in November
