HANCEVILLE – A nightmare of a second quarter offensively prevented the Cold Springs Lady Eagles from seeing their basketball season extend into another week.
Tanner claimed the AHSAA Class 2A Northwest Regional title Monday afternoon by the final score of 66-47 at Tom Drake Coliseum.
Down 9-8 after the opening quarter, the No. 5 ranked Lady Eagles managed to score only twice from the floor with field goals by Camryn Crider and Emme Willoughby.
Tanner clamped down on the Lady Eagles' attack, holding them to 28 percent shooting by halftime with just 6-of-21 made. The three-point attack was neutralized by going zero for three.
The No. 3 ranked Lady Rattlers scored seven times in the second half to give them a 26-13 lead by the break. Tanner's scoring was distributed between Nariyah Timmons, Jessika Milton and Kirstin Brown, who combined for 15 of the 17 points in the period.
"They jumped on us and we just couldn't pull it out," Cold Springs coach Tammy West said. "Tanner is a really, really good team."
Willoughby did what she could to keep the Lady Eagles in striking distance, but it was not enough. The senior had 14 by the end of the third period. Cold Springs trailed 39-27 late in the quarter, then Tanner got two baskets by driving to the goal and carried a 43-27 lead into the final eight minutes.
The offense remained hot for the Lady Rattlers, who improved to 24-7 with their second consecutive regional title and third one since 2013.
Willoughby closed out her final quarter in a Cold Springs uniform, scoring seven, and finished with 21 points, earning her a spot on the all-tournament team.
"We are going to miss Emme," West added. "She is a great player to coach. She is a sweet kid. But we also have to move on. The regionals will be our goal next year."
Crider wound up with eight, Elizabeth Hill collected seven, Prisca McAnnally had six, Neely Ellison scored three and Sadie Terry dropped in two.
Brown scored 23 and was named the regional tournament MVP.
Hill was added to the all-tournament team for having a great performance in the Lady Eagles' semifinal win over Red Bay.
Cold Springs will look to replace Willoughby, the only senior they will lose from the squad. The team will be very experienced with Crider, Hill, Terry, Ellison, McAnnally and Aubrey Negron a year older and ready to make a solid run through a challenging schedule that will begin in early November.
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