HANCEVILLE – In a rematch of last year’s Varsity Girls Championship Game, the Fairview Lady Aggies took on the Cold Springs Lady Eagles for the 2018 Cullman County Basketball Tournament title. The Lady Aggies won easily, 52-29.
Fairview jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead before Cold Springs' Elizabeth Hill nailed a three for the Lady Eagles’ first points of the game. After a Taylor Yeager layup gave the Lady Aggies an 11-5 lead, Camryn Crider nailed back-to-back treys to keep her Lady Eagles in the game as part of a 6-1 run to make it a 12-11 game. But that was the last basket that Cold Springs would hit for a while as Fairview, on the strength of two free throws by Abby Schnittker, one by Abbi Taylor, and a trey by Yeager, made it 18-11 after one.
The second quarter was very low-scoring, as there were a combined six points scored, all by Fairview; the Lady Aggies held the Lady Eagles scoreless for the entire eight minutes, and they widened their lead to 24-11 at the half. Cold Springs was held to just four made field goals in the first half.
And Fairview continued to apply pressure on Cold Springs in the second half, holding them to just six field goals and outscoring them, 28-18, to win back-to-back titles after winning their first in more than 35 years last season.
Yeager led the way with 16 points, two boards and two steals in what was a balanced scoring effort by Fairview. Taylor ended up with 14 points, seven boards, two steals and two blocks. Schnittker finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals. Valentina Klocker chipped in with five points, two boards, two steals and a block. Yeager and Schnittker were each named to the All-Tournament team.
"I'm really proud of these girls for making it back-to-back championships and I'm extremely relieved that it's over now," Fairview coach Mary Lauren Hartline said. "We had a different game plan for Cold Springs in this game and I'm really proud of them for playing great defense. This win was a big momentum builder moving forward and I'm really happy for the seniors."
"We had to start out with intensity and keep it going throughout the game," Yeager said. "It helps us when we are in really tight situations."
Crider (12 points) and Hill (12 points) were both named to the All-Tournament team, along with West Point's Miriam Oldacre and Lexi Shadix and Hanceville's Kelly Pickett and Kierra Merriweather.
Fairview's Schnittker, Yeager and Taylor were named to the All-County team, along with Crider and Hill from Cold Springs, Good Hope's Kate Kent, West Point's Olivia Ball, Miriam Oldacre and Shadix, Hanceville's Kelly Pickett and Holly Pond's Makenna Folds.
Cold Springs' Zoe Strawbridge won the Charlotte Cummings Memorial Scholarship Award for $1,000, and Yeager won the Bill Shelton Award.
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