Winning was the consistent theme for Magnolia Heights’ basketball last week.
Facing varsity doubleheaders against Kirk Academy, Regents School of Oxford and Marshall Academy, the Chiefs and Lady Chiefs swept the competition throughout the week, punctuated by a pair of blowout victories against Regents and Kirk.
Despite a slow start and a scoreless draw through the first four minutes of last Tuesday’s tussle with Kirk Academy, the Lady Chiefs broke out for an 11-5 lead to end the first period. Neither team played particularly well throughout the low-scoring contest however, but the visiting Raiderettes provided some dramatics late in the third period by cutting the MHS lead down to 27-21.
Senior Lucy Lipscomb would get the Lady Chiefs back on the right track to end the third period though, burying a three just before the buzzer. The basket would give Magnolia Heights enough momentum to stay ahead throughout the final eight minutes of the contest, as the Lady Chiefs pulled out a 40-28 victory.
Ashton McMinn led MHS with 16 points, including 12 from three-point range. Lipscomb and Bailey Carpenter also contributed nine points apiece for the Lady Chiefs. Abby Beissel led the Raiderettes with 14 points.
MHS left no doubt in the boys’ contest against Kirk, opening with a whopping 30-0 lead at the end of the first period. The lead would swell to 35-0 before the Raiders hit their first bucket with four minutes left in the first half, as the Chiefs hit the halftime break with a 39-7 advantage.
Kirk Academy would only muster one point in the third period and seven total points in the second half, as the Chiefs emptied the bench. Magnolia Heights broke the 50-point threshold shortly before the end of the third, eventually cruising to the 76-13 victory.
Collin Reuter and Harlin Hovator combined for 13 points to lead the Chiefs, followed by 12 fourth period points from Blake Kirby, all coming from beyond the arc.
Magnolia Heights’ momentum rolled on into Thursday, when the Lady Chiefs used 26 first period points in a 53-20 win against Regents School of Oxford. Taylor Laughter led the way with 13 points in that victory, followed by eight apiece from Lipscomb and McMinn.
In the boys’ contest against Regents, the Chiefs led 40-8 at the break and rolled to a 64-26 triumph. Blake Dunlap and Cooper Pratt posted 13 points apiece to lead MHS, while Nathan Fernholz came away with eight points off the bench.
Although Marshall Academy presented both teams with more of a challenge last Friday evening, the Lady Chiefs slowly pulled away from the Lady Patriots over the course of the contest. Leading 13-10 at the end of the first period, MHS went into halftime with a 26-17 advantage and used an 18-point output over the final eight minutes in a 55-34 win.
McMinn once again led the Lady Chiefs with 14 points, followed by 11 points from Lipscomb.
Leading 16-5 after the first period of action, the MHS boys’ kept its foot on the pedal and never looked back, as the Chiefs used a 22-9 run in the second period to take a 38-14 lead at the break.
Despite Marshall Academy gaining some momentum in the second half, the Chiefs’ lead was insurmountable as Magnolia Heights earned a 68-40 victory.
Four Chiefs finished in double figures, led by a 15-point effort from Reuter. Senior Charlie Taylor finished with 14 points, followed by 12 from Fabian Nelson and 10 from Fernholz.
