Sports / The Northern Virginia Daily/nvdaily.com
Extra effort: Generals get past upset-minded foe
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By Tommy Keeler Jr. - tkeeler@nvdaily.com
QUICKSBURG -- Stonewall Jackson had trouble trying to put Wilson Memorial away in the fourth quarter of its Shenandoah District tournament quarterfinal game Friday night. However, after allowing the Green Hornets to force overtime, the Generals regained their composure at the right time to pull out a 52-47 overtime victory.
"I think we just wanted it so bad that we got a little rattled," Stonewall Jackson senior guard Ashlie Clar said. "In the overtime we just tried to keep calm, and take our time and make good shots."
Clar had seven of the Generals' eight overtime points. The Generals missed their first four shots of overtime, all in one possession.
Stonewall Jackson junior Michaela Koontz then made back-to-back steals, which led to a layup and two free throws for Clar, and a 48-44 lead with 1:40 left in overtime. Koontz had a rough fourth quarter, missing all five of her free-throw attempts.
"We tell our kids all the time, you're gonna make mistakes, but it's how you handle it that matters," Stonewall Jackson coach Jeff Burner said. "Those were two huge steals for us."
The Green Hornets missed three consecutive 3-pointers, then Clar scored on a driving layup to extend the lead to 50-44 with 51 seconds left. A 3-pointer by Wilson Memorial's Kayley Argenbright cut the lead to 50-47. A free throw each by Clar and Cassie Conley sealed the win for the Generals.
The contest was full of ups and downs. Stonewall Jackson started off strong as Keyana Phelps scored 10 first-quarter points, dominating inside the paint, to help the Generals take an 18-10 lead after the first eight minutes.
Things changed dramatically in the second quarter. The Generals didn't make a basket in the quarter until the final seconds of the half. The Green Hornets closed the half with a 12-4 run and take a 27-23 lead.
Clar took over in the third quarter for the Generals. She scored 11 of her game-high 22 points in the third. She hit four baskets, all on drives to the basket.
Burner said the ability to drive to the basket has been one of the biggest differences in the 5-foot-7 Clar's game this season, and it worked like a charm against the Green Hornets.
"Coach Burner told us all [at halftime] to drive to the basket and draw fouls and get to the free-throw line," Clar said. "Once I started doing it and it was working, I just wanted to keep it going."
The Generals (17-5) were able to take a 42-37 lead into the fourth quarter, but once again went cold from the field. Stonewall Jackson turned the ball over five times and went 1-for-6 from the field to allow the Green Hornets to tie the game and force overtime.
The Green Hornets still trailed by five with less than two minutes left, but a free throw and a steal and layup by Gabby McReynolds cut the lead to 44-42 with 1:10 left in regulation. Koontz was unable to put the game away at the free-throw line, and a driving layup by Argenbright tied the game with 25 seconds left.
Argenbright had 19 points to lead the Green Hornets (8-13).
"I was real, real pleased with how hard the kids battled," Wilson Memorial coach Jackie Bryan said. "We just couldn't hit the shots when we needed them."
Phelps had 12 points and 14 rebounds for Stonewall Jackson.
The third-seeded Generals will now play second-seeded Stuarts Draft on Wednesday in the tournament semifinals at Eastern Mennonite University at 8 p.m.
Stonewall Jackson missed the regional tournament the last two years, but has already qualified for the tournament this season.
"It's huge for us," Clar said of being in regionals. "I haven't been since my freshman year, and a lot of the girls have never been to regionals. It's just awesome knowing that we're going to regionals.
"This game was a good boost for our confidence. We really pulled together as a team."
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Stonewall Jackson's Ashlie Clar tries to get a shot off against Wilson Memorial's Leara Shumate during Friday's game in Quicksburg. Dennis Grundman/Daily
Stonewall Jackson's Cassie Conley is fouled by Kasey Crist of Wilson Memorial while trying to shoot in the first quarter of Friday's game. Dennis Grundman/Daily
Keyana Phelps of Stonewall Jackson battles to get a shot off against Kayley Argenbright of Wilson Memorial during Friday's Shenandoah District tournament game in Quicksburg. Dennis Grundman/Daily
Stonewall Jackson’s Michaela Koontz tries to drive around Wilson Memorial’s Kahla Mawyer during Friday’s Shenandoah District tournament game in Quicksburg. Dennis Grundman/Daily
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