SUMTER (Feb. 24, 2017) – The Richard Winn Lady Eagles’ quest for a fifth consecutive SCISA Class A state title came to an end Thursday night when they lost in the semi-finals to Dorchester Academy, 52-40, at Wilson Hall.
“We knew it was going to be a tough one,” Eagles’ head coach Jessie Stidham said. “Dorchester is a great team, they have a great coach, they’re very fundamental. We knew it was going to be a battle the whole game. Things happen and that just motivates us for next year.”
Eagles senior Alyssa Atkerson scored the first bucket of the game, and despite the loss Atkerson shined bright in this game. She had more than half of the team’s points and led all scorers with 21.
Richard Winn led halfway through the first, but it slipped away when Dorchester went up 6-5. The Lady Eagles would not hold another lead throughout the entire game, but they did stay close on the Raiders’ heels.
A 17-11 Raiders first-quarter lead fluctuated in the second period. Dorchester charged ahead by as many as eight, but by the time the first half wrapped up Richard Winn was back within three.
The Raiders opened up the second half with a 6-0 run that left Richard Winn down 29-20, but the Lady Eagles snapped off a 7-0 run of their own that brought them back to within four. After three quarters, Richard Winn remained just four points away from the lead and what would have been their sixth straight appearance in the Class A championship game.
Five different players scored buckets for the Lady Raiders in the fourth, and this time when they stormed ahead there was no catching up for Richard Winn. Dorchester outscored the Eagles 14-6 in the final period, and in the process notched a trip to the state championship game Saturday against Laurens Academy.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these girls. They’ve made me the proudest person I’ve ever been in my life,” Stidham said. “They deserve everything in this world that’s happy and great, and I’m just proud of them.”
Dorchester Academy 52, Richard Winn 40
DA: 17-6-15-14 – 52
RWA: 11-9-14-6 – 40
Richard Winn
Alyssa Atkerson 21, Lydia Wilder 6, Hannah Gibbons 5, Calee Thigpen 4, Meredith Pope 3, Taylor Spires 1.
Dorchester Academy
Lydia Hofsetter 11, Elizabeth Huff 11, Savanna Shelton 10, Julia Smoak 10, Savanna Varn 7 Peyton Weathers 3.