It was an historic night on Saturday when the Switzerland County Lady Pacers traveled to Madison to play Shawe Memorial; and after building a big lead, a hot-shooting Lady Hilltopper squad made things interesting in the final stanza before Switzerland County pulled out the win, 61-54.
History was made early, when senior guard Brooke Todd raced through the lane and converted a layup with 5:40 to play. That bucket gave Todd 1,000 points in her varsity Lady Pacer career – just the fourth Lady Pacer to reach the milestone.
She joins all time leading scorer Eve Galbreath; Missy Ellegood (Bilz) and Ashley Chase (Kitts).
The game opened with two straight buckets by Kelsi Konkle; and when Makenzie Mathews drilled a long three-pointer, quickly Switzerland County was out to a 7-0 lead.
Shawe responded with a three-point play by Kate Grote; but Todd countered that with the milestone bucket.
Katelyn Moore scored inside for the Lady Hilltoppers, but Switzerland County then went on a run, getting a three point play and a pair of freethrows by Todd and baskets by Whitley Schirmer and Konkle to expand the lead to 13, wrapping up the first quarter with an 18-5 lead.
Jenna Armstrong opened the second period with two freethrows for Shawe; but Schirmer hit a runner and followed that with a freethrow. Megg Hensler then hit a three-pointers for the Lady Hilltoppers, but Todd made two freethrows and Mathews converted one; and when Todd converted in the lane again, with 4:38 until halftime Switzerland County held a 26-10 lead.
Hensler got Shawe rolling, starting with a traditional three-point play and following that with a three-point jumper; and less than two minutes later, the Lady Pacer lead had shrunk to 10.
Mallory Phagan got a critical basket for Switzerland County to stop that run; but Hensler countered that with a freethrow. Konkle hit a jumper from the wing; and the back and forth continued with Armstrong scoring for Shawe and Mathews converting a three-point play for the Lady Pacers.
Both teams followed that with some frantic play but no points; and when Todd hit a freethrow with three-seconds to go, the half ended with Switzerland County in front, 34-20.
Grote opened the third quarter for Shawe with a basket; and Switzerland County got going on baskets by Schirmer and Todd. Megan Hesse scored inside twice for the Lady Hilltoppers; and Shawe had gotten back within 12.
Again the Switzerland County offense woke up, as Todd and Konkle each hit baskets and Todd followed that with a three-point play to push the lead near 20; and after Hesse made a freethrow, a bucket by Mathews made the score 47-27 with just over a minute to play.
Claire Higgins scored for Shawe and then followed that basket with a freethrow; but that run quickly disappeared when Mathews connected on another three-pointer.
Hensler completed a three-point play as the period ended, and after three quarters Switzerland County was in front, 50-33.
With eight minutes to play, Shawe’s Higgins inserted herself into the conversation – and nearly completed the comeback.
Higgins would score Shawe’s first 14 points in the fourth quarter on three three-pointers, two jumpers and a freethrow – and while that explosion was going on Switzerland County managed baskets from Taylar Jordan, Schirmer and Todd, but with 2:30 left, Shawe was within nine, 56-47.
Konkle made two freethrows to provide some breathing room; but Hesse scored inside to keep things interesting heading down the stretch.
Hope Tankersley made two huge freethrows for the Lady Pacers; but when Hesse followed that with a three-pointer. With 16-seconds to go, the Lady Hilltoppers were within eight, 60-52.
Todd made a freethrow and Maddie Waller made two freethrows; and the final buzzer sounded and Switzerland County escaped,, 61-54.
Todd led Switzerland County with 22 points; while Konkle and Mathews each finished in double figures with 12 apiece.
Schirmer had nine points before she fouled out; and Jordan, Phagan, and Tankersley each contributed two points.
Higgins’ big fourth quarter propelled her to 17 points; with Hensler and Hesse also in double figures, with 13 and 10. Grote and Armstrong had five each; and Waller and Moore chipped in two each.
There was no junior varsity game, as the Lady Hilltoppers didn’t have enough players to have jayvee and varsity squads.