The McDonald County High School girls' basketball team knew going into their first game of the season they had their work cut out for them.
Facing four-time defending district champion Carl Junction in the opening round of the Lady Bulldogs' own tournament proved to be as big of a challenge as it looked on paper.
Carl Junction jumped out to a 24-2 lead at the end of the first quarter and went on to claim a 61-17 decision on Dec. 2 in the Freeman Sports Medicine CJ Classic at Carl Junction High School.
"They are a state-ranked team for a reason," said McDonald County coach Chris Kennedy. "They are better this year than they were last year. In addition to the Scott girl (6-3 all-state center Katie Scott) they have three girls who can shoot it from the outside a little bit better than last year. They have a freshman who comes off the bench that can play a little bit too."
Carl Junction scored the game's first five points before McDonald County's Ragan Wilson hit a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 5-2. But the Lady Bulldogs closed out the first quarter with a 19-0 run to take a 24-2 lead at the end of the period.
Wilson hit McDonald County's first basket from the field to start the second quarter, but Carl Junction answered with a 14-1 run to build a 40-5 lead late in the second quarter on the way to a 46-8 advantage at intermission.
The Lady Bulldogs opened the second half with a 9-0 run before McDonald County's Kristin Penn scored five points, including a three-pointer, late in the third period to cut the margin to 57-13 entering the final period.
Penn added four points in the fourth quarter to account for all nine of the Lady Mustangs' second-half points.
"They are so athletic and long," Kennedy said. "Their pressure really hurt us. We gave up way too many rebounds both offensively and defensively. We also didn't do a very good job of getting back on defense at times."
Penn's nine points led McDonald County, followed by Wilson with six and Jaylie Sanny and Alexia Estrada with one each.
Scott finished with 26 points, while Jessa Hylton had 12 to lead Carl Junction.
McDonald County faced a quick turn-around by taking on Joplin on Dec. 3 in the consolation bracket. Tournament finals are set for Dec. 5.
Sports on 12/05/2019