Last year for these two Eagle fans to support their granddaughters, as the Lady Eagles end their senior year Basketball season.
The Fairfield Lady Eagles left Navasota with a shock when they were defeated by the Hitchcock Lady Bulldogs Tuesday night. Fairfield ends the season in the third round for the first time in distant history, not making the state final or semifinal in five of the last six years.
This game marked the fifth consecutive year that Hitchcock and Fairfield matched up in the postseason with the Lady Eagles eliminating the Lady Bulldogs for the last four seasons.
The game began with each team setting the tone, but the Lady Eagle defense had to change when Jacelynn Schmidt picked up her second foul in the in first couple of minutes. Kaylee Williams hit a three pointer to put the Lady Eagles ahead 8-7. Kimora Carroll counted with a three of her own to change the lead and Hitchcock led 10-8. Fairfield held onto the lead at the end of the first period 13-12.
Fairfield opened the game a bit when Williams hit a short jumper and was fouled. She converted the foul shot and the Lady Eagles led by four which was the largest of the game at the time.
Delaney McGowan logged some minutes with Schmidt on the bench and connected for eight points in the middle two periods. She scored twice off no look passes from Williams. Williams picked up her third foul in the waning moments of the half, and the Lady Eagles held a slim lead 26-25 at the half.
Carroll hit two shots from the free throw line to put the Lady Bulldogs ahead 27-26 and Williams answered with a lead shot on the fast break to regain the lead. Williams and McGowan went on a small run and Blayke Brackens scored on a short jumper for her first points of the game.
The lead grew to 35-27 and the Lady Eagles had two opportunities to increase it two double figures, but Hitchcock answered the run and cut the lead to 35-32 at the end of the third period.
Fairfield had hit one of six from the free throw line in the second half and Sl’yiah Johnson hit a three with just under three minutes remaining and tied the game at 43-43. She hit another with two minutes remaining to put the Lady Bulldogs ahead 45-43. Fairfield had Kaylee Williams foul out of the game and Schmidt, Kole Brackens and Keke Alexander were on the floor with four fouls.
Brackens hit a shot to tie the game, and Taryl Jones hit a shot in the paint to lead 47-45. Hitchcock hit one of two free throws with under a minute remaining to take a three-point lead. Blayke Brackens missed a three pointer, and the Lady Eagles were forced to foul and converted one of two from the free throw line for a 49-45 lead. The Lady Eagles could not score in the final minute, and Hitchcock celebrated a 49-45 win.
The season ends for the Fairfield Lady Eagles and several seniors playing in their final game wearing the maroon and gold. They include Blayke Brackens, Kaylee Williams, Samayah Wiley, Anyima Peacock, Delaney McGowan, Rhett Ralstin and Ja’Maria Bass.
Hitchcock went on to defeat the Little River Academy Lady Bees 45-42 to advance to the state semifinal.
