Lady Wolverines Lose By Two In First Round Of State Tournament

By EDDY GIFFORD
Sports Writer

The Dade County High School Lady Wolverine basketball team traveled to Atlanta on Tuesday, Feb. 23 for the first round of the AA State Tournament to face the South Atlanta Lady Hornets, the second seed out of Region 5-AA. The Lady Wolverines were the third seed out of Region 7-AA.

The game at South Atlanta High School was played in a mostly empty gym as fans were not permitted due to the school’s COVID-19 policy. Unfortunately, the Georgia High School Athletic Association left it up to individual schools instead of having a uniform policy that all host schools must follow.

Dade County High School offered to host and allow fans, but that offer was turned down by South Atlanta.

The game got off to a slow start, which was the way the Lady Hornets wanted it as they were not a high scoring team, scoring in the 30’s in most of their games during the season.

At the end of the first quarter, they led the Lady Wolverines by three-points, 11-8.

As the slow play continued in the second quarter both teams had trouble hitting baskets and at the end of the first half South Atlanta continued to lead, 20-17.

Dade managed to tie the game in the third quarter, but only scored eight points to the Lady Hornets five and headed into the final eight minutes with the score tied at 25-25.

South Atlanta jumped out to a two-point lead, but Dade managed to tie the game again. With just over a minute left in the game the Lady Hornets were up 30-29.

The Lady Wolverines missed several shots over the final minutes while South Atlanta managed just one free throw. DCHS scored just four-points in the fourth quarter while the Lady Hornets scored six to pull out the close 31-29 win.
The story of the game for the Lady Wolverines was shooting the ball and they hit only 19.1 percent of their field goals while South Atlanta hit 27.9 percent. Also, DCHS hit just five of 27 three-point shots, 18.5 percent.

The Lady Wolverines won the rebounding battle 39-31 over the bigger Lady Hornets but the poor shooting doomed them.

Dade was led by Stella Henry with eight-points and Olivia Tierce with six-points.

The Lady Wolverines only lose two seniors this year, so the future is bright.

Dade 08 09 08 04 29
S. Atlanta 11 09 05 06 31
Jayda Wood 3, Stella Henry 8, Olivia Tierce 6, Abby Dwyer, Ali Thompson 5, Brooklyn Konrad 2, Kami Counts 5.