Rogers High Rolls In Season Opener
Posted: November 20, 2009 at 4:20 a.m.
WEST FORK — Rogers High started the season with a bang Thursday night.
Three Lady Mounties scored in double figures, and 10 different players scored as Rogers defeated West Fork 70-32.
It was the season opener for Rogers, but the Lady Mounties were in midseason form. Before coach Preston Early turned the game over to the reserves just two minutes into the second half with a 58-21 lead, Rogers had hit 23 of 38 shots from the floor.
Junior Madeline Fusillo led the offensive barrage with 17 points while Morgan Hook and Taylor Murphy finished with 14 points each.
Rogers’ defense was equally impressive, forcing 21 turnovers in the first 18 minutes while limiting the Lady Tigers to six field goals.
“The thing about it was all our looks were good,” Early said of the hot shooting. “We didn’t force anything; we didn’t rush anything. We created our scores for each other. This team plays so much harder than we did last year.”
Early was especially pleased with Murphy, a senior move-in. Murphy knocked down three 3-pointers in the first half. Hook scored eight of her 14 points the first eight minutes.
“Murphy is so capable of that,” Early said. “Murphy can get down the court, get her feet set quick and get her shot off. (Hook) puts everybody at ease when she gets off to a good start.”
West Fork (0-3) lost all five starters from a year ago to graduation, and the Lady Tigers played without guard Sarah Sagely. Christy Fraley led the Lady Tigers with nine points.
“We are rebuilding,” West Fork coach Nathan Wells said. “We were obviously undermanned against a great basketball team, but we played hard.”
Rogers hit five of its first seven shots, and a steal and layup by Hook gave the Lady Mounties a 20-4 lead with a little more than two minutes left in the first period.
Murphy hit the second of her three first half 3-pointers for a 23-4 lead before West Fork’s Madeline McCorkle scored five straight points to trim the lead to 25-9 and end a 5-minute scoring drought.
Lydia Wilkerson capped the first period with a 3-pointer for a 28-9 Rogers lead, and the Lady Mounties opened the second period with a 6-0 run for a 34-9 advantage. Murphy then added a 3-pointer and a three-point play to help Rogers to a commanding 48-19 halftime lead.
Rogers (1-0) returns to action Saturday night when it travels to Pea Ridge. The Mounties boys team will kick off their season against the Blackhawks following the girls game.
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