MOUNTAIN PINE — Needing leadership against one of Class 1A’s top teams, Jessieville’s Lady Lions relied on all three senior starters to come away with a title.

Senior twins Carson and Payton Lamb and center Peyton Herrell combined to score 34 points, enough for Jessieville to defeat Kirby 40-33 on Saturday in the final of the Garland County Invitational. Carson Lamb had a game high 13 points, Herrell had 11 and Payton Lamb 10.

Jessieville (16-0) broke a 26-26 tie by scoring eight consecutive points midway through the fourth quarter. Kirby (23-4) got back in it with Ali Whisenhunt’s three point play at the two-minute mark and Megan Stinson’s three-pointer with 33 seconds left, but Stinson failed to make the free throw on a potential four-point play asthe Lady Lions held on by hitting 6 of 8 free throws down the stretch.

Whisenhunt led the Lady Trojans with 11 points.

Both teams spent the better part of five minutes of the first half scoreless before Kirby ended the first half on a 7-0 run. The Lady Trojans led 15-13 at halftime after falling behind 13-8.

Jessieville struggled to figure out Kirby’s zone defense in the first half, shooting just 25 percent. The Lady Trojans hit two more field goals than the Lady Lions despite taking two fewer attempts.

HACKETT 52, HARTFORD 10 Tara Blanton scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds as the Lady Hornets (7-7, 4-2) rolled to a 4-2A Conference victory over the Lady Hustlers.

HARDING ACADEMY 55, CHARLESTON 44 Sophomore Riley Rose scored 18 points as the Lady Wildcats defeated the Lady Tigers in a nonconference game in Searcy. Shelby Gowen added 14 for Harding Academy (14-3). Paityn McLaughlin led Charleston with 19 points.

MARMADUKE 58, POCAHONTAS 32 Behind 22 points from Whitley Boggs, the Lady Greyhounds (26-2) earned a nonconference victory over the Lady Redskins in Marmaduke. Sidnee Bopp added 10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 5 assists for Marmaduke, while teammate Alexis Jones scored 8 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, 6 steals and 4 assists. Courtney Baltz led Pocahontas with 14 points.

BOYS POYEN 78, KIRBY 63 Parker Shields scored 28 points as the Indians (16-1) knocked off the Trojans (22-5) in the final of the Garland County Tournament at Mountain Pine. Kaleb Collins and Dalton Dugan added 17 points each and Cameron Collins scored 12 for Poyen, which led 41-22 at the half. Kirby was led by Zack Deputy’s 25 points while Lance Golden scored 21.

HACKETT 48, HARTFORD 40 Behind 21 points from Tanner Sweeten, the Hornets (7-9, 4-2) outlasted the Hustlers (8-8, 2-4) in a 4-2A game in Hartford. Buddy Nichols added 11 for Hackett. Garret Ford’s 13 points led Hartford.

At a glance

TOURNAMENT SITES

State tournaments 7A Fayetteville 6A Greenwood 5A Pine Bluff Conv. Center 4A Cave City 3A Riverview (Searcy) 2A Marmaduke 1A Bradley Regionals

CLASS 4A NORTH Maumelle EAST Heber Springs SOUTH No bid

CLASS 3A REGION 1 Paris REGION 2 Jessieville REGION 3 Hoxie REGION 4 Prescott

CLASS 2A NORTH Sloan-Hendrix WEST Magazine EAST Carlisle SOUTH Hampton

CLASS 1A REGION 1 County Line REGION 2 Hillcrest REGION 3 WS Greers Ferry REGION 4 Emerson

Sports, Pages 29 on 01/13/2013