The Quitman Lady Bulldogs squared off against the DeKalb Lady Bears last Friday night in Pittsburg, earning a hard-fought 44-33 victory in a contest that was every bit as physical as the score suggests.

From the very start, defense set the tone. After almost two minutes, the first point to hit the scoreboard came when Quitman’s Laine Kelly calmly hit a free throw.

Midway through the first quarter, things got heated and tensions boiled over. Autumn Cason was assessed a foul, and then DeKalb’s Kailyn Betts earned a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct after stepping on Cason’s neck. The Lady Bulldogs kept their composure, and sisters Addison and Kaylin Sapp, along with Erin Vanderschaaf, helped push Quitman to a narrow 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter saw both teams settle in slightly, though points were scarce. Cason, Addison Sapp and Jackalyn Alcorn added key baskets as Quitman continued to grind it out, taking a 15-9 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

The third quarter mirrored much of the first half, with both squads trading buckets while Quitman maintained a modest lead. Each team added 10 points during the quarter, but the Lady Bulldogs maintained their edge, leading 25-19 as they headed into the final eight minutes.

That’s when Quitman found their groove. DeKalb was growing increasingly frustrated, and the Lady Bulldogs capitalized on it. Aggressive defense fueled their offense, and Quitman’s relentless pressure resulted in a total of nine steals and 19 deflections on the night. The fourth quarter surge allowed the Lady Bulldogs to pull away and secure the 44-33 win.

Addison Sapp once again led the way for the Lady Bulldogs, scoring 15 points, rebounding 12 and earning six steals. Cason also had another strong game, with nine points scored and four rebounds. Kelly put six points on the board, rebounded four, stole the ball three times and had an assist. VanderSchaaf scored five points, and had 12 rebounds and an assist. Kaylin Sapp contributed four points, a rebound and three assists. Kinsley McCutcheon added three points, four rebounds and two assists, and Jackalyn Alcorn scored a bucket and a pair of rebounds. Annabelle Popek also contributed four rebounds and a steal, and Lynlee Taylor added two rebounds. 

Head Coach Blake Hamrick praised his team’s poise in a game that tested their resolve.

“I was really proud of our kids for showing composure and class,” Hamrick said. “I’m proud of us being able to overcome another night of missed shots. Finally, in the 4th quarter, we were able to exploit and take advantage of things that DeKalb was giving us.”

The Lady Bulldogs faced Valley View for the regional semifinals on Tuesday, Feb. 24th at Sachse High School.

Hamrick knows the challenge will only grow tougher from here, but he has confidence in his squad.

“I have a great group of kids that work hard to win,” he said. “In terms of Tuesday, I think the key is to focus on Quitman basketball. It will take another team effort, and we will have to play well, but if we do the things that got us to this point, we should still be playing on Friday.”