CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The Carl Junction girls basketball game started off their Senior Night game with an impressive shutout in the first quarter of a 60-44 win over the Branson Pirates on Friday.
Junior Jessa Hylton led the Bulldogs with eight points in the first quarter and was followed by her teammate sophomore Destiny Buerge, who had seven points. Sophomore Hali Shorter also had a 3-pointer to give the Bulldogs an 18-0 lead at the end of the first period.
“We came out strong, and that’s one thing we’ve been focusing on as a team,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “Even after the lull in the second quarter, our kids did respond.”
The Pirates did try to rally in the second quarter, at one point going on a 7-2 run, but they ultimately couldn’t stop the scoring barrage of the Bulldogs.
Buerge added another field goal, while freshman Anna Burch and lone senior Hannah Lee each scored three points. Sophomore Klohe Burk went 3-of-4 from the line and added a field goal to lead her team with five points for the quarter. Going into halftime, the Bulldogs led 30-13.
“Sometimes we go outside of the things we do in practice, and that can be good, but it can also be bad,” Shorter said. “Us recognizing that we need to get into our sets and our offense, and that usually calms us down.”
Hylton continued her big night after the break with an impressive 3-pointer to open the half. She also had two other baskets, and Buerge had three free throws and two field goals to give her seven points.
The two girls kept their team afloat even as the Pirates tried to muster a comeback. Ultimately, it would fall short despite trading runs to end the third quarter and the Bulldogs holding a 43-22 lead going into the final frame.
In the fourth quarter, Buerge was perfect from the free throw line and added a field goal for four points, and getting 20 points on the night.
Junior Loren Lee also got four points, and Burk added a free throw. However, the final quarter was an especially big one for the only senior on the Bulldogs, Hannah Lee, who scored eight points in the quarter. Not only did it give her 11 points in her last home game, but it also gave her an impressive double-double while leading her squad to a 60-44 win.
“Hannah is a special kid and has put in a lot of work over the last four years,” Shorter said. “She’s going to be very successful in whatever she does after high school. She’s a great player and a great person and we wish her luck.”
It was also announced that Coach Shorter was recognized as Section 5 Basketball Coach of the Year. Section 5 includes Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and North and South Dakota.
