Kennedy comes up big in Lady Demons win

Michaela Kennedy hits game winner to lead Lady Demons past Carroll Co.

Williamstown sophomore Michaela Kennedy (10) drives the lane with a jumper versus Carroll Co. on Tuesday. Kennedy scored 21 points, including the game-winner with 4.6 seconds remaining, to give the Lady Demons their 11th win of the season.

By Wade Holland

Publisher

Playing with the poise of a much older player, sophomore Michaela Kennedy took the Williamstown Lady Demons and put them on her back in the closing moments of a thrilling 57-55 victory over visiting Carroll Co. Tuesday night.

Kennedy, nicknamed Moose, scored her team's final four points, including the game-winning shot with 4.6 seconds remaining, to help the Lady Demons complete the come-from-behind victory. She finished with a game-high 21 points, including nine in the final period.

"Michaela hit some big shots down the stretch. And that was great to see," said Williamstown Coach Kasey Mason. "I've never had a player that I felt like wanted to take over in those situations, and tonight was the first time I've seen Michaela want to take over a game and score and will her team to win. With her only being a sophomore, I thought that was great to see from her."

Williamstown was strong out of the gates and led for much of the first half, building a seven point advantage before foul trouble and turnovers took their toll and allowed Carroll Co. to come back and lead by as many as eight in the second half.

While she was obviously disappointed with the overall performance, Mason was still able to see the positives in her team's win, its 11th of the

Williamstown's 11th win ties Lady Demons for fourth most in Region 8

season, which ties the Lady Demons for the fourth most in the 8th Region.

"Tonight was not our best basketball," said Mason. "We had a lot of unforced turnovers. We allowed them 10 offensive rebounds in the first half and they scored on at least seven of those. Foul trouble was an issue, and I think anytime we get into foul trouble we have a tendency to mentally take ourselves out of the game.

"But what I love about this team, there at the end, when it looked like the pulse is just about to go out, all of a sudden there's a heartbeat again," added Mason.

Following Kennedy's 21 points was junior Rachel Montgomery with 16, including a pair of very important baskets in the closing minutes as Williamstown clawed its way back. Montgomery scored six in the final quarter.

Eighth-grader Kiki Johnson also played well beyond her years with a big momentum-building 3-pointer in the closing minutes. She finished with nine points and four rebounds.

Sophomore center Olivia Souder was consistently good throughout the game and ended with five points and a team-high six rebounds.

Haley Howe, Katie Cheek and Justice Chambers all chipped in two points each to round out the Lady Demons' scoring.

Kennedy, one of the state's leaders in 3-pointers per game, hit two versus Carroll Co. Montgomery also hit a pair from long range, while Souder and Johnson hit one each from behind the arch.

Williamstown junior Rachel Montgomery (15) puts up a running-jumper in the lane against Carroll Co. Montgomery scored 16, including six in the final period as Williamstown completed the come-from-behind victory.