Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

PORTSMOUTH — The coach reached a milestone, but he still took a back seat to his players.

The Fairland Lady Dragons rolled past the Portsmouth Lady Trojans 70-45 on Thursday and secured career victory No. 100 for coach Jon Buchanan.

“It was nice to get the win and it was nice of (Portsmouth) to give me the game ball,” said Buchanan.

“But you don’t win a lot of games if you don’t have a lot of good players. We’ve had a lot of good players the past few years. That’s how you win games.”

Caitlin Stone led the Fairland players with 20 points as she knocked down six 3-pointers. Mackenzie Riley scored 15 points and Emily Chapman made three 3-pointers in her return to the lineup.

Fairland (14-3, 9-1) made 11 3-pointers as a team. Taylor Staten had two 3-pointers.

Peighton Williams led Portsmouth with 20 points and Jada Jenkins scored 12.

Stone scored 5 and Riley 4 in the first quarter as Fairland raced to a 21-9 lead. Jenkins had a couple of treys for Portsmouth.

Chapman — who has been out with a concussion — and Stone each made a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter as the lead went to 36-21 at the half.

Jenna Fulks scored 6 of her 9 points in the third quarter while Williams scored 7 points as Portsmouth cut the deficit to 50-37.

The Lady Trojans got within 9 points with just under seven minutes to play, but Stone buried three more 3-pointers as the Lady Dragons won going away.

“We never felt in trouble, but we knew we couldn’t coast. We had to make plays and the girls responded,” said Buchanan.

Fairland visits Oak Hill on Monday.

Fairland 21 15 14 20 = 70

Portsmouth 9 12 16 8 = 45

FAIRLAND (13-3, 8-1): Emily Chapman 0 3 0-0 9, Maddy Kazee 0 0 0-0 0, Taylar Wilson 0 0 0-0 0, Taylor Staten 0 2 0-0 6, Donyele Edwards 0 0 0-0 0, Morgan Fridley 0 0 0-0 0, Mackenzie Riley 7 0 1-2 15, Sarah Warnock 0 0 0-0 0, Kelsey Riley 2 0 2-4 6, Caitlyn Stone 1 6 0-0 20, Nicole Wagner 0 0 0-0 0, Whitney Huff 0 0 0-0 0, Jenna Fulks 4 0 1-2 9, Alesha Simpson 2 0 1-3 5. Totals: 16 11 5-11 70. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: Fulks.

PORTSMOUTH (1-16, 1-10): Faith Lee 0 1 1-2 4, Sharia Kearns 0 0 0-0 0, Jada Jenkins 1 2 4-6 12, Peighton Williams 4 1 9-11 20, Mya Williams 2 0 0-0 4, Semajah Parker 2 0 1-2 5. Totals: 9 4 15-21 45. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None.