By Richard Carrier, Contributing Writer
richwrites@netzero.net

The Navy Blue and Grey machine that is the Blessed Sacrament Huguenot Academy girls basketball team, gobbled up another opponent last Tuesday evening on the way to the team’s 19th victory this season. Visiting Kenston Forest (KF) was competitive for one quarter until the Lady Knights speed, depth and skill wore the Lady Kavaliers out and took the contest 57-26.

Against the Kavalier’s full court pressure, BSH jumped out to a 6-0 lead and, using their own full-court pressure more effectively, picked the KF pockets on the way to a 13-4 lead. A three pointer by Kenston Forest’s Savanah Barker sparked a rally which closed the score to 15-12. Austin Taylor made two free throws, KF’s center Katie Snead scored over Olivia Bowles, Bowles retaliated with a power move to the basket and Snead converted two free throws to close the first period at 20-16 BSH.

Blessed Sacrament opened the second quarter with increased defensive pressure and put together a 10-0 run. Ashley Chaney made two free throws, Lydia O’Donnell arched in a jumper, Katelyn Leboff drove for two more, then fed Bowles for a lay-up and Chaney finished off the run with a line-drive jumper from the foul line. Barker launched and made a three and Snead followed a miss, before Katie Clarke put the Lady Knights up 32-21 to kick off another BSH run. Tayler Anderson went up among the trees to stick back a missed shot and then took Clarke’s feed for a lay-up. Freshman Geena Landon fired in a three pointer, Chaney rolled to the hoop for a score and Landon made the front end of a one-and-one. The Lady Knights held the Lady Kavaliers scoreless as the clock ran out in the first half with BSH leading 42-21.

Blessed Sacrament kept their foot on the throttle, scoring on another Chaney “J” and Taylor’s run-out before Kenston Forest scored on Dee Gunn’s put-back. Chaney answered with another dart from the foul line and then converted Leboff’s steal to a lay-up at 50-23. Clark’s follow for a score and another Landon three put the Lady Knights in front 55-24. Alayna Hodge scored the final points of the third quarter on a put-back and BSH led 57-26.

Head Coach Kristy Henderson cleared her bench and looked to season some of the substitutes for the entire final quarter. Play was helter-skelter for the next eight minutes with Hodge showing good rebounding skills and Lindsay Cox scoring the only Blessed Sacrament points on a runner while Kenston Forest ran off 15 points to make the final score somewhat respectable.

Chaney led the balanced Blessed Sacrament scoring with 12 points. Landon and Clarke contributed nine each and Bowles added eight. Clarke pulled down ten rebounds and stuffed three Kenston Forest shots. Leboff was credited with six steals but captured another dozen loose balls and kicked the BSH offense into top gear against the ill-advised Kenston Forest press.

Barker’s three three-pointers upped her point total to 16 and Snead added 13.