Lady Highlanders outgun Lady Bulldogs in conference matchup

DECATUR — After winning a pair of games during week eight of the girls’ basketball season, the Lady Bulldogs played host to longtime rivals, the Eureka Springs Lady Highlanders, in a conference matchup at Peterson Gym in Decatur Jan. 18. Unfortunately for Lady Bulldog fans, Eureka Springs claimed the victory over Decatur by 26 points.

The Lady Highlanders established control of the contest early in the first quarter, outscoring the Lady Bulldogs 21-4 to take a 17 point lead into the next eight minutes. Eureka Springs held Decatur to nine points while increasing its lead to 21 points by the end of the first half.

It was all Lady Highlanders during the third quarter as they held the Lady Bulldogs to a single field goal by Sammie Skaggs. Eureka Springs continued to build on its lead, extending it to 32 going into the final quarter.

Decatur came alive in the fourth quarter, holding the Lady Highlanders to a pair of field goals while cutting into the lead on a pair of three-pointers, a field goal by Abby Tilley and a field goal by Skaggs. But the outstanding first quarter performance by the Lady Highlanders proved to be the Lady Bulldogs’ undoing and Eureka Springs claimed the conference victory, 51-26, over Decatur.

Leading the scoring effort for the Decatur Lady Bulldogs was Abby Tilley with 10, followed by Paige Vann with seven, Sammie Skaggs with six and Annabelle Schopper with two.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Savanna Dodson (Decatur 32) and Annabelle Schopper (Decatur 15) fight with a Lady Highlander player for possession of the ball during the Decatur-Eureka Springs conference basketball contest at Peterson Gym in Decatur Jan. 18.

Desi Meek (#2) executes a perfect screen, allowing Paige Vann (#5) to make a move towards the basket on Jan. 18.