Lady Knights edge Forrest, clinch district title

Anthony S. Puca Sports Editor
Posted 2/10/21

The Forrest Lady Rockets had a chance to tie for first place in the District 12-AA standings when they travelled to Nolensville Tuesday night, a place where they have never won. The Lady Rockets went toe-to-toe with the defending back-to-back district champion Lady Knights the entire contest until a couple of late turnovers cost them a 39-35 defeat...

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Lady Knights edge Forrest, clinch district title

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The Forrest Lady Rockets had a chance to tie for first place in the District 12-AA standings when they travelled to Nolensville Tuesday night, a place where they have never won.

The Lady Rockets went toe-to-toe with the defending back-to-back district champion Lady Knights the entire contest until a couple of late turnovers cost them a 39-35 defeat.

“It was a tough physical game, but we had our opportunities to win,” Forrest coach Corey Bishop said. “We thought in the first half we should have had a halftime lead, but instead we were tied.’

“We've improved since the first time we played Nolensville, and look to continue to improve throughout the rest of the season.”

It was the 10th district win a row for Nolensville over Forrest with the only Chapel Hill win coming in the 2016 season when the Lady Knights were not in the same district.

Forrest senior Laura Mealer was magnificent, scoring a game-high 25 points and all 14 of Forrest’s second half points.

She did everything in her power to lead the Lady Rockets to a win.

“Mealer played a great game, she controls a lot of what we do on offense and we trust her with that role,” Bishop said. “We think she had a really good game and it's something to build off of once we get into tournament time.”

A Ryann Lewis bucket opened up the game and Mealer followed with a steal and score as the Lady Rockets signaled that they had come to Nolensville with the intention of taking away the district crown.

“I'm always proud of our players and our assistant coaches no matter the situation,” Bishop said. “It's a fun team to be around because of their enthusiasm and their hard work.”

“It makes my job pretty easy as a head coach when you add in those two dynamics.”

After two Zoe Piller free throws for Nolensville, a Mealer 3-pointer made it 7-2 before the Lady Knights fought back for a 10-10 tie at the end of the first stanza.

Mealer scored to open up the second period, but the Lady Knights dug in and managed to lead for much of the quarter until Mealer came up with a basket and followed with another steal and score to put Forrest in front 18-16.

Caymin Ladd, who led the Lady Knights in the scoring column with 20 points, drilled a 3-pointer, but Macyn Kirby answered with a long bomb of her own to give Forrest a 21-19 lead before Ladd tied the game at 21-21 on a halftime buzzer-beater.

The third period was an old-fashioned battle as both teams went back and forth, highlighted by 3-pointers by Ladd and Mealer, tying the game at 26-26 with just over two minutes remaining in the stanza.

Ladd did it again, scoring the final bucket of the third period and the Lady Rockets trailed 28-26, entering the fourth quarter.

Piller scored early in the period on a low post basket to make it a four-point game and the Lady Knights stayed ahead, but only by two points at 31-29 after a Mealer basket midway through the final stanza.

Piller scored again in the paint and after one made free throw by Mealer, Sara Grubesic scored to make it a five-point game.

Forrest suffered a big turnover and Grubesic made it hurt when she scored again to put Nolensville up 37-30.

Mealer made it a 37-32 contest and Forrest called timeout to set up a press, forcing a Lady Knights’ turnover, but the Lady Rockets gave it right back.

Nolensville missed at the other end and then Forrest turned it over again.

The Lady Rockets tried to press again, but Ladd scored on a lay-up to make it 39-32 with less than 10 seconds to go.

Mealer threw down a 3-pointer, but it was not enough as Nolensville clinched their third straight regular season district title.

“We had a few opportunities to make a run in the fourth quarter and grab the lead, but just couldn't seem to find the basket,” Bishop said. “Give Nolensville credit, they are a good team. We will improve and be ready the next time we play them.”

Nolensville (14-6, 7-2) travels to Marshall County (5-13, 3-6) Friday night, while the Lady Rockets (8-11, 5-4) host Giles County (5-11, 3-6) in a huge senior night contest at Chapel Hill.

Forrest and Community (10-10, 5-4) are tied for second place in the district standings and the Viqueens host Murfreesboro Central Magnet (10-7, 4-5) in its regular season finale Friday night.

Forrest 10 11 5 9-35

Nolensville 10 11 7 11-39

Forrest (35): Laura Mealer 25, Macyn Kirby 8, Ryann Lewis 2.

Three-Point Goals (5): Mealer 3, Kirby 2.

Free Throws (2-for-4): Mealer 2-for-4.

Nolensville (39): Caymin Ladd 20, Zoe Piller 11, Chloe Earls 4, Sara Grubesic 4.

Three-Point Goals (5): Ladd 4, Earls.

Free Throws (4-for-8): Piller 3-for-4, Earle 1-for-3, Grubesic 0-for-2.

Halftime Score: Nolensville 21, Forrest 21.