Tom Dodge
LEBEAU – For the first time since 2013, the Lady Jays defeated perenial district power North Central as the Lady Jays grabbed a 41-36 victory.
In 2013, the Lady Jays earned a 41-36 win over the Lady Hurricanes.
St. Edmund (10-6, 1-1)opened the game with an 17-11 first quarter run, aided by six points from both Rebecca Benoit and Mary Beth Lafleur.
Savannah DeVillier scored three points and Greta Miller added a bucket for the Lady Jays.
North Central’s Katelyn Harrison pushed in six points in the quarter.
The game remained tight in the second period as St. Ed’s held a 25-18 lead into the intermission.
Benoit scored four points for the Lady Jays, while DeVillier and Lafleur added two points each.
Ya’Jaia Godeau pushed in seven points for the Lady Hurricanes (8-7, 1-1).
Godeau scored all 10 points for North Central the third frame as the Lady Hurricanes closed the margin to 33-28 as the game moved to the final quarter.
Lafleur hit a trey, while Julia Zaunbrecher and Greta Miller each added a bucket in the period.
The two teams battled to an 8-8 tie in the fourth quarter as the Lady Jays held on for the crucial District 5-1A win.
DeVillier hit four free throws, while Zaunbrecher and Rebecca Benoit scored two points in the quarter.
Godeau scored six points in the period to finish with 30 points.
Benoit led St. Ed’s with 13 points.
Lafleur chipped in 11 points and DeVillier added nine points in the win.
North Central won the 2020 Class 1-A title and is presently No. 4 in the LHSAA power rankings.
The Lady Jays sits at No. 9 in the Div. IV power rankings.
St. Edmund entertains rival Sacred Heart of Ville Platte (2-11, 0-1) at 6 p.m. today.
NC 80, St. Ed’s 44
LEBEAU – North Central began the game with a 20-10 run as the Hurricanes cruised to an 8-44 win over the Blue Jays.
McKennis Savoy scored nine points and Reginald Stoner pushed in six points for the Hurricanes in the period.
Kieran Davis led the Jays with six points in the opening frame.
The defending Class 1-A champions, North Central (14-4, 1-0) exploded for a 23-6 surge in the second period to put the game out of reach.
Stoner and Derrick Tezeno led the Hurricanes with seven points, while Devion Lavergne chipped in six points in the period.
Easten Coleman scored four points and Henry Brown added a bucket for the Jays.
St. Edmund battled in the second half, but the the Jays could not over come the 43-16 halftime deficit.
North Central out-gained the Jays 19-17 in the third period, sparked by 10 points from Tezeno.
Savoy and Stoner added four points each in the quarter.
Henry Brown pushed in four points for the Jays and Coleman chipped in three points.
The Hurricanes outscored St. Ed’s 18-17 in the final frame, aided by five points from Isaac Doucet.
Davis pushed in four points, while Coleman and Gus Brown both hit treys and Henry Brown added three free throws.
Tezeno led the Hurricanes with 24 points.
Savoy contributed 18 points and Stoner added 17 points for North Central.
Davis and Coleman led the Jays with 23 points each, while Henry Brown contributed nine points.
St. Edmund (12-7, 0-1) hosts Sacred Heart-VP (9-9, 1-0) today in a key District 5-1A showdown.