McMinn Central Chargerettes click, rout Walker Valley

photo Johnny Morgan, coach at McMinn Central High School

ENGLEWOOD, Tenn. -- McMinn Central coach Johnny Morgan looked at his basketball team's matchup against Walker Valley on Tuesday and thought his struggling Chargerettes would be in for their toughest test to date.

But the individual matchups weighed heavily in his favor.

Elizabeth Masengil flirted with a triple-double, and the Chargerettes jumped to a 14-point lead by the end of the first quarter and were never threatened in a 66-43 victory over the visiting Lady Mustangs.

Masengil had 22 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Sisters Peyton and Sidni Williams combined for seven points, eight steals and four assists as guards.

Posts Bailey Gray and Elizabeth Trentham had a total of 11 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

"We're a tough matchup for people," Morgan said. "Teams have to put their biggest girl on Bailey or Elizabeth [Trentham], but that means you have to put your second biggest player on Elizabeth [Masengil], and that causes problems because she's such a good passer.

"Trentham hadn't played well, but she did tonight. When she and Bailey do what they're supposed to do, we're going to be tough to match up with, I think."

The scrappy Walker Valley team was led by nine points from both Aaliyah Pitner and Jaclyn Griffith. Pitner scored all of hers on 3s, while Griffith led the team with seven rebounds -- one more than Wendi Watson.

Lindsey Sotuyo had five rebounds and a pair of blocks, while freshman Kathleen Alomar had six points, three assists and two steals. The Lady Mustangs were without the complete services of Lyndsey Macon, who was battling sickness, and further hurt themselves at the free-throw line, going 11-for-22.

"This is by far the best we've played," Morgan said. "I told them yesterday that I thought Walker Valley was going to be the best team we've played so far. I thought it'd be a battle and I certainly didn't expect this. We hadn't played well, but this is how I thought we'd be this year.

"Hopefully we're working together and getting better."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6311. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.

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