By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It took nearly 11 minutes for third-ranked Miller to make its first field goal of the game. By then, fourth-ranked Blue Eye already had 20 points on the scoreboard.
The Bulldogs got off to a blistering start on both ends of the court and maintained a double-digit lead for three quarters as Blue Eye knocked off the Cardinals 56-30 on Wednesday night in a Class 2 sectional at Carthage.
“We shot extremely well but it all started on the defensive side of things,” Blue Eye coach Ken Elfrink said. “Defensively I thought we really did a great job of just moving as a team and rebounding. Miller is one of the best if not the best defensive team I’ve seen all year. I watched their games and it was amazing throughout the year to watch their scores. We played them early in the year and were able to come away with a 31-27 victory but the first quarter we were behind 6-0. We didn’t score the first quarter.”
Blue Eye (25-5), which lost to Ellington in the semifinals last season, advances to play Dora on Saturday in Republic in the quarterfinal round.
There were two key numbers on Wednesday: two field goals allowed in the first half, and 12 three-point shots made by the Bulldogs. Avery Arnold opened the scoring with the first of her six three’s and she finished the quarter with another to make it a 12-2 game.
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The lead grew to 20-2 after a three-point play by Samantha George. With 5:12 remaining in the half, Miller’s Kaylee Helton scored the team’s first field goal. The Cardinals scored three more points before the break and trailed 22-7.
Three pointers by Gracyn Fairchild and Riley Arnold, and a two-pointer by Kyla Warren made it 30-7 early in the third. Miller got as close as 15 points in the final minute of the quarter, when Helton scored to cut it to 34-19, but Fairchild answered with another three and Avery Arnold scored two triples early in the fourth to extend it to 43-19.
Blue Eye’s biggest lead came with 2:44 remaining when Riley Arnold made a three, was fouled and tacked on the free throw. That made it 53-26.
“Sean (Price) has done an outstanding job with Miller and that group of seniors, what a career they’ve had,” Elfrink said. “It’s just a shame we had to meet in a sectional game but that’s the way it goes. I tip my cap to them, they didn’t quit and they’re tough. My kids just played with a lot of heart and toughness. Fairchild came out and hit some big shots and Sam George coming off the bench played one of the best games she’s played all year. They keyed in on Riley and she did such a great job facilitating. That allowed other kids to open up and she did a good job of finding those kids.”
Avery Arnold led all scorers with 18 points, Fairchild scored 14, George had 10, Riley Arnold added 9 and Makayla Johnson scored 5.
Miller (23-4) was led by 12 points from Helton and 6 points from Payten Richardson.
