A bittersweet end for Lady Flashes|[2/19/06]

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, February 21, 2006

McADAMS – The St. Aloysius Lady Flashes’ final game was just like the 2005-2006 season – cheers at the beginning tears at the end.

In a battle of Top 5 Class 1A teams, McAdams (28-3) overcame a slow start with a barrage of 3-pointers and free throws to knock off St. Aloysius, 84-66, in a Class 1A South State satellite game on Monday night.

It was a bittersweet ending to the most successful season in Lady Flashes’ history, and it left a sour taste in coach Drew McBrayer’s mouth.

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The Lady Bulldogs made 23 of 24 free throws while St. Al (26-4) shot just eight from the line, making five.

&#8220It was ridiculous,” said McBrayer, who drew a technical foul midway through the fourth quarter after telling the referee what he thought of a no-call on an offensive rebound. &#8220There shouldn’t have been that much difference.”

Annie Beaugh, one of two seniors on the team, finished with a team-high 27 points, and Sarah Kerut had 23 points and seven rebounds before fouling out with 4:55 left in the game. Amy Beaugh added 10 points and 11 assists for the Lady Flashes, who shot 65 percent from the floor but committed 25 turnovers.

For McAdams, Angenett Seawood scored 29, including five of her team’s nine 3-pointers, and had four steals. LaChelle Kilbert chipped in 20 points, and Ashley Brown scored 16, including 10-of-10 free throws in the fourth quarter.

McAdams coach Chad Jackson said he had a good scouting report on St. Al – stop Annie Beaugh and Kerut. The Lady Bulldogs just didn’t do that early on, he said.

&#8220They’re the key to the team,” Jackson said. &#8220We just played a little better defense in the second half.”

The Lady Flashes jumped to a 15-7 lead in the first quarter on an Annie Beaugh feed to Kerut cutting down the lane, then a Kerut 3-pointer. But Seawood answered with a 3-pointer and a layup to pull McAdams within three going into the second quarter.

Then the aerial assault started, with the Lady Bulldogs hitting four 3-pointers and 8-of-8 free throws to take a 42-33 lead into the break.

&#8220We had too many turnovers and fouls, and they played good defense,” Annie Beaugh said, wiping away tears after a long meeting in the locker room. &#8220They’re just really quick and athletic.”

Beaugh layups brought St. Al within one point twice in the third quarter, then Kilbert hit a rainbow 3-pointer, Brown made a bullet pass to Keianna Lewis for an easy basket and Lewis made a steal and layup. During that sequence, the Lady Flashes were called for two offensive fouls. After that, St. Al never got closer than 10 points, and the Lady Bulldogs built a 20-point lead.

&#8220We were more patient in the first half,” McBrayer said. &#8220We had a chance to take the lead in the third quarter, then we had something like six straight turnovers.”

The Lady Flashes started the season 26-1 and moved up to No. 3 in The Clarion-Ledger’s Class 1A poll while shooting for their first trip to the state tournament in the Mississippi Coliseum. But they lost their last three games in the postseason. The Lady Flashes still advanced to the satellite game by virtue of their regular-season division title, which gave them a first-round bye in the division tournament.

The tradition-rich Lady Bulldogs are ranked No. 5. They won a state championship in 1989, were South State champs in 1998 and South State runners-up in 2002.

Annie Beaugh is hopeful this was the start of a tradition at St. Al.

&#8220I hope they keep it up next year,” she said. &#8220I know they’ve got the talent to do it.”

A good memory is the first step, McBrayer said.

&#8220I told them to remember what this feels like,” he said, &#8220and use that to motivate you this summer.”