Squaws open season with wins over Hawkinsville and Appling

Dodge County News, December 10, 2008

By Chad W. Smith

The Dodge County High Squaws basketball team opened their 2008-09 season with games on the road against non-region

foes Hawkinsville and Appling County last week. The Squaws, ranked 9^th in the pre-season GaSports.com/GACA Coaches Poll,

start the season 2-0 after defeating the Lady Devils 47-33 on Tuesday, December 2 and the Lady Pirates 47-26 on Friday, December 5.

The 2008-09 Squaws return three starters from last year’s region championship team that finished the season 23-7 and in the second

round of the state tournament; they are senior Janna Anderson and juniors, Tahitia Butler and Nisha Walker. Other team members

included, senior, Courtni Howard, sophomores, Michelle Mitchell, Kemiya Harrell, Yalesia Burns, Staci Ross and freshman, Jaye Hilliard.

In the first quarter against the Lady Devils of Hawkinsville, Jaye Hilliard led the Squaws to 10-6 lead with four points. Kemiya Harrell and

Michelle Mitchell each had five points in the second quarter as Dodge led 21-17 at the half. The Squaws outscored Hawkinsville 16-8 in

the third quarter to take a 36-25 lead. Mitchell led again with four points in the third quarter. Nisha Walker had seven points in the final

quarter to help Dodge to 47-33 win. Final scoring for the Squaws against Hawkinsville was: Michelle Mitchell, 11 points; Nisha Walker,

10 points; Kemiya Harrell, nine points; Jaye Hilliard, five points; Janna Anderson, five points; Yalesia Burns, four points; Courtni Howard,

two points; Staci Ross, one point.

Against Appling County the Squaws jumped out to 7-0 lead to begin the first quarter and led 11-2 after one quarter. Nisha Walker had five

points to lead Dodge. Dodge extended their lead to 24-7 in the second quarter, led by Janna Anderson with a three-pointer. Anderson again

had a three-pointer to lead in third quarter and help the Squaws to a 36-14 after three quarters. Michelle Mitchell had five points in the

final quarter to lead Dodge to a 47-26 victory over the Lady Pirates. Final scoring for the Squaws was: Tahitia Butler, 12 points; Nisha Walker,

nine points; Michelle Mitchell, nine points; Janna Anderson, eight points; Kemiya Harrell, five points; Courtni Howard, two points; Yalesia

Burns, two points.

The Squaws were scheduled to host Toombs County on Tuesday, December 9 and have two road games this weekend as they travel to

Bleckley County on Friday, December 12 and to Swainsboro on Saturday, December 13 for two early region matchups and then to West Laurens

for a non-region matchup on Tuesday, December 16.