Lady Broncos kick off basketball season with win

The Boyd Lady Broncos have been training like a team on a mission since last winter.

Boyd’s elementary girls lost only three games all season a year ago, but each one proved costly. Two losses to Hickory Creek prevented the Lady Broncos from winning the regular-season title, while the third came in the county championship game.

This season, Boyd wants all the trophies. The Lady Broncos looked like a team capable of winning them Tuesday night, opening their season with a 19-8 victory over Northfield Elementary from Sparta at J.K. Stanley Gymnasium.

Sky Wright led Boyd with eight points, while the Lady Broncos’ suffocating defense held the Huskies scoreless throughout the second half.

“I think we had a great opening night,” coach Haley Nowlin said. “For the short time we’ve been practicing, the girls executed very well. The biggest goal tonight was playing our game and not being afraid to attack on offense.

“We still have a lot to cover, but I could not have asked for a better home opener.”

Before Boyd went to work on the court, fans from both schools shared a memorable moment of solidarity. When the public address system would not play the National Anthem, fans on both sides of the packed gym began singing it together.

Once the ball was tipped, the Lady Broncos quickly got to work writing their own song, “Scoring at ease.”

Kayla Brewer started the scoring with a free throw, Wright followed with a putback and Nora Long knocked down a short jumper. Wright and Kenna Brewer added baskets later in the quarter as Boyd raced out to a 9-0 advantage.

Northfield responded in the second quarter behind Addyson Marsh, who scored six points to help the Huskies cut Boyd’s lead to 11-8 by halftime.

The Lady Broncos made the necessary adjustments at the break and completely shut down the Huskies over the final two quarters.

“The key defensively was reading the defense. It’s something I really emphasize in my coaching,” Nowlin said. “They were relying heavily on screens, so we made sure to communicate them and beat them to the spot. Once we were able to make the adjustments faster, everything else clicked.”

Wright helped Boyd regain control with two quick baskets in the second half, then Juliette Ferguson added a layup as the Lady Broncos began pulling away.

MK Wright supplied the finishing touch in the fourth quarter. The second-grader, who is already beginning to blossom off the Boyd bench, jumped into a passing lane for a steal and took it the other way for a basket.

Northfield never scored after halftime, allowing Boyd to close its season opener on an 8-0 run and start its pursuit of championship trophies with an impressive home victory.

In the boys game, the Boyd Broncos fell 56-6 to visiting Northfield.

The local elementary basketball league will begin in two weeks.