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At a way Hattaway: Challenger K-8's hero for the day

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Published: November 29, 2007

SPRING HILL - Crazy. Awesome.

That's how Tori Hattaway described what had just transpired on the Challenger K-8 court Tuesday night.

The eighth grader's runner through the lane with eight seconds remaining sank through the net, giving the Lady Navigators a 27-25 victory over previously unbeaten Powell Middle School.

"I just drove to the basket," Hattaway said. "I didn't know what else to do. I saw it open.

"It's awesome. I was so excited. It was like 'we got this now.' It was really big. We've got to get them at the county tournament, too."

Hattaway finished with a rare double-double, recording 10 points and 10 steals for the hard-pressing Lady 'Gators (5-2).

Powell (6-1), the county's runner-up last season, had barreled through the season to this point. The Lady Panthers came in averaging 36.3 points per game and winning by an average of 20.3 points.

The closest call came to two-time defending county champ West Hernando two weeks earlier, a 32-25 triumph.

Only one other team had finished within single digits of Powell. Challenger fell 31-22 on Nov. 1 at the Lady Panthers' gym.

That followed a season-opening 24-20 overtime loss to West Hernando, but the Lady 'Gators have since rattled off five straight Ws, including one over the Golden Eagles on Nov. 15, 37-20.

Hot start for Powell

This one appeared academic early, as the Lady Panthers opened an 8-0 lead behind six points by Mariah Byrd. Challenger didn't get its first point until Carey Bossey's free throw with 48 second left in the period.

The Lady 'Gators rallied back within two, 12-10, at halftime and from there the game went back-and-forth like a seesaw.

Hattaway's jumper at 4:15 in the third quarter provided Challenger with its first lead, 14-13. Yet Je'Nay Yore put Powell right back on top on a lay-up at the other end of the floor.

The teams exchanged leads twice more in that quarter, though the Lady Panthers carried a 19-17 edge heading into the fourth.

Bossey's driving lay-up with 4:07 remaining knotted the score at 21, and Hattaway followed with another jumper to push Challenger ahead, 23-21.

Je'Nel Yore's short jumper and Byrd's offensive put back had Powell in front, 25-23, at 2:05 left. Again Bossey drove the lane and scored to tie it at 25 with 1:43 still showing on the clock.

That set up Hattaway's game winner, on a designed out-of-bounds play off a time-out called by Challenger.

Apparently some credit belonged to Challenger JV coach Jeff Laing, the former Hernando High boys headman of six seasons, who remains on the bench to assist the varsity squad.

"Coach Laing was the difference maker," Challenger Head Coach Roe Foley. "He came up with that play and the girls executed it."

Powell did have one last chance, but couldn't convert on a one-and-one situation with two ticks remaining.

Byrd led everyone with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Je'Nay Yore added six points, 10 rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot. Twin sister Je'Nel had four points and nine rebounds.

"Playing in this gym, with the home court and the crowd, it's just different," Powell Head Coach Laura Fowle said. "But we'll see them again in the tournament.

"We should still be ranked first in the tournament. Hopefully we won't get any more losses and we'll end up as county champs. We'll see."
Bossey scored nine for Challenger. Gabby Bienkowski chipped in six points and three steals off the bench.

"It's very, very big," Foley said. "Bigger than the West Hernando win. We've been prepared.

"The girls really wanted it. We've been talking this Powell game up a lot. They were a little nervous coming in and we told them 'girls, let's have fun. Go in and work together.'"

Morolla sparks JV
Challenger also claimed the junior varsity contest, 21-14, and received a spark from an unlikely source.

Nicole Morolla, by far the smallest player on either team, scored six straight late in the third quarter, answering a 6-0 run by Powell to start the second half.

"She was a difference maker for us," Coach Laing said of Morolla. "She came in and provided a little defensive intensity. There were about five possessions she influenced.

"I thought we really stepped it up getting rebounds and playing defense from all eight girls. I thought we got contributions from everybody. Calie Griffin came in during the fourth quarter and got a big steal as well."

The Lady Panthers (5-2) got four points from Kristen Dawkins and another two from Raven Peterson to go out in front 14-9, erasing a 9-8 halftime deficit.

Syclair Jones of Challenger (4-3) led everyone with 13 points. Dawkins had eight to pace Powell.

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