The championship full of Chelsea
Posted at 10:43 on Wednesday, November 23, 2022
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Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Spain’s Park Three wins end with a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For Reporter/Jeremy Raines) Briarwood Christian competes in the Spartan Turkey Jam hosted by Mountain Brook High School. (For reporter | Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Spain Park and Briarwood Christian compete in the Spartan Turkey Jam hosted by Mountain Brook High School. (For reporter | Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
Three wins end in a championship win for the Chelsea Hornets at the Mountain Brook Turkey Jam. (For reporter/Jeremy Raines)
By LAUREN SEXTON | sports reporter
MOUNTAIN BROOK – The Chelsea girls’ basketball team ruled the court at Mountain Brook’s annual Turkey Jam Tournament.
The Chelsea Hornets have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving with head coach Jason Harlow winning his 100th game before the championship game and the Hornets defeating defending champions Mountain Brook in the championship on Tuesday night .
The Hornets reeled off three straight wins against Susan Moore, Guntersville and Mountain Brook to claim the championship title.
In the first game, it was a 71-66 win against Susan Moore that started the special run.
On Saturday, November 19, the Hornets started the game with a strong first quarter with a total of 17 points and taking a two point lead over the Bulldogs.
Sophomore Sadie Schwallie led the Hornets in the first quarter with five points. Schwallie knocked down two doubles and a single free throw.
Behind Schwallie, Haley Trotter, Sophia Brown and Olivia Pryor finished the quarter with a combined 12 points.
Chelsea continued to extend their lead with another powerful fourth from Schwallie before half-time. Schwallie made the first basket from beyond the arc, along with two more doubles and another basket from the free throw line.
Madison Moore knocked down her first basket of the game and Trotter added four more points to the Hornets’ scoring.
The Hornets went up 31-30, and the stakes continued to rise from there.
A slower quarter for Chelsea as the Bulldogs came back more aggressive than before. The Hornets could only muster 13 more points before the final quarter. However, Chelsea were able to contain Susan Moore, making the third quarter a battle of defenses.
Trotter capitalized on eight first-half points with four others. Brown went three for three at the free throw line. Moore scored three points, and Schwallie knocked down another 3-pointer for the Hornets.
Chelsea’s fourth quarter kicked off a tense end to the first round for the Hornets. Chelsea had 19 points going into overtime after Susan Moore came back and the Hornets had blown the lead.
Brown’s free throw game was nearly flawless against the Bulldogs after going five for five at the free throw line. Of Brown’s nine free throw attempts, he missed just one. Trotter and Pryor each had three points from outside the arc and Trotter had two inside.
Moore paced the Hornets with six points in the final quarter, went two for two at the free throw line and knocked down two extra baskets.
Chelsea and Susan Moore were officially thrown into overtime.
The Hornets overcame their late second half deficit to put up eight points over the Bulldogs.
Missed shots from Moore, Schwallie and Trotter tipped the scoreline in Chelsea’s favour, advancing the Hornets to the next round the following Monday.
With another close win, Chelsea faced Guntersville in the second round of the Turkey Jam.
The Hornets were able to overcome their first half deficit, secure their spot in the championship round and earn Coach Harlow’s 100th career win.
Although Chelsea had made smart defensive choices, the team became more aggressive offensively to lead 27-21 at the break.
The Hornets bounced back with a much better offensive effort in the second half, limiting Guntersville. Chelsea began to take the lead in the final two minutes by six points.
Chelsea won 46-40.
Brown led the second round with 14 points, Trotter trotted behind with 13 points.
Tuesday concluded the tournament with the championship game between the Mountain Brook Spartans and the Hornets. An exciting match until the end.
Chelsea returned to the court for the third time on Tuesday night in force and dominated the Spartans in the first half by double digits.
The Hornets led 31-16 before halftime.
Trotter started the game with a powerful first quarter, practically back-to-back at the net. She had eight points with Brown following with five points.
Brown had knocked down a basket in and out of the arc with ease. Moore scored four extra points for the combined 17 points Chelsea scored in the first quarter.
The Hornets’ defense limited Mountain Brook to five points in the second quarter while adding 14 more.
Brown was indeed a power player in the Hornets’ run for the championship title, scoring five braces before the Spartans tried unsuccessfully to stop Chelsea.
Mountain Brook was unsuccessful.
Trotter and Pryor scored four more points and catapulted the Hornets’ lead even further.
A comeback for the Spartans was out of reach, or so it seemed.
A changed Mountain Brook returned from the break, ready to overcome the deficit that had fallen to them in the first two quarters of the game.
This time, the Spartans were able to limit the Hornets to just six points in the third quarter. Moore, Trotter and Brown could only hold an active Mountain Brook offense to one basket each.
Now trailing Chelsea by three points, Mountain Brook was ready to reclaim its title more than ever.
Both the Spartans and Hornets were tied in the final minute of the game. It looked like Mountain Brook would score the final basket of the night to secure the victory, but Chelsea wasn’t about to give up in the game’s fleeting moments.
Mountain Brook had possession of the ball as the clock began to count down. An aggressive Chelsea defense applied so much pressure on the Spartans that they decided to make the basket rather than let the clock run out and the basket was missed.
This time, however, it was the effort of the offense that helped the Hornets in the end.
A missed field goal and a rebound by the Hornets allowed Chelsea to grab one last lead and secure the Thanksgiving victory.
The Spartans were determined to get the ball back as soon as possible, with the potential to go to overtime. However, a final basket by the Hornets saved them in the final matchup.
Trotter, Schwallie, Moore, Pryor and Brown combined for 14 points to help the Hornets come away with another win.
Chelsea defeated defending champions Mountain Brook in a thrilling conclusion to the annual Turkey Jam Tournament and earned Harlow’s 100th win in the process.
Source: Chelsea’s jam-packed championship – Shelby County Reporter
