Inez Indians are the A-team Champs

**Martin County Elementary A-team champions Inez Indians on Oct. 23 in Warfield.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ – Inez took down Eden’s A-team on Oct. 23 in a thriller. The Indians were crowned the County champs after battling back for a 26-25 win at Martin County Middle School.

Eden’s B-team took down Warfield 10-0 to claim the championship.

The Eden C-team defeated Warfield 12-9 in their respective championship.

The following is a recap of tournament action:

Eden vs Inez – The A-team championship featured the Eden Wildcats vs Inez Indians on Oct. 23.

**Eden Wildcat Paige Stafford (23) over Inez Indian Macie Callaham (13) in the A-team County championship in October.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

Paige Stafford opened up the scoring for Eden with a floater from the corner.

Emily Mooney hit a jumper for Inez’s first bucket.

Indian Kenleigh Estep had the steal and layup with 20 seconds left in the first quarter to go up 4-2.

**Harper Runyon (5) with the soft lay in past Eden’s Paige Stafford last month in the A-team County championship at Martin Co. Middle.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

Jaylea Maynard had the rebound and put back to extend the lead to 6-2.

Inez’s Harper Runyon shot the runner down the middle for two.

Braylee Horn broke the run after driving the length of the floor for a layup. She stole the ball and drove in again to pull Eden within two.

Martha Maynard rebounded a free throw for Eden and passed ahead to Stafford. She swung the rock to Paislee Hinkle for two to tie the game.

Horn dished to Stafford at the free throw line and extended for a jump shot with 10 seconds left in the half.

Eden went into the half with a 10-8 lead.

Estep hit a free throw to start the second half for Inez.

Stafford fired in a shot. On the next Eden possession, she faked and went for the up and under for two and a 14-9 lead.

**Martin County Elementary A-team runner-up Eden Wildcats Oct. 23 at Martin County Middle School.** *(Courtesy photo by Keli Jude)*

Indian Macie Callaham nailed the short corner jump shot with three minutes left in the third quarter.

Hinkle rebounded and passed to Stafford for two to extend the lead back out to five.

Runyon sank a free throw and Inez head coach Alison Scott called a timeout.

She set up an out of bounds play coming out of it with a double screen for Callaham. Her bucket pulled Inez within two.

Estep drove from baseline to baseline to knot the game at 16 each.

The fourth quarter saw both teams go back and forth.

Eden regained the lead when Horn scored a corner floater.

Inez answered with a Runyon bank shot in the lane.

**Eden Wildcat sixth grader Sarah McCoy dribbles through the press versus Inez in the A-team championship game on Oct. 23.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

Stafford swished a corner jumper for Eden and Callaham answered quickly for Inez to tie it once again.

Runyon and Stafford exchanged baskets to keep the score knotted up.

Callaham came in clutch with another jumper for an Inez lead at 24-22.

M. Maynard pulled down a board for Eden and scored to even the score.

With 1:36 remaining Callaham saw another jumper hit the bottom of the net for a 26-24 Indian lead.

Eden’s Horn was fouled with 12 seconds left and hit a free throw to pull the Wildcats within one.

Inez broke past the defense and dribbled the clock out for the championship win.

The difference maker of the game was Callaham with 10 points for Inez. Runyon finished with seven points. Estep bucketed five. Mooney and J. Maynard added two points each.

Stafford led Eden with 14 points. Horn had seven points on the night. M. Maynard and Hinkle each had two points.

**Martin County Elementary B-team champions Eden Wildcats on Oct. 23 at Martin County Middle School.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

Eden vs Warfield – Eden’s B-team cut down the nets after defeating the Red Devils 10-0 in the championship game.

Harper Howell fired in six points for the Wildcats. Taytum Jennings and Charlie Mollett each dropped in two points in the championship win for Eden.

**Jenna McCoy (12) with a jumper in the lane in an October Martin County B-team tournament.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

**Martin County Elementary B-team runner-up Warfield on Oct. 23 in Warfield.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

**Gabby Mann looks to pass on Oct. 23 in Warfield in the B-team final tournament game.** *(Citizen photo by Brittni McCoy)*

Eden vs Warfield– The C-team championship saw the Wildcats taking on the Red Devils.

**Martin County Elementary C-team champions Eden Wildcats on Oct. 24 at Inez Elementary.** *(Courtesy photo by Reisa Dials)*

Lilly McCoy helped Eden take a 2-0 lead to end the first quarter.

Lexi Hammond and Kyleigh Horn each hit a free throw for the Wildcats in the second and Kaydee Dials hit a shot.

**Martin County Elementary C-team runner-up Warfield on Oct. 24 at Inez Elementary.** *(Courtesy photo by Kayla Hale)*

Warfield’s Brooklyn Nichols knocked a pair of free throws down. Kami Fletcher scored a bucket, and Raegan Baisden sank one from the charity stripe to pull the Red Devils within one at halftime.

Fletcher scored for Warfield to take a 7-6 lead to end the third.

Nichols nailed a shot for Warfield.

But it wasn’t enough as the Cats scored six more points to come away with the 12-9 win.

Horn finished with five points for Eden. Hammond nailed three points. Dials and McCoy each had two.

Nichols and Fletcher each fired in four for the Red Devils. Baisden added a point.

Inez vs Warfield – Warfield’s C-team moved on past the first round after defeating the Indians 28-16.

Brooklyn Nichols led all scorers with 14 points for the Red Devils. Kami Fletcher had six points. Carolyn Dalton had three points. Raegan Baisden and Maynard each had two points.

Brystol Coots and Aubrey Maynard led Inez with six points. Hope Dials and Emily Mollette each had two points.

Not all scoresheets were provided due to a misplacement by the scorer’s table.