BY BRITTNI MCCOY
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

WARFIELD — Martin County Middle School had a packed house on Thursday for this year’s Elementary tournament. Eden finished the season undefeated in the county A-team division. They took down Inez 26-16 to be crowned the 2022 Martin County A-team Champions. 

Inez vs. Warfield — In first-round action on Oct. 19, Inez edged out Warfield with the closest game of the tournament by a final score of 16-15.

Warfield’s Anna Hinkle quickly put two points on the board with a steal and a layup.

Inez answered with a Chloe Moore jump shot in the lane. The Indians reeled off three more buckets in the first quarter behind Mallory Hale, Mia James, and Emily Mills.

Hinkle stole the ball with 49 seconds to go in the first and scored on the other end to keep Inez within reach.

Both teams hit a shooting slump in the second quarter until KB Muncy found James in the lane for a bank shot. 

Muncy inbounded the ball on Inez’s next possession under the basket to Kenleigh Estep, who laid it in for two to take a 12-4 lead.

The Red Devils weren’t going to go down easy, and Annabelle Gess passed to Erica Blackburn for a bucket. With 15 seconds left in the first half, Blackburn rebounded and had a putback to bring the score to 12-8.

Warfield continued their comeback in the second half when Gess scored two in the lane. Hinkle picked up another steal at the top of the key and drove in for a layup to knot the score up at 12 apiece.

Warfield held Inez scoreless in the third quarter until 50 seconds remaining when Estep dribbled to the middle of the lane and nailed a jump shot to put Inez back on top 14-12.

Hazelena Speakman tied it back up at the start of the fourth quarter after an offensive rebound and shot under the rim.

James tossed up a shot high off the backboard for the Indian go-ahead.

Warfield’s Blackburn stole a pass and drove to the other end of the floor but walked before she got the shot off.