A fast start and strong free throw shooting propelled Warrenton to a home win over Hallsville last week. 

Warrenton (13-9) led by as many as 20 points in their 55-44 win over Hallsville Friday. The win snapped Warrenton’s two-game losing streak. 

Warrenton jumped out to an early 8-0 lead to start the game and led 16-13 after the first quarter. Junior Nevaeh Hill scored seven points in the first quarter and 12 points in the first half. She led the Lady Warriors in scoring in the game with 16 points despite Hallsville utilizing multiple players with good height in the post. 

Hill said she felt prepared to square off against the height of Hallsville’s post players. She stressed the Lady Warriors’ early ball movement and bouncing from block to block helped her find success early in the game.

“I’m kind of used to it because we go against our coach. He kind of prepares me,” Hill said. 

Both teams struggled offensively early in the second quarter and Warrenton held a 20-14 lead when Hallsville called a timeout with 3:33 remaining in the half. Warrenton ended the half on a 9-2 run, aided by strong free throw shooting. Seven of Warrenton’s nine points to close out the first half came at the free throw line. 

“I loved how many times we went to the free throw line,” Warrenton head coach Hannah Logan said. “At half, we had gone 16 times and we were 13 for 16, which has been a really big goal of ours because our free throw percentage hasn’t been the greatest all season. So going into halftime with a 13-point lead was just what we wanted.”

Warrenton led 29-16 at halftime and stretched their lead to 20 points at the end of the third quarter. The Lady Warriors executed their offensive game plan for the first three quarters of getting to the elbow near the free throw line. 

“I thought we came out executing what we worked on all week,” Logan said. “Our goal was to go four out weave and get to the elbows. That was our sweet spot. And then to look inside to our post player.”

Warrenton point guard Audrey Payne, who finished the game with nine points despite battling first half foul trouble, said the Lady Warriors used Hallsville’s lack of team speed to their advantage to build the lead. 

“We knew they were slower,” Payne said. “I think we just used the ability to push the ball ahead.”

Hallsville trimmed Warrenton’s lead to as few as eight points two different times late in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game. The Lady Warriors struggled offensively in the fourth quarter and went over six minutes without scoring to start the quarter. Logan said a lack of offensive execution hindered the Lady Warriors in the final quarter. Warrenton went 7 for 9 from the free throw line down the stretch to clinch the victory. 

“We ended the game 24 for 28 for our free throws and our team goal is to be 80%,” Logan said. “So we met that at 86%. So that was great to see because our free throws have been our struggle this year. So to see that we closed the game and ended the game with being able to knock down our free throws and accomplish our goal was great.” 

Warrenton is slated to end their regular season with four GAC North conference games, with three of their conference games coming on the road. The Lady Warriors currently lead the GAC North with a perfect 6-0 record. 

“I think we’ve done really well,” Payne said. “We have a new coach. We’re all kind of young besides a few seniors. I think we’ve done really well for our first year together.”

After completing the regular season, the Lady Warriors look to have success in the postseason. 

“I think we’re setting ourselves up for a great seed and great going into the postseason,” Logan said.