Quitman Junior High opened their 2024 season by winning three straight, including a 42-39 victory over host Weston in the championship game of the WJH Tournament played this past Thursday and Friday.

Quitman reached the title game by beating Choudrant 38-23 in their tourney opener and then crushing Castor 44-13 in round two. Weston advanced to the finals by winning 56-25 over Dodson in round one and smashing Saline 44-9 in the second round. 

Quitman 42 Weston 39 (Championship Game): Hayden Seymore scored five points and both Eli Jackson and Kaleb Maxwell added four apiece in the decisive third quarter that saw QJH take a six point lead after the teams went into the half tied at 22 each. Seymore led the Wolverines with 14 points, followed by Jackson with 12 and Maxwell with 8. Luke Rowe added five and Tucker Goss chipped in with a three point basket. Weston was paced by Malachi Harris with 11 and Lukas Bandy who scored 9. Eli Henderson added 6, Bryce Tolar had five and both Leyton Younse and Cason Conn finished with four each. 

Quitman 44 Castor 13 (Second Round): Kaleb Maxwell exploded for 19 points, including 8 in the third period that saw Quitman outscore Castor 19-3 to put the game away. Conner May and Eli Jackson added six each, Hayden Seymore scored five and Luke Rowe finished with four. Tucker Goss also tallied two in the game. 

Weston 44 Saline 9 (Second Round): Nine players in all scored for the Wolves but it was a suffocating defensive effort that held Saline to just four points in the first half and none in the third quarter that made the difference. Bryce Tolar and Leyton Younse scored seven points each and both Lukas Bandy and Malachi Harris added six apiece to pace Weston. Eli Henderson, Colton Otwell, Colt Guyotte and Jenson Waggoner all finished with four and Audra Spense tallied two. 

Quitman 38 Choudrant 23 (First Round): Hayden Seymore led all scorers with 16 and hit three, 3-pointers in the third quarter to help lift the Wolverines to a 13-3 advantage that iced the game. Kaleb Maxwell scored six of his eight points in the contest in the first frame to stake QJH to a 13-5 lead that was stretched to 19-5 at the half as the Wolverine defense didn’t allow a second quarter point. Eli Jackson and Luke Rowe finished with four each, Jayden Burns tallied three, Mason Thomas scored two and Lucas Leach hit a free throw for Quitman. 

Weston 56 Dodson 25 (First Round): The host Wolves opened tourney play in grand style by posting a tourney high number in points as eleven players in all scored. Cason Conn and Malachi Harris led the way with 10 each followed by Eli Henderson with 8. Audra Spence scored five with Bryce Tolar, Lukas Bandy, and Leyton Younse finishing with four each. Colten Otwell had three points and Colt Guyotte, Kash Gandy and Jenson Waggoner added two each. 

Castor beats Saline in Girls Finals

The two teams that had byes to the second round played in the finals with Castor coming out on top 36-21 over Saline. Host Weston beat Dodson 27-5 in their tourney opener but fell in the second round 27-25 to the Lady Bobcats. Quitman dropped their opener 17-12 to Choudrant. 

Saline 27 Weston 25 (Second Round): Rachel Bandy scored 14, including hitting 6 of 8 free throws but an 11-5 first quarter deficit was to much to overcome for the Lady Wolves. Mallory Malone added seven points and Gracie Gray finished with four. Jaylynn Jiles led Saline with 20 points.

Weston 27 Dodson 5 (First Round): A suffocating defensive effort held Dodson scoreless in the first and fourth quarters to help WJH cruise to the first round victory. Rachel Bandy led Weston with 10 points with Addison Faulkner and Mallory Malone finishing with four each. Teegan Hall tallied three with Gracie Gray, Ashlyn Petre and Kate Keiffer chipping in with two each. 

Choudrant 17 Quitman 12 (First Round): The Lady Wolverines took a 8-6 lead into the break but just four second half points spelled doom in the tourney opener. Sophia Kliebert led QJH with four points followed by Kynleigh Leach, Lily Duck, London Burks and another unidentified player adding two each.