It’s always a special thing to win a tournament. It makes it even sweeter when you do it in front of your home fans. Add the fact that the victory in the championship game comes against your main rival, and you have the perfect tri-fecta.

That is what Quitman Junior High School did when the Lady Wolverines beat Weston in a tightly contested game on Friday to claim the first-place trophy of the Quitman Tourney. To get to the title tilt, Quitman downed Dodson and Claiborne Christian, while Weston advanced to the finals by besting Castor and Choudrant. 

QJH Tourney Championship Game

Quitman 29 Weston 25: Kynleigh Leach hit a three-pointer and added a basket to pace Quitman to a 7-0 run to open the fourth quarter and lift the Lady Wolverines to a tightly contested victory that saw the two teams tied at the half and at the end of the third quarter. 

It was 14 of the 32 turnovers forced by QJH in the final frame that fueled the opportunity for the Lady Wolverines to break a 22-22 tie at the end of the third quarter and take a 29-22 advantage that held up for the four-point victory. 

Leach led Quitman in scoring with 9 points and 4 assists, while Bella Caskey also came up big with two clutch fourth quarter free throws and a team high 8 rebounds and 6 steals.  Ella Simonelli and Audrina Martin chipped in with 7 points apiece, and both Amelia Staggs and Demie McCurdy added a basket each as QJH improved their record to 5-1 on the year. 

Kate Keiffer, Saniyah Saulsberry, and Rachel Bandy, all who tied for the team lead in scoring with 8 points each, scored first quarter baskets to help Weston take an 8-5 lead after one period of play. Mallory Malone also added a free throw for the Lady Wolves, whose record is now 3-2 this season. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	FINAL
Quitman (5-1)	5	8	9	7	29
Weston (3-2)	8	5	9	3	25

Second Round Games

Quitman 29 Claiborne Christian 10 – A staunch defensive effort by the Lady Wolverines that forced a season-best 43 turnovers and didn’t allow Claiborne Christian to score more than 4 points in any quarter, including only 3 points in the entire second half, lifted QJH to the easy victory. Ella Simonelli and Kynleigh Leach scored 8 points each to lead the team in scoring. Audrina Martin finished with five points and pulled down a team high 8 rebounds, while Amelia Staggs added four more points. Elliot Savage chipped in with a basket, and Bella Caskey netted a pair of free throws to round out the Lady Wolverines’ scoring. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	FINAL
Quitman	8	6	8	7	29
Claiborne Christian	3	4	3	0	10

Weston 30 Choudrant 13 -Rachel Bandy scored 13 points and Mallory Malone added a season best 11 to support a determined Lady Wolves defensive effort that allowed Choudrant only four field goals all game and just two in the first three quarters. Saniyah Saulsberry scored five first-half points, and Don’Nia Spence added a free throw for Weston. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	FINAL
Weston	9	6	5	10	30
Choudrant	3	2	2	6	13

---

First Round Games

Quitman 32 Dodson 9 – The Lady Wolverines scored the first ten points of the game and the defense turned in their best effort of the year by allowing Dodson only nine points in the entire game, including just two in both the first and second quarters to give QJH the first round victory. Kynleigh Leach and Audrina Martin both scored 10 points to lead the Lady Wolverines in scoring. Demie McCurdy finished with four points, Elliot Savage tallied two and Khloe Maxwell hit a free throw for her first points of the year. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	FINAL
Quitman	14	8	9	1	32
Dodson	2	2	4	1	9

Weston 37 Castor 8 – Rachel Bandy poured in a new season high 17 points and the WJH defense clamped down to limit Castor to just 8 points, including none in both the first and fourth quarters. Seven Lady Wolves scored in all, with Saniyah Saulsberry finishing with 6 points and both Laken Borders and Hannah Aldy setting new season highs with four points each. Mallory Malone hit a first-quarter three-pointer, Ashlyn Petre added a basket, and Brooklyn Keiffer sank a free throw to round out the scoring. Only two players scored for Castor, with Farralinn Cook ending with 6 points and Lanie Cook chipping in with two points. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	FINAL
Weston	12	10	8	7	37
Castor	0	6	2	0	8