By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

NORTHPORT – The Chelsea Lady Hornets got out to a hot start this year, winning their first five in a row and six of their first five overall to start the season 6-1. Coming into their matchup with Tuscaloosa County on Monday, Dec. 12, the Hornets had lost two games in a row and three of their last four. The Hornets were unable to snap the streak as they turned the ball over 37 times and fell to the Wildcats 67-50.

Right off the bat, Chelsea looked outmatched in the contest as Tuscaloosa County came out firing on all cylinders and put up a profound 27 offensive points in the first quarter compared to Chelsea’s seven.

The Hornets (6-4) played much better the rest of the game, but the 27 points were 17 too many to overcome. In the second quarter they were outscored again, but by a much more manageable margin of just four points, 15-11. Going into the half they trailed 42-18.

The combination of the Wildcats playing more reserves and Chelsea making halftime adjustments led to a much better second half performance for the Hornets. They were able to limit mistakes and play more fundamentally sound as they outscored Tuscaloosa County 14-9 in the third quarter and 18-16 in the fourth.

The 32-25 second half margin was nowhere near enough to claw them back in the game, but they were able to show that they hadn’t given up in the game.

Turning the ball over 37 times is not going to win you very many ball games, especially when everyone on the roster has at least two turnovers.

Michaella Edwards has become an automatic double-double machine as she posted another one with 32 of Chelsea’s 50 points and 10 of the team’s 35 rebounds. She now has seven double-double’s on the season. No other Hornets’ player had more than five points in the game as Suzanne Ridgeway and Hope Richards each added five. Richards also added eight rebounds. Allie Miller, who fouled out in the contest, had three of the team’s seven assists.