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Chelsea’s girls basketball team put together a consistent effort in a 53-26 victory against Tuscaloosa County on Jan. 4. (For the Reporter/Robert Dean)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

CHELSEA – Behind another dominant night on the defensive end of the floor, the Chelsea Hornets were able to notch a 27-point victory against Class 7A Tuscaloosa County on Tuesday, Jan. 4.

The Hornets gave up single digits in all but one quarter of the game defensively and scored 16 in two quarters offensively to help pull away for a 53-26 victory.

Chelsea had the first of its two impressive offensive quarters and its best overall quarter of the game in the opening period.

That was largely due to three 3-pointers in the period, two from Ashley Washington and one from Mary Cartee.

Those two combined for 13 of the 16 points in the period, while Sydney and Sadie Schwallie combined for the other three.

With that, and the defense giving up seven points, the Hornets were able to quickly open up a nine-point lead at the end of one.

Chelsea’s offense wasn’t as potent in the second quarter, but the defense remained tough for the Wildcats to score against.

They made just one basket and two free throws for four points in the frame, while Chelsea’s offense still found double figures with five from Sydney Schwallie and four from Haley Trotter.

That put the Hornets in control at the half with a 27-11 advantage.

Tuscaloosa County came out of the half with adjustments on the offensive end, which led to the Wildcats’ best quarter of the game.

They totaled 11 points, largely thanks to two 3-pointers from Shelby McAllister.

But Chelsea matched its best offensive quarter of the game with 16 more points, including six more from Cartee, who drained two of Chelsea’s threes in the third quarter.

That helped Chelsea extend the lead to 43-22 going to the final quarter of play.

That’s when the Hornets turned back to their defense to finish the game off, giving up four points in the fourth quarter, while Trotter scored six points to spark a 10-point final period en route to the 27-point win.

Sydey Schwallie and Mary Cartee each had 13 in the win, while Trotter added 12 for the Hornets.

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