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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

MCCALLA – Looking to end the regular season on a solid note, the Spain Park Jaguars shielded off a second-half comeback from the McAdory Yellow Jackets on Tuesday, Jan. 28.

The Jags defeated the Yellow Jackets 34-29, heading into the area tournament with a win on the road at McAdory High School.

In what has become a regular occurrence this season, Ava Leonard took charge in leading her team to success, starting the game off strong with five points, including a 3-pointer.

Leonard’s deep shot was one of Spain Park’s four in the first quarter, as Jordyn Corey knocked down two 3-point baskets of her own, while Teagan Huey added another.

The Jags’ defense complimented the offensive showcase in the opening period with excellent defense, only surrendering four points to help give them a 14-4 lead through eight minutes of play.

Leonard kept things going into the second quarter, serving as Spain Park’s only contributor. She scored all seven of its points, putting her total for the first half at 12 points. Leonard hit two more 3-pointers, showcasing her range.

McAdory attempted to gain a little momentum however, going on to score nine points in response thanks to four different scorers, including a 3-point shot from Haleigh Harviley. 

At the end of the half, the Jags were holding strong with a 21-13 lead.

That lead fell into jeopardy though, as the Yellow Jackets came out of the break with a rally on their minds. Harviley hit another 3-pointer to begin the third, before giving way to her teammates to do the rest of the work.

Taniya Smith proved to be the big contributor from that point forward, scoring six points in the period as part of McAdory’s 12-point quarter. 

Spain Park could not do much on offense, which did not help its case. The Jags could only muster another seven points in the third, led by Corey’s five, which included a third 3-point basket for the night. However, they only carried a 28-25 lead into the final eight minutes.

At that moment, things flipped as Leonard got back in the driver’s seat for Spain Park. The young star scored all six of the team’s points to close things out, including two free throws late to put the nail in the coffin.

To complement that, the Jags’  defense got back into a rhythm, only giving up four points when it mattered most and securing a 34-29 win.

Leonard led all scorers on the night, scoring 18 for Spain Park to close out the regular season. Corey also reached double digits and was the other major contributor for the Jags, knocking down 11.

With the win Spain Park now prepares for the Class 6A, Area 8 tournament with a 13-16 overall record. The Jags will take on the No. 1 seed Chelsea Hornets on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. at Chelsea High School.