The Hagerstown Lady Tiger basketball team traveled to Lynn on Saturday, Nov. 22, for a nonconference game against Randolph Southern. The Lady Rebels, members of the Mid-Eastern Conference, were heavily favored but were not prepared for the resolve the Tigers brought to the game.
With senior defensive specialist Bella Thalls chasing Rebel leading scorer Haileigh Allen all over the floor, the Rebels struggled to score. Elly Cheeseman, Kenly Ferriell and Sophia Tinkle each hit first-quarter three-pointers and Avery Blunk scored three field goals in the paint as the Tigers raced to a 19-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter was more of the same. Allen was denied the ball and the Rebels were held without a field goal as a team, and the Tigers increased their lead to 33-14 by halftime. Ferriell hit a free throw to open the third quarter, then stole the ball and scored 40 seconds into the second half to give the Tigers their biggest lead of the night at 36-14.
The Rebels came roaring back. Joselyn Smith hit three three-pointers to close the Rebel deficit to 42-32 entering the fourth quarter. The Rebel rally continued into the fourth quarter. The Rebels pulled to within six points at 42-36 when Allen scored inside, but Cheeseman hit a three-pointer to send the Tiger lead back to nine points with six minutes to play. The Rebels made several other attempts to close the gap, but the Tigers answered each time.
With 42 seconds remaining, Allen hit a free throw to cut the Rebel deficit to 49-47. They never got closer. Ferriell and Lilah Doerstler each hit critical free throws in the final seconds to preserve a 51-48 Hagerstown win.
Allen, a 1,000 points scorer who entered the game with an 18-point average, was held to a season low of eight points. Smith led the Rebels with 16 points. Avery Blunk led Hagerstown with a season high of 16 points. Cheeseman came off the bench to score 11 points.
Hagerstown head coach Brad Catey said that at times his team showed their youth and inexperience, but they found a way to win. “I am proud of the kids,” Catey said. “They refused to lose, and this win could give us the confidence to win several more games. Bella Thalls did a great job defensively on (Haileigh) Allen.”
Hagerstown (2-3) 19 14 9 9 51
Randolph Southern (4-3) 9 5 18 16 48
Hagerstown (51)
Cheeseman 11, Thalls 4, Aalyia Anderson 2, Ferriell 9, Tinkle 8, Lilly Catey 0, Skylar Brown 0, Doerstler 1, Blunk 16
Randolph Southern (48)
Aubrey Mills 3, Allen 8, Makayla Minnis 4, Brooklyn Gerber 8, Smith 16, Memphis Miller 4, Kenzy Ogden 5
JV Results: Hagerstown 55, Randolph Southern 31
A version of this article appeared in the November 26 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.