The Dodge County High Squaws basketball team played two games last week in the State AA Tournament. The Squaws traveled to Vidalia to face the second ranked and undefeated Lady Indians (28-0) on Tuesday, March 1 in the Sweet Sixteen round of state. Dodge County handed the Lady Indians their first loss of season and knocked them out the tournament by defeating them 74-70.
The win at Vidalia advanced the Squaws to Elite Eight to face Coach Alvin Copeland, in his last season as head coach, and Northeast Macon (27-3) at Savannah State University on Saturday, March 5. The Squaws played well but fell 47-40 to the Raiderettes, who helped their coach make to it to final four for the 18th time in his long career as their head coach.
The Squaws finished a great season at 19-10 and one top eight AA teams in the state. The Squaws lose one senior , Michelle Mitchell, who has led the team all season. Mitchell was just recently honored for scoring her 1,000th point of her career at Dodge County High School and was also named sub-region player of the year.
In Tuesday’s sweet sixteen round game with Vidalia, Dodge came out playing great as they held at 20-9 lead over the undefeated Lady Indians after one quarter. Kadejah Carson led with eight points in the quarter while Michelle Mitchell followed with six. Vidalia outscored Dodge 21- 16 in the second quarter but the Squaws held on to their lead at 36-30 at the half.
Carson again led Dodge with eight points in the second while Kadayasha Jones followed with six points.
Vidalia opened the third quarter on an 11-4 run and took their first lead at 40-41 with 4:46 left in the quarter. The Lady Indians led 43-42 with 4:06 left in the quarter, but
Dodge outscored them 14-5 to finish the third quarter and lead 56-48. Michelle Mitchell led in the third with nine points and Jaye Hilliard followed with five points. Vidalia would get as close as three points at 58-55 with 6:09 left in the game but Dodge outscored them 16-15 the rest of the way took the victory 74-70. Jones led with eight points in the final quarter and Mitchell added four.
Final scoring for the Squaws against Vidalia was Kadayasha Jones, 20 points; Michelle Mitchell, 19 points; Kadejah Carson, 19 points; Jaye Hilliard, 10 points; Markesha McLoud, five points; Morgan Weeks, two points.
The Squaws held a 10-8 lead after one quarter in Saturday’s Elite Eight matchup with Northeast. Michelle Mitchell and Kadayasha Jones each had three points in the first to lead Dodge. The Raiderettes outscored Dodge 9-8 in the second quarter but the Squaws held an 18-17 lead at the half. Mitchell and Kadejah Carson each had four points in the second for Dodge.
Northeast took the lead at 19-18 with 6:50 to go in the third and would build a nine point lead at 22-31 by 3:24 mark of the third. Two straight three-pointers by Mitchell and Jaye Hilliard pulled the Squaws within three at 28-31 with 1:56 to go in the third but Northeast had pulled back out by seven at 30-37 at the end of the quarter.
Mitchell led with five points in the quarter while Hilliard added three. The final quarter saw the Squaws pull within three points again with 5:09 left and again at 40-43 with 2:31 left but the Riaderettes scored four points and with less than a minute to play they played keep away and the Squaws were denied the chance to win. Mitchell led with six points in the final quarter.
Final scoring for the Squaws against Northeast was Michelle Mitchell, 18 points; Kadejah Carson, 10 points; Kadayasha Jones, seven points; Jaye Hilliard, three points; Morgan Weeks, two points.
