The Lyons girls were looking to snap a recent streak of league road losses. With a pair of home games versus Nederland on Tuesday and Clear Creek on Friday, the Lions were determined to improve in a few areas ahead of each contest. Tougher defense and better execution on offense were both areas that coach Marcus Richardson identified as necessary to winning this week. Richardson stated, “We knew coming into the week that we had an opportunity to get a couple of wins. We also knew that if we didn’t play as five–if we reverted to individual play–that our task would be more difficult.”
Nederland brought their willing group to Lyons on Tuesday. It did not take long, however, before the girls showed the Panthers that they were a hungry pride of Lions looking for a win. Led by quick baskets from juniors Avery Joy and Hannah Schweiger, the Lions jumped out to a 13-2 first-quarter lead. The Panthers would never get close in this one.
Throughout the second quarter, junior Jazmyn Enny lit up Nederland with a barrage of three pointers, tough defense, and fine decision making. From the point guard position, Enny created opportunities for teammates, and was a nightmare for Nederland on defense. Enny finished with 11 points, five assists, and seven steals.
The second quarter saw Lyons jump all over the Panthers, heading into the locker room with a 34-3 lead. Junior Avery Joy did most of her damage inside. Joy finished with 17 points, on eight of 16 shooting, to lead all scorers. Working a nifty inside-out game with Enny, the tandem proved too much for the Panthers to defend.
The home fans were treated to quite a show, as all Lyons’ players saw game action. With the game well in hand, coach Richardson pulled the starters out and played the second team for much of the second half. Backup sophomore center Jewel Bean scored a career high six points. Senior reserve guard Estella Percarpio added four more, along with a team-high six rebounds.
The Lions (5-8, 2-4 league) would win the contest 51-11, and turn their attention to Friday’s contest with Clear Creek.
The 2020 senior class at Lyons Middle Senior High School is full of school spirit. Their example of Lion pride has had a positive effect on their junior counterparts and throughout the town. This was on full display Friday night in a packed Lyons gymnasium as Clear Creek traveled to town to face the Lions and their noisy home crowd.
The Lyons girls were eager to double up on their win from Tuesday. After listening intently to the school band’s fantastic rendition of the national anthem, the Lions were introduced, and then came out with a roaring start to the game. From the opening tip, it was obvious that the girls were not about to disappoint.
Senior Alora Cross stole a pass in the lane and drove the length of the floor, finding junior Avery Joy for a terrific finish. After a Clear Creek turnover, Cross again penetrated and kicked to Joy for a corner three-point attempt that found the bottom of the net. Another Clear Creek turnover was followed by an offensive rebound by junior Hannah Schweiger, who scored on the put back. Junior Jazmyn Enny would steal another Golddigger pass and find a streaking Cross for a layup. Lyons jumped out to a 9-0 lead on their way to 21-point first-quarter explosion.
Fueled by their defense, the Lions continued to score in the form of ones, twos, and threes throughout the first half. Enny went off for 11 points, hitting three three-pointers and dishing out a season-high seven assists. Joy was unstoppable from both the inside and out, scoring a season-high 19 points on 40% shooting. Often taking the ball right to the heart of the Clear Creek defense, Joy was fouled multiple times, and converted five of eight free throws, including a pair of and-ones. “The past couple games we’ve really been working together as a team and turning a corner in our level of play,” said Joy. “Every single person is contributing to our goal of playing as a team.”
For the second game in a row, the second team saw plenty of action. The starters were so dominant that they sat for most of the second half. Lyons took a 37-9 advantage into halftime and rolled to an eventual 53-16 victory. Freshman Brooklyn Enny was tough on the Golddiggers inside. The younger Enny scored six points from the paint. Schweiger continued to show a surge in her game the second half of the season by adding another eight points and a season-high five offensive rebounds.
The win left the Lions undefeated for the week, 6-8 overall, and 3-4 in the Mile High League. With five league games remaining, all winnable contests, the surging Lions are looking to finish strong. Coach Marcus Richardson said about the season, “We have certainly had our ups and downs this year, but what I like right now is that this team is finally starting to find itself. Girls are playing for each other and delighting in each other’s success. We have set ourselves up to finish the season strong.”
