MHS teams to host Friday games
By Sam Waller
The Moran Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs basketball teams took their lumps last week at the Gordon Holiday Ford Classic, with both going winless in the tourney.
The Lady Bulldogs lost 48-24 to host Gordon and 62-16 to Class 3A Dublin in pool games on Tuesday, Dec. 28, then fell 39-27 to Wichita Falls Christian on Wednesday, Dec. 29 to wrap up the calendar year.
The Moran boys opened with a 62-24 loss to Gordon and followed with a 47-10 loss to Chico on Tuesday, Dec. 28, before falling 46-32 to Bryson on Wednesday, Dec. 29, in their final game of 2021.
“It was not the outcome we were looking for, but we were able to get some games in and get back into the flow of things,” Lady Buldogs coach John Hughes said.
Hannah Noble, who averaged 11.7 points per game for the tourney, was named to the all-tournament team.
The Bulldogs (3-10)played a nondistrict game Tuesday, Jan 4, against Olney at home. Details will be reported next week.
The Lady Bulldogs (5-12) had an open date in advance of their District 13-1A opener against May. The game is set for 6:00 p.m. Friday at Moran as part of a doubleheader. The boys team will play its final nondistrict game against Brookesmith at 7:30 p.m.
The girls will visit Baird for their second district outing on Tuesday, Jan. 11. The boys team will enter district play on Friday, Jan. 14, as the nightcap of a doubleheader against Cross Plains.
Girls Games
In the 48-24 loss to Gordon, Moran’s first game in 11 days,the Lady Bulldogs fell behind 19-2 in the first quarter and trailed 32-6 at halftime before outscoring the hosts 9-8 in each of the final two periods. Noble led Moran with 13 points, followed by Johnnie Hise with six, Emily Murk with three, and Julianna Cottle with two.
In the 62-16 loss to Dublin, Moran trailed 22-5 after the first quarter and 34-6 at halftime. Noble scored 10 points for the Lady Bulldogs with Hise adding three, while Cottle and Murk each scored one.
In the 39-27 loss to Wichita Falls Christian, Moran stayed close through the first three quarters, trailing 13-10 after one, 23-18 at halftime and 31-35 after three, before WFC pulled away in the fourth. Noble had a team-high 12 points with Hise adding nine. Murk scored four points, and Alli Scott had two.
Boys Details
In the 61-24 loss to Gordon, the Bulldogs trailed 20-6 after the first quarter and 36-8 at halftime. Gordon pushed the lead to 52-15 in the third quarter. Aaren Hawley led Moran with nine points. Ellis Hise scored four points, followed by Tyler Waddell with three and Connor Hail, Cotten Campbell, Caleb York, and Riley Noble with two apiece.
In the 47-10 loss to Chico,the Bulldogs fell behind 12-3 in the first quarter and were down 19-5 at halftime. Chico posted a 28-5 edge in the second half, scoring 19 in the third quarter. Hawley scored eight points, hitting two 3-pointers, with York adding two.
In the 46-32 loss to Bryson, Moran cut a 16-4 first-quarter deficit to 27-20 at halftime but couldn’t make up more ground in the second half. Waddell and Hawley both scored 10 points to share the team lead. Hise finished with six points, while Hail, Campbell, and York each added two.
Jr. High Schedule
The Moran junior high basketball teams return from the holiday break on Monday, Jan. 10, with a pair of games at May. The girls game will start at 6:00 p.m., with the boys’ game to follow at 7:00 p.m.
Moran has four more doubleheaders on its schedule, closing out the season on Feb. 4 at home against Rising Star.
Moran’s Jan. 31 games against Eula will now be at home after the Dec. 6 meeting was switched to Eula.
