COVINGTON — Pine got off to a rough start in a 52-27 loss to Division III defending state champion Northlake Christian School, in a District 9-2A contest on the road Friday.
Northlake Christian scored the game’s first 12 points over the opening 4 minutes, 43 seconds.
Kyren Whittington began the scoring with a field goal to make it 2-0 with 7:15 on the clock in the first quarter. Natalie Newberry hit for two for a 4-0 game. Nina Sorapura tallied the next five with two free throws and a 3-pointer. Lillian Stegen hit a jumper, got fouled and converted the 3-point play and Pine trailed 12-0 with 3:17 showing.
Pine’s Jasmine Crosby ended the run by hitting a jumper.
“We’ve been struggling to score the last couple of weeks and we missed a lot of easy shots early. Hopefully when we get them at home, we’ll make some of those early,” Pine coach Mary McGinnis said.
Pine kept the margin at 10 in a 15-5 contest with 1:01 left in the first period, but Northlake Christian scored the period’s final four points and led 19-5 through the first quarter.
After the start, Pine was not able to get the deficit under 10 points.
Northlake Christian extended the lead to 38-10 by halftime and 45-23 through the third quarter in the 52-27 win.
McKayla Jordan posted nine points for Pine.
Savannah Kennedy recorded six while Elizabeth Barber tallied four, Kaylyn Ginn and Raina Crosby had three each and Jasmine Crosby added two for the Lady Raiders. Ginn hit a 3-pointer.
Whittington led all scorers with 20 points, which included a 3-pointer. Sorapura added 10 points, including a 3-pointer.
Kaitlynn Walker recorded eight points while Newberry tallied seven, Stegen put up five and KeraGrace Watts added two for Northlake Christian.