The Chillicothe Lady Hornets basketball team opened the 2025 calendar year on Friday night against South Harrison. Chillicothe entered off two consecutive defeats following a 7-0 start to the season.
The Lady Hornets took a little time to hit their stride after having two weeks between games, and it was the host Lady Bulldogs who led for the majority of the 1st quarter before Chillicothe closed out the quarter with an 11-10 advantage. Freshman Lexy Smith was the difference in the first half, forcing turnovers and converting them into points. Smith had 10 points at the break, and the Lady Hornets were up 23-16.
Chillicothe’s offense emerged at full force in the 3rd quarter. Lyla Beetsma and Liz Oliver, Chillicothe’s two leading scorers on the season both made several plays to extend the margin out to as many as 17 points late in the third. Beetsma scored 14 of her team high 16 points in the 2nd half, while the Lady Bulldogs got a big night from Abigail Molloy who finished with 20. South Harrison would not surrender, fighting to the bitter end, and cutting the deficit down to 8 inside the final minute but Chillicothe prevailed with a 52-42 victory.
The Lady Hornets are now 8-2 this season and will play in their first MEC game next Friday at Bishop Leblond.
Chillicothe 11 23 42 52
S Harrison 10 16 28 42
Individual scoring:
Chillicothe – Beetsma 16, Smith 10, Oliver 9, Emerson Staton 8, Lydia Bonderer 5, Ava Leamer 2
S Harrison – A Molloy 20, Lexi Hunter 7, Aubree Cannon 6, Piper Molloy 3, Ambrey Hunter 3, Bailey Barnett 2, Abby Owens 1
