Where are the refs?
Absentee officials cause cancellation of Westwood game
BY LELAND ACKER

Lady Eagle JV guard Morgan Ford dribbles the ball up the court during Rusk's JV game against the Westwood Lady Panthers. The JV lost to Westwood 37-27, with Rusk coaches officiating the game. The varsity game was cancelled when the referees did not show up. PHOTO: LELAND ACKER

The Rusk Lady Eagles and Westwood Lady Panthers were all dressed up with nowhere to go Friday at the Rusk High School gymnasium as both teams prepared to play, but the referees had not shown up.

The Rusk and Westwood junior varsity teams played with Rusk Coaches Josh Faucett and Tracy Kincade officiating, but when time came for the varsity teams to play, the Westwood team declined to take the floor.

"They haven't started district play, yet," said Coach Faucett. "They didn't want to get any (of their players) hurt."

The Rusk JV lost to Westwood 37-27. Rusk managed a 9-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, but Westwood gained the lead in the second quarter and kept a small lead for most of the game.

Kierra Skinner led the scoring for Rusk with seven points, making one out of two free throw attempts. Other scorers were: Winona McGowan (5), Jelissa Session (4), Samantha Hill (3), Brittany Johnson (3), Morgan Ford (3) and Cami Curtis (2). The Rusk JV is 7- 12, 0-3 in district play.

The Rusk Lady Eagles varsity team suffered their third district loss Dec. 21 against the Diboll Lady Jacks by a score of 66-21.

Courtney Foreman led scoring with seven points, followed by Le'Asha O'Neal (5), Cambry Blakemore (3), Jasmine Harris (3), Charnell Franklin (2) and Kristen Hicks (1).

The loss against Diboll drops the Lady Eagles' record to 6-11, 0-3 in district. The Lady Eagles return to the Rusk High School gymnasium at noon today to play the Huntington Devillettes. The game will be the fourth district match-up for Rusk this season, the first against Huntington.

Rusk will host the Center Lady Riders Friday at Rusk High School Gymnasium, with the JV game beginning at 5 p.m.

Rusk will travel to Crockett Tuesday.

Coach Faucett said the Lady Eagles have played hard this season and pointed to the Hudson game as an example.

"It was a real heartbreaker to lose a close one like that," he said.

Rusk and Hudson will rematch Jan. 18.