The Rockbridge County High School girls basketball team opened its season with a 59-44 home loss to Stuarts Draft on Wednesday night in Lexington.
Playing at Maury River Middle School due to work at the bleachers at the high school, the Wildcats kept the nondistrict game close early, trailing 7-6 before the Cougars (2-0) went on a 7-0 run to take a 14-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Stuarts Draft built up a double-digit lead in the second quarter, capitalizing on turnovers by the Wildcats, and the Cougars led 29-19 at halftime. Leading Draft was sharpshooting guard Augusta Seibert, who scored 14 of her game-high 19 points in the first half, hitting all three of her 3-pointers in the first quarter.
In the second half, with Natalie Samante guarding Seibert closely, the Wildcats held Seibert to five points.
RC cut the lead to six on an inside basket by Ruby Goodhart in the third quarter, but Draft responded with by going on a 12-0 run to extend its lead to 47-29. At the end of the quarter , the Cougars led 52-32, and they stayed comfortably ahead throughout the fourth quarter.
Abby Bouchard led the Wildcats with 15 points, while Goodhart added 10 points. Emma Clark scored six points on a pair of 3-pointers, while Samante chipped in five points.
Other than Seibert, Draft’s leading scorers were Madyson Mason with 11 points, Ava Flippin with nine, and Tokota Moore and Karlee Layne with six each.
Draft knocked down eight 3-pointers, while RC made five.
The Cougars shot 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from the free throw line, while the Wildcats shot 50 percent (5-of-10).
The Wildcats will face another nondistrict rival on Friday when they play at Waynesboro, starting with junior varsity action at 5:30 p.m.
For the full story on this week’s action, with photos from the opener, please see our Dec. 11 newspaper.
