Girls Prep Basketball: Powerful Sparta rolls past Lady Tribe

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A red-hot Sparta Lady Bulldogs team held Du Quoin scoreless in the opening quarter and rolled to a 69-26 victory in Anders Memorial Gymnasium Tuesday night.

The Lady Indians (8-7) fell to 1-5 in River-to-River Conference play and host Zeigler-Royalton/Christopher Wednesday.

"Sparta's a very good team and they played very well," Du Quoin coach Shawn File said. "Very well. And we really striggled against their size and pressure."

Sparta led 18-0 after one period and built that margin to 25-0 before Lady Indians freshman center Rebekah Maddox (seven points, seven rebounds) nailed a turnaround jump shot.

The Lady Indians would end the half by matching Sparta's 12 points, but saw any comeback hopes dashed as the Lady Bulldogs outscored Du Quoin 24-4 in the third quarter.

Ashley Ward, Steffanie Gates and Jessica Hirsch all scored four points with Curry Emling adding three. Keawana Anders, Nicole Jaclson and Megi Jones all scored two.

"Hopefully we can bounce back tonight against Z-R-C," File said.

"We want to stay above that .500 mark."

In the junior varsity game, Du Quoin ripped Sparta 43-26 to avenge an early season loss.

Heather Cavins had 17 points and 10 rebounds with Cassidy Rice adding nine points and Nicole Jackson eight. Ward had three assists and eight rebounds. Rice and Jackson each recorded four steals.

"Our ball movement was much better and our defense very good tonight," Lady Indians jayvee coach Jason James said. "We forced Sparta into 38 turnovers and are just playing so much more aggressive now."