Sandiettes Extract a Small Measure of Vengeance

Grapeland Defeats LaPoynor, 73-36

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

LAPOYNER – While the stakes were not nearly as high – this time around – the Grapeland Sandiettes took out a little revenge on the LaPoynor Lady Flyers on Tuesday, Dec. 4 when they traveled to LaPoynor High School and whooped ‘em by a final score of 73-36.

The Sandiettes’ season came to an end last year at the hands of LaPoynor on some very questionable calls – in the Regional Quarterfinals -which resulted in a Lady Flyers’ 57-54 win. The win propelled the Lady Flyers all the way to the state championship game where they lost to the Martin’s Mill Lady Mustangs, 58-51.  

The 2018-2019 season is a new chapter, however. Gone is LaPoynor’s Te’Aire Hambrick who tormented the Sandiettes for four years and is now playing ball at Tyler Junior College.

On the other hand, the Sandiettes brought all the starters back from last year’s and the experience showed up quickly as the Sandiettes raced out to a 24-7 lead after the first eight minutes of play. KeKe Harris led the way for Grapeland with seven first quarter points. She was joined in the scoring column by Teira Jones with six, Ragan Bowie with five, Hannah Chipman with four and Kenya Woods with two.

The Lady Flyers were led by Jayla Hawkins with six points while Staci Whitehead converted one of two from the line.

The Sandiettes continued to outrun and out-hustle LaPoynor during the second quarter. Jones took over the game in the paint and dropped in nine points. Chipman added six while Harris and Tatiyanna Bowie scored two apiece as Grapeland built a 43-18 lead at halftime.  

Whitehead paced the Lady Flyers with eight points in the second period while Jas Mitchell had three.

Following the break, the Grapeland offense continued to play an up-tempo pace while the Sandiettes’ defense shut down LaPoynor, holding them to four third quarter points on twos from Mitchell and Whitehead.

The Sandiettes used their defense to put the game away in the third as they opened up a 37-point lead. Jones continued her torrid scoring pace with eight while Harris had four. Both R. Bowie and T. Bowie dropped in a basket to bring the score to 59-22, with eight minutes left to play.

Grapeland eased up on the gas in the final period as they allowed the Lady Flyers to score 14 points. Haley Massey dropped in a pair of threes to go along with a two. Hawkins, Mitchell and Whitehead all had two apiece to close out the LaPoynor scoring.

The Sandiettes fourth quarter points came from T. Bowie with four, Harris and Jones with three each while both Chipman, along with Woods,netted two to make the final score 73-36.

On the game, LaPoynor’s points came from: Staci Whitehead with 13; both Jayla Hawkins and Haley Massey with eight apiece; and Jas Mitchell with seven.

The Sandiettes were led in scoring by Teira Jones with a game-high 26 points. KeKe Harris dropped in 16 and Hannah Chipman netted 12. Tatiyanna Bowie added eight, Ragan Bowie had seven and Kenya Woods chipped in four to round out the Grapeland point production.

Will Johnson may be reached via e-mail at [email protected].