SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. – The Shelbyville Central Golden Eaglettes’ first game of the new year came after a 25-day layoff came against the second-ranked Coffee County Red Raiders to kick off District 9-4A play at Rick Insell Gymnasium on Tuesday night in a 30-point loss, 75-45.

After what was supposed to be a tune-up at Clarksville NE last Monday before district play was canceled, the Eaglettes ran into an unbeaten buzzsaw in Coffee County instead. The Red Raiders were voted second in the first USA Today TSSAA rankings right behind Bradley Central after a blistering 18-0 start.

Shelbyville Central’s Lanaya Young was the only Eaglette to finish in double-figures with a team-high 21 points. Janiya Leslie contributed with nine points of her own, including eight in the first half.

Meanwhile, Coffee County saw two players eclipse the 20-point mark: Channah Gannon and Jules Ferrell. Gannon got the party going early to lead the way with a game-high 28 points while Ferrell chipped in with 20 points exactly. They were joined by two other Red Raiders’ in double-figures with Natalie Barnes and Olivia Vinson finishing with 12 points and 10 points, respectively. 

One key statistical difference between the two sides was their free-throw shooting. The Red Raiders connected on 16/20 attempts while Shelbyville struggled, finishing 5/16 from the charity stripe. 

The Red Raiders jumped out to a 27-8 lead after the opening eight minutes of play thanks to a 16-point first quarter from Gannon, whom the Eaglettes had no answer for in the low post. 

In the second quarter, Shelbyville actually outscored Coffee County, 15-12, to marginally trim into the lead going into the halftime locker room, 39-23. Young scored six of her eight first-half points in the second period along with Leslie to lead the charge from Shelbyville on their home floor as Gannon sat for the entire quarter.

Ferrell and Gannon took over the third quarter for Coffee County as they outscored Shelbyville, 24-14, to take a 63-37 lead into the final frame. Ferrell scored 10 of her 20 points in the period while Gannon connected on a pair of three-point plays as part of her eight third-quarter points. Barnes also scored six of her 12 total immediately after halftime. Meanwhile, Lanaya Young led the way for SCHS with 10 of her 21 points coming in the third quarter, including a three-pointer followed by a pair of two-point field goals, but she shot just 3/7 at the FT line, finishing 4/10 from the stripe overall. 

In the fourth quarter, Coffee County outscored Shelbyville, 12-8, to put the finishing touches on a dominant district-opening victory, 75-45, and continue their unbeaten run.

Coffee County improves to 19-0 (1-0).

Shelbyville Central falls to 8-6 (0-1) and will travel to Warren County on Friday to continue district play, LIVE on WLIJ 98.7 starting at 5:45 p.m.