COALMONT, Tenn. – The 4-seed Community Viqueens (12-16, 2-6) completed a fourth-quarter rally against 5-seed Chapel Hill (14-13, 2-6), 42-40, to advance to the District 9-AA semifinals and punch their ticket to the Region 5-AA Tournament. 

Freshman Mattie Maxey accounted for eight of her team-high 15 points in the fourth quarter alone, converting on 5/6 free throws to go along with a massive three-pointer. Alyssa White also reached double-figures with 12 points on the night while Anna Haskins scored all five of her points in the fourth quarter as well.

For Chapel Hill, Sadie Smith led all scorers with a game-high 18 points, including a pair of three-pointers, while Kinslee Inlow chipped in with 11 points and three made threes. 

To start, Community connected on a pair of triples from Taylor Wessner and Savannah Pearson to take a 10-7 lead at the end of the opening period. Smith scored four of the Lady Rockets’ seven points in the quarter.

In the second quarter, it was Chapel Hill’s turn to find the range from downtown. The Lady Rockets connected on a pair of three-pointers of their own to cut the Viqueens lead to just two points, 21-19, going into the halftime locker room. White scored six more points in the period for Community to give her eight in the first half while Pearson connected on her second three-pointer of the evening. 

Coming out for the second half, Chapel Hill seemed to have all the answers, outscoring the Viqueens, 12-5, to take a 31-26 lead going into the final frame. Smith scored seven of the 12 for Chapel Hill while Inlow added a three-pointer of her own. Maxey responded with her own three-pointer, but she would save the majority of her heroics for the final period of play.

In the fourth quarter, Maxey started the Viqueens off by connecting on a massive three-pointer – her second of the half – to cut the lead to two points. Then, Anna Haskins knocked down her first field goal of the night from downtown to put the Viqueens in front before White put in a layup of her own for Community’s final made field goal of the night. 

Baeliy Stalnecker missed a pair of free throws for the Lady Rockets, but then was able to float home a two-point field goal for Chapel Hill’s first bucket of the quarter. Inlow connected on a three-pointer to try and match Haskins, but Maxey responded by attacking the basket and getting her way to the free-throw line. 

Maxey has had her fair share of troubles at the charity stripe this season, but those troubles dissipated in the fourth quarter. She connected on 5/6 from the line, and the Viqueens as a whole shot 8/12 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter alone to squeak by Chapel Hill, 42-40. 

Chapel Hill’s season ends at (14-13, 2-6).

Community improves to (12-16, 2-6) and advances to play the top-seeded Cannon County Lionettes on Tuesday night in the District 9-AA semi-final at 6:00 p.m. in Grundy County.