The Dodge City High School Lady Demons went 1-1 this week, earning a hard-fought road victory over Great Bend High School before falling at home to the Guymon High School Lady Tigers.
The two games told very different stories — one defined by defensive control and timely shooting, the other by turnovers and missed opportunities.
Dodge City 47, Great Bend 41
February 10 – Great Bend
Dodge City opened strong and never fully relinquished control, building a 16-4 lead after the first quarter on the road. That fast start proved crucial in a 47-41 win.
The Lady Demons shot 43.5 percent in the first half and knocked down four three-pointers before halftime. Though their shooting cooled in the second half (22.2 percent), they made enough plays defensively to close it out.
Emma Bell and Emily Gutierrez led the way with 11 points each. Bell added eight rebounds and six assists in a well-rounded performance, while Gutierrez connected on three three-pointers.
Addisyn Taylor contributed nine points and eight rebounds, while Piper Mellinger added seven points and five boards. Dodge City finished 4-of-11 from three-point range and converted 11-of-18 free throws.
The Lady Demons matched Great Bend on the glass with 39 rebounds apiece and held the Panthers to just 31.4 percent shooting overall. Great Bend scored 48 points in the paint, but Dodge City’s perimeter efficiency and first-quarter surge made the difference.
Guymon 42, Dodge City 34
February 12 – Dodge City
Two nights later, the Lady Demons couldn’t generate enough offense in a 42-34 loss to Guymon.
The game was tight throughout, with only one lead change and two ties. Guymon used a 15-3 run to seize momentum and held Dodge City to just 34 points on 37.5 percent shooting.
Piper Mellinger led Dodge City with 13 points on an efficient 6-of-11 shooting night. Emma Bell added 10 points and seven rebounds but struggled at the free-throw line, going 6-of-14.
Turnovers proved costly for Dodge City in a tight contest. Despite winning the rebounding battle 37-28 and holding a higher effective field goal percentage, the Lady Demons couldn’t overcome the possession deficit.
The Lady Demons drop to 8-11 on the season and will face rival Garden City on February 17th at Garden City.
