GRAFTON’S COACH TOM SPADAFORE gives his Lady Bearcats a pep talk, after Robert C. Byrd pressed its way into an 18-1 lead by the end of the first quarter of Monday’s home basketball game played here in the new gym. The Class AAA ninth-ranked Lady Eagles went on to beat the Lady Bearcats by a 62-28 score.

GRAFTON -- A couple of slow starts resulted in the Grafton High School Lady Bearcats suffering two home losses earlier this week here in the new gym, as their record slipped to 4-9 overall and 1-6 in Big Ten Conference action.

On Monday night, the Robert C. Byrd Lady Eagles pressed their way into an 18-1 advantage over the home-standing Lady Bearcats during the first-quarter action, and the guests went on to enjoy a 62-28 victory.

Grafton, which was guilty of nine turnovers in the first quarter and a total of 21 during the ball game, went on to lose the second quarter, 20-14, and then dropped the third quarter, 19-6, to wind up in a 51-17 deficit, before both teams added 11 points apiece during the fourth frame.

Robert C. Byrd’s trio of Erin Gilmore (12 points, five rebounds, three steals and five assists), Danielle Benjamin (12 points and six rebounds), and Sarah Folio (10 points, five rebounds, four steals and four assists) led the scoring column for the visitors.

Alicia Noble (eight points and nine rebounds), Jalen Brown (seven points and three assists), Adrienne Daniels (five points and nine rebounds), Jessica Baker (four points and four rebounds), Victoria Carvelli (two points), and Mariah Wilson (two points) were also making some contributions for the Lady Eagles.

Marissa Thorn tossed in a career-high total of nine points to lead Grafton’s scoring attack.

She was followed by Caleigh Croston, with six points, Lindsey Pryor, with five points and five rebounds, Kari Fawcett, with four points and three assists, Lindsay Moore, with two points, and Kaitlyn Wright, also with two points. Caitlin Crutchfield, with three assists, and Alyssa Custer, with a team-high total of six rebounds, were also contributing to the statistical efforts of the Lady Bearcats on this night.

Then, here Tuesday night, the Philip Barbour Colts ran off 13-4 scoring spree in the first period and went on to claim a 56-35 win over the Lady Bearcats.

This time Grafton was credited with 16 first-half turnovers, 26 in all, including six lost balls on their first seven trips down the floor.

Taking advantage of Grafton’s poor ball handling, the Lady Colts jumped into a 9-0 lead at the 5:20 mark of the first quarter.

Then, they went on to lead 13-4 after one period and 33-18 by halftime.

The Lady Colts were 13-of-26 from the floor in the first half, shooting an even 50 percent.

Philip Barbour tacked on a 19-6 scoring spree in the third segment, before Grafton claimed an 11-4 advantage in the fourth quarter.

Crutchfield led Grafton’s scoring column with eight points, and she has followed by Lindsey Pryor with seven points.

The trio of Croston, Fawcett and Devin Pryor tossed in four points apiece, the duo of Thorn and Moore added three points each, and Custer was credited with two points to round out Gratton’s offensive attack.

Grafton’s statistical leaders were Fawcett and Devin Pryor with two steals apiece, Fawcett and Crutchfield with two assists apiece, and Croston with seven rebounds. Meanwhile, Sarah McCauley was credited with five steals and five assists, Brianna Stalnaker also handed out five assists, and Kelsey Keene yanked down seven rebounds to lead Philip Barbour’s stats sheets.

McCauley wound up scoring 19 points on the night, with Ashton Haddix adding 14 points to pace the Colts’ offensive attack.

Plus, Lauren Rogers (six), Jennifer Armstrong (six), Stalnaker (five), Keene (four) and Alexis Harris (two) were also chipping in with some of the 56 points for the Lady Colts.

“There are a few things that we need to work on in practice right now, with ball-handling topping that list,” said Coach Tom Spadafore, shortly after the Philip Barbour contest. “Robert C. Byrd has a real good Class AAA state-ranked basketball team, and then Philip Barbour came in here tonight and shot the basketball well, but we really hurt ourselves by making way too many turnovers both nights.”