Carbaugh's breakout game leads Farragut girls over Bearden
Morgan Carbaugh was giddy – and who could blame her.
Farragut’s junior guard had just registered her first win over arch rival Bearden and played perhaps the game of her life.
“It’s huge,” said Carbaugh, following Farragut’s 61-58 home decision over the slumping Lady Bulldogs on Friday.
“We’ve been wanting this all season,” she continued. “Nothing feels better than beating Bearden. I have never beaten them before tonight. Obviously, this is a big milestone.”
Farragut improved to 5-3 and 3-1 in the district.
The 5-foot-10 Carbaugh certainly did her part.
She scored 24 points, including three 3-pointers and 9-for-10 shooting from the free throw line.
Admirals coach Jason Mayfield said it was a coming-out game of sorts for Carbaugh.
“She always has had the talent, but she just didn’t know how good she could be,” said Mayfield.
Farragut never trailed in the game and bolted to a 19-5 lead late in the first quarter.
The Lady Admirals connected on nine 3-pointers and shot 47 percent (18 of 38) from the field.
Junior wing Brooke Christian contributed 12 points and Sydney Chapman scored eight for Farragut.
Sputtering Lady Bulldogs
Bearden (7-4, 1-3), tagged the preseason favorite in District 4-AAA by many, has dropped three consecutive league games to William Blount, Hardin Valley and now Farragut.
The Lady Bulldogs’ start is a far cry from last season when Bearden won its first 19 games.
Shooting woes
Farragut’s game plan of contesting Bearden’s perimeter shooting and packing it in inside certainly paid off.
Bearden shot 39 percent (22 of 57) from the field and had few wide-open looks at the basket.
“We constructed a game plan and executed it,” said Carbaugh.
“We wanted to limit them to tough shots on the perimeter. We were all over Trinity (Lee), but she made some tough shots anyway.”
Sophomore post Jakhyia Davis topped Bearden with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Lee converted five of her seven 3-point attempts for 15 points.
Junior wing Annaka Hall was a spark for the Lady Bulldogs with 10 points.
Stat of the game
Carbaugh got her season average as she pulled down 10 rebounds against the much bigger Lady Bulldogs.
You wonder where Farragut would have been without Carbaugh’s efforts on the boards.
Bearden had 33 rebounds to Farragut’s 22.
He said it
Mayfield said the win could be a turning point for Farragut, which was 12-14 overall and 5-9 in the district last season.
“It’s still early, but this group of kids really needed this,” said Mayfield.
“I hope this shows them how good they can be.”
Mike Blackerby is a freelance contributor.
