CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Northeast Eagles visited West Creek Friday and came home with two wins.

To start the night, Northeast claimed victory in the girls game, 49-40, after what seemed like a possible Coyote comeback simply ran out of time. The boys game was a different story, a 12-round boxing match that came down to the wire. The Eagles survived the slugfest, 73-69, with Nazier Leonard putting up 30 points to counter Sean LaFortune’s 27 for West Creek.

Dailen Hairston shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Dailen Hairston shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Brandon Dugger shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Deing Wang, right, wins the tipoff as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Deion Carney (left) blocking Kemari McIntosh’s shot as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Deion Carney shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Jason Timothy (32) gets the rebound as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Jason Timothy (back) defends a shot by Jayden Young as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
NEHS boys coach Sam Young talks to players as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Jayden Young shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Jayden Young shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Kayden Pace dunks as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Kayden Pace shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Kemari McIntosh shoots a free throw as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
West Creek boys coach Russell Malone talks to players as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
West Creek fans celebrate a 3 as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Nazier Leonard shoots the game winner as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Nazier Leonard shooting a 3-pointer as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Nazier Leonard shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Sean LaFortune enters as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Sean LaFortune shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Sean LaFortune shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Taetum Carney shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Taetum Carney shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
NEHS celebrates the win as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
The NEHS team says goodbye to the West Creek student section as Northeast High plays West Creek in boys basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)

Boys game

Spectators were in for a treat from the start as the first quarter felt like it was played entirely in transition. West Creek jumped out to an early 9-2 lead before Northeast coach Sam Young called timeout amid the deafening roars of a raucous Coyote crowd. By the end of the period, West Creek held a 19-12 lead.

After scoring a single field goal in the first, Sean LaFortune had a big second quarter for the hosts, scoring seven points. Only one other Coyote found the net – Jason Timothy with three – while three Eagles combined for 13. Northeast trailed at the half, 29-25, with half of Nazier Leonard’s eight points coming from the free throw line.

Looking more aggressive to start the second half, Leonard went 5-for-5 on free throws in the third quarter. With six minutes to go in the period, he put Northeast ahead for the first time. Leonard and the Eagles combined for 21 in the period.

West Creek refused to be rattled or let the visitors run away with the game. LaFortune added another six points, while Kayden Pace came to life on both offense and defense, scoring nine of the Coyotes’ 17, including a statement dunk that tied the game at 46.

The game went back and forth throughout the fourth quarter, with a tie at 4:40 broken by LaFortune completing an old-fashioned three-point play at the line. His determination led to two more big plays in quick succession: a shot from downtown and a steal followed by two more free throws.

With 2:25 left, West Creek held a 67-61 lead, but they would not score a field goal for the remainder of the game. Kemari McIntosh’s free throws with 26 seconds left put the Coyotes up 69-65, but a foul at the other end allowed for a Northeast and-one to close the gap to a single point.

On the next Eagles possession, Leonard was fouled again while hitting his shot. From the line, he put the visitors up, 71-68, with 15 seconds to go.

Fighting until the end, LaFortune made a physical run for the basket, but lost control of the ball out of bounds. He had to foul Leonard after play resumed, but Leonard hit both free throws to put the game out of reach. Northeast escaped the thriller, 73-69, as Leonard scored 15 of his 30 in the final period.

Northeast: Nazier Leonard – 30, Deion Carney – 10, Deing Wang – 9, Dailen Hairston – 8, Taetum Carney – 7, Jayden Young – 4, Dez Fort – 4, Zavion Russ – 1

West Creek: Sean LaFortune – 27, Kayden Pace – 17, Kemari McIntosh – 12, Jason Timothy – 10, Brandon Dugger – 2, Tahjir Maddox – 1

Girls game

WC and NE battle for the rebound as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Alayah Smith shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Alexiya Blackwell shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Amarachi Chukwuekee shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Northeast girls coach Tracie Mason-Blair talks to players as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Ariy Denson shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Cierra Bowser shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Damonei Peterson shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Damonei Peterson shoots as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
WCHS girls coach Aaron Keener talks to players as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Krysonie Mitchell driving as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Madziyonna Calloway (left) fouled on a drive as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Reagan Fisher shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)
Reagan Fisher shooting as Northeast High plays West Creek in girls basketball on Jan. 21, 2022. (Ryan Vinson)

This game had a much different feel to it as Northeast opened up a big lead early. The visitors hit a trio of threes as part of a 17-point first quarter. On defense, Krysonie Mitchell in particular was a physical presence, batting down several shot attempts by the hosts while scoring six of her own points.

The second quarter was more of the same, with Northeast scoring another 15 points. Late in the half, West Creek broke double digits, but they entered halftime trailing, 32-10.

Just when things seemed bleak, Reagan Fisher sparked a comeback from the Lady Coyotes, scoring eight in the third quarter. Her teammates followed suit and the hosts ended up scoring 22 in the quarter, to Northeast’s 13. West Creek entered the fourth quarter after shaving the lead down to 15, 45-30.

Fisher and company scored another 10 in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead down to 9 with three minutes to go. Northeast only found points from Cierra Bowser in the final period. She scored four of her game-leading 17, trying to keep the comeback at bay.

Despite the noble effort from West Creek, the clock was their nemesis, and they simply ran out of time. Northeast’s big lead held and the visitors won, 49-40.

Northeast: Cierra Bowser – 17; Krysonie Mitchell – 12; Damonei Peterson – 7; Adryanna Smith – 6; Aubrey Hagins – 3

West Creek: Reagan Fisher – 12; Alexiya Blackwell – 12; Amarachi Chukwuekee – 6; Madziyonna Calloway – 4; Arriana Johnson – 3; Ariy Denson – 3