Palmyra girls use lopsided CCC victory to focus on continuing to improve

PALMYRA, Mo. — Sydney Compton insisted the game served a purpose, despite such a lopsided final score.

“At times, it was more like a practice out there, but we kept concentrating, kept working on specific things,” the Palmyra sophomore said.

Why such a determined attitude in a game that was decided by some point early in the second quarter?

“We can always be better,” emphasized Compton, whose game-high 16 points fueled the Palmyra girls basketball team’s 56-22 victory Tuesday night over Clark County in Clarence Cannon Conference action.

And that, at least in part, probably explains why the Palmyra girls basketball team is 17-4 and 4-0 in the CCC.

“We’re focused,” Palmyra coach Tim Southers said. “We’re focused on the conference, and we’re also concentrating on getting ready for the postseason.”

Palmyra’s victory over Clark County sets up a key conference showdown at 6 p.m. Friday at South Shelby. South Shelby also is unbeaten in CCC play at 3-0 and sits 17-2 overall. South Shelby defeated Monroe City 69-33 on Tuesday night.

Palmyra held Clark County (3-16) to five points or fewer in three of the four quarters. The Indians finished with more turnovers (28) than points scored.

Compton, who matched teammate Candra King for game rebounding honors with nine, was one of three Panthers who scored in double figures. Clare Williams added 14 points and Taytum White 11. Williams (10) and White (11) combined for 21 of their points in the first two quarters before Southers opted to use his bench often and freely.

Williams also rediscovered her outside game, which had been absent in recent outings. She nailed two 3-point field goals in the first quarter, which did not go unnoticed. 

“Clare got her offensive mojo working again, and that’s good to see,” said Southers, whose team has won six of its last seven.

While Palmyra’s offense will get most of the attention, its defense was noteworthy, too.

“Overall, I thought our offense was actually a little lackadaisical, but I felt we did a great job on defense,” Southers said. “We’re headed in the right direction.”

Palmyra’s defensive effort was its second best of the season, in terms of points allowed. Only in an 82-13 win Jan. 16 over Mark Twain did the Panthers permit fewer points.

Hope Ross (9) and Erin Bash (8) combined for all but five of Clark County’s points. Ross and Ally Fox each had seven rebounds for the Indians.