Recap: LaBelle Cowboys/Cowgirls vs. Gateway Charter Griffins
The LaBelle Cowboys/Cowgirls can finally bid farewell to their three-game losing streak thanks to their game on Tuesday. They came out on top against Gateway Charter by a score of 54-44. That result was just more of the same for these two, as LaBelle also won the last time the pair played back in January of 2023.
LaBelle's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Marissa Burchard led the charge by scoring 25 points along with two steals. Burchard has been hot recently, having posted two or more steals the last seven times she's played. Another player making a difference was Aariah Johnson, who scored 17 points along with eight rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Gateway Charter lost, one person who can't be blamed is Ellie Morin. Despite the final result, she scored 16 points. That's the first time this season that Morin scored 15 or more points. The team also got some help courtesy of Jazmyne Trubina, who scored nine points.
LaBelle's win bumped their record up to 10-7. As for Gateway Charter, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost six of their last eight matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-8 record this season.
LaBelle will be playing in front of their home fans against Aubrey Rogers at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Gateway Charter won't have much time to rest: their next contest is against Bishop Verot at 7:00 p.m. on January 24th. Bishop Verot presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Gateway Charter in Florida (Bishop Verot is ranked 129th, while Gateway Charter is ranked 322nd).