Recap: Hernando Leopards vs. Springstead Eagles
If the Hernando Leopards were riding high off their 71-31 takedown of the Crystal River Pirates on Tuesday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Hernando's rough 59-36 defeat to Springstead on Thursday might stick with them for a while. While losing is never fun, Hernando can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Florida basketball rankings (they are ranked 283rd, while Springstead is ranked 138th).
When it comes to explaining why Hernando lost, one person who can't be blamed is Kayla Holloman. Despite the final result, she scored 16 points. Holloman scored a full 44.4% of Hernando's points, the ninth time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points. Another player making a difference was Savannah Condron, who scored eight points.
Springstead's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Malanie Francis, who dropped a double-double on 15 points and 13 rebounds. Francis also grabbed two steals for the first time this season. Addy Osborne was another key contributor, scoring 18 points along with three steals.
Hernando's defeat dropped their record down to 5-4. As for Springstead, they are on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 5-3 record this season.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Hernando will be home for the holidays to greet Hernando Christian Academy at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Springstead will be home for the holidays to greet Crystal River at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
