By By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
PANTEGO — Terra Ceia’s hot start to the 2009-10 season continued on Thursday as the Knights flew best Bethel winning 74-54.
Terra Ceia has won its first three games on the season, and with the win over the Eagles improved to 4-0 as it heads into its first Tar Heel Independent Conference match against Northeastern today at home.
The Knights used an up-tempo style of play to pull ahead of Bethel early and never looked back.
Terra Ceia had eight players in the scoring column and four players surpass the double-digit plateau.
Justin Lilley led the Knights with 16 points, while Thaddeus Van Essendelft and Kiam Boerema each netted 12. Derrick Chesson chipped in 11 points.
Lilley scored eight of his 16 points in the first quarter as the Knights jumped out to a 22-14 lead.
The Eagles would never catch up.
Knights coach Roger Klaassen said the his team’s defense and work on the glass helped Terra Ceia get on top.
“We got some pressure early, and basically I told them that we can control things on the inside,” Klaassen said. “We had control in the paint and that helped us get the lead.”
Terra Ceia girls fall to Eagles
Like the boys team, the Terra Ceia girls had won their first three games, but they could not keep that streak alive as the Knights fell 44-39 to Bethel.
The Eagles Elizabeth Farmer had a fantastic game as the scrappy point guard netted 17 points while directing the offense.
Bethel also got a big boost from center Jessica Flowerton as she came off the bench and brought a defense presence to game immediately.
Katie Jackson, who scored a game-high 20 points for Terra Ceia (3-1), helped the Knights take a 9-6 lead after the first quarter.
In the second quarter the Eagles brought out Flowerton who blocked several Knights shots and added seven points.
From that point on Bethel out-scored Terra Ceia in each of the next three quarters.
Terra Ceia made a run at the Eagles late, and after a Jackson jumper cut their lead to 34-32. However, Terra Ceia would not get any closer.
“The girls played hard,” Knights coach Ken Leys said. “(Bethel) shot well, but we could not get any offense other than Katie. We missed a lot of shots, and a lot of open shots. I thought we had some good shots but they just did not go in.”
Hollie McDonald was the next highest scorer for Terra Ceia with six, while Kelsey Van Staalduinen added 4.
Girls game
Bethel 6 14 12 12 — 44
Terra Ceia 9 9 11 10 — 39
Eagles (44)
Elizabeth Farmer 17, Marsh 2, Kelsie Conner 10, Flowerton 7, Adams 4, Dunlow 2.
Knights (39)
Robertson 5, Katie Jackson 20, McDonald 6, Van Staalduinen 4, Welte 1, Jefferson 2.
Boys game
Bethel 14 9 19 12 — 54
Terra Ceia 22 14 19 23 — 74
Eagles (54)
Faher 6, Shane Tripp 18, Palmer 3, Kyle Freeman 19, Bassett 1, Miller 6, Johnson 4.
Knights (74)
Jacob Latham 12, Butcher 6, Kiam Boerema 12, Justin Lilley 16, Thaddues Van Essendelft 13, Chesson 6, Howell 4.