By By BRUCE HIXON – Sports Editor
Once a team starts winning, it makes it hungry for more. These days the W.S. Neal Blue Eagles are experiencing both.
The Blue Eagles ran their early season mark to 3-0 Tuesday when they clipped the host Pleasant Home Eagles 59-44. It marked the first time since the 1988-89 season W.S. Neal has started a season 3-0.
Winning was not the only early season trend the Blue Eagles continued. It was the way they won with another large supporting cast.
Cecil Thomas was the lone W.S. Neal player Tuesday to reach double digits with 17 points, but six other Blue Eagles scored at least five points.
W.S. Neal built a 15-7 lead in the opening quarter and had a 28-21 advantage at halftime. Thomas had his biggest quarter on the night in the third period with seven points, as W.S. Neal stretched its lead into double digits to 42-31. A 17-13 scoring edge in the fourth quarter helped secure the win.
While the Blue Eagles continued the best overall trend of winning, Grace said one disturbing trend also continued.
W.S. Neal's junior varsity suffered its first loss of the season, as it fell to Pleasant Home 25-24. Payne and Brazile both had six points to pace the Blue Eagles (2-1).
The Blue Eagles are back in action Tuesday when they host Frisco City at 5 p.m.
At Pleasant Home
W.S. Neal 15 13 14 17 – 59
Pleasant Home 7 14 10 13 – 44
W.S. NEAL (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Thomas 3-3-2-17; Alexander 2-1-2-9; Bailey 4-0-1-9; Sanders 4-0-0-8; Barksdale 0-0-5-5; Green 2-0-1-5; Roh. Travis 2-0-1-5; McMillian 0-0-1-1 (Totals: 17-4-12-59)
PLEASANT HOME (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Rabrer 3-0-10-16; Copeland 4-1-1-12; Bush 1-0-4-6; Powell 2-0-0-4; Taylor 2-0-0-4; Huckaboa 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 13-1-15-44)
Junior varsity
W.S. Neal 6 6 10 2 – 24
Pleasant Home 10 10 2 3 – 25
W.S. NEAL (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Payne 3-0-0-6; Brazile 3-0-0-6; Bradley 2-0-0-4; Wilson 2-0-0-4; Shell 2-0-0-4 (Totals: 12-0-0-24)
PLEASANT HOME (2FG-3FG-FT-TP) Taylor 2-3-0-13; King 0-1-2-5; Sutton 0-1-0-3; Tisdale 1-0-0-2; Dozier 1-0-0-2 (Totals: 4-5-2-25)