By Mark Trible
FauquierNow.com Sports Editor

Liberty’s girls basketball team overcame a slow start in Thursday’s 53-17 win over Warren County in the Evergreen District tournament championship in Bealeton.

The Wildcats were determined to slow star Liberty guard Liz Wood. Warren County played a zone defense with one player assigned to the district player of the year.

Warren County’s strategy worked for much of the first half. The game was tied 5-5 after the first quarter. Liberty took a 16-9 into halftime. Wood finished the half with just six points.

Liberty increased its defensive pressure in the second half. The Eagles ability to force turnovers led to easy baskets for Wood and center Bri Croushorn.

“They’re able to turn it up and drive it up,” Warren County Coach John Kelly said of Liberty. “Liz doesn’t create one turnover, she creates three.

“They have experience and they’re multifaceted, the pressure doesn’t affect them.”

Wood scored 14 of her team-high 20 points in the second half. She finished the game with nine rebounds and six steals. Croushorn helped the cause with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks.

The win moved Liberty to 22-1 on the season and 10-0 against district opponents. The Eagles won district games by an average 35.7 points.

Coach Lauren Milburn thinks Thursday’s close first half will help the Eagles as they attempt to defend last year’s state title.

“I think it definitely put us in a situation that we haven’t been in a while,” Milburn said. “We had to play cautiously with fouls and adjust.

“We just got really flustered early and were a little hesitant.”

Liberty will host Brentsville next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the first round of the regional tournament. The Eagles defeated Brentsville in both meetings this season, 54-11 and 59-15.

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