CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Clarksville High traveled to Northwest High School for a matchup with the Lady Vikings on Wednesday, and CHS used their physical defense, and 26 points scored from Malon Smith to clinch a 55-11 victory. The win marked Clarksville High’s eighth straight victory, which kept them undefeated.
Early on, the Wildcats caused turnover problems for Northwest and created a number of transition opportunities offensively. The defense proved fruitful, as the Vikings were held scoreless in the first quarter, and Clarksville led 31-2 at halftime.
“We needed to be good defensively tonight and we were,” said Clarksville High head coach Brian Rush. “With exam week, basketball took a back seat, so we were wore out, but we were able to perform.”
The Vikings got in a hole early, and while they gave good defensive effort, it was like there was a lid on the rim in their own home gym. Northwest High head coach Ben Wallace said he’d like to see his team start a little quicker.
“We didn’t seem ready to play,” said Wallace. “We turned the ball over, and they just got after us. Things went downhill fast and it just kind of kept going. We’ve got to have ourselves mentally ready to play at tip-off every game.”
While Clarksville High remains undefeated following their 55-11 victory, they have also won 39 out of their last 40 contests. When speaking on Smith’s performance, Rush said, “The game was coming to Smith tonight. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and what happens in November and December doesn’t always translate. The big key is to enjoy the break and come back and get in the lab.”