By Brett Brown

For The Observer

The Northwest Mississippi Community College Lady Rangers closed out their 2010 home schedule in grand fashion by clinching the MACJC north division championship with an 83-32 victory against the Coahoma Lady Tigers on Feb. 11 at Howard Coliseum in Senatobia.

Northwest, 12-6 overall, improved to 9-2 in the north and wrapped up the north crown with East Mississippi's 68-58 win over Mississippi Delta. The Lady Rangers will enter the MACJC State Tournament as the number one seed from the north and play the number four team from the south division Feb. 23 in the opening round in Scooba.

It marked Northwest's first MACJC north title since the 2000-01 season.

Seven Lady Ranger sophomores were honored after the contest. They are De'Kisha Fondon of Water Valley; Sabrina Townsend and Shayla McKinney, both of Batesville; Kortny Tucker of Holly Springs; Tamara Wadlington and Hope Adams, both of Oxford; and Andrea Jansen of Hernando.

After handing Coahoma a 104-53 defeat a few weeks ago in Clarksdale, the Lady Rangers figured to put it on cruise control the second time against the Lady Tigers. And that they did. 

Fourteen of the 15 Northwest players that dressed for the contest scored at least two points.

The Lady Rangers claimed a 26-10 lead in the opening eight minutes, then out-scored Coahoma 24-8 the rest of the half to take a 50-18 advantage at intermission.

Adams led Northwest with a game-high 13 points, while Fondon added 11. Lady Ranger freshmen Joi Guy of Olive Branch and Ciara Seldon of Mount Pleasant added eight points each.

Jansen led the Lady Rangers with seven rebounds, while freshman Rachaal Clayton of Hernando had six.

Northwest closes the regular season on Thursday, Feb. 18, by traveling to Goodman to face Holmes.