Cottondale Goes 1-1 in Optimist Invitational
By: Shelia Mader
The Cottondale Hornets opened their week on a big stage, earning a 51–46 win over the Holmes County Blue Devils. Maybe it was the excitement of playing in a college gym, complete with amenities most high school teams only dream about. That spark, however, did not quite carry over to Tuesday night, when the Hornets faced a Blountstown Tigers squad that arrived ready to play. The Tigers handed Cottondale a 51–46 loss.
In the opening game, the Hornets struggled out of the gate, managing just four points in the first quarter while Holmes County jumped out to a 14-point start. Veteran head coach Chris Obert had the right message at the quarter break, and the Hornets responded. Cottondale outscored the Blue Devils 12–8 in the second quarter to close the gap to 22–16 at halftime.
The momentum continued after the break as the Hornets edged Holmes County 12–9 in the third quarter. Cottondale then put the game away with a strong 23–15 finish in the fourth to secure their first tournament win.
Cottondale was led by Tramond Collins with 21 points, followed by Kamarion Kirkland with 13. Trashonn Collins added 10 points, while Alex Bellamy narrowly missed double figures with nine.
Tuesday’s matchup against Blountstown followed a familiar script early, with the Hornets again scoring just four points in the first quarter while the Tigers built an 11-point advantage. Cottondale answered quickly in the second quarter, pouring in 21 points. Kirkland sparked the run with 10 points in the period, while the Hornets held Blountstown to 10 points to take a 25–21 lead into halftime.
Cottondale stayed aggressive coming out of the locker room, matching its second-quarter output with another 21 points in the third while limiting the Tigers to 11. The Hornets’ energy faded in the final quarter, though, as Blountstown exploded for 23 points while Cottondale managed just four.
Kirkland led the Hornets with 20 points in the loss, and Trashonn Collins finished in double figures with 13.
