ASKEWVILLE – If you’re going to lose, the state champion is a good one to fall to.

Bethel Christian Academy did just that this weekend as the Lady Eagles suffered their only defeat in the North Carolina Christian Athletic Conference (NCCAC) state tournament to four-time defending champion Gramercy Christian School 37-17. Gramercy went on to make it five straight with a win over Coastal Christian Saturday afternoon.

In Friday’s contest, the Lady Warriors took control of the game early and went on to a comfortable win.

Gramercy started with back-to-back hoops from Rebekah Williams, but Elizabeth Farmer buried a three-pointer for Bethel to get them within one point (4-3). The Lady Warriors, however, got consecutive hoops from Rachel Lyons and Katie Beyer as they led 8-3 after one quarter.

Lyons added three points to the cushion the old-fashioned way to open the second quarter, but Landis Marsh hit back-to-back buckets as Bethel closed within 11-7.

Lyons, however, responded with two straight field goals of her own and then Beyer added a hoop as Gramercy led 17-7. A pair of late free throws by Charitee Dunlow got Bethel within 17-9 at the halftime break.

The third quarter was all Gramercy – literally. The Lady Warriors outscored Bethel 8-0 as they took a 25-9 lead. Beyer led the charge for Gramercy with six of the eight points. Williams added the other hoop.

In the fourth quarter, senior Megan Simons got the first hoop for the Eagles to close the gap to 25-11, but a hoop by Lyons and a free throw by Kayla Williams helped the Lady Warriors pull away.

Simons added another hoop for Bethel in the fourth quarter while Farmer and Dunlow also scored, but Gramercy went on to an easy victory.