ASKEWVILLE – How’s that for a stocking stuffer?

Bethel Assembly Christian Academy shook off its first losses of the season and, despite missing their second leading scorer, still defeated Lawrence Academy at home Friday night, 43-19.

Elizabeth Farmer led the barrage with 20 points, 17 coming in the first half. Center Jessica Howerton was the only other Lady Eagle (7-2) in double-figures, dropping 11 points along with eight blocked shots.

“We’re coming off a two-game loss,” said coach Ashley Byrum, “and we wanted to get our chemistry back together which we pretty much did because it wasn’t a really hard test for us.

“It was a good game, though that we could use to work on stuff that we needed to improve on,” he added.

Bethel shot out of the gate scoring the first 15 points of the contest.  Howerton got a pair of put-backs for an early 4-0 lead.

Kelsie Conner, who’s playing time was limited due to health issues, then got a jump shot for her only field goal of the night.

Farmer opened things up on the perimeter by draining a three from beyond the arc and then came back with a fast break layup off a steal to make it 11-0.

Lady Warrior coach Beau Drake then tried to regroup his team with a time-out.

Following the breather, Howerton drained another jump shot while Farmer got a driving layup in the lane to boost the score to 15-0.

Just when it looked like the Lady Warriors might be shut out in the frame, Holly McNair got Lawrence on the board with a layup and the first eight minutes of the evening ended with the score, 15-2.

Lawrence tried to be more active on defense starting the second quarter, but it merely lead to a pair of quick fouls being whistled on the visitors.

Farmer, in the meantime, would score 10 in a row for the Lady Eagles. She began by making 1-of-1 free throws and then dropped her second three-pointer of the night.

This was followed by a three-point play when she was fouled on a driving baseline layup and also made the free throw; then she capped off the scoring drive with her third three-pointer from beyond the arc and Bethel’s lead was 23 points.

Hallie Corbett broke the string with a jump shot that rattled in for Lawrence to make it 25-4.

Charity Dunlow then got in on the scoring for Bethel – first with a three-point play after being fouled on a made layup; and then after a Howerton jumper Dunlow drove the baseline for a floater that went in.

This ended the scoring for both teams for the half and Bethel entered the locker-room leading, 32-4.

But, oh, how things changed in the third quarter.

Byrum rested his starters and Lawrence took advantage. Heather Hughes got four straight points on a layup following a Bethel turnover and then on a soft jump shot.

Kristen Adams picked up two quick fouls for Bethel and the Lady Warriors capitalized. Meg Sutton got back-to-back jump shots followed by two more jumpers: one each by Sydney Brabble and Corbett.

The third quarter horn sounded with Lawrence having done a good job of chipping into Bethel’s lead, but the Lady Eagles had still doubled the score and led it, 32-16.

Bethel’s starters returned for the fourth quarter.  Howerton made 1-of-2 free throws followed by a short jumper in the lane. Adams, playing with three fouls, then got a follow-up layup and Bethel was in front, 37-16.

Farmer cashed in another three-point play for her final field goal of the game Bethel’s final field goal of the game came on an Alyssa Fairless jump shot. The rest of their scoring came at the free-throw line.

The contest ended with a 24-point Bethel win and Lawrence falling to 0-9.

“We got all our subs in,” said Byrum with a smile. “Everybody got to play and I think everybody’s happy.”

Bethel’s off now for the holidays.  Their next game will be a home contest against Faith Christian of Rocky Mount in the new year on January 3.