Fairman leads TJ to tough win over Southmoreland

By Dean Dellamalva Jr.

MVI Sports

Thomas Jefferson overcame a sluggish start and relied on a gutsy second-half performance from Graci Fairman in a 44-36 nonsection win over Southmoreland Friday.

Fairman scored 17 of her game-high 19 points following intermission after briefly leaving the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury.

“(Graci) has a passion and a drive like I have never seen before,” TJ head coach Lisa Fairman said. “She’s constantly working on her game and she wants to make that dream come true at the next level. The work ethic is there and the heart is there.”

First-year Scotties coach Amber Cernuto also has a daughter on her roster in Olivia Cernuto. The sophomore guard led the Scotties (3-1) with 13 points. She is just one of the underclassmen on a roster with no seniors.

“We have lost four big seniors from last year’s team and we do not have any seniors this year, we have a very young team,” Amber Cernuto said. “I am pleased with their start; they’re still learning the game and learning to work with each other.”

Both teams started slow offensively, scoring only six points apiece in the first quarter. 

The Jaguars’ shooting woes continued into the second quarter, but their defense kept them close.

“I always tell my team there are going to be games when we’re going to struggle offensively,” Fairman said. “The defense has to keep you in the game and that’s what our defense did. We did not play well in the first half and we were only down five.”

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