The Union City girls continued to roll.
The Tornado boys were knocked off track.
UC’s two state-ranked teams posted opposite results at Liberty Saturday night, the girls cementing their No. 1 Class 1A status with a 64-26 rout, while the eighth-rated boys were beaten 63-48.
The Lady Tornadoes (19-3) have now won eight straight and are just one more victory away from a 20-win season for just the third time in the 5-of-5 era that began in 1979-80. Union City won 22 games a year ago when it made its first-ever state tournament appearance in a TSSAA-sanctioned event, and won a program-best 23 games in 2005-06.
UC’s boys (14-7) had won six of seven prior to Saturday’s second loss of the season to the Class 2A Crusaders. Of the Twisters’ seven setbacks this season, only one (Greenfield) has come vs. a Single-A entry.
Union City plays at Trenton Tuesday, then has a second District 14A game at home vs. Greenfield, on Friday.
UC 64, Liberty 26 (G)
This one was over in a hurry.
The Lady Tornadoes showed off their No. 1 state ranking in Jackson by jumping on Liberty for a 14-2 lead after one quarter and 37-5 advantage at the half to wrap up the season sweep of the series.
“Offensively, we moved the ball and were as active as we’ve been in awhile,” UC head coach Eddie Suiter said. “I liked our effort. We had about as complete a half as we’ve had in the first half.”
Union City led 54-21 at the end of three periods as Liberty actually outscored UC 16-15 in that eight-minute stretch, but the Lady Twisters then doubled the Lady Crusaders 10-5 in the final period, most of that frame played under the running clock mercy rule.
TauiNeiscia Skinner had another big night with 19 points, Tory Reedy pitched in 12 points and Raven Fair added 11.
“We’re just trying to make ourselves more difficult to guard, and we did a good job of that tonight,” Suiter added. “Jackie (Hudson) only had six points, but she did a good job of creating shots for Skinner with her penetration and also kicked out to Tory and Raven for some three-pointers. That spread out their defense.”
Liberty 63, UC 48 (B)
One glaring stat was the Tornadoes’ undoing.
Union City was out-rebounded 34-13 — including one stretch early in which Liberty had eight offensive rebounds on five possessions — according to Twister head coach Shane Sisco, whose club had lost an earlier one-point decision to the Crusaders.
“We just physically got whipped,” Sisco said. “They played harder than we did, and we just weren’t very competitive.
“It was really disappointing.”
UC was down 15-5 after one and 32-20 at the half before creeping back to within 45-37 after three periods. The locals got no closer than that afterward, however.
Marcus DeBerry led the Tornadoes with 18 points, while Jamie Hyde had 11.
 LaMonte Dickerson was a point shy of double figures.

Published in The Messenger 1.28.13