KETTERING — Sophomore guard Kaylah Thornton repeatedly weaved through Northmont defenders in the lane Wednesday night to score 24 points and snare 11 rebounds as the Lady Firebirds posted a runaway 52-39 victory.

The Lady Firebirds improved to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in Greater Western Ohio Conference play while the Lady Bolts fell to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the GWOC.

Fairmont opened season play Monday with 62-33 non-conference victory at Tecumseh while Northmont lost its non-conference game at Carroll 78-53.

When Thornton wasn’t slicing inside for layups, the Lady Firebirds kicked the ball outside to take 20 shots from three-point range. Fairmont made good on six of those attempts.

Emily Erskine scored a trio from beyond the arc to finish with nine points. Thornton had a pair, one in each of the first two quarters, and Kenzie Roark had one to finish with 12 points.

The inside out scoring by Fairmont kept Northmont off balance throughout the game.

Northmont scored five three-point field goals; two by Shari Taylor, and one each by Laynee Barrett, Julianna Gunn, and Brooklyn Byrd. Gunn led the Lady Bolts with 11 points, eight coming on free throws.

“Our defense did exactly what our plan was – to go in and make them beat us from the outside,” said Northmont coach Maggie Neanen, who took over as head coach this year.

“We knew Thornton was going to be a different type of player,” Neanen said. “She is a special player. Defensively I thought we stuck to our plan. Offensively we just couldn’t take care of the ball. Being down six midway through the third, I will take that all day against Fairmont.”

Fairmont went on a 10-0 run in the final four minutes of the third quarter before Northmont got a free throw by Taylor, but by then the Lady Firebirds had built a 42-25 advantage and the Lady Bolts never recovered.

Northmont out-scored Fairmont 14-10 in the final period but still came up 13 points short.

NMT 06 11 08 14 – 39

FMT 10 16 16 10 – 52

Northmont: Shari Taylor 2-1-6, Laynee Barrett 1-0-3, Amelia Brown 1-0-2, Juliana Gunn 1-8-11, Jenna Hall 2-0-4, Brooklyn Byrd 1-0-3, Ayla Rammel 1-1-3, Brenna Williams 3-1-7. Totals 12-11-39.

Fairmont: Kaylah Thornton 10-2-24, Peyton Adams 1-0-2, Emily Erskine 3-0-9, Lena Buskard 2-1-5, Kenzie Roark 5-1-12. Totals: 21-4-52.

Three-point field goals: Northmont 5 (Taylor 2, Barret, Gunn, Byrd); Fairmont 6 (Erskine 3, Thornton 2, Roark).

Records: Northmont 0-2 (0-1), Fairmont 2-0 (1-0).

Northmont Girls

Basketball Schedule

Dec. 6 Miamisburg 7:30

Dec. 9 at Centerville 6:45

Dec. 11 Kenton Ridge 7:30

Dec. 13 at Springboro 7:30

Dec. 16 Beavercreek 11:30

Dec. 18 at Miss. Valley 7:30

Dec. 20 Springfield 7:30

Jan. 3 Fairmont 7:30

Jan. 8 at Valley View 7:30

Jan. 10 Wayne 7:30

Jan. 17 at Miamisburg 7:30

Jan. 22 Tecumseh 7:30

Jan. 24 Centerville 7:30

Jan. 29 Piqua 7:30

Jan. 31 Springboro 7:30

Feb. 5 Arcanum 7:30

Feb. 7 at Beavercreek 7:30

Feb. 10 at Springfield 11:30

Reach Ron Nunnari by email: [email protected].