After winning eight straight openers in the Salina Invitational Tournament, the Liberal Lady Redskins embarked on a new frontier Thursday afternoon.  After playing in the SIT the past 10 years while winning it four times, Liberal headed further to the northeast this season for the 67th annual Tonganoxie Invitational.  LHS dropped the opener at Chieftain Arena 64-46 against the #6 class 5A St. James Academy Thunder.

St. James Academy led 15-10 after one quarter.  The Thunder led 21-10 before the Lady Red cut the lead to 28-24 at the half.  Liberal cut the lead to 28-26 early in the second half.  Liberal again trimmed the lead to 37-35 in the third quarter.  From that point however, it was all Thunder out pacing LHS 29-9.  It was 44-37 after three.  St. James out scored the Lady Skins 20-9 in the fourth quarter.

Liberal shot 44 percent from the field and 1-6 from three.  LHS was 3-10 from the foul line.  St. James shot 48 percent from the field.  St. James shot 48 percent from the field going 6-13 from three point range.  The Thunder were 12-18 from the foul line.  Liberal committed 18 turnovers and St. James had eight.

Shamari Lewis scored 17 and was Epic Touch Player of the Game.  Kamilah Delgado had 11 points and 10 rebounds.  Maliyah Mullens scored eight.

St. James Academy is 6-2 and Liberal is 6-5.  Liberal plays Bonner Springs Friday night at 7:30 on 1270 and 92.3 in Tonganoxie.