Cardinals Clobber Tom Bean, Leonard

<p>By Terri Barker
</p>

<p>Staff Writer
</p>

<p>
</p>

<p>First-place Melissa (23-4, 8-0) spread the scoring around in a 71-32 win Tuesday as the Cardinals set up a Friday showdown in Whitewright.
</p>

<p>Zach Helmberger and Hondo Webb each scored 11 points and Corey Davidson added 10 for Melissa, which outscored Tom Bean in every quarter.
</p>

<p>Matt Cooper led the Tomcats (3-20, 1-7) with eight points.
</p>

<p>In a game Friday that had possible playoff implications for the Leonard Tigers, they performed very competitively against the home team, but it was the Melissa Cardinals who prevailed to stay perfect through the first half of district play, 58-46.
</p>

<p>The Cardinal offense was sluggish in the first period and MHS was outscored by three. Then the ninth-ranked Cardinals used their depth. 
</p>

<p>When the Tigers double-teamed Melissa high scorers Zach Helmberger and Hondo Webb, Corey Davidson and Ian Hatfield stepped up. Two Tigers fouled out late in the game, which helped open up the Cardinal offense. 
</p>

<p>Helmberger scored eight of his 20 points in the fourth and Webb scored five of his 16.
</p>

<p>Defensively, the Cardinals were solid despite four treys from the perimeter by Leonard.
</p>

<p>
</p>

<p>L   9   8   15  14   46
</p>

<p>M  6  16  18  18   58
</p>

<p>
</p>

<p>Melissa (22-4, 7-0): Zach Helmberger 20, Hondo Webb 16, Corey Davidson 12, Ian Hatfield 9, Ryan Ragon 1.
</p>

<p>Leonard (13-11, 4-3): Aaron Moreland 21, James Arnold 17, Will Cowan 2, Brad Moulder 2, Matt Williams 2.</p>