COALMONT — The Community Viqueens took a double-digit lead after one quarter and warded off a Grundy County Lady Jacket comeback attempt as the Viqueens reached the 20-win plateau with a 56-46 victory in a District 7-AA basketball game Friday night.
Community (20-7, 6-0) won its 10th consecutive game as the regular season drew to a close.
M.J. Simmons scored six points and Breanna Whitaker added five in the opening quarter as the Viqueens got off to a quick start by scoring the first 10 points of the game.
Community ended the quarter with a 15-5 lead.
Five different Viqueens scored in the second quarter as Community took its biggest lead at 21-8 with 6:18 to play before Viqueen fouls and some hot shooting by the Lady Jackets helped Grundy County to narrow the margin.
A 7-0 Grundy County run helped the Lady Jackets to finish with 20 points in the quarter, with eight points coming from the foul line as the Viqueen lead was trimmed to 26-25 at the half.
The Viqueens lead was two in the third quarter before Community exploded for 11 points in just under two minutes, led by two consecutive three-point plays by Simmons.
Simmons finished with eight points as the Viqueens extended their advantage to 41-34 heading to the final quarter.
Grundy County opened the quarter with a trey to cut the Viqueen lead to 41-37, but it was as close as the Lady Jackets would get.
Community preserved its lead with six consecutive free throws in the final minute en route to finishing the regular season unbeaten in district play.
"We got just enough of a lead where they had to start fouling us and we hit some free throws late in the game that made the difference," Coach Cody Pierce of the Viqueens said.
Simmons led the Viqueens with 20 points while Whitaker added 14.
Carlee Smartt led the Lady Jackets with 14 points.
The Viqueens were 12-of-14 at the free throw line while Grundy County was 10-of-15.
"Grundy County has a lot of fight in them," Pierce said. "We started well and I feel like we got satisfied and just let them get back in the game and we couldn't ever get going again."
The scene shifts to the District 7-AA tournament, which will be played at Community.
The Viqueens open tournament play Monday night against Cascade.
Game time is 6:30 p.m.

Community 15 11 15 15 — 56
Grundy Co. 5 20 9 12 — 46

Community: M. J. Simmons 20, Breanna Whitaker 14, Addison Brothers 8, Haley Mitchell 7, Zoey Dixon 5, Shelby Cawthon 2, Jacey Collier, Izzy Martinez.
Grundy Co.: Carlee Smartt 14, Abigail Childers 9, Jaidys McDaniel 7, Charlsie Campbell 5, Wrylee McDaniel 2, Kaylee Smartt 9, Katherine Lusk, Kati Davidson.
3-Point goals: Community (4): Whitaker, Brothers, Mitchell, Dixon; Grundy Co. (8): K. Smartt 3, C. Smartt 2, Childers 2, J. McDaniel.
Halftime score: Community 26, Grundy Co. 25.