In their first game of the 2005-2006 season, the Demopolis Lady Tigers did the same thing they did in nearly every game of the 2004-2005 season: win.

Led by senior Katerria Johnson’s 18 points, the Lady Tigers jumped to a 19-5 first quarter lead and never looked back on their way to a 74-41 win over the visiting Francis Marion Lady Rams Tuesday night.

The Lady Rams upset Demopolis on one occasion in ’04-’05, but Tuesday the Lady Tigers took control from the outset. A basket by Shawnese Armstead and a three by Jasmine Hardy were answered by Quineshia Arrington and Mikya Sims baskets as DHS led only 5-4 nearly three minutes into the game, but the home team ended the quarter on a 14-1 run in which six different Lady Tigers scored.

It was more of the same in the second quarter as Demopolis pushed the lead to 28 points, 44-16, at halftime. The Lady Tigers again showed tremendous offensive balance as seven different players scored in the quarter.

There was a scary moment for Demopolis fans to begin the third quarter as with only 18 seconds off the clock Armstead fell to the floor and was slow to get up. Although the senior would later return, the scare perhaps took something out of the Lady Tigers’ step as behind Jamie Martin Francis Marion scored 12 of the half’s first 15 points.

But Johnson and Hardy scored six of the game’s next eight and the Lady Rams would come no closer than 47-28 the rest of the way. Demopolis led 57-33 at the end of three and outscored the Rams 17-8 in the final eight minutes for the convincing win.

Helping Johnson on the scoresheet for Demopolis were Kierra Plaskett, Jasmine Simmons, and Hardy with 11 points, Armstead with 9, Valissa Sams and Loreal Moore with 4, Kelli Johnson with 3, and Alicia Arnold with 2.

Arrington led the Lady Rams with 20 points, followed by Martin with 6, Sierra Moore with 5, Sims with 4, Asherica Heard with 3, and Tanjula Williams with 2.