By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

KILN —The Hancock girl’s basketball team became the only team in the state of Mississippi to win at least 27 games in three consecutive seasons Friday night.

The home-standing Lady Hawks hammered Jackson Forrest Hill 58-26 in the opening round of the Class 6A South State playoffs, moving to 27-2 overall in the process. The win was the 84th over the past three seasons for Hancock head coach Jamie Sisco’s kids, and now the Lady Hawks move on to quarterfinal round play Saturday in Perkinston on the campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Hancock got off to a quick start in its latest win, using a trio of 3-pointers in the first frame to jump out to a 17-10 lead over the Lady Patriots. Riley Bishop, Talana Baond and Abigail Carver each dropped in a trey apiece in the frame, and Bond added another basket to finish with five points heading into the second period.

Lila Turner turned up with a triple of her own in the next stanza, while Anslee James added four points for the home team as Hancock turned up the defensive pressure a bit and steadily stretched its advantage out to double digits at halftime up 28-10.

As the third frame unfolded, James and Bishop ensured that any hopes of a big second half comeback by the visitors wouldn’t happen as James added six more points while Bishop had five points including a 3-pointer as the Lady Hawks cruised to the win.

Carver drained another pair of triples in the fourth period to close things out.

Both James and Carver tallied 14 points apiece to lead the Lady Hawks, while Bishop chipped in 13 points to the winning effort as well.

Danica King had 12 points for Forrest Hill.

Hancock went 27-3 two years ago, and finished up at 30-2 last season falling in the overall Class 6A Final Four at The Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson coming up one step short of reaching the state championship game.

The Lady Hawks need one more win this weekend to make a return trip to the “Big House”.