Southeast Missourian Player of the Week: Chaffee's Julia Sutterfield

Julia Sutterfield wasted little time in ending Chaffee's frustrations in its own Lady Red Devils Invitational.

Sutterfield, a freshman shooting guard, played a key role in three victories that gave Chaffee its first title in the 36-year history of the tournament.

Sutterfield totaled 55 points for the sixth-seeded Red Devils, who eventually avenged a season-opening loss to top-seeded Woodland with a 53-43 win in the title game Saturday. Sutterfield scored 19 points in the final, connecting for four of Chaffee's eight 3-pointers.

That came after Sutterfield popped for 27 points against seventh-seeded East Prairie two days earlier. She scored her team's first 14 points of the fourth quarter as the Red Devils nursed a two-point lead at the start of the period to a shot at the title.

"I just got my head in the game," Sutterfield said afterward. "I stepped up because Jordan [Pruitt] is coming off an injury and I was taking her place and got the right mindset."

Sutterfield was 5 of 5 from the field in the fourth quarter and hit both her free throws.

"She's a very good player," Chaffee coach Darrin Pruitt said after the semifinal win. "She's smooth. I have several girls capable of being in double digits, and they step up on different nights so it's kind of fun to watch."

Sutterfield scored nine points in a 59-36 victory over third-seeded Kelly in the first round.