Lady Indians Defeated by Golden Plains
JV Team Loses by Two
The Lady Indians were defeated by good Golden Plains teams on Saturday, January 7, in Rexford. The varsity Lady Indians lost to Golden Plains 36-21. The junior varsity Lady Indians were defeated in a close contest 15-17.
The varsity Lady Bulldogs (5-2) trailed the Lady Indians early in the contest, but as the Lady Indians' turnovers mounted, the Lady Dogs took full control and cruised to a 15 point victory. St. Francis had numerous turnovers in the contest, and the miscues lead to many open possessions. The Lady Indians did not score more than 7 points in any quarter of the contest. St. Francis jumped out to a 4-0 lead after an assist by Zoe Sundstrom led to a Taighe Weeter score and a Hanna Bracelin assist set up a post score by Sundstrom. Both teams found scoring difficult in the early portion of the contest, and at 3:08 Golden Plains (GP) earned their first basket; a post basket by 5'8" senior Morgan Ritter. KayCee Miller (5' 7" sophomore) followed with a steal-two to tie the contest at 4-all. Miller's next steal-two gave the Lady Bulldogs the lead for good. Emleigh Dinkel's free-throw was the last point the Lady Indians would score in the period (5-6). GP added a left wing jumper by 5' 6" junior Maggie Nierman and two more steals by Miller resulting in three more points. The Lady Indians trailed 5-11 after one quarter of play.
The Lady Indians could only muster four points in the second period. Golden Plains opened the period with a post basket by Ritter. Madi Tice's assist on a cut through the lane by Hanna Bracelin resulted in the first Lady Indian basket of the period. Another Miller steal soon resulted in two more free-throw points for GP. Reagan Beims earned a post basket moving the score to 9-15. St. Francis used their second time-out at 2:16. After returning to the floor, GP earned two scores by 5' 8" senior Gabrielle Schiltz (cut through lane, and post move) and scored on an out-of-bounds play lob to Kaylie Schaben (5 ' 10" junior). St. Francis trailed at halftime, 9-21.
Hanna Bracelin opened the second half with two free-throws and an assist on a basket by Lauren Johnson. Then KayCee Miller scored on a coast-to-coast drive for Golden Plains. The Lady Bulldogs followed with a basket from the left corner, a post basket by Carmen Sepulveda, and another Miller steal-two. The margin had grown to 29-12. Reagan Beims halted the GP run at eight, with an stick-back basket. As the clock was winding down, Miller was fouled on a three-point attempt. She sank all three gift-shots to move the scoreboard to 32-14 at the third quarter break.
Gabrille Schiltz's drive into the lane early in the fourth quarter resulted in a twenty-point advantage for the Lady Bulldogs. Kaylie Schaben followed with another lane score a bit later increasing the lead to the largest margin in the contest (36-14). The Lady Indians earned scores by Taighe Weeter and Hanna Bracelin midway through the period. Neither team scored in the final minutes of the game. St. Francis was defeated by a good Golden Plains team 36-21. Hanna Bracelin led the Lady Indians in scoring with 6 points.
In junior varsity action, competition was tight in the two-quarter contest. St. Francis jumped out to a 5-2 lead getting baskets from Karly Bandel and Emileigh Dinkel and a free-throw from Madi Tice. By the end of the first period, Golden Plains had earned a 5-6 advantage.
The Lady Bulldogs continued their run into the second period getting a right-wing trey by Karri Schaben, a post basket from Jennifer Esparza, a right corner basket from Taryn Fleckenstein, and a free-throw by Schaben. The margin had quickly grown to 5-14. The 12-point GP run was halted by an offensive rebound basket by Lindsey Johnson, After a Golden Plains time-out at 2:54, the Lady Indians picked up the pace of the contest playing hastily on offense and aggressively on defense. At 2:40, Karly Bandel earned a steal-two trimming the margin to 9-14. After a GP turnover, Bandel drained a trey on an out-of-bounds play. St. Francis called time-out at 2:17 trailing by two (12-14). At 2:11, Schaben sank consecutive free-throws giving the Lady Bulldogs a four-point advantage, and GP used another time-out for strategy. At 1:10, a top-of-the-key trey by Bandel pulled the Lady Indians within one point (15-16). It was as close as the Lady Indians would get as the only point scored in the final minute was a free-throw by Golden Plains' Carmen Sepulveda. The Lady Indians had made a great comeback, but fell just short, losing 15-17.
The Lady Indians will play Weskan in St. Francis on Tuesday, January 10. The teams will travel to Dighton on Friday, January 13, for competition.
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