Girls Split Games With Dundy County - Stratton
The St. Francis Lady Indians split their basketball games against the Dundy County - Stratton Lady Tigers on Friday, December 15. The Lady Indians won the two-quarter junior varsity contest 21-13, but lost the varsity contest 40-52.
The junior varsity Lady Indians led throughout most of the contest and gradually extended the lead as the game progressed. Dundy County Stratton (DCS) sophomore Jessi Freeland scored a lay-up on the opening tip giving DCS their only lead of the contest. The Lady Indians regained the lead on a trey by Emma Johnson moving the score to 5-2. Freeland answered on a coast-to-coast drive after a St. Francis turnover. A basket by Johnson in the lane preceded another DCS score. Two free-throws and an offensive rebound basket by Johnson moved the scoreboard to 11-6. After a St. Francis time-out, DCS added a free-throw. Emileigh Dinkel scored the final basket of the first period on an assist by Johnson. St. Francis led 13-7 at the break.
Lauren Johnson opened the second period with a right-wing basket increasing the lead to eight points. Freshman Grace Powell answered with a basket in the lane. After a free-throw by Karly Bandel, Lindsey Johnson added a driving score giving St. Francis their largest lead of the contest (18-9). After a DCS post basket, Alondra Gomez scored on a back-door cut (assist Lindsey Johnson). Each team would score one more time; DCS on a drive and St. Francis on a free-throw by Emma Johnson. The Lady Indians defeated the Lady Tigers 21-13.
Emma Johnson led the Lady Indians in scoring with 10 points. DCS was led by Jessie Freeland with 6 points.
n the varsity contest, an early run by Dundy County - Stratton sealed the outcome. DCS opened the contest using attacking full-court pressure and aggressive rebounding to take full control. The Lady Tigers earned several steals and scored often from short-range to take a 0-17 advantage to open the game. In the first five-and-a-half minutes, DCS scored four times on offensive rebounds, twice from the post, once on a lay-up after a Lady Indian turnover, and drained a trey. At 2:28, St. Francis used their first time out trailing 0-17. After regrouping, Emileigh Dinkel placed the Lady Indians on the scoreboard with consecutive free-throws. Senior Allie Behlke soon followed with two free-throws for the Lady Tigers. The quarter closed after a free-throw by Lauren Johnson and a basket by Johnson (assist Reagan Beims) in the final seconds. St. Francis trailed 5-19 after one quarter of action.
The aggressive play of the Lady Tigers had one advantage--the Lady Indians were in the bonus before the first quarter expired. The Lady Indians would continue to play hard, and much better, in the remainder of the contest, but would not be able to overcome the large early deficit. An assist by Reagan Beims set up a score in the lane by Emileigh Dinkel. DCS junior Adalene Krutsinger answered in the lane at the opposite end. After a free-throw by Karly Bandel, Sable Lambley (So.) scored on a drive. The Lady Indians then earned a steal by Taighe Weeter leading to two free-throws and two more charity tosses by Beims. The Lady Indians had reduced the lead to 12-23. DCS responded with post baskets by Krutsinger and junior Grace Frederick and a coast-to-coast score by Krutsinger (plus one). With the addition of another post basket by Krutsinger moments later, the Lady Indians trailed by twenty (12-32). Hanna Bracelin sank one-of-two from the line to stop the DCS run. McKinzie Baney (Fr.) added a fast-break basket in the final minute to give DCS their largest lead in the half (13-34). An assist from Lauren Johnson set up a late score by Emma Johnson to end the half. St. Francis trailed 15-34 at halftime.
St. Francis opened the third period with a post basket by Lindsey Johnson (assist Lauren Johnson) and a top-of-the-key trey by Hanna Bracelin (assist La. Johnson). DCS did not score in the early portion of the third period and took a time-out at 4:24 to discuss strategy. After returning to the floor, DCS earned an offensive rebound basket and and left-wing trey by senior Kelcie Burke. At 1:58, Behlke drained a top-of-the-key trey. A fast-break basket by Krutsinger increased the deficit to 23 (20-43) and triggered a St. Francis time-out. Krutsinger then added consecutive free-throws to increase the margin to 25 (20-45). St. Francis would earn one more basket in the period; an out-of-bounds play basket by Lauren Johnson (assist Bandel). St. Francis trailed 22-45 after three quarters of action.
Reagan Beims scored the opening basket of the final period; a shot from the left elbow. Hanna Bracelin followed with two free-throws. The scores were soon answered by a right-wing shot and drive by Behlke. A free-throw by Lauren Johnson and a lay-up by Bracelin preceded a steal-two by Burke. St. Francis used a time-out mid-way through the period. DCS would not score again. St. Francis added a right baseline shot by Lauren Johnson (assist Bracelin), two free-throws by Johnson, and a high-post shot by Taighe Weeter (after a Bracelin steal and Johnson assist). With 1:01 remaining, DCS called time-out to allow more substitute players to enter the contest. A driving score by Weeter (plus one) and an offensive rebound basket by Lindsey Johnson closed the scoring. St. Francis had played much better after the opening five minutes, but the early DCS run had determined the outcome. St. Francis lost to DCS 40-52.
Scoring for the Lady Indians in the contest were Lauren Johnson 12, Taighe Weeter 7, Hanna Bracelin 6, Emileigh Dinkel 4, Reagan Beims 4, Lindsey Johnson 4, Emma Johnson 2, and Karly Bandel 1. The Lady Indians made 15 of 21 from the free-throw line.
DCS was led by Adalene Krutsinger with 19 points. Allie Behlke scored 13 and Grace Fredricks 8. The Lady Tigers made 5 of 7 from the stripe.
St. Francis will play Idalia, Colorado, in Idalia on Friday, January 5.
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