Girls Battle Cheylin Lady Cougars
The Lady Indians defeated the Cheylin Lady Cougars 68-47 on Tuesday evening, February 13, in St. Francis. The battle was a good one with both teams expending good energy throughout the contest. The action was brisk with each team providing aggressive defensive pressure and being offensively aggressive. Though the point-spread was wide, each team had a similar number of deuces (C 15, SF 13), made free-throws (C 14, SF 18), turnovers (C 24, SF 26), and fouls (C 21, SF 21). The game was decided at the three-point line were St. Francis made 8 to Cheylin's 1.
St. Francis never trailed in the contest. The Lady Indians jumped out to a 6-0 lead receiving a free-throw and drive by Taighe Weeter and a top-of-the-key trey from Lauren Johnson. The Lady Indians expanded the margin throughout most of the contest. Cheylin scored their first basket at the 4:22 mark on a right-corner shot by Josie Frisbie (Jr.) on an out-of-bounds play. Reagan Beims scored on press offense after and assist by Karly Bandel. After a baseline drive by Grace Sabatka (So.), Lauren Johnson's assist set up an out-of-bounds play score by Weeter from the left-corner. Sabatka followed with a stick-back basket (plus one). It was as close as the Lady Cougars would get (11-7). Lauren Johnson drained a shot from the left-wing and then set up a left-corner trey by Weeter with an assist. Jesie Frisbie (Jr.) then added an old-fashioned three-point play, but another Johnson deuce (assist Bandel) soon answered. Jessie Frisbie's free-throws preceded a final score by Jylian Laten (assist Weeter) in the lane (plus one). St. Francis led 21-12 at the first quarter break.
Rachel Keltz, Cheylin's strong post presence, scored the opening basket of the second period. Taighe Weeter more than answered with a trey. Another top-of-the-key trey, this one by Lauren Johnson, moved the scoreboard to 27-14. After another Keltz post basket, Reagan Beims swished a trey. Beims then hit Karly Bandel on a cut to the basket for the next Lady Indian basket. Hannah Zimbal followed with back-to-back free-throws. The lead grew to 34-16. Cheylin added free-throws by Sabatka and Alondra Perez (Fr.) to close the half. St. Francis led 34-18 at the break.
Cheylin returned from the lockerroom ready to compete. After two free-throws by Jesie Frisbie, Keltz scored from the right block. Josie Frisbie added a pair of free-throws, and even though St. Francis used a time-out to try as stop a bit of the Lady Cougar's momentum, another Keltz post basket trimmed the margin to 36-30. The Lady Indians had turnovers on 7 of their first 9 possessions of the second half. The Lady Indians were needing to score in the worst way. Karly Bandel swished two free-throws to stop the unanswered run and added another charity toss moments later. At 3:17, Cheylin called time-out trailing 39-30. After the break, Jesie Frisbie scored on an offensive rebound for Lady Cougars. Emileigh Dinkel added a post basket (assist Bandel) and Jylian Laten scored on the baseline (assist Bracelin). The final score of the period was another post basket by Keltz, her fourth of the quarter from the same location. St. Francis led 47-36.
The Lady Indians were about to "blow the game open." After an quarter-opening post basket by Keltz, St. Francis scored the next 19 points. The Lady Indians received baskets from Taighe Weeter (trey), Emileigh Dinkel (two), Hanna Bracelin, Lindsey Johnson, and Regan Beims (trey) as well as 4 of 6 free-throws by Karly Bandel along the 19-0 run. The margin grew to 66-38. The run ended near the two-minute mark when Keltz added another post basket. Cheylin scored 9 of the last 11 points of the contest, but it was too late. The Lady Indians prevailed 68-47.
Three Lady Indians scored in double figures; Taighe Weeter 19, Karly Bandel 11 (9 of 13 free-throws in the second half), and Reagan Beims 11. Others adding to the Lady Indians' point total were Lauren Johnson 7, Emileigh Dinkel 6, Jylian Laten 6, Hanna Bracelin 4, Lindsey Johnson 2, and Hannah Zimbal 2.
Cheylin was led by Rachel Keltz with 16 points. Jesie Frisbie added 11. Grace Sabatka and Josie Frisbie each chipped in 7.
The Lady Indians will play Triplains-Brewster on Thursday, February 15, in Brewster and will host Greeley County in St. Francis on Friday, February 16.
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