Lady Indians Sweep Lady Titans
The high school girls basketball teams won both contests played in Brewster on Thursday, February 15. The games were make-up games from earlier postponed contests due to weather. The varsity Lady Indians defeated Triplains-Brewster 52-42, and the junior varsity team won a two-quarter contest 28-12.
The junior varsity contest opened the evening. Triplains-Brewster (TPB) earned the first basket of the contest on a right-corner shot by freshman Samantha Cozza. Hannah Zimbal soon answered for the Lady Indians getting a bucket on a well-executed out-of-bounds play (assist Karly Bandel). A post-basket by Emma Johnson (assist Alondra Gomez) placed the Lady Indians in front for good. The next Johnson basket came on a fast-break at the end of another Bandel assist. A steal and assist by Johnson soon led to a Bandel score placing the Lady Indians up 8-2. TPB's Brianna Hanson (Fr.) followed with a score for the Lady TItans. An assist by Lauren Johnson set up a right-wing score by Gomez, and Emileigh Dinkel followed with a free-throw. The final score of the quarter came on free-throw area jumper by Lauren Johnson. St. Francis led 13-4 after one period.
The margin continued to grow in the second period. Emileigh Dinkel and Emma Johnson each sank early treys in the period. Sophomore Madison Carter followed with a deuce for TPB. Dinkel then added a right-wing trey and an offensive rebound basket. An assist by Johnson led to a final Dinkel score in the post. St. Francis led 26-6 with 4:30 left in the second period. Emileigh Dinkel scored 10 points in the second period. Carter then earned a steal-two, but Alondra Gomez answered with a stick-back bucket. TPB scored the final two baskets of the game. St. Francis defeated TPB in the two-quarter JV contest 28-12.
Scoring for St. Francis in the game were Emileigh DInkel 11, Emma Johnson 7, Alondra Gomez 4, Karly Bandel 2, Lauren Johnson 2, and Hanna Zimbal 2. St. Francis made 1 of 2 from the line, committed 4 fouls, and had 10 turnovers.
Triplains-Brewster was led by Madison Carter and Brianna Hanson each with 4 points. The Lady Titans made 0 of 1 from the stripe, had 4 fouls and 15 turnovers.
The varsity contest was a wild and crazy affair, at least in the first half. Both teams turned the basketball over numerous times while expending great energy. St. Francis accumulated 15 turnovers in the first half while TPB amassed 18. The action was aggressive and back-and-forth. Reagan Beims found Taighe Weeter on a cut to the basket for the first score in the contest. The Lady Titans answered almost immediately on a fast-break basket by senior Mia Carter. The Lady Titans also scored quickly on their next possession getting a basket by senior Katie Hillery. With 5:51 left in the first period, St. Francis called time-out; likely discussing transition defense. An offensive rebound by Lindsey Johnson tied the contest at 4-all. Hillery scored moments later, but another offensive rebound; this one by Beims, tied the game again. Two free-throws by senior Taryn Stramel gave TPB a 6-8 lead, but it would be the last lead the Lady Titans would hold. A steal-two and a right-wing trey by Taighe Weeter closed the period's scoring giving the Lady Indians an 11-8 advantage. Neither team scored in the final minute of action.
Lauren Johnson picked up her second foul in the opening moments of the second period. Taryn Stramel drained two-free throws to pull the Lady Titans within one. A free-throw by Hanna Bracelin and a steal-assist by Bracelin led to a break basket by Taighe Weeter. Though Mia Carter followed with a stick-back basket, Weeter scored on a drive moments later. With the addition of an assist by Reagan Beims on a Bracelin cut to the goal, the Lady Indians had earned a 6-point advantage (18-12). Another Carter stick-back score was followed by a TPB time-out at 4:10. A steal and assist by Lindsey Johnson led to a fast-break basket by Karly Bandel. Hillery answered with a break basket for TPB. A pair of free-throws by Bracelin, a free-throw by Biems (after a steal), and a steal and assist by Bandel led to a Weeter lay-up. The Lady Indians now lead 25-16. Latasha Fellhoelter, junior, ended the mini-run with a post-basket for TPB. After two Carter free-throws, Bandel scored on a steal-two. St. Francis led 27-20 at halftime.
On the Lady Indians' first possession of the 2nd half, LIndsey Johnson scored on a shot in the lane. On the next SF possession, Reagan Beims hit a shot from the high post. The margin grew to 11 points (31-20). After a driving score by Katie Hillery, an assist by Hanna Bracelin found Taighe Weeter on a cut to the rim (plus one). Lindsey Johnson followed with an offensive rebound score increasing the margin to 14 (36-22). The teams would exchange baskets throughout the remainder of the quarter--SF getting scores from Weeter and Karly Bandel; TPB earning scores by Autumn Mays (Sr.) and Fellhoelter. St. Francis led 42-28 after three periods.
TPB earned scores on their first two possessions of the final period; an offensive rebound basket by Hillery, and a post-move score by Carter. Taighe Weeter responded with a top-of-the-key trey for the Lady Indians. Carter scored again on the next TPB possession. The Lady Indians were needing offense and some stops. An assist by Lindsey Johnson led to a Weeter baseline score, and a right-wing basket by Johnson at 5:55 gave St. Francis their largest lead of the contest (49-34). TPB earned the next two hoops; an offensive rebound score by Hillery and a coast-to-coast score by Elke Kernal (Sr.). St. Francis called time-out with 3:49 to go up 11. After returning to the floor, it was obvious that the Lady Indians had gone into delay mode. With the Lady Titans playing zone defense, the Lady Indians moved the ball methodically using clock. Unfortunately, a Lady Indian turnover led to a score by Hillery narrowing the advantage to 40-49. On the next Lady Indian possession, an assist by Hanna Bracelin found Weeter open under the goal. Another Lady Indian turnover led to a break basket by Hillery, and TPB called time-out with 49.5 seconds to play. Only one more point was added; a free-throw by Lindsey Johnson. St. Francis defeated Triplains-Brewster 52-42 in a hard-fought contest.
The Lady Titans had two players in double-figures; Katie Hillery 16 and Mia Carter 12. The Lady Titans made 6 of 8 from the line, had 18 fouls and 26 turnovers.
St. Francis was led in scoring by Taighe Weeter with 26 points. Lindsey Johnson added 9. Others scoring for St. Francis included Karly Bandel 7, Reagan Beims 5, and Hanna Bracelin 5. St. Francis only made 7 of 18 from the stripe, had 14 fouls, and committed 21 turnovers.
The Lady Indians will play Greeley County in St. Francis on Friday, February 16.
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