Lady Indians Sweep Lady Wildcats
Senior Night Observed
On Thursday, February 7, the St. Francis Lady Indians hosted the Wallace County Lady Wildcats. The Lady Indians won both contests played. The junior varsity Lady Indians defeated the Lady Wildcats in a two-quarter contest 19-7. The varsity Lady Indians earned a 52-46 win.
It took a several minutes before either team would score in the JV contest. At 4:56, St. Francis called time-out with the score standing at 0-0. A bit later, McKenna Poling earned a lay-up (plus one) to place the Lady Indians on the scoreboard. Mia Morrow followed with a left-elbow shot, and a steal by the Lady Indians resulted in another Poling score. At 3:25, St. Francis used their second time-out leading 7-0. Wallace County's (WC) Hailey Funk (5' 5" So.) got the Lady Wildcats' scoring started with a bucket from the right baseline. Kylie Ryser (5' 10" So.) added two free-throws, and St. Francis used a third time-out before the quarter closed. St. Francis led 7-4 after one period of action.
McKenna Poling's assist to Alondra Gomez on a break gave St. Francis the first basket of the second and final period. Jordyn Faulkender soon followed with a driving score (11-4). After three free-throws by WC, Emma Johnson added a basket after an offensive rebound and then swished a steal-three. WC called time-out at 3:08 trailing 16-7. The Lady Cats would not score again. Bailey Workman (free-throw) and Gomez (coast-to-coast drive) completed the scoring. St. Francis defeated Wallace County in the junior varsity girls contest 19-7.
Scoring for the Lady Indians in the JV girls game were; McKenna Poling 5, Emma Johnson 5, Alondra Gomez 4, Mia Morrow 2, Jordyn Faulkender 2, and Bailey Workman 1.
Between the girls and boys varsity games, a Senior Recognition Night was held. Eleven seniors and their parents were recognized for their participation and support in the basketball programs or the pep band. Seniors being recognized were: Boys basketball - Cody Baxter, Wyatt Hilt, Connor Keller, K.C. Krien, Draven Houtman, Richard Johnson, and Bryce Raby; Girls basketball - Lauren Johnson and Lindsey Johnson; Pep band - Jenna Confer (absent) and April Fernandez.
Though the varsity game was marred with numerous turnovers, both teams played extremely hard, and the contest was very competitive. Emma Johnson opened the contest with a right-corner trey (assist Lauren Johnson). WC's Aubrey Kuhlman (5' 9" Jr.) responded with a shot from the right elbow. After a Lady Indian turnover, Kuhlman scored again on a stick-back basket. Lindsey Johnson's post basket restored the lead to St. Francis, but it didn't last long as Kulhman scored again on press offense to give the Lady Wildcats a 5-6 advantage. I would be the last lead WC would own. A left-wing trey by Alondra Gomez (assist Lauren Johnson) gave St. Francis the lead for good. After a St. Francis time-out at 1:17, Karly Bandel's assist set up a top-of-the-key trey by Emma Johnson. St. Francis led 11-6 after one quarter of action.
Leah Ayers (5' 6" Jr.) scored on a baseline shot for WC to open the second period. Post Hailey Hennick (5' 11" Jr.) soon added a free-throw moving the Lady Cats within two (11-9). Lindsey Johnson's score was followed by a basket in the lane by Hannah Zimbal giving the Lady Indians a bit more "breathing room" (15-9). After the addition of two free-throws by Lakin Perry (5' 6" Jr.), WC used their first time-out of the contest at 4:54. A left-wing basket by Lindsey Johnson was followed by a free-throw by Karly Bandel. After a post basket by Hennick, Lindsey Johnson's assist led to a top-of-the-key trey by Lauren Johnson (21-13). Hennick followed with two offensive rebound baskets to close the period. Though the Lady Indians had suffered through 17 turnovers in the first half, St. Francis led 23-25 at halftime.
The second half opened with a flurry of treys; two by each team. Lakin Perry drained a right-wing trey for WC. Emma Johnson answered with a left-wing trey for the Lady Indians. Leah Ayers top-of-the-key trey was answered by Karly Bandel. With 4:30 remaining in the period, St. Francis took a double-digit lead (31-21) on a out-of-bounds play score by Jordan Faulkender (assist Bandel). After a driving score by Faulkender, Perry added a pair of free-throws. Alondra Gomez's press-offense lay-up increased the margin to twelve (35-23). At 2:16, the Lady Indians used their second time-out. Two more baskets would be scored in the period; a bucket in the lane by WC's Perry and an out-of-bounds play score by Faulkender (assist Bandel). St. Francis led 37-25 after three periods.
Twenty-two free-throws were shot in the final quarter (WC=15; SF=7). An assist from Emma Johnson set up a press-offense score by Karly Bandel to open the final period. Hennick answered with back-to-back free-throws, and Jessie Carman (5' 7" So.) added another. Before the second Carmen free-throw at 5:44, the Lady Indians used another time-out. Carmen missed the second charity toss, but Kuhlman grabbed the rebound and scored (39-30). The Lady Indians answered on a nice assist from Emma Johnson to sister Lindsey in the lane. Bandel then added a free-throw, but Perry drained a trey in response. The Lady Cats were not going away. Bandel swished a right-corner three-ball (assist Lauren Johnson), and then Bandel's assist led to a score by Faulkender on a break. When Lauren Johnson's assist ended in another fast-break score by Lindsey Johnson, the Lady Indians held a comfortable 49-33 advantage. After a Hennick free-throw, Wallace County called time-out with 2:53 remaining. The Lady Indians would not score another basket. Perry would ad a driving score and a free-throw, Carmen would chip in 3 free-throws, Kuhlman would add a score after a Lady Indian turnover (plus one), and Hennick added a free-throw. Lindsey Johnson added a free-throw during the flurry for the Lady Indians. The action reduced the St. Francis lead to 50-44. With 23 seconds left, WC used their 4th time-out and began fouling to save the clock. The Lady Indians made 0-of-3 attempts in the final seconds, though Hannah Zimbal did score a stick-back basket on one of the missed attempts. Kuhlman scored the final basket of the game for WC after rebounding a missed free-throw by the Lady Cats. St. Francis defeated a scrappy Wallace County team 52-46.
The Lady Indians received a good balance in scoring. Lindsey Johnson led the Lady Indians with 11 points. Karly Bandel added 10, Emma Johnson 9, Jordyn Faulkender 8, Lauren Johnson 5, Alondra Gomez 5, and Hannah Zimbal 4. The Lady Indians struggled at the line making 3 of 11 and had 29 turnovers. St. Francis was whistled for 22 fouls.
Wallace County had 14 fouls and 18 turnovers. The Lady Cats made 15 of 22 from the line. Lakin Perry led WC in scoring with 16 points. Aubrey Kuhlman added 13 and Hailey Hennick 8.
The Lady Indians will play Decatur Community on Friday, February 8, in Oberlin. On Monday, February 11, the Lady Indians will travel to Hoxie to play the Lady Indians.
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