Lady Indians Win Two In Oberlin
The Lady Indians won both high school basketball games played in Oberlin on Friday, February 8. The varsity girls played well to defeat the Lady Red Devil team 53-45. The junior varsity Lady Indians squeaked by Decatur Community 14-12 in a two-quarter contest.
The junior varsity girls opened the evening on a four-in-a-row slate. Decatur Community scored the first basket of the contest receiving an offensive rebound basket from Emma Anderson (5' 8" So.). Jordyn Faulkender scored a driving basket to answer. The two baskets were the only ones scored by either team in the first four-and-a half minutes of the contest. After a Decatur Community (DC) time-out at 3:31, the Lady Devils earned a stick-back basket by Gracie Vontz (5' 8" So.). Bailey Workman sank back-to-back free-throws to re-tie the contest. St. Francis earned their first lead of the game on two free-throws by Hannah Zimbal with 38 seconds left in the quarter. DC led 6-7 at the first quarter break after a left-corner trey by KeLynn Jacobs (5' 6" So.).
Mia Morrow opened the second and final period with two free-throws. Jordyn Faulkender added a driving score to give the Lady Indians a 10-7 advantage. After a press-offense score by Riley Ketterl (5' 6" Fr.), St. Francis called time-out with 3:21 remaining. Faulkender added a free-throw, but both teams were having trouble scoring. With 1:43 remaining, DC used another time-out. At 1:29, Brynna Addleman (5' 10" Fr.) added a free-throw narrowing the margin to one. Six seconds later, Alondra Gomez added a free-throw; Morrow added another moments later. With the Lady Indians pressing, DC used a time-out at 55.9 to prevent a 10-second count. After returning to action, the Lady Red Devils scored on press offense; a basket by Melody Koerperich (5' 4" So.). Trailing by one (13-12), the Lady Red Devils began fouling. Twice in two seconds of clock time, the Lady Indians missed free-throws. At 16.1, the Lady Devils fouled again. This time, Gomez made one-of-two to move the score to 14-12. With 3.9 seconds left, the Lady Indians committed a foul. Thankfully, DC missed both tries. St. Francis defeated the Decatur Community Lady Red Devils in JV action, 14-12.
The Decatur Community varsity Lady Red Devils (9-9) are a much improved team from one year ago. The Lady Indians and Lady Devils battled mostly evenly throughout the contest and traded the lead several times as the game progressed. The Lady Devils' largest lead was 9; the Lady Indians' largest lead was 8. DC's strong post player Anna Carter (6' 0" Jr.) opened the contest with a short-range score. On the ensuing possession, Emma Johnson drained a right-wing trey to earn the lead. A right-corner deuce by Hannah Zimbal increased the margin to 5-2, but a transition basket by DC's Riley Ketterl and a score in the lane by Carter gave DC the lead (5-6) at 3:15. After a free-throw by DC's Alyssa Van Vleet (5' 9" Jr.), Lauren Johnson added two free-throws to re-tie the contest. Lauren's right-wing trey was followed by a shot from the left baseline in transition by DC's Kennedy Jensen (5' 5" Jr.). Moments later, Van Vleet scored on a drive regaining the lead for the Red Devils. Emma Johnson's top-of-the key trey closed the first period with the Lady Indians in front 13-11. DC's post, Anna Carter picked up her third foul late in the first period and did not play again until the second half.
Just moments into the second period, DC regained the lead on a top-of-the-key trey by Alyssa Van Vleet. The Lady Devils soon added a free-throw circle jumper by Van Vleet in transition and a drive by Erin May (5' 7" Jr.). At 6:26, the Lady Indians called time-out trailing 13-18. After returning to the floor, Lauren Johnson drained a trey from the top narrowing the deficit. Karly Bandel followed with a right-wing deuce after a DC turnover tying the game again (18-18). DC used their first time-out at 5:43 to stop the momentum. A Hannah Zimbal free-throw was followed by two charity tosses by Van Vleet. Van Vleet's drive gave the Lady Devils a three-point cushion (19-22). Though Bandel's right-corner trey tied the game, a final first half score by Jensen gave DC a 22-24 advantage at the halftime break.
Anna Carter scored the opening basket of the third period in the lane. Erin May added a transition basket moments later. It was obvious that the Lady Devils planned to use Carter's strength inside as she soon scored from the post again. With 4:50 left in the third period, St. Francis called time-out trailing 22-30. Lindsey Johnson soon scored on a nice post move, but Van Vleets' deep three-ball gave DC a 9-point lead. The Lady Indians were needing to make some plays....and they did. Lauren Johnson's deuce began the action. After another transition basket by May, Emma Johnson sank a top-of-the-key trey. Lindsey Johnson then added two post baskets moving the Lady Indians within two (33-35). After a Carter post basket, an assist from Lindsey Johnson set up a left-wing trey by sister Emma. St. Francis had cut the deficit to one (36-37) at the third quarter break.
Van Vleet opened the final period with another three-ball. On the next possession, Alondra Gomez sank a trey for the Lady Indians. Van Vleet followed with two free-throws, but at 5:36, Emma Johnson tied the game sinking three-consecutive free-throws (42-42). Neither team would score for a bit, and at 4:08, St. Francis used a time-out; their third of the game. Shortly thereafter, Lindsey Johnson drained a left-corner deuce on an assist from Emma. Van Vleet added another free-throw, and at 3:22, DC used their 2nd time-out. St. Francis soon received another basket; this one by Lauren Johnson on an assist from Lindsey Johnson. With 2:04 remaining, Emma Johnson drained a shot from the top giving St. Francis a five-point lead (48-43). On the ensuing possession, Carter added a post basket, and DC called time-out at 1:55. After a St. Francis miss, Carter was fouled, but missed the first of a one-and-one. Two quick fouls were given by DC, as the Lady Indians were not yet in the bonus. With 51.6 seconds left, another quick DC foul sent Alondra Gomez to the line. Alondra missed the free-throw, but the Lady Indians rebounded. At 42.7, Karly Bandel went to the line and missed the front end of a one-and-one. St. Francis rebounded again with Gomez grabbing the important rebound. With 32.4 seconds left, Lauren Johnson swished back-to-back free-throws moving the score to 51-45. After a DC miss, Bandel sank two free-throws increasing the margin to 53-45. The Lady Indians would miss two more free-throws after an errant DC field-goal attempt. Though the Lady Indians missed several charity tosses in the final minutes, the Lady Indians had executed well enough to earn a 53-45 come-from-behind victory.
Scoring for St. Francis were Emma Johnson 18, Lauren Johnson 14, Lindsey Johnson 8, Karly Bandel 7, Hannah Zimbal 3, and Jordyn Faulkender 3. The Lady Indians made 10 of 17 from the line (7 of 11 in the 4th qtr.), had 11 fouls,and 13 turnovers.
Decatur Community was led in scoring by Alyssa Van Vleet with 21 points. Anna Carter added 12 (though spending many minutes on the bench due to foul trouble; fouled out late in the contest). The Lady Devils made 6 of 10 from the stripe, were whistled for 16 fouls, and had 18 turnovers.
St. Francis will play Cheylin in McDonald on Tuesday, February 12. The game with Hoxie, in Hoxie, scheduled for Monday, February 10 (make-up game postponed earlier in the season) has been moved to Thursday, February 14. The Hoxie girls are 10-6. Games begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Hoxie High School Gym. There will be no JV games.
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