The Batesville Lady Bulldogs hosted Franklin County last Tuesday evening. The back-and-forth battle had 17 lead changes and eight ties. Batesville led by two after the first quarter and Franklin County was up six at the half. The Lady Dogs battled back, and the teams were tied up at 24-24 to start the final period. The fourth quarter featured five lead changes and ended with a one-point Lady Wildcats' victory, 35-34. Nicole Mears' open jumper with 12 seconds left proved to be the game winner.

A low-scoring first quarter ended with the Lady Cats getting four points from Kassidy Schell and Batesville ahead 6-4. In the second period the teams traded baskets until Sophie Gesell hit a three-point basket that gave the Lady Dogs an 11-10 lead. Franklin County finished off the half on a 7-0 run and took a 17-11 lead into the locker room. 

Schell added a basket to start the second half, then the Lady Dogs went on a 9-0 run and took the lead 20-19 three minutes into the frame. Schell added another FC basket to end the BHS run and retake the lead for the Lady Cats. Batesville added four more points and took a three-point lead. As the period was closing, Bailey Kaiser hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 24-24. 

The final period saw the Lady Dogs score first with a pair of Clare Saner free throws. Four more points had BHS up 30-26 with 2:30 to play when Kiersten Schell hit an open three to bring FC back within a point of the Lady Dogs. Josie Rolfes added another long ball, and the Lady Cats retook the lead 32-30 with 1:20 to go in the game. Emma Weiler tied the game up after getting a steal and going the distance to drop in a layup. Mears went to the line for FC, and they took the lead 33-32 with :35 left to play. Gesell then went to the line and hit both shots; Batesville led by one.   

Unofficial Scoring-
FCHS- Ka. Schell 13, Mears 11, Rolfes 5, Ki. Schell 3, Kaiser 3
BHS- Gesell 9, Alyson Peters 8, Weiler 7, Saner 6, Lydia Haskamp 4

OLDENBURG - Oldenburg Academy's Lady Twisters have seen their ups and downs so far in 2022-23. Friday night can certainly be counted in the former column for Eric Feller's bunch.

A basket by Hannah Haverkos tied the game at 26 with 3:41 left in the third quarter. Two minutes later, Ellie Ryan scored on an inbound play and OA held its slight advantage the remainder of the game to win the county matchup over the 9-win Franklin County Wildcats for the first time since January 2015. Final was 41-39.

Rachel Suttman and Kaiser swapped free throws before Kate Weber's transition layup gave the Twisters a 31-27 lead through three complete.
Already a foul-heavy contest, the teams combined for 13 penalties in the final frame alone as FC was left little choice with OA in the lead and patiently nursing the clock during every possession.

Fittingly, a foul started the fourth as FC's Mears picked up her fourth personal against Ryan. OA's forward banged in both foul shots for a 6-point spread. Wildcat senior Kassidy Schell scored at the other end ahead of two more charities by Ryan. Schell's three-pointer assisted by twin sister Kiersten sliced the lead in half and FC coach Kyle VanMeter called timeout down 35-32.

Just under the 5-minute mark, Weber split defenders and deftly passed to Haverkos for a Twister deuce. Ka. Schell's fourth foul put OA in the bonus midway through the period, though Weber missed the front end of the one-and-one. Oldenburg senior Ashley Borgman and Kassidy Schell traded single free throws for a 38-33 game at the 2:40 point. Ki. Schell then got to the rim for two as FC called another timeout.

Kassidy Schell fouled out when play resumed, and Weber made 1-of-2 in the double-bonus. Mears committed her fifth at 1:07; Haverkos split her foul attempts to make it 40-35. Another basket by Schell made it a one-score game preceding a Wildcat timeout.

It was 40-38 after a Schell free throw. OA left the door open for the visitors in the last half-minute, hitting just one of six FT tries. Rachel Lamping fouled out for the home side; freshman Ruby Singer sank 1-of-2 at the line. With a chance to tie it up late, the Cats stepped out of bounds for a turnover. In the waning seconds, OA came up with a deflection and steal to seal the victory.

The hosts shot out to a 6-0 lead at the start. Lamping hit a triple and Haverkos a traditional 3-point play. Sloppy play at both ends made for over three minutes of scoreless ball. FC finally scored at 2:12 when Ka. Schell passed to Mears for a short jumper before getting a 3 herself to make it 6-5; Schell added another dime on a Macy Crain finish. The Cats led 7-6 after eight minutes.

Rolfes opened the second quarter with a long ball (Ka. Schell assist) and a Mears follow-up hoop had Feller calling time down 12-6. The break helped as OA scored the next six points. Lamping inbounded to Haverkos for an uncontested lay-in; a Haverkos-to-Haverkos combination (Hannah to Nora) tied the game.

Kaiser earned an assist when Rolfes again hit from long range. Borgman scored in the lane to make it 15-14 OA missed foul shots just before half, allowing FC to go up 18-14 at intermission.

A Mears putback started second-half action. Trailing by six again, OA fought back with H. Haverkos free throws and Weber fast-break points. Ka. Schell put FC up 23-18 and later 25-19. OA then went on a pivotal 16-4 swing. Suttman (2) and Lamping (3, assist Weber) got the ball rolling.

Each squad put seven girls in the scoring column, paced by Kassidy Schell's game-high 14 and Hannah Haverkos' 13. OA added 7 from Ryan, 6 by Lamping, 5 apiece for Weber and Borgman, 3 by Suttman and 2 for Nora Haverkos. Supporting Schell were 7 each by Rolfes and Ki. Schell, 6 by Mears, 3 for Crain and a free throw apiece for Kaiser and Singer.

FC (9-3) plays in the Whiteland Ivy Tech Holiday Classic Friday, noon vs. Bloomington South. OA (6-5) has a 13-day break until Waldron visits on the 29th.