Lady Cats on both ends of routs
January 25, 2022 at 10:04 p.m.
Lady Cats on both ends of routs
By Will Fehlinger-
“At the end of our season, we are playing our best basketball,” head coach Kyle Van Meter said after the win. “Tuesday night showed that. Connersville's biggest lead of the night was two and that was in the early stages of the first quarter.”
This was FC's second straight game with a winning margin at or north of 20, to go with nine players in the scorebook in back-to-back games.
Amid a slow start, the lone early bucket for the hosts came on sophomore Nicole Mears' jumper from the side off senior Jenna Bruns' assist. Mears later found senior Alex Gillman with a bounce pass to tie the game at four with 2:49 left in the first.
Bruns to junior Kiersten Schell netted two in the paint and junior Macy Crain converted with her off hand to put FC up 8-6 after one.
A three for CHS senior Paige Dunaway switched the lead after a two-minute scoring desert to open frame two. Mears quickly maneuvered in the lane to wrest the lead back at 10-9 and start an 8-0 home run. A steal by Kassidy Schell led to a basket and Bruns' 3-pointer had CHS calling timeout.
Addy Phillips scored five in a row for the guests, but FC answered with nine straight points to close the half. It was the Schell show for a minute as Kiersten scored in the lane, then delivered a pass to her twin sister for a 3-ball; Kassidy added another field goal off a CHS turnover. A putback by Mears made it 25-14 at the midpoint.
The second half was also kind to the Wildcats as they outscored the Spartans 30-21.
“We really came to life,” said Van Meter. “We were hitting outside shots, making strong post moves and all players were playing well and doing their job.”
FC took about three minutes to get started, however. At 5:02 of the third, Crain passed out to junior Josie Rolfes for a 3-point shot to get the lead back to double figures. A feed to Crain later made it 30-19.
Mears was fouled on a spin move; she'd miss her free throw, but Rolfes gathered the rebound and got back to the line for 1 of 2. The lead was a dozen. With just under two minutes left in the period, Ki. Schell drained a 3 and CHS needed time. Late scores by Mears and freshman Tiffany Billman put FC up 40-23 after three.
Rolfes provided the next goal from beyond the arc, putting the margin at 20. Bruns assisted Ka. Schell to make it 45-23. After Rolfes' third triple and another Mears bucket, FC had its biggest lead at 23.
Mears scored a game-high 12 with Rolfes adding 10. Dunaway led the Spartans with 10.
Scoring
C (6-13, 1-4) – Dunaway 10 (2 3s), Ruble 2, Phillips 7, Bottomley 6, Sembach 6, Morgan 3 (3), ?? 1
FC (10-11, 2-3) – Ka. Schell 9 (3), Ki. Schell 7 (3), Crain 7, Rolfes 10 (3 3s), Bruns 3 (3), Gillman 2, Mears 12, Billman 2, Kaiser 3 (3)
At East Central (Jan. 20)
The 70-35 loss to the Lady Trojans was an in-season improvement for the Wildcats as EC won by 51 back in early November.
Mears led again, this time with 10 points and 5 rebounds. Ki. Schell added 9 points and 3 assists. Rolfes collected two more treys, finishing with 8 points.
The Greensburg sectional begins Tuesday with FC and Rushville being the only scheduled game that night, 7 p.m. The Lions defeated FC by 17 earlier this month.
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“At the end of our season, we are playing our best basketball,” head coach Kyle Van Meter said after the win. “Tuesday night showed that. Connersville's biggest lead of the night was two and that was in the early stages of the first quarter.”
This was FC's second straight game with a winning margin at or north of 20, to go with nine players in the scorebook in back-to-back games.
Amid a slow start, the lone early bucket for the hosts came on sophomore Nicole Mears' jumper from the side off senior Jenna Bruns' assist. Mears later found senior Alex Gillman with a bounce pass to tie the game at four with 2:49 left in the first.
Bruns to junior Kiersten Schell netted two in the paint and junior Macy Crain converted with her off hand to put FC up 8-6 after one.
A three for CHS senior Paige Dunaway switched the lead after a two-minute scoring desert to open frame two. Mears quickly maneuvered in the lane to wrest the lead back at 10-9 and start an 8-0 home run. A steal by Kassidy Schell led to a basket and Bruns' 3-pointer had CHS calling timeout.
Addy Phillips scored five in a row for the guests, but FC answered with nine straight points to close the half. It was the Schell show for a minute as Kiersten scored in the lane, then delivered a pass to her twin sister for a 3-ball; Kassidy added another field goal off a CHS turnover. A putback by Mears made it 25-14 at the midpoint.
The second half was also kind to the Wildcats as they outscored the Spartans 30-21.
“We really came to life,” said Van Meter. “We were hitting outside shots, making strong post moves and all players were playing well and doing their job.”
FC took about three minutes to get started, however. At 5:02 of the third, Crain passed out to junior Josie Rolfes for a 3-point shot to get the lead back to double figures. A feed to Crain later made it 30-19.
Mears was fouled on a spin move; she'd miss her free throw, but Rolfes gathered the rebound and got back to the line for 1 of 2. The lead was a dozen. With just under two minutes left in the period, Ki. Schell drained a 3 and CHS needed time. Late scores by Mears and freshman Tiffany Billman put FC up 40-23 after three.
Rolfes provided the next goal from beyond the arc, putting the margin at 20. Bruns assisted Ka. Schell to make it 45-23. After Rolfes' third triple and another Mears bucket, FC had its biggest lead at 23.
Mears scored a game-high 12 with Rolfes adding 10. Dunaway led the Spartans with 10.
Scoring
C (6-13, 1-4) – Dunaway 10 (2 3s), Ruble 2, Phillips 7, Bottomley 6, Sembach 6, Morgan 3 (3), ?? 1
FC (10-11, 2-3) – Ka. Schell 9 (3), Ki. Schell 7 (3), Crain 7, Rolfes 10 (3 3s), Bruns 3 (3), Gillman 2, Mears 12, Billman 2, Kaiser 3 (3)
At East Central (Jan. 20)
The 70-35 loss to the Lady Trojans was an in-season improvement for the Wildcats as EC won by 51 back in early November.
Mears led again, this time with 10 points and 5 rebounds. Ki. Schell added 9 points and 3 assists. Rolfes collected two more treys, finishing with 8 points.
The Greensburg sectional begins Tuesday with FC and Rushville being the only scheduled game that night, 7 p.m. The Lions defeated FC by 17 earlier this month.
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