RUSHVILLE - The Franklin County Lady Wildcats earned their first sectional victory since 2016 on Wednesday evening, Feb. 1, by defeating Batesville 51-39. The Lady Cats took an early lead after shutting down the Lady Bulldogs' offense, holding them to just four first quarter points. Batesville played even with FC in the second period, but in the third quarter the Lady Cats got their three-point game working, allowing them to put it in cruise control for the final frame and earn win number 16 on the season for coach Kyle VanMeter.

The Lady Cats started off the game getting the ball inside to Nicole Mears, who put up six of FC's 13 points in the quarter. Kassidy Schell chipped in with four and FC was up 13-4 after the first frame. The Lady Dogs got a three-point basket from Emma Weiler and a free throw from Sophie Gesell. 

The second period began with Lydia Haskamp getting two baskets for BHS, Schell hit two free throws for FC, then Gesell got an old-fashioned three-point play bringing Batesville within four points of the Lady Cats. Macy Crain scored for FC, then Weiler hit her second deep ball in the game, and it was 17-14 in favor of FC. Cora Deputy added a point from the charity stripe and FC finished off the half with Schell and Mears scoring. With 30 seconds to go, Bailey Kaiser hit a three-pointer and FC took a 24-15 lead into the locker room.

Franklin County increased the lead in the third period with Schell knocking down a deep ball and Crain scoring inside. Alyson Peters and Weiler scored for the Lady Dogs to bring the game back to within 10 points midway through the frame. Then another FC 5-0 run gave them a 14-point cushion.

Batesville scored five more points in the quarter, but the Lady Cats finished the final minute on another 5-0 run with Josie Rolfes hitting a three and Schell going two-for-two from the line. Franklin County led going into the final quarter 41-25.

Batesville finished the game with its highest scoring quarter (14) in the contest. Gesell started them off with the first four points and Claire Saner added three points, but the Lady Cats sealed the victory from the free throw line. FC hit 8 of 12 foul shot attempts taken over the final four minutes of the game. 

Franklin County- Schell 20, Rolfes 11, Mears 9, Crain 8, Kaiser 3

Batesville- Gesell 10, Weiler 8, Haskamp 7, Peters 4, Saner 7, Marlee Obermeyer 2, Deputy 1 

(Semifinal)
Rushville and Franklin County's Lady Wildcats faced off in game two Friday night. The Lady Cats led the game until halftime where they went into the locker room up six. A huge third quarter from Rushville where they outscored FC by 18 points put the Lady Lions up 12 going into the final period. A fast fourth quarter start for the Lady Cats got them back to within a basket of Rushville midway through the frame. The aggressive Franklin County defense put Rushville in the double bonus and Marlow's Lady Lions are one of the best teams from the free throw line in the EIAC. They netted 10 points from the line over the final three minutes of play and claimed a 51-44 victory. 

The Lady Wildcats got a pair of three-pointers from Rolfes and Schell to take the lead in the start of the first period. Munchel and Gossett scored for RCHS and it was 6-5 in favor of FC midway through the first. Schell hit another basket and Mears scored, putting the Lady Cats up five. Gossett scored again to make it a three-point game after the first period, 10-7. 

Schell and Mears scored for FC to start the second quarter, then Rolfes hit from deep, and the Lady Cats led 17-9 with Boyer's layup for Rushville being the Lady Lions' only basket the first six minutes of the period. Gracie Buzzard scored for Rushville and Munchel scored off a steal pulling Rushville back within three of FC. Mears scored for the Lady Cats, Smith knocked down a free throw for Rushville, and with less than a second remaining, Mears sank a shot to give Franklin County the lead at halftime (21-15).

In similar fashion to their round one game, the Lady Lions came out of the break and took control. Boyer scored the first four points of the quarter, and Munchel sank a three-pointer making it a one-point affair. Kiersten Schell hit from deep putting FC back up by two possessions, but Rushville started a run with Buzzard and Gossett scoring; Boyer and Herbert chipped in and two minutes later, Rushville's 10-0 run put them on top 32-26. Crain scored inside for FC to stop the Lady Lions' run, but Rushville kept the momentum going and finished the period on a 5-0 run to take a 40-28 lead into the final frame.

Franklin County wasn't out of the game yet, starting the final quarter with Mears getting two points, and a Ka. Schell long ball to pull FC out of the double-digit deficit. Ka. Schell then hit another three-point basket and the score was 40-38. The Lady Cats' 12-0 run was stopped by a Buzzard free throw, then the next five points came from Rushville free throw shooters. With a minute to go in the game, the Lady Lions had pulled back ahead 46-38. Four points from Mears pulled FC within four, but the Lady Lions held off the FC comeback and secured themselves a spot in the championship game.

RCHS- Munchel 17, Gossett 11, Buzzard 10, Boyer 7, Herbert 3, and Smith 3
FC- Ka. Schell 16, Mears 15, Rolfes 6, Ki. Schell 3, Crain 2, and Ruby Singer 2