Staff Report
The Eastern Hancock girls basketball team surged towards an early first-half lead, but the visiting Shenandoah Raiders charged back to win, 54-52, Tuesday night.
The Royals jumped out 17-10 after the first quarter and carried a 30-27 advantage at halftime before Mid-Eastern Conference rival Shenandoah turned the tide.
The Raiders outscored the Royals 17-11 in the third quarter and held on despite the margin tightening in the final eight minutes.
Caroline Stapleton paced the Royals with a team-high 16 points on 4 of 11 shooting from the field. She finished 6-for-7 from the free-throw line.
Grace Stapleton followed with 13 points, and Emma Bolding had 12. Sammie Bolding added seven points.
The Royals were 6-for-23 from 3-point range with the Stapletons converting five combined (three for Grace Stapleton).
Grace Stapleton had a team-best nine rebounds with two assists and four steals. Emma Bolding hauled in six rebounds, and Caroline Stapleton had four.
Sammie Bolding dished out four assists with one block each going to Caroline Stapleton, Alivia Coffin, Grace Stapleton and Ruby White.
The Royals are now 4-2 on the season and 2-1 in the MEC.
Dragons’ comeback falls short
The New Palestine Dragons rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to draw even with Rushville Tuesday night, but the visiting Lions responded with a nine-point run to defeat the Dragons 48-42.
The Dragons trailed 30-13 early in the third quarter when they began staging a furious rally, keyed by their full-court pressure defense.
The Dragons went on a 15-2 run to draw within four points before a late 3-pointer by Rushville and a running shot by Isabella Gizzi made it a 35-30 game at the end of three.
Faith Hensel and Anna Ackerman ignited the run with back-to-back baskets and Grace Marshall’s steal-and-score continued it.
New Palestine opened the fourth quarter with baskets by Addi Jones and Gizzi to draw within one at 35-34. After a pair of Rushville free throws, Rachel Kelley knocked down an 18-footer to again draw the Dragons within one.
The Lions followed with two free throws, and again New Palestine responded, as Ackerman drilled a 3-pointer from the corner to tie the game 39-39.
Rushville followed with a 3-pointer on the next possession to re-take the lead at 42-39, and the Lions then went 6 of 14 from the line to extend their lead and seal the game.
Gizzi led the Dragons with 11 points. Ackerman added 10. Kelley scored five of her career-high seven points in the fourth quarter. Jones tallied six points. Marshall and Hensel scored four each.
Others Scores and Results
Greenfield-Central lost to Hamilton Heights 50-26 on the road Tuesday night … The Cougars’ record dropped to 1-4 … Mt. Vernon won its third straight game on Tuesday, defeating host Connorsville 65-9 … The Marauders are now 3-1 on the season.
Swimming and Diving
Cougars fall to Flashes
The Greenfield-Central girls swimming and diving team lost to Franklin Central on Tuesday night, 109-76.
The Cougars were missing several key swimmers during the competition, but they seized five first-place finishes.
Norah Johnson was first in the 50-yard freestyle. Ariel Niemeier took first in the 100 free, and Norah Stratman was first in the 100 breaststroke. Mary Ellen Stratman won the 100 backstroke.
The 200 medley relay team captured the Cougars fifth first-place ribbon.
Other Scores and Results
The Mt. Vernon girls and boys swimming and diving teams swept at Richmond on Tuesday … the Marauders boys won 106-77 over the host Red Devils … the Marauders girls won 102-78.
