New Palestine’s Steele Brasfield celebrates a basket against Eastern Hancock’s during their game on Friday, Dec. 3, 2021.
NEW PALESTINE — A night after fending off Hancock County foe Eastern Hancock, the New Palestine boys basketball team used a strong start and never looked back Saturday, beating Rushville 67-49 in the Dragons’ home opener.
Dragons’ Steele Brasfield scored 13 first-quarter points – including the last 10 of the frame – to lead the Dragons to a 20-4 first-quarter edge.
The Dragons pushed the lead above 20 in the second and eventually to 31 points in the fourth quarter in the victory before a late Rushville run cut the lead to the 18-point final margin.
Eleven players found the scoresheet in the victory. Brasfield scored 15 of his 20 points in the opening nine minutes of the game, but the Dragons extended the lead with a balanced second quarter, with seven different players scoring points in the frame.
A late Rushville spurt cut the Dragons’ lead to 37-20 at halftime, but the Dragons opened the third quarter with 10 straight points to push the lead to 47-20 and eventually to 58-29 at the end of the frame. Ian Stephens scored eight of his 15 points in the quarter and Logan Strong added four.
In addition to Brasfield’s tally – his third 20-point game in as many outings this season – Stephens scored a career-high 15. Strong also tallied a career high with nine points. Blaine Nunnally hit two 3-pointers for six points.
Jaret Whitaker and Kendall Hill scored four each. Eian Roudebush tallied three points. Matthew Barada and Bryant Nunnally each scored two points. Damon Hockett and Julius Gizzi each tallied one.
Jerron Taylor led Rushville with 25 points.
The victory allowed the Dragons (2-1) to sweep the weekend. They are next in action Friday at home against Greenfield-Central for a boys/girls varsity doubleheader.
Girls Basketball
Dragons sink Eagles
The New Palestine girls basketball team used a 15-point, third-quarter run Saturday afternoon to pull away to a 61-41 victory at home over Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Delta.
The New Palestine Dragons and Eagles were in a 25-all tie when the hosts went on their run, which was fueled by a defense that forced 33 turnovers.
Alaina Miller, Rachel Kelley and Allie Blum hit back-to-back-to-back baskets – the last two coming off live-ball turnovers forced by the Dragons’ press – to push the lead to 31-25. Each later hit another shot, while New Palestine’s Isabella Gizzi was fouled and hit two free throws to extend the lead to double-digits.
After consecutive 3-pointers by Delta cut the lead to 40-31, Gizzi hit a long 3-pointer ahead of the buzzer to push the lead back to 12 headed to the final frame.
In the final quarter, the Dragons put the game away, with Gizzi scoring 10 points and Kelley four while the defense continued to force turnovers.
Gizzi led the Dragons with 20 points. Miller tied her career high with 19. Kelley scored 12. Blum tallied six points and Vivian Miller four. The Dragons improved to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in HHC play.
The Dragons are next in action tonight at home against Shelbyville.
Cougars fall to Bulldogs
The Greenfield-Central girls basketball team narrowly lost to host Lapel, 60-52, on Thursday.
The Cougars are now 1-7 and stand at 0-1 in the HHC.
Against the Bulldogs, Greenfield-Central led 14-13 after the first quarter and built a 30-22 advantage at halftime.
The Bulldogs turned the momentum in the second half, outscoring the Cougars 38-22 to win.
Chaney Brown led the Cougars with 23 points. Brooklyn McConnell followed with 18.
Wrestling
Dragons win a pair at Jeffersonville
The New Palestine wrestling team won two of its five matches Saturday at the Jeffersonville Duals.
The Dragons (3-4) opened the day with two losses – 58-24 to Jeffersonville and 76-6 to No. 9 Columbus East. The Dragons then posted a close 40-36 victory over Jennings County before falling to Oak Hills (Ohio) 39-36 in another tight match. The day finished with a 69-12 victory over South Dearborn.
Cole Vandygriff went 5-0 to lead the Dragons. Sydney DeLois was also 3-0. Bryce Doss and Chris Bullock each went 4-1, while Brandon Brees, Porter May and Jacob Tweedy all went 3-2.
Swimming and Diving
Marauders fall to Eagles
The Mt. Vernon swimming and diving teams lost to visiting Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Delta Thursday.
The Marauders boys lost 95-91, while the Marauders girls lost 97-89.
The Marauders boys fell in a very tight and competitive contest but also had a handful of personal-best times and scores, in addition to a some season-best times.
Matthew Garey won the 100 freestyle. Brady Gray was victorious in the 100 breaststroke.
The Marauders’ 200 medley relay of Gray, Eli Webster, Garey and Ethan Murphy won. Garey, Caleb Strege, Murphy and Gray teamed to win the 400 free relay.
The Marauders girls fought hard with eight wins during their meet.
Individual event winners were: Riley Nielsen (diving), Annelise Hiner (100 butterfly), Calista Smith (200 and 500 free) and Emme Grubbs (50 and 100 free).
The 200 medley relay team of Hiner, Ila Boston, Grubbs and Maddie Meyer also won. Ava Crouch, Meyer, Hiner and Smith won the 200 free relay.
Dragons sweep past Falcons
The New Palestine swimming and diving teams swept visiting Perry Meridian Thursday at the NPHS natatorium.
The Dragon girls won 103-68, while the Dragon boys won 110-72.
The Dragons won eight events en route to the girls victory. Rachel Hamilton (1:18.68) and Claire Lake had a 1-2 finish in the 100-yard backstroke. Chloe Siler (27.25) and Katelyn Trimpe also had a 1-2 finish in the 50 freestyle.
Adrianna Huston won two individual events, taking the 100 freestyle in 58.79 and 200 freestyle in 2:09.64. She was part of two winning relays to become a four-event winner. Trimpe had three victories, with two relays and the 500 freestyle (6:01.87).
Huston, Trimpe, Kyleigh Turner and Sullie Leavell won the 200 free relay (1:50.63). Huston, Trimpe and Turner teamed with Chloe Siler to win the 400 free relay (4:12.01). Rachel Hamilton, Sarah Kleiman, Leavell and Siler won the 200 medley relay in 2:12.25.
The Dragon boys won 10 of the 12 events in the victory. Individual winners were Ben Miesse in the 50 freestyle (24.03) and 100 freestyle (54.33). He was also part of two winning relays to become a four-event winner.
Other winners were Dawson Lynch in the 200 IM (2:24.84), Aidan Stephens in diving (157.65), James Watson in the 500 freestyle (5:51.72), Quincy Shirk in the 100 backstroke (1:06.13) and Aidan Kingery in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.48).
Shirk, Kingery, Liam Fuller and Lynch won the 200 medley relay in 1:54.03. Eli Kleine, Chase Martin, Dontae Thompson and Miesse won the 200 free relay in 1:39.53 and 400 free relay in 3:46.45.
The Dragon boys are now 2-0 on the season, while the girls are 4-2.
Cougars compete at HOF Classic
The Greenfield-Central boys and girls swimming and diving teams competed hard during the Hall of Fame Classic in Franklin on Saturday.
The Cougars boys team placed sixth overall with 137 points, while the Cougars girls were fifth with 349 points.
Kien Dalton was first in the boys diving competition. Alex Jahrsdoefer was fifth in diving.
The Cougars girls had 10 top-eight finishes, including a pair of relays in the 400 medley and 400 freestyle.
Norah Johnson was fourth in the 50 and 200 breaststroke.
Alyssa Osborn, Johnson, Mary Ellen Stratman and Rachel Stutz teamed to take fifth in the 400 medley relay.
Osborn was fifth in the 200 breaststroke.
