Mt. Vernon’s Ellery Minch (12) puts up a one-handed shot over Pendleton Heights’ Kaycie Warfel (12) and Haliee Brunnemer (3) during their game at Mt. Vernon High School on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (Rob Baker/Daily Reporter)
By Rick Teverbaugh/For Daily Reporter
ANDERSON — Mt. Vernon had two things atop the board in the locker room prior to Tuesday night’s game against Anderson.
The Marauders improved in both areas and it helped them to a 58-21 victory over the host Indians.
“No. 1 and No. 2 on the board were limiting the points we were giving up in free throws and cutting down on the turnovers,” said MV coach Julie Shelton. “We’ve still got a ways to go, but that’s a focus and we did improve.”
The Marauders had just eight turnovers, six coming in the second quarter and sent the home team to the free throw line for just six attempts.
“It’s just a matter of us moving our feet,” said Shelton of the foul troubles. “There was one stretch where we started to foul on some drives and you saw I took five players out and put (a different) five in. If we don’t foul any more than we did tonight against Pendleton (Saturday), we win that game even with the turnovers.”
Cutting down on those miscues is a matter of keeping calm. “I’ve told them I would rather get a jump ball or a five-second count than to panic and throw the ball to (the other team),” said Shelton.
The Marauders jumped to leads of 11-2 and 27-6 after the first two stops and forced 23 turnovers from Anderson.
The scoring was spread out a bit with five girls getting five or more points. Ellery Quinn and Madison Swingle paced the scoring with 18 and 17 points. “I thought Swingle had a really good game for us,” said Shelton. “We did a better job of looking down the floor and I think that helped spread out the scoring. We didn’t just look for a couple of players.”
Swingle hit 8 of 13 shots from the field. Khloe Patterson helped Mt. Vernon edge the Indians on the boards 30-29 by getting eight rebounds, four offensive and four defensive.
Anderson had trouble generating offense in any quarter except the third, when it put up all but eight of its points. The Indians had a single field goal in each of the first two quarters and none in the final stanza.
Sophomore Jacelyn Starks had 10 points.
The Marauders return home and are back in Hoosier Heritage Conference play on Saturday against Yorktown.
MT. VERNON 58, ANDERSON 21
Mt. Vernon;11;16;18;13;—;58
Anderson;2;4;13;2;—;21
MT. VERNON (5-3) — Alaina Nugent 2 1-2 6, Shay Shipley 2 0-0 5, Ellery Minch 8 1-3 18, Madison Swingle 8 0-1 17, Khloe Patterson 2 0-0 4, Easton Wampler 2 2-2 6, Kanyonrae Kenny 0 0-0 0, Savannah Jouppi 0 0-0 0, Victoria Jenson 0 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Laffey 2 0-0 2. Totals 25 4-8 58
ANDERSON (3-7) — Koral Wheeler 2 0-0 4, Zoe Allen 0 0-0 0, Jaclyn Starks 4 0-0 10, Payton Sargent 1 1-2 3, Emma Weber 1 0-0 2, Kennedy Brown 0 1-2 1, Makhile McWilliams 0 0-0 0, Kaliyah Armstrong 0 1-2 1, Gracie Hallgrath 0 0-0 0, Emma Wilson 0 0-0 0, Talasha Simonds 0 0-0 0. Totals 8 3-6 21.
3-point goals – Mt. Vernon 4 (Nugent, Shipley, Minch, Swingle); Anderson 2 (Starks 2).
