Greenfield-Central’s Chaney Brown (12) goes up for a shot in front of New Palestine’s Taylor Kelley (12) during their game at New Palestine High School on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021.
GREENFIELD — The Greenfield-Central girls basketball team rallied back late on Tuesday night, but the visiting Shelbyville Golden Bears found a way to escape with the victory, 54-50.
The host Cougars trailed the Golden Bears by nine points, 19-10, after the first quarter and cut the deficit to 26-24 by halftime behind a strong performance from freshman Chaney Brown and junior Taylor Smith.
Greenfield-Central pulled ahead 38-36 after the third quarter, but Shelbyville outscored the Cougars 18-12 down the stretch to pick up the Hoosier Heritage Conference win.
The Cougars dropped to 1-9 overall and 0-3 in the HHC, while the Golden Bears improved to 7-5 overall and 2-2 in the conference.
Greenfield-Central has lost its past three games by 11 points or less with four of their nine tough-luck defeats by a margin of 10 points or less.
Brown finished Tuesday night’s game with a team-high 24 points on a solid-shooting night, going 8 of 12 from the field and 8 of 9 from the foul line. She hauled in a team-best four rebounds with two assists.
Smith added 13 points on 5 of 11 shooting, including a trio of 3-pointers. She had three rebounds and two steals.
Brooklyn McConnell recorded a team-best six assists and four steals with five points. Josie White contributed eight points (3 of 6 shooting) with two 3-pointers, four rebounds and two steals.
Aryana Hibbard had three steals, four rebounds and two assists.
The Cougars travel to HHC foe Delta on Saturday, Dec. 18 for a 1:30 p.m. varsity game before heading to Connersville on Tuesday.
Swimming and Diving
Dragons split against Arabians
The New Palestine boys swimming and diving team won a close 93-86 victory Tuesday over conference rival Pendleton Heights in a dual meet.
The Dragons girls fell 129-52.
Dontae Thompson (24.81) and Liam Fuller had a 1-2 finish in the 50-yard freestyle. Thompson (53.80) and James Watson finished 1-2 in the 100 freestyle.
Other winners for the Dragons boys were Karter McNeil in the 200 freestyle (2:11.06) and Aidan Kingery in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.61). Quincy Shirk, Fuller, Dawson Lynch and Thompson won the 200 free relay (1:40.30), while Lynch, McNeil, Quinn Crawmer and Watson won the 400 free relay (3:36.81).
Also finishing second were Watson in the 200 IM, McNeil in the 500 freestyle Aidan Stephens in diving, Dawson Lynch in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke
Placing second for the Dragons girls were Chloe Siler in the 50 freestyle, Alayna Walker in diving, Sullie Leavell in the 100 butterfly and the 200 free relay team of Siler, Kyleigh Turner, Katelyn Trimpe and Leavell.
The Dragons boys are now 5-1 on the season, while the girls are 5-5.
Cougars break even with Marauders
The Greenfield-Central girls swimming and diving team defeated county and conference foe Mt. Vernon 135.5-50.5 in a home dual meet on Monday.
The Cougars boys lost 112-67.
The G-C girls took first in 10 events following an intense stretch of racing five days in a row.
The Cougars had a quartet of four-event winners in Mary Ellen Stratman, Alyssa Osborn, Rachel Stutz and Cece Duffy-Johnson.
Osborn won the 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and was part of both the winning 200 medley and 400 free relays.
Stutz placed first in the 200 IM, 100 free and with the 400 free and 200 medley relays.
Stratman teamed with the 200 medley and 400 free relays while also finishing first in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.
Duffy-Johnson won the 500 free and joined her teammates to win the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relays.
The Cougars boys claimed four events. Alex Jahrsdoerfer was first in the 50 free. Kien Dalton won the diving competition. Tyler Swango was first in the 100 free. Derek Noah won the 500 free.
