PENDLETON — Facing an opponent they had beaten handily early in the regular season, not getting complacent or looking ahead was the key to Mt. Vernon reaching Saturday’s IHSAA Class 4A Sectional 9 championship game at Pendleton Heights High School.
The Marauders used first-half runs of 9-0 and 17-0 to coast to their fourth straight championship appearance, and fifth in the last six years.
In the first of two semifinal games Friday, the Marauders (12-13) defeated Richmond (11-12) 44-21.
“It was great to have a good start, and that really happened defensively,” Mt. Vernon head coach Julie Shelton said. “The team followed our defensive game plan and really did a super job in that first half to let us get the lead.”
The Mt. Vernon defense held the Red Devils to three first-quarter points and held them scoreless in the second period. A Cami Turpin layup to open the game was the only Richmond made basket from the field all half.
“The key was to contain and really make it difficult on [Amyannah] Tucker, and to not let [Maren] Bolser get any set shots,” Shelton said.
A Kaitlyn Laffey layup tied things up following Turpin’s basket to start the game, and off of a Richmond turnover an Easton Wampler 3-pointer put the Marauders ahead the rest of the way.
A Gabby Thomas floater and Kanyonrae Kenny layup pushed things to 9-2 before a Tucker free throw ended the run. The free throw was Richmond’s last point of the first half.
Led by Wampler’s eight second-quarter points the Marauders outscored the Red Devils 17-0 to go into the break ahead 26-3.
Six different Mt. Vernon players scored led by Wampler’s 11. Kenny added nine, Laffey had eight, Thomas had five, Reagan Britt had one, and the Marauders leading scorer on the season, Ellery Minch, finished with eight.
“It’s great to see everyone get involved,” Shelton said. “They were doubling Ellery everywhere, so it says so much about her as a player that she just passed and found her teammates instead of forcing it.”
Mt. Vernon faces New Palestine in today’s championship at 7:30 p.m. at Pendleton Heights.
New Palestine won the regular-season match between the two squads, 41-33 at New Palestine on Dec. 12.
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Mt. Vernon 44, Richmond 21
Mt. Vernon;9;17;6;12;—;44
Richmond;3;0;11;7;—21
Mt. Vernon (12-13): Easton Wampler 4 0-0 11, Kaitlyn Laffey 2 4-4 8, Ellery Minch 4 0-0 8, Gabby Thomas 2 0-0 5, Kanyonrae Kenny 3 3-4 9, Reagan Britt 0 1-2 1, Katelyn Hawkins 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 8-10 44.
Richmond (11-12): Amyannah Tucker 0 3-6 3, Maren Bolser 1 0-0 2, Kiarra Handley 2 0-0 5, Sophie Reising 0 0-0 0, Amari Jackson 0 4-6 4, Cami Turpin 2 0-0 4, Jayden Johnson 1 0-0 3. Totals: 6 7-12 21.
3-point goals: Mt. Vernon 4 (Wampler 3, Thomas); Richmond 2 (Handley, Johnson).
