Daily Reporter staff reports
INDIANAPOLIS — In search of its first win on the season, the Mt. Vernon girls basketball team rallied together and found it Tuesday night.
Down by five points after the first quarter, the visiting Marauders charged back behind a team-high 22 points by Sydnee Perry to defeat Lawrence Central 75-32.
The victory snapped a three-game losing streak for Mt. Vernon to open the year and secured head coach Julie Shelton’s first win since returning at the helm for the Marauders this winter.
Shelton coached Mt. Vernon from 2001-14 before resigning to work as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Butler University. During her tenure at Mt. Vernon she amassed 260 wins. Her career mark with the Marauders now improves to 261-110.
The Marauders poured in 22 points in the second quarter to build a 32-24 lead at halftime against the host Bears (0-5). They added another 22 points in the third quarter to take a commanding 54-26 lead.
Mt. Vernon scored 21 points in the final frame while holding Lawrence Central to only eight points in the second half.
Perry, a sophomore, entered the contest averaging 10.0 points per game, which she more than doubled behind five 3-pointers.
Freshman Lexi Shelton finished with 19 points, six assists and five rebounds before exiting the game with an injury. Senior Mary Fleming chipped in 12 points and seven rebounds.
Kaitlyn Nugent provided eight points and eight rebounds. Junior Lindsay Hartl and freshman Abby Worley helped the Marauders clamp down defensively to extend their winning streak against Lawrence Central to six straight, dating back to 2012-13.
The Mt. Vernon junior varsity team also won 48-34. Madison Stamm and Dajaynae Echoles each had 12 points.
The Marauders (1-3) return to the court on Friday when they host Rushville at 7:30 p.m.
Cougars fall to Rebels
The Greenfield-Central girls basketball team challenged the visiting Randolph Southern Rebels on Tuesday night, but despite a fierce comeback, the Cougars narrowly lost 45-42.
The loss drops Class 4A Greenfield-Central to 0-4 on the season, while Class A Randolph Southern improves to 5-0.
The Cougars trailed in the first half and roared back in the second half, tying the game at 23-all. With 2:32 left to play, Greenfield-Central led 36-35 as both teams battled back and forth.
A pair of late 3-pointers by the Cougars cut the Rebels’ lead by two points and one point in the final 30 seconds of the game, but Randolph Southern was able to hold on until the final horn.
Greenfield-Central opens Hoosier Heritage Conference play Friday when they travel to Pendleton Heights.
