McClain controls 2nd half for victory over Hillsboro
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — For the first half, each team scored 11 points, but the second half shifted in favor of the McClain Lady Tigers, as they took control of the final two quarters to defeat the Hillsboro Lady Indians, 42-30 Saturday evening.
The South Central Ohio League and Highland County rivalry game saw the two teams combine for just 22 points total in the first half, with MHS (4-3) leading 7-4 after the first quarter and HHS (1-6) winning the second frame by the same 7-4 point differential.
"Hillsboro dictated the first half," MHS head coach Jarrod Haines said. "Offensively, we struggled, and credit Hillsboro for that."
HHS head coach JR Moberly also spoke about the first half.
"We did a lot of good defensively in the first half," he said. "Both teams played well. Even in the second half, both teams tried to continue the intensity of the first two quarters, and both got tired.
"The games with Greenfield are always physical, and we knew it would be coming in."
Then came the difference of the game, the final 16 minutes, where it was HHS who broke the tie to start the third, but it was the visiting Lady Tigers who ended the third with a 29-20 advantage.
"I challenged the kids at halftime, and we did what we had to do," Haines said. "It wasn't pretty, and we have a lot to work on."
HHS junior Kaylynn Bell began the third by sinking a free throw for a 12-11 HHS lead. MHS senior Katy Unger equaled the feat to make it a 12-12 score with 6:42 left on the third-quarter clock.
The score said deadlocked until the 5:37 mark when senior Tara Karnes put the Lady Tigers back in front with two more free throws.
There were a total of 47 fouls called in the game, resulting in 34 free throws in the four quarters played.
The points by Karnes began a 7-0 run by MHS from the 5:37 mark until there were 3:40 left in the quarter. Following the free throws by Karnes, Shania Massie, a junior, scored two points in the paint, and freshman Taylor Polley connected once again from the free-throw line. Unger made it a 19-12 score with a layup.
Bell, who led all scorers with 16 points, broke up the run of MHS with two free throws, but two consecutive 3-pointers from junior Lauren Rayburn (in a span of 40 seconds) put the visitors ahead 25-16 with 2:09 left in the quarter.
Karnes, Massie and Rayburn each led MHS with eight points apiece.
"Tara stepped up, and Lauren stepped up all game long," Haines said.
[[In-content Ad]]Kirsten Juillerat made the first field goal of the quarter for the Lady Indians, and two more free throws by Bell brought them to within five points of tying the score at 25-20 with 1:25 left in the third.
As the sound of the whistle continued to echo throughout the HHS Gymnasium in the third (15 fouls were called in the eight-minute frame), MHS took advantage of their final two trips to the foul line in the third with Massie and Rayburn each connecting twice from the free-throw line, increasing the Lady Tiger lead to 29-20.
HHS brought the score a little closer at the start of the fourth with Madison Snyder and Hannah Kibler each making a free throw.
"Hannah played well," Moberly said. "She did a nice job on (Shania) Massie. She kept her in front, and she did have help from her teammates, but Hannah battled. Kirsten and Maddie took away the interior game and made them earn everything they got in the paint."
MHS responded with a layup by Karnes and a steal and fast-break basket by Sarah Thompson for a 33-22 lead.
"Sarah played well defensively for us," Haines said. "She had some big steals, and her play was a big difference. I'm proud of the kids, and a win is a win. We'll take it."
In the fourth, there were 16 fouls called with a total of 25 free throws taken in eight minutes with MHS scoring the remainder of their points in the game from the free-throw line following the layup from Thompson.
MHS will play again on Dec. 18 at Miami Trace in SCOL play. HHS plays their next game on Dec. 18 at Clinton-Massie.
The South Central Ohio League and Highland County rivalry game saw the two teams combine for just 22 points total in the first half, with MHS (4-3) leading 7-4 after the first quarter and HHS (1-6) winning the second frame by the same 7-4 point differential.
"Hillsboro dictated the first half," MHS head coach Jarrod Haines said. "Offensively, we struggled, and credit Hillsboro for that."
HHS head coach JR Moberly also spoke about the first half.
"We did a lot of good defensively in the first half," he said. "Both teams played well. Even in the second half, both teams tried to continue the intensity of the first two quarters, and both got tired.
"The games with Greenfield are always physical, and we knew it would be coming in."
Then came the difference of the game, the final 16 minutes, where it was HHS who broke the tie to start the third, but it was the visiting Lady Tigers who ended the third with a 29-20 advantage.
"I challenged the kids at halftime, and we did what we had to do," Haines said. "It wasn't pretty, and we have a lot to work on."
HHS junior Kaylynn Bell began the third by sinking a free throw for a 12-11 HHS lead. MHS senior Katy Unger equaled the feat to make it a 12-12 score with 6:42 left on the third-quarter clock.
The score said deadlocked until the 5:37 mark when senior Tara Karnes put the Lady Tigers back in front with two more free throws.
There were a total of 47 fouls called in the game, resulting in 34 free throws in the four quarters played.
The points by Karnes began a 7-0 run by MHS from the 5:37 mark until there were 3:40 left in the quarter. Following the free throws by Karnes, Shania Massie, a junior, scored two points in the paint, and freshman Taylor Polley connected once again from the free-throw line. Unger made it a 19-12 score with a layup.
Bell, who led all scorers with 16 points, broke up the run of MHS with two free throws, but two consecutive 3-pointers from junior Lauren Rayburn (in a span of 40 seconds) put the visitors ahead 25-16 with 2:09 left in the quarter.
Karnes, Massie and Rayburn each led MHS with eight points apiece.
"Tara stepped up, and Lauren stepped up all game long," Haines said.
[[In-content Ad]]Kirsten Juillerat made the first field goal of the quarter for the Lady Indians, and two more free throws by Bell brought them to within five points of tying the score at 25-20 with 1:25 left in the third.
As the sound of the whistle continued to echo throughout the HHS Gymnasium in the third (15 fouls were called in the eight-minute frame), MHS took advantage of their final two trips to the foul line in the third with Massie and Rayburn each connecting twice from the free-throw line, increasing the Lady Tiger lead to 29-20.
HHS brought the score a little closer at the start of the fourth with Madison Snyder and Hannah Kibler each making a free throw.
"Hannah played well," Moberly said. "She did a nice job on (Shania) Massie. She kept her in front, and she did have help from her teammates, but Hannah battled. Kirsten and Maddie took away the interior game and made them earn everything they got in the paint."
MHS responded with a layup by Karnes and a steal and fast-break basket by Sarah Thompson for a 33-22 lead.
"Sarah played well defensively for us," Haines said. "She had some big steals, and her play was a big difference. I'm proud of the kids, and a win is a win. We'll take it."
In the fourth, there were 16 fouls called with a total of 25 free throws taken in eight minutes with MHS scoring the remainder of their points in the game from the free-throw line following the layup from Thompson.
MHS will play again on Dec. 18 at Miami Trace in SCOL play. HHS plays their next game on Dec. 18 at Clinton-Massie.