Lady Lions defend Grandle Gymnasium in win over Blanchester

LEESBURG — Playing in a grind-it-out type of contest Thursday evening at Grandle Gymnasium, the Fairfield Lady Lions got enough of a cushion in the fourth quarter to win on their home court by six points at 37-31. 

Fairfield never trailed after any of the four frames played, with the score tied at 10-10 when the first frame came to a close, then holding a three-point lead at halftime by a 16-13 score. Fairfield had a one-point lead at 24-23 when the third frame finished, but in the fourth quarter FHS outscored their non-conference opponent, 13-8 for the six-point win. 

“Like we told the girls in the locker room after the game, it is a long season and you are going to have some ugly wins and some good wins, and that was an ugly win,” FHS head coach Jennifer Blue said. “The past couple years we would have never won something like that, and so I’m just proud of the girls for battling through and coming out with that victory.” 

The fourth quarter started out in favor of the visiting Lady Wildcats as Addie Elam put Blanchester ahead by one point at the 6:50 mark for a 25-24 score. Fairfield answered with four consecutive points by Meri Jackson with points in the paint and two free-throw conversions. Then that run went to a 7-0 run when Fairfield’s Vivian Henninger made three consecutive free throws for a 31-25 advantage with 5:03 left in regulation, as Henninger led the Lady Lions with 15 points. 

Blanchester came back with a 3-pointer by Hailee Harris — who led BHS with 11 points — but with 3:51 left on the clock, Henninger had a steal and layup for a 33-28 score. Again, Blanchester battled back with a 3-pointer, once again by Harris, at the 3:40 mark. 

Jackson — who finished the game with 12 points — added two points to Fairfield’s total with a layup, with the assist by Isabelle Hale, for a four-point advantage, Jackson then scored the final points of the game with a put-back basket with .39 left in the game for the six-point win at 37-31. 

“That 2-3 really threw us for a loop there, but we just had bad ball movement, but toward the end we had decent ball movement and we were getting better looks,” Blue said. “We kept telling them, the more passes you are going to make them move and that’s when you create more holes, and that’s what we were trying to accomplish at the end.

“Meri and Vivian rebounded very well, and that was one of the key because (Blanchester) had two tall girls coming in and we knew we were going to have to keep them off the boards, so they couldn’t get easy put-backs, and I think the girls did a wonderful job of that.”

The first frame saw the 10-10 score with Fairfield having points scored by Jackson on a put-back opportunity to start the game, only to see BHS score the next five points with 4:21 left in the first. Fairfield’s second basket of the game came with a jumper by Rilee Quickle, followed by a 3-pointer by Hale for a 7-5 FHS lead as she finished the game with five points.  

BHS answered with five consecutive points, including a 3-pointer from Harris with 1:00 left in the quarter, Henninger equaled the basket with a corner 3-pointer with .33 on the clock for the 10-10 score. 

There were a total of nine points scored in the second quarter with FHS having baskets from Henninger, Hale and Addison Cannon. Blanchester’s lone bucket was a 3-pointer from Tatum Strange, as FHS led Blanchester 16-13 at halftime. 

The Lady Lions held a 24-23 point lead when the third quarter was completed with points from Henninger, Jackson and Quickle. Blanchester had baskets from Bella Kelly, Elam and Alison Trovillo. 

The loss sends Blanchester to an overall record of 5-3 this season, as they are 3-2 in the SBAAC National Division. 

Fairfield improves to 6-1 overall, and they are 3-1 in the SHAC Division II standings. 

Next for Fairfield is a SHAC game on Monday, Dec. 22 at home against the Eastern Lady Warriors (1-1, 4-1). 

BOX SCORE
BHS    10 03 10 08  — 31
FHS    10 06 08 13 — 37

FAIRFIELD (37) — I.Hale 1 (1) 0-0 5, R.Quickle 1 (0) 1-2 3, V.Henninger 4 (1) 4-7 15, A.Cannon 1 (0) 0-0 2, M.Jackson 5 (0) 2-2 12. TOTALS: 12 (2) 7-11 37. 

BLANCHESTER (31) — A.Elam 3 (1) 0-0 9, J.Lansing 0 (0) 1-2 1, H.Harris 1 (3) 0-0 11, A.Trovillo 0 (0) 2-2 2, B.Kelly 1 (0) 1-1 3, T.Strange 1 (1) 0-0 5. TOTALS: 6 (5) 4-5 31.