|
Monday, 26 November 2007 |
 Wapakoneta junior Devon Golden goes up for a shot during Saturday’s game against New Knoxville at WHS. (Staff photo/ Brad Avery)
By PHIL McLEAN
Staff Writer
The Wapakoneta girls basketball team put on a shooting demonstration over the last 3 1/2 minutes of the second period in its non-league game with New Knoxville on Saturday that extended a 1-point lead, 14-13, to a 14-point lead, 29-15, heading into the locker room. The 15-2 run just before halftime was all the Redskins needed for their second win in as many outings.
Leading the way for Wapakoneta was junior Devon Golden, who stepped up to score a game-high 19 points to lead the Redskins to a 49-38 win over the Rangers.
“I though we played well in the first quarter,” Wapakoneta varsity coach Brad Rex said. “We lost it a little bit in the second quarter, but played really well and got a nice lead at the end of the second quarter.”
Katie Greve opened the scoring with a trey, one of three Wapakoneta tallied Saturday giving the Redskins an early lead.
But the Rangers, always a nemesis for Wapakoneta, did not give up easily.
Senior Brooke Niemeyer tied the score at 3, two minutes into the period. It was as close as New Knoxville would come.
Thirty seconds later, Golden drained the first of her two treys and the Redskins never trailed again.
“We had two bad stretches,” Ranger varsity coach Tim Hegemier said. “The first was in the second quarter, where we had it down to, I don’t know, three or four then all of a sudden we’re going into the locker room down by 14.” Wapakoneta had taken a 14-7 advantage at the end of the first period, and even though New Knoxville continued to battle, were able to build the lead.
“In the third quarter, the girls battled real hard and we had it down to six, then all of a sudden it went away,” Hegemier said.
Junior Morgan Reineke sliced the Redskin lead to six, with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third stanza.
“We made some mental mistakes and didn’t get some little bunny shots that we can’t miss and things like that really kills you against a good Wapak team,” Hegemier said.
By the end of the third period, the Redskins had opened the margin to 10 points.
From then on, the Redskins were in complete control of their own destiny.
Even though Golden was the only Redskin in double figures, eight other Wapakoneta players put points in the book.
“It’s been everybody,” Rex said. “I’m not afraid to play anybody off the bench. They do an excellent job when they go in.
“You know, we are never going to replace 20 points a game, but everybody pitches in a does their job.”
With three minutes left in the game, Niemeyer brought the Rangers within 10, but Greve gave Wapakoneta the winning margin with a field goal in the last 24 seconds.
Niemeyer led New Knoxville with 15 points and Reineke added 11 in the loss.
The Ranger reserves took the opening game, 41-18.
Nikki Shreve had 12 points and Taylor Elshoff contributed 10.
Amy Snider and Kala Knoch each scored five points to lead the Redskins.
Wapakoneta will return to action on Thursday when the Redskins travel to Bath to open their defense of the Western Buckeye League title. |
|
Last Updated ( Tuesday, 27 November 2007 )
|
