Indians run over New Bremen (02/04/05)

NEW BREMEN, Ohio — The Indians are streaking toward the tournament once again. They just want their stay in the post-season to be a little longer this time around.

The Fort Recovery girls basketball team won its fourth straight Thursday, clinching a second consecutive third-place finish in the Midwest Athletic Conference with a 55-30 thumping of the New Bremen Cardinals.

“What you have to keep looking at is we’re trying to get ready for the tournament, plus you want to win the game,” said FRHS coach Jeff Roessner. “Our kids were in control most of the way through this thing.”

The Tribe (13-5, 6-2 MAC) closed the 2003-04 regular season with seven straight wins and added one more in the tournament before falling to defending state champion Marion Local. The path is similar this year.

It has two more regular-season games (at Lima Central Catholic Monday and hosting Parkway Thursday) and will return to New Bremen to play New Knoxville in the tournament’s first round. A possible sectional championship game against the Division IV seventh-ranked defending state champion Minster Wildcats would be next.

Minster lost for just the third time this season Thursday, falling in double-overtime to undefeated Division IV No. 2 Marion Local in the game which decided the MAC title.

Fort Recovery can only hope the Cardinals’ home floor is as kind to them in the tournament as it was Thursday, when it jumped out to a 9-0 lead and added runs for 10-0 and 20-1 in the 25-point win.

It took the Indians just five seconds to score the open basket, as Tiff Gaerke tipped to Krystal Rammel, who passed to Vicki Roessner for an easy two points. Holly Stein hit a 3-pointer and Rammel and Roessner each added buckets for the quick 9-0 advantage.

“When you’re playing catch-up you’re really going to struggle against them,” said NBHS coach John Storrer. “They’re really going to put the pressure on. ...

“They just do such a good physical job in the half-court, in their man defense.”

New Bremen (4-13, 1-7 MAC), which opened 0-for-3 with five turnovers in its first eight possessions, finally got on the board with a free throw by Kelly Steineman five minutes into the game. It pulled to within 9-5 before the Tribe went wild again.

Rammel scored on an assist from Roessner, and Sara Fortkamp came up with a steal and lay-up for a 13-5 Fort Recovery lead at the end of the first quarter. A 3-pointer by Megan Wenning to open the second quarter followed by a 3-point play by Roessner completed the 10-0 run for a 19-5 lead.

The Cardinals managed to get back within single digits late in the half and again early in the third quarter, but the Indians’ 20-1 run bridging the third and fourth periods put the contest well out of reach.

“Once you lost some games and somebody jumps out on you it’s twice as hard to get back in it,” said Roessner. “You’ve got to give them credit. They didn’t pack it in. They just kept playing hard.”

They were still no match for the Indians, who got hot from the outside despite shooting just 35 percent overall. They made 8-of-18 3-pointers (44 percent), including three by Stein and two from Fortkamp.

Stein finished with a game-high 15 points, Roessner scored 11 and Fortkamp added 10. Stein and Wenning shared the team-high of seven rebounds, and Roessner finished with six assists.

New Bremen, which turned the ball over 30 times in the contest and attempted just 30 field goals compared to 58 for the Tribe, didn’t have anyone score in the double figures.

Steineman led the team with nine points, Sarah Schmiesing scored seven and Kristen Luedeke added six on a couple of fourth-quarter 3-pointers. Schmiesing grabbed 10 rebounds, and Steineman added eight and Julie Griesdorn had three assists.

Junior varsity

Fort Recovery nearly let the JV contest slip away, but had an excellent fourth quarter to grab a 44-32 victory over New Bremen.

The Tribe had a double-digit lead early in the third period, but watched it all slip away as the Cardinals forged a 28-28 tie at the end of the quarter. The Indians pushed back, however, with Val Fortkamp sealing the game on a couple of spectacular drives to the basket in the final two minutes.

Fortkamp finished second on the team with 11 points, and Abby Niekamp led the way with 15. Fortkamp added four assists and three steals, and Niekamp also had three steals.

Jill Pottkotter and Sam Staugler each added eight points. Pottkotter grabbed seven rebounds, and Staugler and Lauren Wenning each added six. Staugler also notched three steals.

Katie Wente led New Bremen with 13 points and 10 rebounds.[[In-content Ad]]