Perfect 10 (12/22/2008)

FORT RECOVERY - Saturday night's game was three-quarters of a thriller. And then the Patriots found their offense.

Jay County High School's girls basketball team outscored Fort Recovery 25-6 in the game's final nine minutes, turning a close game into a 49-31 blowout.

"That was the difference in the ball game," said FRHS coach Doug Bihn, whose team shot just 24 percent. "If you can't score, you can't win. It's pretty simple."

Thanks to Lindsey Wellman, and a spurt from Kaelee Keller in the second half, the Patriots were able to put some points on the board and earn their 10th straight win.

The lead changed hands six times in the first half, with Fort Recovery (4-2) up 18-16 at the intermission. The Indians led 25-24 after Kendra Brunswick's 3-pointer with 1:35 remaining in the first half, but the rest of the game belonged to the Patriots.

Over the next six minutes Wellman and Keller combined for all of the JCHS points in a 19-4 run to take command. Wellman started the run with a driving lay-up to give the Patriots the lead for good and hit a pair of free throws with 3:02 left to make the score 43-29, and Keller buried a pair of 3-pointers in between.

Wellman finished with game highs of 24 points and eight rebounds. Keller was the only other player in the game in double figures as she totaled 10 points and a pair of assists.

"Lindsey really stepped it up and showed great leadership tonight," said JCHS coach Kirk Comer, who noted that Wellman was feeling ill at halftime. "In the second half I wasn't sure if she was going to be able to go or not. I sure am glad she was.

"Big-time players step up in big games, and Lindsey Wellman is a big-time player."

The junior was also key for Jay County (10-0) in the second quarter when its guards got into deep foul trouble. She scored the first seven points of the period - the run took JCHS from a 7-5 disadvantage to a 12-7 lead - and ran the point for the final six minutes.

With Keller, Pazia Speed, Cara Garringer and Gina Muhlenkamp all on the bench with two fouls, Lindsey's freshman sister, Danielle, came off the bench for significant playing time in the second quarter.

"Anybody we dress we might need," said Comer. "I thought not only (Danielle), but Jordan McMillan and the other girls that stepped in the first half held us until halftime. The difference in the game could have been those five or six minutes. It was just another good team effort.

"I was proud of the girls off the bench getting us to halftime in a position where we could come out in the second half and do the things that we can do."

The key to the two-point Fort Recovery lead at halftime was also bench play.

Emily May and Alyssa Brackman saw major minutes in the second period, with May burying all six of her free-throw attempts. Brackman hit another pair for her only two points of the game as the Indians led 18-16 at the intermission.

"I thought all the kids played a great first half, the bench included," said Bihn. "I told them at halftime we were in good position. We just couldn't hang with them in the fourth quarter."

Pazia Speed scored all of her seven points for Jay County in the second half, and she also grabbed six rebounds. Brittany Mann had seven boards as the Patriots recorded a 35-26 advantage on the glass.

The victory sends JCHS to Saturday's Bedford North Lawrence Tournament with a perfect record through the season's first half. It will play the host Stars (6-4) in the opening round, and then meet either Bloomington North (6-3) or Anderson (2-6) in the second game.

"I'm happy for the kids," said Comer. "As long as we continue to get better ...

"Coming in here and beating a good team like Fort Recovery in a defensive struggle showed that we can gut out a win. I was just really pleased with the way we finished tonight's game."

Brunswick's nine points led the Indians, and May followed with eight. Joanna Snyder, Chelsea Leuthold and Nicole Pottkotter, who average a combined 30 points per game this season, were limited to just nine.

Kelsey Wuebker had eight rebounds and three assists, and Kinsey Wenning grabbed five rebounds.

Junior varsity

A 15-0 run put Fort Recovery in control on the way to a 32-21 win over the Patriots.

Laura Castillo's 3-pointer gave Jay County an 11-10 lead with 2:10 left in the third quarter, but the visitors failed to score for the next five minutes. A series of steals allowed the Indians to score six points in the final 30 seconds of the third quarter, and Holly Brunswick capped the deciding run with a three-point play for a 25-11 lead.

Brunswick was the only player in double figures, finishing with 10 points. Emily May added four points for FRHS (6-0), and four other players added three points apiece.

Kassi Hemmelgarn powered the Patriots with five points. Jordan McMillan and Mariah Hornaday each added four.

Freshman

Jay County came out on top of a tight battle throughout, edging the Indians 25-24.

Megan Sawyer, Mollie May and LeAnn Horn each scored six points for the Patriots, who trailed by two at halftime and one after three quarters. Mariah Hornaday added five points.

Ericka Lennartz led all scorers with nine points for Fort Recovery. Julie Kahlig followed with seven points.

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