Caldwell, Patriots grab top spot

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Shelby Caldwell wasn’t able to match her season scoring average.

But she made up for it in other ways.

Gwen Omstead came off the bench and made her biggest impact in the fourth quarter.

Together, they helped the Patriots grasp the top spot in the conference.

Caldwell grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds and Omstead scored seven of her 13 points in the fourth quarter on Saturday as the Jay County High School girls basketball team defeated the South Adams Starfires, 49-40.

“We don’t want to be the first team to lose the conference,” said Caldwell. The Patriots (8-6, 3-0 Allen County Athletic Conference) have had at least a share of the ACAC title in each of the last three years and are three-time defending tournament champions.

“That is the big thing,” added Caldwell, whose 12 points was three fewer than her season average. “I think most of us are doing it for the seniors because we don’t want to be the team that loses (the conference) for them.”

Brett Freeman, whose Starfire squad dips to 7-4 (3-1 ACAC), said his team didn’t execute as well has he hoped down the stretch.

“(We) gave them a few too many easy shots that we prefer not to,” he said. “Fourth quarter, man, we just had some costly turnovers.”

South Adams trailed by as many as nine points in the second quarter, and fought to tie the game at 34 late in the third quarter and again at 37 early in the fourth.

But that’s precisely when Omstead put forth her best effort of the afternoon, with a little help from Kendra Muhlenkamp.

On back-to-back possessions, Muhlenkamp drove the right side of the lane to draw in two South Adams defenders. Instead of putting up a shot she split the Starfires with a pass to Omstead on a backside cut for a wide open layup.

The first bucket put the Patriots ahead for good, 39-37, and after Omstead stole the ball on the defensive end her second basket of the period made it 41-37.

After yet another SAHS turnover, Muhlenkamp got sent to the line and split a pair of free throws.

Omstead, who made one of two free throws to start the fourth quarter, later had a bucket on a Hanna Ault assist to cap her scoring for the day.

“She came ready to play,” Comer said of Omstead. “We need her like that every game. If she comes like that, ready to play every game, she’s going to make this team a lot better.”

Freeman’s game plan was to limit Caldwell and Ault — the latter finished with 13 points — but he didn’t account for Hannah Phillips or Omstead. Phillips only had six points, but they came as she swished a pair of first-quarter 3-pointers which helped Jay County to a 19-8 lead after eight minutes.

“Those are people stepping up for them,” Freeman said. “We needed a little more out of our other personnel to step up today and they didn’t.”

Lexi Dellinger, Madi Wurster — she had 11 rebounds — and Sydney Pierce each had 13 points for the Starfires, who were held without a field goal in the fourth quarter.

“That was a little disappointing too that we didn’t get a little more of our full arsenal of what we’ve been having for the most part,” Freeman said. “(Their players) stepped up when they needed them and that was obviously some of the impact on the outcome of the game.”

Jay County had a 40-24 advantage on the class and hauled in 18 offensive rebounds, six of which were in the final quarter.

Caldwell gives up 5 inches in height to the 6-foot, 2-inch Wurster, but was more successful at getting the to boards than the Starfire senior.

“I really tried to get in front of her and get those rebounds,” Caldwell said. “And I played behind her so I was always in position. If someone shoots it you just have to run in and hope for the best that it comes to you. They kind of just fell in my hands.

The Patriot junior had nine of her boards while on offense.

“Offensive rebounds are amazing because you always get the putback,” she said. “Usually the offensive rebound comes right under the basket and then you can put it automatically back or you get a foul.

“You almost always get points on offensive rebounds.”



Junior varsity

Jay County jumped out to an early lead and kept it intact on its way to a 42-29 win over South Adams.

The Patriots (12-2)led 10-3 after the first quarter before extending the advantage to 27-17 at the half. South Adams (5-6) chipped away at the lead in the second half as it got as close as six points, but the Patriots put the game away with a 15-12 advantage in the final 14 minutes.

Jay County’s Grace Saxman led all players with a dozen points, and Claire Dirksen totaled 10 points to join her in double figures. Mikele Suman chipped in seven points.

Emilee Myers led South Adams with nine points, while Madi Smith contributed eight points.