JCHS opens with big win

NOBLESVILLE — The Patriots began their season with a fast start.

A solid offensive effort in the second quarter put the game out of reach.

Hanna Ault scored 10 of her game-high 25 points in the second quarter as the Jay County High School girls basketball team opened its season with a 69-37 victory Friday over the host Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles.

“I was really proud of the girls for the way they came out tonight,” said JCHS coach Kirk Comer, who picked up his 300th career victory. “This week, with the weather situation, it’s been a rough week of practice. For the kids to come perform the way they did, I was really proud of them.”

The home of sisters Briana and Kendra Muhlenkamp, both starters on the team, was severely damaged by a tornado that ripped through Jay County on Sunday afternoon.

But Friday, they were able to put that aside and help the Patriots (1-0) to a lopsided win.

Jay County, which finished 13th in the most recent coaches poll, jumped out to a 20-6 lead after the first quarter and continued to pour on the points in the second eight minutes. Kendra Muhlenkamp — she finished with eight points — got things started with the Patriots’ first bucket of the second quarter.

Ault followed with a put-back on her own miss and drained a 3-pointer on an assist from Shelby Caldwell, who was playing in her first game in nearly a year after tearing her ACL as a sophomore.

Caldwell then had a bucket before yet another Ault triple. Hanna Dillon, Briana Muhlenkamp and Ault each had baskets to cap an 18-0 run.

Ault’s 25 points was a new career high.

“It feels amazing,” she said. “I definitely couldn’t have done it without the help of my teammates. We all worked really well together to get this win. It was a great way to start the season and I’m extremely proud of our team tonight.”

Ault’s performance caught the eye of her coach.

“Hanna Ault is a great leader and we’re hoping she can continue to lead us like that,” he said.

Caldwell was second on the team with 13 points. Gwen Omstead matched Kendra Muhlenkamp’s eight points, and Dillon finished with seven. Briana Muhlenkamp chipped in four points while Macey Weitzel and Claire Dirksen totaled two apiece.

Jay County had a 51-25 edge in rebounding, much to the pleasure of Comer.

“We’re really happy with that,” he said. “We work really hard getting in the paint, being able to rebound the basketball. We’re not going to hit every shot, but if we get the rebounds it won’t be a big deal if we miss.”

Jay County didn’t play exceptionally well in the final 16 minutes despite being ahead on the scoreboard. The Patriots led by as many as 40 points, 61-21, early in the fourth quarter, but an 11-0 run by Guerin Catholic made it a bit more respectable.

“When you have a score like that it’s hard to keep your intensity,” Comer said. “When you’re subbing people in and out it’s hard to maintain that intensity. It tends to get sloppy.”

And even though Comer got his 300th career victory, it was the first for this team that meant more.

“To be honest it’s more about this No. 1 win for this season,” said Comer, whose team hosts Oak Hill, the top-ranked team in Class 2A, on Tuesday. “As far as the 300, I’ve been blessed to have a lot of great players and coached for a long time. I’m more happy right now with this No. 1 win for these girls. I think this is a special team and I think we’ll get better.”