Big first half lifts FR over Rangers

NEW KNOXVILLE, Ohio — The Indians hardly missed in the first half Thursday.
The Rangers had a tough time finding the bottom of the net.
Fort Recovery High School’s girls basketball team shot 74 percent in the opening half and hung on down the stretch for a 53-40 road conference victory against the New Knoxville Rangers.
The Tribe (114-5, 4-4 Midwest Athletic Conference) scored 16 points in each of the first two quarters as it had a 32-12 lead at halftime. The Indians were 14-of-19 from the field while the Rangers were just 5-of-17.
New Knoxville (13-6, 6-2 MAC) scored 17 points in the final eight minutes but couldn’t overcome its 47-33 deficit after three quarters.
FRHS junior Kendra Siefring led all players with 14 points to go with her six rebounds and two assists. Jocelyn Kaiser added 11 points and five rebounds, and Tori Lennartz followed with 10 points while posting game-highs in rebounds (eight) and assists (seven).
Meg Reineke led the Rangers with 12 points.
Fort Recovery’s junior varsity squad edged the Rangers in overtime, 45-43.
Kiah Wendel poured in a game-high 20 points for the Indians. She also had a pair of rebounds and four steals. Kelsey Jutte chipped in with seven points.

Stars swimmers first
MARION — A trio of South Adams High School swimmers won two individual events apiece in helping the Starfires to a first-place finish Thursday.
South Adams won 10 of the 11 swimming events to score 108 points. The host Marion Giants scored 37 points to finish second, edging the Fort Wayne South Side Archers, who had 36 points.
Daniel Burson, David Steffen and Drew LeFever combined for eight victories.
Burson took first in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle races, Steffen won the 200 individual medley and the 100 freestyle, and LeFever was victorious in the 50 freestyle and 100 butterfly.
They joined Jessee Sutton, who won the 100 backstroke, to take first in both the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.
The 200 medley relay team of Zach Teeple, Brayden Collingsworth, Xavier Rupp and Zach Colpaert earned the other victory for South Adams.
Ryoya Kimbara was runner up in the 100 breaststroke, and Rupp placed second in diving.

SA routs Blackford
BERNE — The Starfire boys basketball team pushed its record above .500 with a 77-57 rout of the visiting Blackford Bruins on Thursday.
It was the fifth consecutive win for South Adams, which moves to 9-8 on the season.
The Starfires raced out to a 20-5 lead after the opening quarter, and continued the offense in the second as it led 39-19 at the break.
Blackford (0-20) was finally able to get its offense going in the second half, but South Adams went point-for-point with the Bruins in the final 16 minutes to hang on to its lead.
Marcus Teeter was 8-of-11 from behind the 3-point line as he poured in a game-high 24 points. Derek Wanner tallied 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Cole Myers chipped in with 13 points.
Jared Grabau scored 11 points to go with his six rebounds.
Evan Jones paced Blackford with 17 points and Joel Sharp had 15.

JC?boys fifth
OSSIAN — The Jay County middle school boys swim team finished fifth Thursday at the Norwell Invitational.
The host Knights won its invitational with 358 points. Bluffton was second with 243 points and Indians Springs scored 237 points for third.
Jay County totaled 125 points.
Tayler Smeltzer was the lone victor for Jay County, earning wins in both the 50-yard butterfly and the 100 individual medley.
Finishing in the top six and scoring points were Chase McFarland (sixth – 100 backstroke), Matthew Minnich (eighth – 100 breaststroke) and Sammy Crump (seventh – 100 freestyle, eighth – 50 freestyle).
Ben Strausburg, Griffin Mann, McFarland and Smeltzer teamed up to take fourth in the 200 medley relay and sixth in the 200 freestyle relay.