Patriots falter in third quarter

NEW CASTLE — The Patriots went into the locker room at halftime down a dozen.
The offense wasn’t able to make up the deficit in the final 16 minutes.
Jay County High School’s girls basketball team scored only one point during the third quarter in a 52-28 loss to the New Castle Trojans.
The Patriots (4-3) trailed 13-8 after one quarter and 30-18 at intermission, but that’s when the well went dry. New Castle outscored Jay County 11-1 in the third quarter for a 41-19 advantage.
Senior Britlyn Dues tallied a team-high eight points, and sophomore Kendra Muhlenkamp followed with seven. Gwen Omstead and Hanna Ault had seven rebounds apiece.
Jay County’s junior varsity team defeated the host Trojans, 31-27, to move to 6-1 on the year.
Hanna Dillon led the Patriots with 15 points while Claire Dirksen and Sam Twigg had six points each.

Star girls go to 4-0
BERNE — South Adams’ girls swim team moved to 4-0 on the season Thursday with a 96-84 victory over Celina.
The Starfire boys lost, 120-64.
Ashley LeFever, Ashton Klopp and Brette Klopp each won two individual events. LeFever handled the sprints, winning both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races. Ashton Klopp was first in the 200 and 500 freestyle events, and her twin Brette won the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke.
Audrey Burson picked up the other individual win in the 100 breaststroke.
Those four combined for a win in the 200 medley relay, while Ashton Klopp and LeFever joined Olivia Von Gunten and Caroline Kloepper for a victory in the 200 freestyle.
Isabel Von Gunten, her sister Olivia, Brette Klopp and Kloepper won the 400 freestyle.
For the Starfire boys, Zach Teeple picked up the only victories, winning the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle.

SA ends streak
MUNCIE — The South Adams girls basketball team put an end to its four-game losing streak by defeating the Burris Owls on Thursday, 64-30.
The Starfires (2-4) got out to a commanding lead in the first half, scoring 22 and 12 points respectively in each of the first two quarters. On the opposite end of the floor, the Owls scored three points in the first and second frames.
South Adams led 55-17 heading into the final quarter.

Lexi Dellinger had a game-high 28 points, and Madi Wurster tallied 10 points to join her in double figures. Shaelynn Bowman and Sydney Pierce each chipped in with six points, as eight of 10 Starfires hit the scoresheet.

EJ stays perfect
East Jay Middle School’s seventh and eighth grade boys basketball teams both defeated the Woodlan Warriors on Thursday.
The seventh grade squad won 46-33 to move to 4-0 (1-0 Allen County Athletic Conference), and the eighth graders won 31-24 to improve to 2-2 (2-0 ACAC).
Gavin Muhlenkamp scored 20 points to lead all players in the seventh-grade contest. Teammate Crosby Heniser followed with six points, while Ethan Dirksen and Dylan Knapschaffer each scored four points. Colton Walker, Terron Bentz, Darrius Esparza, Adam Muhlenkamp, Gavin Myers and Adrek Pogue had two points apiece.
Landon Grimes paced the eighth graders with eight points. Nick Fields chipped in with seven and Brody Auker had a half dozen.

Chief girls top Warriors
WOODBURN — The East Jay girls basketball teams traveled north Thursday and returned to Jay County with victories.
The EJMS eighth graders edged the Woodlan Warriors 27-24, and the seventh grade team won 20-9.
Grace Saxman scored nine points and Alana Kunkler had eight in leading the Chief eighth graders. Natalie Miles added five points while Pacie Denney and Aubrie Schwieterman had two points apiece. Madison Fouch tallied one free throw.
Madison Dirksen had a team-high six points for the seventh grade Chiefs. Rachel Muhlenkamp notched six points and Heaven Hambrock totaled four. Andrea Jutte and Abby Elzey had two points each.