Patriot girls win finale

The Patriots ended Tuesday night in the same manner they have much of the last six weeks.

With a win.

Jay County High School’s girls basketball team overcame a slow start to beat the Richmond Red Devils 50-39 in its regular season finale.

It was the eighth consecutive win for the Patriots (16-7), who open sectional play Jan. 30 against Delta at New Castle. Jay County capped the regular season with its 14th win in its last 15 games and has had a winning streak of eight games for the third time in four years.

The Patriots led just 7-6 after the first quarter before taking a 26-15 lead at halftime. Richmond (5-16) pulled to within 10 with one period to play but wasn’t able to overcome the deficit.

Shelby Caldwell led the team with 17 points and six rebounds. Kendra Muhlenkamp tallied 12 points with a half dozen boards while Hanna Dillon contributed eight points.

Jay County’s junior varsity team also won, 34-16. Pacie Denney scored 10 points and Aubrie Schwieterman tallied nine points. Macey Weitzel finished with six points for the Patriots (12-8).

Jutte lifts Tribe

ARCANUM, Ohio — Payton Jutte beat the buzzer to lift the Fort Recovery boys basketball team past the Arcanum Trojans on Tuesday, 39-37.

The Indians (8-5) led at the end of each of the first three quarters, including a seven-point cushion at halftime. Arcanum (9-6) pulled even with Fort Recovery at 37-all in the waning moments before Jutte hit his second game-winner at the horn this year.

Jutte finished with a team-high 11 points, tied for his lowest total of the season. Derek Jutte was second on the team with nine points, and Grant Knapke chipped in six points. Noah Lennartz tossed in five points for the Tribe.

Carter Gray of Arcanum led all players with 12 points.

Fort Recovery’s junior varsity team moved to 12-1 with a 36-18 win. Gavin Thobe had a game-high 14 points, while Regan Martin was second with seven points. Russel Gehle and Ian Homan had five points each. 

Stars stumble late

CHURUBUSCO — The South Adams girls basketball team stumbled during the fourth quarter as it lost to sectional rival Churubusco Eagles on Tuesday, 42-36.

The Starfires (10-11) and Eagles (5-15) were neck-and-neck through the first three quarters. South Adams led 13-12 after the first quarter and went into halftime trailing by the same margin, 22-21. Heading to the fourth the game was tied at 30-apiece before the Eagles outscored the Starfires 12-6 in the final eight minutes.

Emilee Myers scored nine points to lead South Adams, which closes the regular season against Allen County Athletic Conference foe Woodlan on Thursday. Kristen Wynn and Lydia Loshe collected eight points each and Kelsa Ortiz tossed in four points.

South Adams’ junior varsity team edged Churubusco, 33-32. Makayla Hamrick had a season-high 20 points, and Macie Hirschy finished with six points.

SA falls to Delta

BERNE — South Adams’ boys and girls swim teams fell to the Delta Eagles on Tuesday.

The girls dropped a 106-60 score while the boys lost 124-52.

Ashley LeFever had two wins for the SAHS girls as she was first in the 50-yard freestyle with her time of  25.48 seconds and won the 100 freestyle in 55.15 seconds. Hannah Neuenschwander picked up a win in the 100 butterfly in 1 minute, 14.16 seconds, and Claire Burson placed first in the 500 freestyle in 6:38.97.

Isabel Von Gunten, LeFever, Neuenschwander and Burson teamed to win the 200 medley relay in 2:06.76, and combined to take first in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:50.17.

Isaac Gorrell had the only win for the SAHS boys. He tied for first in the 50 freestyle with Delta’s Bradley Smith in 25.11 seconds.