FRHS blanked in 2nd as it drops opener

FORT RECOVERY — The Indians scored double-digit points in the first and third quarters.

It was the zero they posted in the second that buried them.

The Crestview Knights shut out the Fort Recovery High School girls basketball team in the second quarter as the Indians dropped their season opener 40-24 Friday.

Fort Recovery (0-1) trailed the Knights (1-0) by six after the opening period before getting blanked in the second. It faced a 26-10 halftime deficit and was not able to mount a comeback.

While the Indians struggled in the second period, Crestview extended its advantage as it hit two more 3-pointers after burying four in the first.

Kaci Gregory hit three long-distance shots in the opening period and another in the second en route to her team-high 15 points for the Knights, who finished the 2023-24 regular season ranked fourth in Division IV and won sectional, district and regional titles before falling to eventual state champion Fort Loramie in the state semifinal round. Ellie Kline, a senior, made one 3-point shot in each of the first three quarters as she followed her sophomore teammate with 14 points.

Kennedy Muhlenkamp and Karlie Niekamp finished with eight points each to lead Fort Recovery, which only scored a pair of buckets in the fourth quarter. Cameron Muhlenkamp had six points.

The Tribe, which dropped four of its first five last season, will get right back to the court tonight with a visit to Arcanum for the Trojans’ season opener.