Fort owns first half for 55-43 win over Ansonia

ANONIA, Ohio — The Indians locked down the Tigers in the first half.

After holding strong in the third quarter, they finished the game off nailing 12-of-18 shots at the free throw line.

The Fort Recovery High School girls basketball team claimed a 55-43 victory over the Ansonia Tigers on Tuesday.

The Tribe (5-8) locked up Ansonia (6-6) in the first half, only allowing nine points. Olivia Creager hit a three and a 2-pointer for all five first-quarter points, while Rose Barga and Autumn Best each had one hoop in the second.

While the Tigers were limited, the Indians put up 22 points in the first half, including 11 from Karlie Niekamp. (She led all scorers with 16 points.)

FRHS was outscored 18-12 in the third period, but maintained its lead, forcing Ansonia to foul to stay in the game. Fort Recovery hit 66.7% of its foul shots in the final period to pull out the win.

Kennedy Muhlenkamp and Bridget Homan also broke double digit scoring for the Indians with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Charlotte Braga scored a team-high 13 points for the Tigers, while Creager added 10.

Low numbers hurt

BERNE — Low numbers hurt Fort Recovery’s swim teams as it couldn’t generate enough points in losses to South Adams and Minster in a double dual on Thursday.

The girls’ 74-52 loss to Minster was the closest margin of defeat as they fell to South Adams 102-47. Minster beat the FRHS boys 88-22, while South Adams routed them 67-20.

The Tribe only won two events.

Early on in the meet, Carson Fullenkamp swam a 2 minute, 23.11 second 200-yard individual medley to claim the top spot over South Adams’ Griffin Hill (2:40.60).

The other top finish came from Joelle Kaup in the 500 freestyle. Kaup’s 6:10.49 was just over 20 seconds faster than Calah Hill of SAHS.

The Indians finished as the runner-up in six events. 

Kaup and Fullenkamp supplemented their victories with second-place finishes in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle, respectively. Caleb Smith finished as the runner-up twice in the 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke. Liza Knapke also claimed second in the 200 freestyle. Livy Timmerman earned the second spot in the 200 individual medley.

Career bests set

NEW BREMEN, Ohio — The Fort Recovery girls bowling team had a pair of underclassmen break their career-best scores to help the Indians to a 2,821-2,322 victory over the Versailles Tigers on Saturday at Speedway Lanes.

Fort Recovery’s 2,821 total pins set a new benchmark for the highest score in a dual match. It also set a new high score of 1,033 from the five bowlers in a single set of individual games.

Sophomore Deanna Brown led the way for the Indians (4-1, 3-0 Midwest Athletic Conference) with scores of 256 and 235 for a 491 series. Those scores set new career bests in both an individual game and series at the varsity level.

Freshman Lilah Thien also rolled a career-high game, knocking down 250 pins en route to a 405 series.

Emily Lauber also broke the 200 mark with a score of 213 in the first game and 372 total pins.

Other scores came from Ella Schoen (340), Jadyn Wyerick (157) and Kayla Heitkamp (143).

FRHS also set a new team-best 913 pins over the five baker games to help beat Versailles (5-3, 3-1 MAC), which tied with Fort Recovery for the MAC title a year ago.

Fort falls

NEW BREMEN, Ohio — Fort Recovery’s boys bowling team dropped a close match to the Versailles Tigers 2,742-2,705 on Saturday at Speedway Lanes.

Riley Grieshop led the way with a 201 average pinfall for the Indians (3-7, 2-2 MAC), while Eli Lennartz followed with 187. Grieshop finished with 402 total pins, while Lennartz knocked over 374. 

Leland Wilson shot the high game of 230 pins for FRHS.

Other scores came from Anthony Roessner (347), Drew Backs (166), Gabe Acheson (164) and Reece LeFevre (141).

The Tribe got edged out in baker play as well, 897-881.

Blake Henry (204.5) and Sam Albers (203) both averaged over 200 pins for Versailles (6-2, 3-1 MAC).