Trail girls outlast Monroe for first win
By JEFF POTTS, T-L Sports Writer
POSTED: November 20, 2007
Yogi Berra said it best when he said “it ain’t over till it’s over.”
That was the case Monday night at Skyvue Elementary School.
Invading Buckeye Trail found itself down 30-26 at half time and 42-37 after three quarters to home standing Monroe Central. The Lady Warriors (1-1) then outscored the Lady Seminoles 22-15 in the final quarter to come away with a hard-fought 60-57 win in girls’ high school basketball action.
“This was a nice win for our kids tonight,” Trail head coach Brad Lineback said. “Both teams were working hard, our kids kept working, never gave up and we were able to come back and grab a lead there at the end and pulled it out.”
Lineback was happy to get rid of a three-game losing skid (last regular season game and district semifinal last season and the season opener this season).
“Before tonight we had lost three of our last four (lost to Frontier to close the regular season, then the district semi to Shenandoah and a loss to Frontier to open this season) and it was a concern to us,” he admitted. “We’re just glad we were able to put together a good game against a very good basketball team.”
Monroe Central head coach Troy Baker was at a loss for words following the game.
“It’s disappointing and frustrating, because I thought we had a good shot at winning this basketball game tonight,” Baker commented. “We were up five heading into the fourth quarter, then we had some crucial turnovers and a couple key possessions where we didn’t get good shots and Trail seemed to find the basket when it counted and we couldn’t. Sometimes that’s just the way it goes.”
A Karlie Davis three gave the ‘Noles an early 3-0 lead, before Trail hit a 6-0 run to make it 6-3, behind senior standout Hannah Nelson, who scored all six Trail points.
From that point, the Lady Seminoles outscored the Lady Warriors 13-9 over the final four-and-a-half minutes to take a 16-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Monroe Central kept the lead throughout the second quarter, as Aleisha Guiler and Taylor Jorris combined for 12 of Monroe’s 15 second quarter points.
Casey Frame kept Trail close with two huge three’s, but the Lady Warriors found themselves down 30-26 heading to the locker rooms.
Guiler led the way for the Lady Seminoles in the first half with 12 points, while Jorris added six markers.
Frame led the Lady Warriors with nine first half points, with Nelson chipping in eight and Traci Alt adding seven.
The Lady ‘Noles would go up by as many as nine (42-33) before the Lady Warriors closed the quarter with a 4-0 run to make it 42-37 heading into the final stanza.
The fourth quarter started slowly as neither team could buy a bucket.
Two short jumpers by Nelson and a Kaitlyn Wolfe put back gave Trail a lead they would not relinquish at 43-42.
The Lady Warriors iced the game away at the free throw line in the fourth quarter, hitting 16-of-17.
Nelson led Buckeye Trail with 25 points, while Alt added 14 and Frame 10.
Nelson tied for game-high honors with 10 rebounds. Frame and Wolfe each collected five boards.
“This was pretty much a typical game for Hannah tonight,” Lineback said. “She’s really stepped up and become a great leader. She works hard and I think she’s a premier player in the Valley.
“She does a great job of keeping her composure and I’m really proud of her,” he continued. “She doesn’t panic or get frustrated and she’s really matured and grown into a complete player.”
Guiler led the way for the Lady ‘Noles with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Davis added 11 points, two from long range, while Jorris donated 11 markers and five boards. Morgen Ramage chipped in six points and eight carooms.
“Aleisha is a quality ball player,” Baker said.
“I think she may have gotten a little tired there in the third and fourth quarters and maybe I need to get her more of a break throughout the game.”
Lineback said there were no surprises from Monroe Central.
“We knew they ran their offense through Guiler and at times we struggled to have an answer for it,” Lineback said. “I don’t think it was anything surprising, it’s just at times they played very well and we had a hard time defending them.”
The Lady Warriors host River on Wednesday night.
Varsity scoring:
BUCKEYE TRAIL (60) – Nelson 9, 7-11 25; Alt 3, 7-10 14; Ca. Frame 3, 1-2 10; Wolfe 2, 4-6 8; Bates 0, 2-2 2; Doutt 0, 0-0 0; Co. Frame 0, 0-0 0; Abrams 0, 1-3 1. Totals: 17, 22-34 60. MONROE CENTRAL (57) – Guiler 9, 4-4 22; Lafferre 2, 0-0 4; Davis 4, 1-2 11; Ramage 1, 4-6 6; Jorris 5, 0-0 11; Kuhn 1, 0-0 3; LaFollette 0, 0-0 0. Totals: 22, 9-14 57
Three Point Goals: Buckeye Trail – Ca. Frame (3), Alt. Monroe Central – Davis (2), Jorris, Kuhn.
Potts can be reached at jpotts@timesleaderonline.com
