Girard battles for Fort Scott sweep

BY NICK CORN

Fort Scott was the landing spot for the Trojans on Friday night, and both varsity teams fought to single-digit victories in the non-conference matchup. The Lady Trojans escaped a big Lady Tiger fourth quarter with a 43-36 win, and the Girard boys made a second-half comeback to keep their undefeated streak alive with a 47-44 victory.

Lady Trojans
The Lady Trojans started the night stingy on the defensive end, allowing just four points to Fort Scott in the first quarter, all from the free-throw line. Sydnee Crain and Kelli Cuthbertson scored three points apiece to pace Girard’s 10-point first quarter.

The Lady Trojans stayed consistent offensively, scoring 10 more points in the second quarter. Calea Augustin recorded her first two field goals of the game and Olivia Hanson scored three points. The Lady Tigers notched four more points from the free throw line, and added their first two baskets from the field. Girard led 20-10 at halftime.
As the Trojan offense stayed consistent, the defense stepped up in the third quarter, allowing just four points to Fort Scott for the second time in the game. Ashley Ray scored six in the third, and Crain added four to extend their lead to 30-16 heading into the fourth quarter.

The Lady Tigers’ offense finally came alive in the fourth, scoring 20 points. Fort Scott hit 3-4 free throws, three treys, and hit four shots inside the arch in their most explosive eight-minute stretch. Calea Augustin helped slow the Tiger attack with an eight-point quarter, including hitting 6-8 free throws. As a team, the Lady Trojans were able to hit 9-16 free throws in their 13-point quarter to hold off the Fort Scott rally.

The Lady Trojans improved to 7-1 on the season, and their win streak is now six games.

Boys battle, remain undefeated
The 7-0 Girard Trojans found themselves in one of their tougher matchups of the season with Fort Scott. A back and forth game that included a late fourth quarter Laike Damman to Drew Davied alley-oop dunk, was neck-and-neck the whole way. Damman and Davied each hit a trey, and Tyler Green scored four points in the Trojans’ 12-point first quarter.

After scoring just 11 points in the first, the Tigers’ offense hit three long balls in a 16-point second quarter while holding the Trojans to another 12 points. Fort Scott held a 27-24 lead at halftime.
While the Tiger defense did all it could to slow the Trojans’ offense, it was the Girard defense that stepped up in the second half. Girard allowed just seven points in the third. Davied continued a recent trend of big second halves, starting with six points in the third to help the Trojans tie the game 34-34 heading into the fourth.
Davied stayed hot, scoring nine of his game-high 21 points in the fourth, including a game sealing three point shot with 47 seconds to go in the game. Kross Hamblin added four points while the Trojan defense would give up only 10 to the Tigers, sealing the 47-44 victory.

Davied led the team in an 8 for13 effort amassing 21 points, Hamblin was 5 for 8 from the field, scoring 10. The Girard Trojan boys are now ranked No. 3 in Class 4A-Division II by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association.

Next up for the Trojans is the Wilson County Tournament. The Lady Trojans will face Neodesha on Monday and the boys will face Caney, also on Monday.

 

BOX SCORES

Lady Trojans 43, Fort Scott 36
1Q    2Q   3Q    4Q     FINAL
GHS     10    10    10     13        43
FSHS    4       8       4     20        36
Girard: Augustin 12, Crain 10, Hanson 9, Ray 8, Cuthbertson 3, Murphy 1
3-PT FG: Crain

 

             Girard 47, Fort Scott 44
1Q     2Q    3Q    4Q     FINAL
GHS     12     12     10     13        47
FSHS   11     16       7      10        44
Girard: Davied 21, Hamblin 10, Damman 6, Green 4, J. Lindbloom 4, Bailey 2
3-PT FG: Damman 2, Davied 2