TOUGH LOSS, BIG WIN
BY NICK CORN
On Homecoming night, Girard hosted Labette County Friday to wrap up nonconference play for the 2015-16 season. The Lady Trojans faced the tough task of guarding two college signees, while the boys faced a young but talented Grizzly team.
TOUGH LOSS. Calea Augustin puts up a contested shot during the Lady Trojans loss vs. Labette County Friday night. Girard held the lead for most of the game before the Lady Grizzlies would take it from them and pull away in the fourth. PHOTO BY JOYCE KOVACIC
Lady Trojans
The girls’ game started with a slow offensive quarter, with neither team finding a rhythm. After going 2-4 from the charity stripe in the opening minutes, the Lady Grizzlies held a 2-0 lead before Ashley Ray picked up an offensive rebound and tied the game. After Labette took another lead, Ray found a slashing Jaycee Murphy for a layup to even the score yet again. Ray would pick up two more points on an offensive board, but Labette led 8-6 after one.
Calea Augustin opened the second quarter with a three from the corner to give the Lady Trojans their first advantage of the night, but Labette quickly responded to retake the lead. From there, Girard went on an 8-0 run to pull ahead 17-11 before a Lady Grizzly trey would cut that to three points. Augustin matched the Labette three with her second of the quarter, and Sydnee Crain gave the Lady Trojans a 24-18 lead at halftime when she hit a step-back trifecta in the waning seconds of the half.
Girard carried their momentum into the third where two free throws from Crain put Girard up 30-20, their largest lead of the game. The Lady Grizzlies went on a 9-0 run to put them within one point before Lauren Franklin would stop the bleeding with a jumper just inside the arc. Girard was winning, but the score was 34-33 heading into the fourth quarter.
Labette grabbed their first lead since early in the second quarter with a quick bucket in the fourth. A gut punch 13-0 run put the Grizzlies on top 46-33 before Girard would score. The Lady Trojans would keep the game close, several times pulling to within eight points, but they could never get over the hump. Labette went on to win 63-47.
Augustin led the Lady Trojans with 13 points, and Ray added 12.
Boys battle but keep winning
In the nightcap, Girard faced a team very similar to the Trojans of a few years ago. With just one senior and one junior, the Grizzlies have solid talent but are learning the varsity game on the fly. Nevertheless, they proved they belonged in the first quarter.
Labette County kept it close most of the game, but Tyler Green (pictured) and the Girard Trojans remain undefeated with a 60-47 victory on Friday night. PHOTO BY JOYCE KOVACIC
Girard quickly ran out to a 6-0 advantage and Laike Damman’s second trey of the quarter gave Girard a 12-4 lead. After an Eric Wilson layup, the Trojans held a 14-7 advantage before the Grizzlies would go on an 8-0 run, pulling ahead of the Trojans. Isaiah Fisher tied the game at 17 with a free throw but Labette was on top 19-17 after one.
Damman sunk his third triple of the game and Girard built a five-point lead before back-to-back Labette treys would put the Trojans behind yet again. The lead changed twice more before Drew Davied picked up an old-fashioned three-point play to put the Trojans up 31-29. Davied gave his team a boost before halftime with a crowd pleasing halfcourt buzzer beater, putting Girard up 36-30 at the break.
The flow of the game slowed in the third as Girard scored 11 points and the Grizzlies were held to six. Girard’s lead fell to four, but Damman answered with his fourth and final trey of the night. Damman’s layup at the end of the third gave the Trojans a 47-36 advantage, their biggest lead of the game.
The Grizzlies saw several opportunities to cut the lead with open three-point looks in the fourth, but the shots weren’t falling for Labette. When the final buzzer sounded, the Trojans would remain undefeated with a 60-47 win.
Damman was the Trojans’ catalyst, leading the team with 21 points. Davied scored 12, and Wilson added 11.
The Lady Trojans (11-2) and Trojans (13-0) will open CNC play on Tuesday night when they host Frontenac.
BOX SCORES
Lady Trojans 47, Labette County 63
1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q FINAL
GHS 6 18 10 13 47
LCHS 8 10 15 30 63
GHS: Augustin 13, Ray 12, Crain 9, Hanson 6, Franklin 3, Cuthbertson 2, Murphy 2
3-PT FG: Augustin 2, Crain
Trojans 60, Labette County 47
1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q FINAL
GHS 17 19 11 13 60
LCHS 19 11 6 11 47
GHS: Damman 21, Davied 12, Wilson 11, Green 6, J. Lindbloom 4, Fisher 3, Bailey 2, D. Lindbloom 1
3-PT FG: Damman 4, Davied