Lady Indians survive Kinsley’s upset bid
Katelin O’Brien helped lead a late charge for the Lady Indians in their win over Kinsley. O’Brien and Jordyn Tuck finished with 15 points apiece.
BY NICK CORN
The one-seed and undefeated St. Paul Lady Indians began KSHSAA 1A-1 state play versus the eight-seed Kinsley Lady Coyotes (16-7) in Dodge City Thursday night.
While St. Paul played what was likely their worst offensive half of the year in the first half, their defense kept them in it before they found their rhythm offensively.
After one quarter the game was tied at 6-6.
In the second, the Lady Indians continued their struggles from the field, and managed just four points – all from the free throw line. Kinsley held an 11-10 lead at halftime.
Raquel Rice (L) boxes out a Kinsley player. Josie Albertini (R) contributed 10 points in the victory.
After falling behind 13-12 early in the third quarter, St. Paul closed on a 13-2 run spurred by 8 points from Jordyn Tuck and 6 from Katelin O’Brien. Heading into the fourth, the Lady Indians held a 25-15 advantage.
Kinsley started the fourth on a 6-2 run to cut the lead to six points, but that was as close as the game would get. O’Brien caught fire from the field and an old-fashioned three-point play from Josie Albertini put St. Paul up 15. The Lady Indians’ went on to win 43-28.
O’Brien and Tuck led St. Paul with 15 points apiece, and Albertini added 10.
St. Paul (23-0) will face a familiar foe in four-seed Waverly (22-2) tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the semifinals.