Trojans tested, Lady Trojans win big

BY NICK CORN

The Girard Trojan boys and girls cemented their spot in the driver’s seat for a CNC title with victories at Galena on Friday night. The girls built a substantial first-half lead that they rode to a comfortable win, but the boys were pushed close to their limit in their chase of an undefeated season.

 
Lady Trojans improve to 4-0 in CNC
Olivia Hanson got the Lady Trojans on the scoreboard with a make from midrange on Girard’s first possession, but Galena would answer on their ensuing possession. Girard then scored eight unanswered before the Lady Bulldogs’ would lessen their deficit with a three. Calea Augustin hit a pair of free throws to extend the lead to seven, but Galena would hit another triple. Ashley Ray scored inside on back-to-back Girard possessions, and the Lady Trojans doubled Galena’s first-quarter point production, 16-8. The Lady Bulldogs turned the ball over on at least three straight possession and were lucky to be down only eight after one.

Both teams struggled to handle the ball in the second quarter, but Girard overcame their turnovers to widen their lead. Jacey Murphy and Ray scored inside early in the second before Galena would answer with a basket. Lauren Franklin then started a 10-1 Lady Trojan run, picking up a “put back” offensive board on a Murphy free throw attempt to put Girard ahead 30-11. The Lady Bulldogs knocked down another trey to make it a 16-point game. Murphy finished a fast break with a layup to give her six second-quarter points and a 32-14 Girard halftime advantage.
Girard began the second half with a basket from Augustin and an and-one conversion from Ray. Galena then scored seven unanswered points, reducing the Lady Trojans lead to 16. Murphy knocked down two free throws and Crain followed with a layup to extend the lead back to 20 points, but Galena ended the third on an 8-3 run. Girard led 44-29 before the concluding eight minutes of play.

The Lady Bulldogs opened the fourth with a bucket that would be matched by Ray, then followed by a Galena free throw. Girard then went on a 10-0 run, sparked by the Lady Trojans’ only trey of the night and seven points from Crain. Girard went on to a convincing 57-35 victory led by 17 points apiece from Crain and Ray.
The win kept Girard atop the CNC with a 4-0 league and 15-2 overall record. The Lady Trojans host Colgan on Tuesday (2-2 CNC, 8-8 overall) before traveling to Riverton (3-1 CNC, 9-8 overall). It will be a big week for Girard, as wins over both teams will secure the CNC title.

 
Trojans tested, remain undefeated
Junior Lindbloom got the Trojans on the board when he cleaned up a miss on their first possession. Galena’s game-plan of keeping the ball out of Girard’s hands was evident on the ensuing possession, as Galena ran over two minutes off the clock before taking and making their first shot. After the Bulldogs took a 5-4 lead, Laike Damman and Garrett Bailey hit triples on back-to-back possessions to secure a five-point Trojan lead. Lindbloom answered a Galena trey by sinking two free throws, and Tyler Green hit a long jumper to give Girard a 17-11 lead after one.

Galena’s stall tactics were swept under the rug when they started hitting long range shots in the second. After opening with a bucket inside, the Bulldogs hit two straight triples to take a 19-17 lead before Drew Davied would tie the game with a bucket in the paint. Galena hit two more threes around another Davied basket, but Tyler Green hit his second long jumper of the game and Bailey knocked down his second trey to retake a 26-25 lead. Galena ended the quarter with their fifth and sixth trifectas of the quarter, and the Bulldogs led 31-26 at the break.
The Trojans regained momentum early in the third when Eric Wilson converted an old-fashioned three-point play and Damman tied the game at 31 with a layup. Back and forth lead changes ensued and the Bulldogs held a 35-34 lead before slowing the game’s pace. Damman put the Trojans on top with forty seconds left for the first time in the second half. Galena then answered with a make before the buzzer, putting them up 37-36 after three.
Davied gave the Trojans a brief fourth-quarter lead, but the Bulldogs immediately hit two straight baskets before Damman tied the game at 41 with a three. Davied and the Bulldogs swapped field goals again, and Damman hit layups around a Galena basket to give the Trojans a 47-45 lead. With 33 seconds remaining, Davied stepped to the charity stripe and made both free throws to extend the lead to four points, their largest of the second half. Galena would make it a one possession game, but a buzzer-beating three was offline, and the Trojans escaped with a 49-47 victory.

Damman led the way with 16 points, and Davied added 12.
The victory improved the Trojans’ record to 17-0 overall and 4-0 in league play. Girard has a big week ahead of them that will decide the CNC, hosting St. Mary’s Colgan on Tuesday before traveling to Riverton on Friday. The Colgan boys are also 4-0 in the CNC and boast a 12-4 overall record. Riverton lost to Baxter Springs on Friday night but are still right in the mix with a 3-1 CNC and 15-2 record.

 

BOX SCORES

Lady Trojans 57, Galena 35
1Q    2Q   3Q    4Q    FINAL
Galena          8       6     15      6       35
Girard         16      16    12     13      57
GHS: Crain 17, Ray 17, Murphy 8, Hanson 6, Augustin 5, Franklin 4
3-PT FG: Crain

 

Girard 49, Galena 47
1Q    2Q    3Q    4Q    FINAL
Galena        11     20     6       10      47
Girard        17      9      10      13      49
GHS: Damman 16, Davied 12, Lindbloom 7, Bailey 6, Green 4, Wilson 4
3-PT FG: Damman 2, Bailey 2, Lindbloom