The Switzerland County Lady Pacer basketball squad suffered through a cold night of shooting in the opening round of the Rivertown Classic last Wednesday night, falling to South Dearborn by a score of 49-34.
The Lady Pacers only managed to convert eight field goals – six two pointers and a pair of three pointers – in the entire game, staying close by going 16-for-30 from the freethrow line. The loss pushed Switzerland County into the consolation game on Friday night versus Lawrenceburg.
The game opened on an up note, with Kelsi Konkle hitting a three pointer for the Lady Pacers, but South Dearborn responded with a run of seven straight points behind a pair of baskets by Emily Townsend, a bucket from Ellen Barrett, and a freethrow from Morgan Wolfer.
Kelsi Konkle stopped the run with a basket; and a runner from Brooke Todd tied the game at 7-7 with a minute to play in the opening period, but the Lady Pacers had some missed opportunities, as those two baskets bracketed four missed freethrows that would have given Switzerland County the lead.
South Dearborn then closed the quarter with two more baskets, and the Lady Knights went to the first break holding an 11-7 lead.
After Emily Townsend opened the second quarter with an inside basket to push the lead up to six, Bre Ricketts converted a pair of freethrows for the Lady Pacers. Ellen Barrett then made two straight inside baskets for South Dearborn, and the lead rose to eight.
Switzerland County went back to work offensively, getting a pair of freethrows from Eve Galbreath and a basket by Hailee Lay to narrow the gap to four; but again the Lady Knights responded, getting a basket and a three pointer from Kooper Vertz.
A Brooke Todd freethrow made the score 22-14 at the end of the first half.
Eve Galbreath opened the second half with a basket; and after South Dearborn matched that, a freethrow by Brooke Todd cut the lead down to seven.
Morgan Wolfer converted a three point play for the Lady Knights that kicked the advantage to double figures for the first time in the game; and after Bre Ricketts made a freethrow for Switzerland County, South Dearborn got three more baskets to close the half and expand the lead to 33-18 with just a quarter to play.
The third quarter was a cool one offensively for the Lady Pacers, as they managed only four points in the quarter while South Dearborn had 11.
As cold as Switzerland County was in the first three quarters, the team got hot in the final stanza – scoring 16 points in the final quarter alone. South Dearborn also had 16 points in the period, but it was certainly an interesting one for fans.
With 6:40 to play in the quarter, South Dearborn coach Bob Bressert was assessed a technical foul for comments made to the referees.
Then, with 4:42 to play, Lady Pacer coach Ashley Chase was hit with a technical foul while arguing a call after Eve Galbreath was called for a foul after her chin got in the way of Kooper Vertz’s elbow.
Both teams spent the majority of the final quarter at the freethrow line, with Switzerland County getting baskets from Makenzie Mathews and Brooke Todd and a three pointer by Mercedes Parham; and points from the freethrow line from Eve Galbreath, Hailee Lay, Erika Coy, and Brooke Todd.
But as well as Switzerland County played in the final quarter, the Lady Pacers couldn’t make up any ground, and the game ended with the Lady Knights advancing to the championship game, 49-34.
Eve Galbreath led Switzerland County with eight points; while Brooke Todd finished with seven and Kelsi Konkle added five. Hailee Lay had four points; Bre Ricketts and Mercedes Parham each had three; while Erika Coy and Makenzie Mathews each contributed two points.
Ellen Barrett led South Dearborn with 18 points; while Emily Townsend finished in double figures with 10.