In a game so physical at times fans waited for referees to give standing eight counts like they do in boxing, the Switzerland County Lady Pacers fell to the New Washington Lady Mustangs in a Saturday afternoon contest by a final score of 60-45.
The game saw Switzerland County go to the line 38 times, making 25 of those attempts.
After New Washington jumped out to a 6-0 lead to open the game, Switzerland County came back with a run of 6-2 on freethrows and a basket by April Thieman and a bucket from Courtney Cole.
New Washington then got four straight points, and a basket by Courtney Cole at the buzzer finished the first period with New Washington holding a 12-8 advantage.
Two more freethrows by April Thieman cut the gap to two as the second quarter got underway; but the Lady Mustangs responded with a run of five straight to make the score 17-10.
April Thieman again converted two freethrows; and after that was matched by New Washington, the Lady Pacers got a bucket from April Thieman and a freethrow from Courtney Cole to cut the lead back to four.
After another New Washington basket, Courtney Cole scored three straight points; and Tanya Sefton also converted a pair of freethrows to keep the game close.
With the score standing at 23-20 with 1:31 to play in the half, New Washington reeled off eight straight points to swell the lead to 11; and the half ended with April Thieman converting on a nice pass from Tanya Sefton to send the teams to the lockerroom with the Lady Mustangs holding a 31-22 lead.
Switzerland County opened the second half with a basket from Courtney Cole and a three-point play from Megan McCarty to climb back within four; but again New Washington went on a run, scoring eight straight points to keep the Lady Pacers at bay.
Down by 12, Switzerland County closed the third period with a run of their own, getting five straight points; but New Washington’s Casey Johnson closed the quarter with a basket, and Switzerland County found itself down nine, 41-32.
The final quarter was a freethrow shooting festival for Switzerland County, as they went to the line 19 times over the eight-minute span. All but two of Switzerland County’s 13 fourth quarter points came from the freethrow line.
New Washington went to the line 13 times in the final stanza, converting 12 of those attempts to seal the victory.
Courtney Cole led the Lady Pacers with 17 points; while April Thieman finished in double figures with 14.
Maggie Armstrong had seven points; Megan McCarty contributed five; and Tanya Sefton had two.
Callie Burgin led New Washington with 24 points on the day.
*
In the junior varsity contest, New Washington defeated Switzerland County by a 32-27 count.
The Lady Pacers were led by Kristen Perry with eight points; and Lindsay Scott finished with five. Jenna Daugherty and Carrie Truax had four points each; Casey Sharp added three; Katie Rayls had two; and Hailee Smith chipped in one.