The Switzerland County Lady Pacers broke out to an early lead on Friday night at home versus Rising Sun, and then cruised to a 52-32 win over the Lady Shiners.
The Lady Pacers were led by senior Whitley Schirmer, who finished with a game high 20 points.
Switzerland County got off to a fast start, outscoring Rising Sun 9-0 over the first five minutes; but the Lady Shiners rebounded, scoring seven unanswered points in the final 2:30 to close the gap, and the first quarter ended with the Lady Pacers on top, 9-7.
Rising Sun’s Lucy Carrigan tied the game at the beginning of the second quarter with a steal and layup, but that caused Switzerland County to catch fire offensively.
The Lady Pacers reeled off a run of 17-2 over the next five minutes, with things getting started on a basket by Rylee Hankins off of an assist from Taylar Jordan; and moments later Aleiah Thomas converted off of a tremendous assist from Mallory Phagan. Thomas then made a freethrow, and after Carrigan scored for Rising Sun; Schirmer, Thomas, and Phagan hit back-to-back-to-back three-pointers that pushed the lead to 12.
Schirmer then made a freethrow and McKenli Scudder followed that with a bucket, and with a minute to go in the half, Switzerland County held a 26-11 advantage.
Rising Sun fought back, getting two freethrows from Kiera Oser and Carrigan to close the half with the Lady Pacers in front, 26-15.
Switzerland County kept rolling as the third quarter got underway, getting a basket from Jordan and a pair of freethrows from Schirmer to double the score to 30-15.
It was back and forth from there, as neither squad managed a run of more than four points, but Switzerland County continued to steadily move the margin further and further out, at one point holding a 42-21 lead.
Schirmer continued to do damage in the quarter, as she would account for 12 points in the period alone; and Jody Breeck and Scudder also had baskets.
Rising Sun managed just eight points in the quarter compared to 18 for Switzerland County, and with just one stanza to go, the Lady Pacers were firmly in command, 44-23.
The Lady Shiners would win the fourth quarter scoring battle by a slim 9-8 count, but it was not enough to mount a serious threat, as Switzerland County head coach Ashley Kitts went to her bench early in the final period to get her reserves some solid playing time.
Carrigan and Sydney Bostic each had four points in the final quarter to lead the Lady Shiners; while Switzerland County saw a balanced attack, with Schirmer, Phagan, Scudder, and Kinsley Griffith each chipping in two points in the fourth.
The final score saw Switzerland County in front by 20, 52-32.
Along with Schirmer’s 20 points, the senior also added eight rebounds, five assists, and a blocked shot.
Thomas also finished in double figures with 10 as she battled foul trouble all night long, but she managed three rebounds while in the game. Phagan had eight points, five rebounds and three assists; while Scudder finished with six points to go along with three rebounds and an assist.
Jordan had two points, two rebounds, and an assist; and Hankins, Breeck and Griffith contributed two points each.
Carrigan led Rising Sun with 16 points; while Bostic had six and Oser finished with five.
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In the junior varsity game, Switzerland County defeated Rising Sun by a final score of 46-5.
Jody Breeck led the Lady Pacers with 11 points; while Emma Sullivan and Jaelyn Hemingway each added eight points to the total. Kinsley Griffith had seven points; and Kaitlyn Yeary, McKenli Scudder, and Lexi Lay each contributed four points.
Rising Sun was playing its first junior varsity game of the year, as the Lady Shiners have struggled with numbers while dealing with injuries. Joanna Rhoades had four points for Rising Sun; and Sydney Pitts had one point.