Osgood Journal Sports
February 20, 2007

'07 Lady Eagle hopes cut short
Gary Franklin - Sports Editor

Despite the ice and blowing snow, in spite of frigid temperatures and electricity unavailable in many homes, Hoosier hysteria marched on. By the final score of 67-58 following an overtime period on Saturday, February 17, the Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagles' excellent season came to a grinding and bitter halt. The Lady Eagles were the second game on the 2007 Southwestern-Shelbyville hosted IHSAA Class 1A Girls' Basketball Regional #15 venue.
Slated against the New Washington Lady Mustangs, the Lady Eagles pushed the game into an overtime period, after their slow start in the second quarter of the first half of regulation play.
The Lady Mustangs controlled the opening center court tip and scored twice before the Lady Eagles got on the books. Lady Eagle junior Kiersten Young was first for the team to put in a FG for a 4-2 deficit. The Lady Mustangs added a FG for 6-2, prompting an Eagle time out by Coach Scott Smith.
On continuing play, sophomore Valorie Wagner nailed the old fashioned three with a FG and FT to follow, cutting their deficit to one at 6-5. The Mustangs scored a 3, and senior Lady Eagle Abby Lauber put her first points up with a FG. Lady Eagle Young tied the game at 9 with nearly three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Junior Kaylin Ploeger set the Lady Eagles in the lead for the first time with a pair of FT shots at 11-9. New Washington answered with a 3 and a FG to recapture the lead at 14-11. Lady Eagle Wagner missed a pair of FT attempts but senior Lady Eagle Emily Einhaus scored to end the first quarter NW 14-13 JCD.
The Lady Eagles inbounded to open second quarter action, but saw hopes slide for the first half of the period as NW ran off 12 straight points. Lady Eagle Young finally broke the scoring drought with a pair of FT's for the score of NW 26-15 JCD. Lady Eagle Wagner rolled her ankle during the second quarter's action and had to be helped off the court.
New Washington added 9 more points in the second period to 8 by the Lady Eagles. Those 8 points came from Einhaus' 2 FT's, a Ploeger FG, a Lauber 3 pointer, and senior Abby Rohlfing's connecting on 1 of 2 FT's.
The third quarter opened with NW up 35-23. Lady Eagle Wagner was able to continue following the halftime break. Lady Eagle Young scored first with 2 FT's. Rohlfing added a FG Einhaus 1 of 2 FT's, and Young nailed the long range 3 point shot to cut into the Lady Mustang lead, 35-31.
NW scored a FG and Young connected for another 3 for 37-34. NW again added a FG, but Lady Eagle Wagner netted 1 of 2 FT's to end the third quarter much closer at NW 39-35 JCD.
Just four points down going into the fourth, Lady Eagle Young again scored a FG cutting the deficit to 2 at 39-37. Lady Eagle Einhaus scored 1 of 2 FT attempts and added a FG to put them up for the first time since the first quarter. It was a short lived lead as NW countered with a pair of FT's and a FG. Lady Eagle Rohlfing scored a FG for 43-42.
New Washington ran off a string of 5 before the Lady Eagles could again answer. Lady Eagle Wagner scored 1 of 2 FT's and Einhaus connected for a FG. NW scored 1 of 2 FT attempts, as did Wagner for the Lady Eagles. Lady Eagle Einhaus collected her fifth called foul with 1:18 remaining in regulation, sending NW to the FT stripe for the 3 point attempt. NW missed the FT but got the basket. Again NW went to the line and connected on 1 of 2 tries taking their lead back to six at 52-46 with 1:06 left in the fourth.
At :54.9, NW took a timeout. Lady Eagle junior Carissa Simon entered off the bench and in less than 5 seconds nailed a 3 pointer from deep in the corner for 52-49. JCD called a timeout. NW missed a pair of FT's and Lady Eagle Rohlfing made 1 of her 2 shots taking the score to 52-50 with :44.8 seconds left.
An immediate JCD foul sent NW to the foul line where they made both. Lady Eagle Lauber scored a FG and with 29.2, JCD called another timeout. NW made 1 of 2 FT's off the fifth called foul on JCD's Wagner.
Lady Eagle Young tied the game with a 3 point shot with less than 10 seconds remaining. The Lady Eagles' defense forced a NW turnover with only .01 left. The overtime jump was next on the agenda.
With Einhaus fouled out, Lady Eagle Ploeger jumped at center court to start the overtime period which the Lady Eagles controlled. Ploeger picked up her fifth foul at 3:18, sending NW to the line where they made 1 of 2 to take a 56-55 lead. Lady Eagle Young scored a pair of FT's to retake the lead, but the referee negated the second for a lane violation saying she stepped over the line.(?) The score remained a tie at 56.
In continuing, a FG by Young under the basket that would have given the Lady Eagles the lead and put Young on the FT line, was called a charge, which not only negated the FG and FT try, but gave Young her fifth and final foul of the game to force her to leave with 2:24 left in the overtime period.
NW rallied off the play to score 5 unanswered points. Lady Eagle Lauber scored 1 of 2 FT tries, and with :55, NW added a pair of FT's for 63-57. The last Lady Eagle to score was Carissa Simon hitting 1 of 2 FT's. NW scored 4 of 4 FT shots to conclude scoring at NW 67-58 JCD.
As with most games, one can only wonder, had that one play been different, would the entire outcome have been different? It keeps it interesting, keeps us wondering, and leaves all true fans with something to think about and discuss.
Nice job Lady Eagles and Coach Smith!!!
Scoring
JCD Lady Eagles 58
Kiersten Young 20
Emily Einhaus 10
Abby Lauber 8
Abby Rohlfing 6
Valorie Wagner 6
Kaylin Ploeger 4
Carissa Simon 4
Non-scoring Lady Eagles were: Erika Simon, Kara Harlemert, Jessica Hicks, Ciara Bonnlander and Allana Newhart.
The tournament opener at 10 AM slated the North East Dubois Lady Jeeps and the Waldron Lady Mohawks. It also ended in an overtime. The Lady Jeeps won 59-57. The NE Dubois Lady Jeeps won the championship game 44-40 over the New Washington Lady Mustangs.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Lady Eagle junior Kiersten Young led the way to help keep her team in the running for a regional victory until she was called out for a fifth assessed foul in the overtime of their regional bid at SW Shelby against the New Washington Lady Mustangs. Young scored 18 points including the FT she is shown taking above.

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Bradshaw's Eagles connect on 17 of 21 from the FT line to defeat the SC Pacers
Gary Franklin - Sports Editor

Snow wasn't the only thing blowing around the area this past week, as the JCD Eagles blew past the Switzerland County Pacers to set themselves in pretty good shape for, at the least, a share of the ORVC boys' title. In their game played at SCHS on Friday, February 16, the Eagles entered the game at 3-0 in conference play while the Pacers were 4-1. A Pacer win would lock them in control of at least a shared championship title, but the Eagles were not to be the way for them to accomplish that as they won the game by 5, JCD 66-61 SC.
The Eagles have yet to play the Rising Sun Shiners at Rising Sun Middle School gym, as that game was snowed out. The Eagles' last regular season match is against rival South Ripley at JCD. At 4-0, the Eagles have much yet to accomplish to sweep the ORVC ticket. That being Shiners and Raiders. The opening game between the Eagles and the Raiders ended in a blow out for the Eagles at Tyson during the Turkey Shoot Out, but that was then. Time will tell all!
JCD Eagles 66-61 Switz. Co.
Eagle scoring:
Blake Sutton 18
Tucker Brown 17
Matt Gehl 14
Brandon Gehl 12
Thomas Wenning 2
Justin Huff 2
Daniel Leonetti 1
Non-scoring Eagles were: Andrew Wagner, Coty Horn, Tim Arnett, Eric Horan and Gerald Hardesty.

GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO Jac-Cen-Del Eagle senior Tucker Brown scored 17 points, connecting for 8/12 FG's and 1 for 2 at the FT line against the SC Pacers. The Eagle team defeated the ORVC title chasing Switzerland County Pacers 66-61. The Pacers were at 4-1 in the '07 conference race. The Eagle victory put them at 4-0 with 2 teams yet to face and locked SC with a 4-2 record.