Category Archives: Rushville

Lady Lions look ahead to softball campaign

The Rushville Lady Lions’ softball team lost a few key pieces from last year’s 9-14 squad that will need replaced. A battery that hasn’t changed for several seasons (Grace Muir and Kara Chandler) are graduated, and coach Amanda Norris replaced by Chrissy Tabeling.

Rushville will be returning sophomore Stacey Roberts, who spent time in the circle as a freshman. Roberts started eight games for the Lady Lions while filling in for Chandler, who missed time with an injury. She was 4-9 on the season in her 75.1 innings pitched with 51 strikeouts.

2021 All-EIAC shortstop Briley Munchel will lead Rushville’s infield, while CLASSMATE Belle Gossett will lead the outfield again from her center field position. Molly Zachery, along with Munchel and Gossett, are the three seniors for the Lady Lions this season. Munchel led the team in hits with 30 while hitting .333 with five extra base hits. Gossett was a .296 hitter a season ago and her two dingers tied with Zachery for the team lead. Zachery hit .300 with 12 RBIs while manning the hot corner for Rushville; she is also a candidate to take Muir’s spot behind the plate.

Layla Shepherdson was a sparkplug at second base for the Lady Lions in her freshman season and played gold glove caliber defense. She struck out 14 times as a rookie but still managed a .324 batting average.

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Rushville Varsity

#            Name                                Gr.

2            Stacey Roberts               So.

3/13      Belle Gossett                  Sr.

7/00      Kylie Gray                         Jr.

10/24    Karma Wilson                  So.

11/38    Katelyn Asher                  Jr.

15/11    Molly Zachery                  Sr.

17          Layla Shepherdson         So.

18/32    Makenna Ripberger        Fr.

22          Ericka Kuhn                      Jr.

25/27    Briley Munchel                Sr.

70/36    Becca Tabeling                 Fr.

Head Coach Chrissy Tabeling

East Central Indoor Invite results

ST.LEON- East Central Indoor Invite got several EAIC teams season started on Saturday. Listed below are the results of the meet.

One of the highlights was Connersville’s Ahniyah Bennett a freshman who set meet records in the 55-meter with a time of 7.23 and in the 200-meter with a time of 26.51.

Boys 55              

Carter DeBoard Connersville      6.94

Carson Koelling East Central       7.05

Charles Evans    South Dearborn 7.12

Boys 200                          

Micah Buchanan                          25.44

Carter DeBoard Connersville      25.76

Parker Sweet     Connersville      25.76

Boys 800                          

Ayden Potts       Milan    2:14:57

Jake Chapman   Batesville            2:14:96

Cannon Clark     Batesville            2:16:28

Boys 3200                        

Ayden Potts       Milan    10:49:77

Jake Hawkins     Greensburg       10:55:03

Bradyn Hatton   East Central       10:59:78

Boys 55 Hurdles             

Parker Sweet     Connersville      8.19

Trevor Perkins   East Central       9.14

Gage Pohlman  Batesville            9.31

Boys 4×400                      

Bellman,Koelling,Schutte,Geisen             East Central       3:56:21

Bopp,Campell,Henrdickson,Williamson  Indy Genesis      3:57:25

Pohlman,Davis,Ranka,Hornberger           Batesville            3:59:84

Boys 4×800                      

Hess,Hawkins,Gorman,Blodgett Greensburg       9:18:34

Lagaly,Hail,Schumann,Scruggs   South Dearborn 9:31:65

Clark,Ranka,Adams,Champman Batesville            9:32:61

Boys Sprint Medley(776meters)              

Bellman,Garrison,Roope,Koelling            East Central       1:42.09

Evans,Wickersham,Thompson,McClure  South Dearborn 1:44.45

Mahon,Westerfeld,Ranka,Hornberger    Batesville            1:44.76

Boys High Jump              

Trenton Dyer     Rushville             6’0″

Blake Collins      Greensburg       6’0″

Ayden Eckstein  Batesville            5’10”

Boys Pole Vault              

Bowden Johnson            East Central       10’0″

Lincoln Pflum    Connersville      10’0″

Hudson Knolman            Batesville            9’6″

Boys Long Jump             

Carter DeBoard Connersville      19’8.75″

Carson Koelling East Central       19’3″

Tristan Norris    Rushville             18’4.5″

Boys Shot Put                  

Tyler Biddinger  Greensburg       46’8.5″

Eli Moore           Greensburg       45’1″

Will Kemper       East Central       43’9″

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Girls 55              

Ahniyah Bennett             Connersville      7.23

Anna Graf           East Central       7.85

Ellie Hill East Central       7.89

Girls 200                          

Ahniyah Bennett             Connersville      26.51

Erika Wells         East Central       28.22

Rachel Campbell             East Central       28.23

Girls 800                          

Callie Bentley     East Central       2:28.66

Ashtyn Gindling East Central       2:33.20

Macy Cline         Indy Genesis      2:47.28

Girls 3200                        

Adeline Brewer East Central       13:28.69

Abigail Struewing            Connersville      13:46.85

Faith Harmeyer East Central       13:57.45

Girls 55 Hurdles                            

Jorjia Ferguson  East Central       10.09

Lexi Barr             Connersville      10.61

Cora Deputy      Batesville            10.63

Girls 4×400                      

Ferguson,Bentley,Wells,Campbell           East Central       4:18.90

Allgeier,Hanson,Raver,Dozier     Batesville            4:27.67

Graf,Davis,Toney,Hill     East Central       4:30.62

Girls 4×800                      

Bentley,Gindling,Brewer,Campbell          East Central       10:22.78

Weiler,Bedel,Hanson,Allgeier     Batesville            10:38.94

Wells,Henderson,Bowling,Bender           East Central       11:07.43

Girls Sprint Medley (776 meters)                          

Dozier,Kuisel,Lipps,Pohlman       Batesville            1:57.10

Nobbe,Davis,Garcia-Villena,Luers            Batesville            2:00.65

Senour,Burnett,Morgan,Combs Rushville             2:02.93

Girls High Jump              

Ellie Hill East Central       5’2″

Leah West          Greensburg       4’8″

Ava Hanson       Batesville            4’8″

Girls Pole Vault              

Nadine Davis     Batesville            8’0″

Sarah Albrinck   East Central       7’6″

Gwynn Higbie    Connersville      7’0″

Girls Long Jump             

Ellie Hill East Central       16’4.5″

Rylee Edwards  East Central       15’9.25″

Carley Senour    Rushville             15’9″

Girls Shotput                  

Emarie Jackson Greensburg       42’5.25″

Jenna Lawler     Rushville             35’3.5″

Olivia Grimes     Greensburg       31’9″

EIAC gymnasts conclude season at regional

INDIANAPOLIS – The Rushville Lady Lions were one of six complete teams competing at Friday night’s Franklin Central gymnastics regional hoping to make it one step farther to the state finals. The Rush County girls gave it their best shot but came in sixth with a score of 93.675. Bloomington North won the meet with 108.625, followed by fellow state qualifiers Columbus North and New Palestine.

“RCHS is proud to have been represented by our Lady Lions,” said head coach Jenni Philpot. “Each of the girls had a great meet. Thank you to the huge group of fans at all our meets this year.”

Bell Westphal secured the highest score and finish for Rushville on the evening, her vault of 8.85 good for 11th on the apparatus. Westphal placed 12th in all-around with a total of 33.05; she was 18th on uneven bars (7.8), 22nd on balance beam (8.1) and the same on floor exercise (8.3).

Cora Emory and Cyndi Tush were among the top 20 girls competing in every rotation as Emory placed 17th (31.325 total) and Tush 19th (28.15).

Emory outscored her personal sectional scores on vault (23rd; 8.55), beam (20th; 8.3) and floor (21st; 8.375). Tush did so on bars (31st; 5.525). Emory’s bar routine netted 29th place (6.1). Tush added 27th on vault (8.3) and 30th on both beam (6.55) and floor (7.775).

Mallory McDaniel outperformed her sectional marks on bars (28th; 6.325), beam (29th; 6.65) and floor (28th; 8.025).

Karma Wilson competed on vault, scoring 31st with 7.75 or slightly better than her sectional tally. Gabby Pavey was also in attendance at Rushville’s first team trip to regionals since 1998.

Audrey Harper of Franklin County also competed at every regional rotation, claiming 18th in all around (30.675). The junior was 25th on bars (6.9), tied for 26th on floor (8.2), 27th on beam (7.675) and 30th on vault (7.9).

Seniors help Wildcats past Lions

GREENSBURG – A pair of Franklin County senior running mates were determined not to go home early from Sectional 29 hosted by Greensburg.

Jace Lee and Brant Ertel combined for 32 points Tuesday in the tournament opener against Rushville, an Ertel to Lee basket icing the game late for FC in a 50-45 win. Both Wildcat upperclassmen missed significant time during the 2022-23 season, making up for those lost minutes with Tuesday’s performance – Lee a game-high 18 points and Ertel 14.

The same combo made it 44-38 in FC’s favor around the game’s 3-minute mark but 3-pointers by Quentin Cain and Kameron Morton (Cain assist) tied the contest at 44 with 80 seconds left.

FC senior Brady Morehead was then sent to the free throw line; he missed the front end of a one-and-one but collected the carom and returned to the stripe. This time he was good on both charities. Quinn Gillman rebounded a missed three by Rushville, was fouled and sank 1 of 2 for a 3-point Wildcat lead. Cain made 1 of 2 after being fouled but out of an FC timeout, Lee scored and Morehead added a foul shot with only fractions of a second left.

The Cats enjoyed their largest margins as play went deep into the third period. A reverse layup by Lee made it a 31-23 with 4:32 to go. Rushville managed just six free throws before quarter’s end, while FC got a pair of key 3-point shots – Ertel at 2:33 off a Gillman assist and junior Eli Butt at 1:48 from the wing. It was a 37-29 game with eight minutes to play.

A three by Xxzavien Jenkins made it a 5-point game early in the fourth. Morehead answered with a tip-in and subsequent FT attempt; the missed freebie had FC up 39-32 before another Jenkins triple. A successful drive by Lee and later his drawing a blocking call on Lion big man Dylan Thompson led to a 42-36 count.

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The game had a bizarre opening. Rushville was assessed a technical foul during the warmup session (violations include dunking) so Butt stepped to the 15-foot line to get the contest underway – making 1 of 2. The FC guard soon put the Cats up 4-2 with a 3-point bucket. The Lions scored the next five points, capped by a Morton to Chase Woolf finish.

At 7-7, Cain completed a 3-point play before Gillman found Ertel in the corner for the tie. Rushville, working for a final shot in the quarter, got exactly that as Jenkins connected from beyond the arc for a 13-11 Lion lead.

Cain popped a jumper just inside the foul line to start period two, though he picked up a charging call shortly after. Xander Rodriguez made it 15-13 with an athletic putback. Nick Jarman (from Morton) hit from the 3-point line at 4:53 of the half to put RCHS up five. With the score 19-13, Lee ended a dry spell for FC with back-to-back layups. An Ertel drive completed first-half scoring, leaving the Cats just shy at 21-19.

The Wildcat run reached 9-0 as play resumed. Ertel drove in for two more, Lee was true on two FTs and Gillman finished a successful 3-point play. FC never trailed again. Three more points by Ertel had Lion coach Ryan Ehm calling time at 5:05 of the third.

Jenkins paced RCHS with 13 and Cain scored 11. Morton had 9, Thompson was held to five free throws, Woolf added 4 and Jarman 3. Butt 7, Morehead 5, Gillman 4 and XRod 2 rounded out the winning side.

FC (10-13) faces Batesville in the semifinal round Friday, 6 p.m. Championship is set for Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Thompson walk-off defeats Twisters

OLDENBURG – Dylan Thompson was already having a game Saturday night at Oldenburg Academy but

Rushville’s 6’5” senior put the dot on the exclamation mark with a winning layup as time expired at

Hillenbrand Family Feldhaus.

The Twisters had just tied the game at 46 following a steal by Henry Wanstrath and finish by Jacob Stenger. The Lions advanced the ball in a hurry as the clock ticked under five seconds; Thompson took

the entry pass on the right side and went up for the uncontested game winner. The 48-46 win stopped a

5-game skid by RCHS.

It was a credit to OA to force the late deadlock as the hosts were down six with three minutes remaining

after a Nick Jarman fielder. Oldenburg junior Conner Miles put in two free throws as he capped off a

game-best 23 points. The teams traded missed front ends of a 1-and-1 in the last minute before OA’s

Jacob Cornelius drove in for two; a timeout set up the exciting ending.

The game was a two-possession contest apart from Rushville’s solid stretch to start the second quarter.

Thompson hit two straight buckets and OA coach Michael Higdon called time at 16-9. Another

Thompson score made it 18-11 and Jarman’s transition hoop at 3:08 had the Lions briefly enjoying a 22-

14 lead.

Miles then dropped in a corner three and Lion coach Ryan Ehm signaled timeout. Stenger received a

technical foul around the half’s 2-minute mark but Rushville got just one point off the penalty. Miles hit

two at the stripe and runner in the paint to make it 23-21. Wanstrath and Jarman swapped 2-of-2 visits

at the 15-foot line and it was 25-23 at the break.

Thompson connected to open the second half but Miles tied it up with a pair of short makes. The guests’

Kameron Morton then splashed a three. The back-and-forth continued as Wanstrath scored off a Jacob

Hoff feed and Thompson delivered his second slam of the night; Hoff, the lone senior on OA’s senior

night, tied the game at 32 with a trey. The end of quarter three also had some flair. Morton passed to

Thompson for two with 7.2 seconds left and OA just missed a point-blank shot at the buzzer, keeping the

score at 36-33.

Jarman made it a 5-point game as the final frame unfolded. Morton later matched a Stenger triple with

the more traditional 3-point play. At 4:32, Hoff fouled out of his last home game and Jarman hit 1 of 2 to

send RCHS up 42-36. Cornelius and Miles baskets sandwiched a trip down the lane by the Lions’ Quentin

Cain.

Off an OA turnover, Thompson slammed home the game’s first field goal. Miles scored five straight to

give the Twisters their only lead of the match. Rushville wrangled the advantage with a 6-0 spurt. Four

points by Wanstrath helped OA cut it to one at the end of the first.

Thompson trailed only Miles with 20 points. Morton and Wanstrath scored 11 and 10, respectively. For

the Lions, Jarman added 9, Cain 5, Danny Corn 2 and Kane Thompson a free throw. Stenger had 5 and

Cornelius and Hoff 4 each for the cyclones.

OA (6-13) was at South Decatur Tuesday and finishes at Lawrenceburg Thursday. Rushville (5-17) is also

on the road those nights, heading for Hamilton Heights in Arcadia and down Hwy. 3 to North Decatur.

Panthers run away from Lady Lions at regional

CHARLESTOWN – Many a Rushville Lady Lions’ fan probably heard the name Ava Weber in their sleep Saturday night.
Hours earlier, the talented Corydon Central forward had dropped 34 points (13 baskets in 14 tries, 8 free throws) before exiting the game two minutes into the fourth quarter of what would be a 68-40 win for the 25-2 Panthers. The Charlestown gymnasium was a stumbling block for coach Melissa Marlow’s squad for a third straight year as a regional title was not to be.
The Panthers, relentless from opening tip, led 17-6 after eight minutes and forced Marlow to call timeout at two intervals. Rushville woke up offensively in the second period but still trailed 39-21 at the midpoint. By the time CC coach Josh Conrad pulled his stars, it was a 65-32 affair.
Weber singlehandedly put the Harrison County group up 5-0 with a traditional 3-point play and steal at halfcourt followed by a conversion. Off a Belle Gossett screen, sophomore Leonie Boyer put the Lions in the scorebook at the 5:51 mark. But Weber answered with a bucket off an inbound set and her runout at 4:34 triggered the game’s first timeout.
Two free throws by Weber and the senior’s assist to teammate Bailey Orme made it 13-2. Boyer then passed to Briley Munchel for two, though quick responses from Orme and Weber led to another play stoppage at 1:47. A pair of Gracie Buzzard foul shots rounded out the frame.


Corydon scored again in transition to open the next stanza. The senior combo of Munchel to Gossett netted a three and made it a 10-point deficit at 19-9, and Gossett hit 1 of 2 at the line to put RCHS within single digits for the final time.
A backdoor cut by Weber sent the Panthers up 11 and sharpshooting Josie Vaughn hit from the arc for a 24-10 CC advantage. Weber then went across the lane, finishing with her left hand. Orme to Weber made it 28-10 and Marlow had no choice but to call time. The lead grew to three touchdowns after three Weber charities.
Rushville found the net with frequency in the half’s last 1:14, though first suffering two more triples by Vaughn and 39-14 margin. Boyer had a 1 of 2 FT trip and Gossett sank two more. Freshman Carly Senour popped a jumper and Boyer scooted in from the baseline for a goal.
The second half start was nearly identical to game’s beginning as Weber got another and-one chance and a Corydon steal made it 43-21. Boyer was first to score again as she completed a 3-point play. It was soon 47-24, however, with Weber driving in with her off hand. Another Weber field goal preceded a Senour triple. A timeout halted play at 51-28.
Vaughn connected for three more at the 3:48 mark of the third, followed by Weber’s fast-break hoop and her impressive fall-away for a 30-point Panther lead. The scoreboard read 61-28 after three complete.
A Boyer drive opened the last period and Marlow called time to get her seniors back in for their last rodeo. Senour hit another jump shot, with Boyer, Gossett, Munchel and Kiley Parsley scoring before the final horn.
Boyer matched Vaughn’s 16 points to go with six rebounds. Gossett 8, Senour 7, Munchel 5, Buzzard 2, Parsley 2 was other Lion scoring.


RCHS finished at 14-14, Gossett and Munchel exiting the program as major cogs in three postseason runs.
Coach Marlow stated “”Our last game does not define what these young ladies have accomplished this season. These ladies have overcome a season of ups and downs this year. They worked hard last summer and have stayed together throughout the season encouraging each other and striving to achieve success. I have always said it is not where you start but where you end in a season that matters. I am nothing but proud of these young ladies! Our seniors (Belle Gossett, Briley Munchel, Regan Padgett and Tracie Stanley) have left their marks on the Lady Lion Program. They have been totally committed and bought into the Lady Lion Basketball Program. It is the job of our young kids to carry on the tradition!”

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Spartans’ Foster to rep EIAC at state

NEW CASTLE – There were 22 representatives from the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference at Saturday’s New Castle wrestling semistate and after all was settled, just one is moving on to Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis this coming weekend for the state finals – Connersville’s 195-pounder, Orlan Foster.

The tournament is typically dominated by a handful of teams from Marion County (Indianapolis) and the surrounding donut counties … and Saturday was no different. Spots one through six were taken by Indy metro squads, including winning Indianapolis Cathedral with 117 points, followed by the host NC Trojans in seventh and all Indy teams from 8-15. Connersville, with the help of Foster’s run, took 17th.

Champions followed the same pattern; Cathedral, Perry Meridian, Warren Central and Roncalli each had two titlists while New Palestine, Carmel, Zionsville, Lawrence North and Hamilton Southeastern had one apiece. Crashing the party was NC’s unbeaten freshman Tylin Thrine at 126.

East Central sent eight competitors to the Trojans’ fieldhouse, Franklin County five, Connersville and Lawrenceburg three each and one each for Rushville, South Dearborn and Batesville. Greensburg’s Preston Merritt had qualified but was replaced by alternate Carson Whitley of Union County in the 132 division.

Of FC’s quintet, a pair got through to the second round – nicknamed the ticket round that allows wrestlers a ‘ticket’ to state. Cole Freese (113) pinned Elwood’s Kaleb Colwell late in the second period before suffering a 2nd-period fall to Porter Temples of Westfield. Colin Troyer (120) also earned a second-period pin early in the morning, putting North Vermillion’s Aden Rangel on his back. Troyer went the distance against Guerin Catholic’s Peter Nguyen, taking a 10-2 major decision loss – just his second of the year as he finished 39-2. Freese ended with a 39-4 mark.

Breck Bohman at 170 had an early 5-2 lead over Hamilton Heights’ Jimmy Lacey before giving up the lead and getting stuck 32 seconds into the second frame. Bohman posted a 14-6 mark. Senior Wildcats were Hayden Newell and Lendon Sizemore at 160 and 220, respectively. Both had tough opening matches, with Newell being pinned in 1:26 by Southport’s Daunte Hon and Sizemore lasting 63 seconds versus Roncalli’s Royce Deckard. Newell’s final year netted a 32-10 ledger while Sizemore went 27-12.

Foster is now 42-3 after going 3-1 at the meet. The Spartan senior pinned his first three foes in the opening stanza, then took a pin at the hands of Roncalli’s undefeated Luke Hansen. Teammate Levi DeGroat (220) fell 9-3 in his first match. Another Spartan, Aric Fox, was pinned late in his bout with fellow 138-pounder Christian Arberry of WC.

Brayden Rouse of EC also fell victim to Hansen by pin in round 2; he had earlier majored Anderson’s Clayton Stephens. Teammate Grayson Hylton defeated Mt. Vernon’s Elijah Kiner 8-4 at 152 lbs. but was majored 11-2 by HSE’s Zach Lang as the bracket shrank. Trojan Blake Wolf at 126 got by Lebanon’s Ethan Coffman ahead of being pinned by runner-up Aden Reyes of Cathedral.

Five other EC grapplers fell early on. Tyler Stenger (113) was majored, Nyden Euson pinned at 132, Dylan Lengerich lost a 4-2 affair to Heights’ Carson Fettig at 145, Brayden Huber pinned late in a 170 bout with Indianapolis Bishop Chatard’s Kade Rickard and Brendin Kolter pinned in the opening period at 182.

LHS’ Colton Roth was still unbeaten at heavyweight following a late pin of North Montgomery’s Dylan Braun; his first and only loss of the year came against Franklin Central’s Andrew Just, who posted a 10-3 win. Tiger teammate Drake Rorabacher was at the wrong end of a technical fall in his 170-pound opening match while Brayden Tudor did slightly better at 145, losing by major decision.

Rushville’s Tuff Tackett (132) ended a nice career for the Lions with a 1st-round pin loss to Heights’ Isaac Kuhn; Tackett went 29-13 this year. Batesville heavy Max Amberger took a 13-5 major decision defeat to Carmel’s Jack Milligan. Amberger finished 33-8 in his sophomore campaign. Liam Hubbartt of SD was pinned by 106-lb runner-up Gunner Butt of New Pal. Hubbartt was 28-13 in his debut season.

State action in Indy starts Friday night.

Batesville dominates Lions in EIAC game.

The Rushville Lions hosted the Batesville Bulldogs in an EIAC matchup on Thursday evening. The Bulldogs got an early lead in the game and never trailed for the entire 32 minutes. The finished the first quarter up by nine, increased the lead to 13 by halftime, and held the Lions to just 13 second half points to pull off a 68-36 win. The Bulldogs are now 13-6 on the season and 4-2 in EIAC games. The loss drops Rushville 4-16 on the season, and they finished their EIAC games with an 0-7 record.

 Cole Pride got the Dogs on the board to start the game with an old fashioned three-point play. Cade Kaiser scored for BHS, and Quentin Cain scored for the Lions. Pride added two more buckets, and Dylan Thompson and XxZavien Jenkins scored for the Lions making the score 9-7. The Bulldogs then went on a 7-0 run with Jack Grunkemeyer scoring four-points and Kaiser three. Jenkins hit from deep for Rushville and Thompson scored with two seconds to go in the quarter to make the score 21-12 after the first frame.

The second quarter started with a Sam Johnson basket for the Dogs, and Danny Corn scored twice for Rushville. Pride scored for BHS and Chase Woolf landed a deep three for the Lions and the score was 25-19 midway through the period. Grunkemeyer then went on a tear scoring the next six-points for Batesville. Jenkins scored four for the Lions, then Grunkemeyer and Kaiser finished off the half with a bucket each to make the score 36-23 at the half. The Dogs started the third frame on an 8-2 run, Thompson scored for Rushville then Pride and Kaiser each hit a three-point basket to go up by 23-points. Thompson scored again for RCHS and Pride hit another deep three to close out the frame with the Dogs on top 53-30. The Lions got six points in the final quarter a three-pointer from Braydon Wilson a Thompson basket and a Corn free throw. The Dogs added 15-points from five different players in the period to win the conference matchup 68-36.

              1            2            3            4            F

BHS       21          15          17          15          68

RCHS     12          11          7            6            36

Unofficial Scoring-

BHS- Grunkemeyer 26, Pride 17, Kaiser 12, Sam Johnson 7, Gus Prickel 3, Brendan Heiser 3

RCHS- Thompson 12, Jenkins 10, Corn 5, Woolf 3, Wilson 3, Cain 2, Morton 1      

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