Boys Basketball, Greensburg, South Dearborn

Late rally sends host Pirates into semis

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GREENSBURG – The final score of Wednesday’s nightcap at Sectional 29 is a bit deceiving, though well earned by the host Greensburg Pirates.

South Dearborn senior Ryan Willoughby – the EIAC’s scoring leader for the 2022-23 campaign – had just tied the game at 36 with a little over five minutes remaining. But those would be the Knights’ final points of the contest as the Bucs finished on a triumphant 17-0 note to advance with a 53-36 win.

Greensburg senior Ki Dyer (2nd-leading scorer the conference) hit a three with an assist to classmate Abe Tebbe. The Pirates’ Class of 2023 proceeded in the scoring column, putting in Greensburg’s final 29 points. Grainger Maxwell made it 41-36 and Jeter Edwards completed a traditional 3-point play off a fast break before adding a pair of free throws. The Pirates had built a 46-36 lead.

A Maxwell blocked shot led to a FT trip for Dyer. The latter drove to the rim for two to make it a 49-36 affair. Dyer and Maxwell added two foul shots apiece for good measure.

It was all home team to start out as Greensburg climbed ahead 12-2. Sophomore Jack McKinsey hit twice in the early going (2 and 3) and junior Addison Barnes-Pettit dropped in a trey from the corner and two in transition. SD coach Patrick Cosgrove asked for time at 3:42. Dyer then scored off an inbound pass.

The Knights settled down rather well and gained the lead with 4:19 to go in the first half. A Zander Schwab three sparked the comeback and Willoughby got loose on a break. A runout for Willoughby ended the first frame at 13-10.

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Breckin McCreary opened scoring in the second stanza, but it was Brodie Teke’s triple that put South ahead by two. The Knights’ run would reach 12 unanswered as Teke scored on a runout and Hudson Shackelford maneuvered down the lane for a pair. Dyer stopped the bleeding by hitting a trey.

SD broke down the Pirate defense for two layups late in the half – Shackelford and Willoughby. Edwards connected on a side 3-pointer at the buzzer to make it 23-19 at intermission.

Dyer began the second half by burying a 3 from the top of the key. South then had four looks at the rim, with the last one going in for Adam Kunkel. Two foul shots by Willoughby had SD maintaining a 27-22 advantage. McKinsey cut it to three on a dribble drive and two Tebbe charities tied the game at 27. Two hoops by Shackelford (the second a triple from a Teke pass) aided the Knights in holding their lead as the fourth quarter loomed (32-31).

A cut to the rack by Edwards changed the lead early in the fourth and Dyer followed from distance. Jacob Daugherty’s jump shot preceded an SD timeout at 5:36.

Dyer led all scorers with 23 and Edwards tallied 10. McKinsey had 7, ABP 5 and Tebbe and Maxwell 4 each. Willoughby was tops for SD with a dozen. Shackelford scored 9, Teke 6, Schwab 3 and McCreary, Kunkel and Daugherty 2 each.

Greensburg (18-6) squares off with Lawrenceburg in Friday night’s second game. South Dearborn’s season ended at 15-9, a third consecutive winning campaign.

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Boys Basketball, Connersville, Lawrenceburg

Tigers send EIAC champ Spartans home

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GREENSBURG – Since March 6, 2021, Connersville’s Spartans have secured two EIAC championships (going 14-0). But that date also remains the last time Kerry Brown’s squad won a sectional game. Following a loss to Greensburg last March, the Lawrenceburg Tigers – defending Sectional 29 champions – did the honors this year with Wednesday’s 50-41 victory over CHS.

Connersville, ranked fourth in the final Class 3A poll, could do next to nothing right through the first three quarters and trailed 31-17 with one frame to play. The score was 42-27 when timeout was called with 2:33 remaining. Spartan senior Josh Williams then tried to will his team to an epic comeback.

He started with three free throws after being fouled on a long-range attempt. Still a 12-point game, Williams produced a steal and subsequent 3-point play to make it 42-33 with two minutes left. The senior swingman then drained a 3-pointer to put CHS within two possessions.

The score was 45-38 when time was called at 30.7. Williams scored again to make it 46-40 ahead of Brown’s final timeout with 20.8 ticks left. CHS senior Lucas Barron then fouled out to end his solid Spartan career. LHS’ Cooper Bobo sank 1 of 2 to squash the Spartans’ postseason hopes.

Logan Rohrer – tied with Williams for game-high scoring honors at 19 – scored the game’s first bucket. James Williams and Barron later tied the game early at 4 apiece. Noah Knigga and Jo. Williams then traded baskets for a 6-6 stalemate. Lawrenceburg ended the first period on an 8-0 run. A lob to Rohrer was finished and big man Bobo stepped out for a three. In the final seconds, Rohrer scored on an inbound play to make it 14-6.

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Braxton Myers finally broke the Spartan silence with a field goal. Rohrer answered directly from the 3-point line and two by Sam Cornett had LHS up 19-8. Brayden Pearson landed a 3 for Connersville but Bobo echoed that and Rohrer’s bucket made it 24-11. The score at half was 26-14.

The third quarter featured very little scoring (eight points total) and a lot of deliberate offense. CHS got within 26-17 before Knigga hit and Rohrer’s cut to the basket produced a 3-point play.

Bobo added 13 in the winning effort and Ben Cornett posted 9. Knigga and S. Cornett each had 4 and Charlie Meyer a free throw. The senior class had all of Connersville’s 41 points; Myers had 6, Barron and Ja. Williams 5 each, Pearson and Gavin Pearson each with a 3-pointer.

LHS (19-6) and coach Brad Cutter move on to Friday night’s semifinal matchup with host Greensburg. The Spartans closed at 18-5.

Boys Basketball, Franklin County, Rushville

Seniors help Wildcats past Lions

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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.

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Lady Lions return to regional after 25 years

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CONNERSVILLE – For the first time in many years, several area girls have extended their high school gymnastics seasons into the second weekend of the state tournament.

At the Connersville sectional Saturday, Rushville’s Lady Lions placed third as a team to advance their entire unit to regional, something that hasn’t happened since 1998. The Franklin County Lady Wildcats will also have a representative at Friday’s Franklin Central regional; junior Audrey Harper placed fifth in the all-around competition to earn her spot in the next round.

Junior Bell Westphal led the Lions by nearly capturing first in all-around. Her career best score of 34.15 trailed overall winner Lynzie Stiller (New Palestine freshman, 34.3) by mere fractions on judges’ cards. Westphal was runner-up on the vault (8.9) to New Castle freshman Hailey Helsley (9.0). She added a career mark on the balance beam of 8.85 to secure third. On uneven bars, Westphal took fourth (7.8) and earned sixth on the floor exercise (8.6).

Lion senior Cora Emory also would have stayed alive in the state tourney, regardless of team score, as she placed sixth in all-around with a career high of 31.35. Emory was 10th on both beam (8.175) and floor (8.2) while taking 14th on vault (8.35) and 18th on the bars (6.625).

Senior teammate Cyndi Tush scored a career-high mark on her floor routine as judges flipped up an 8.175 for 12th place. Her best finish, though, was on vault as 8.5 gained her 10th place. A 16th on beam (7.175) and 23rd on bars (5.425) netted her 14th in the all-around standings (29.275).

Harper’s top finish came on floor, where she placed fourth with a score of 8.7 behind three New Pal Lady Dragons – sectional champions with a collective score of 103.425. The junior Wildcat tied for fifth on the bars with NP’s Olivia Frank (7.75). A 16th on vault (8.3) and 21st on beam (7.0) were enough to keep her ahead of Emory in all-around competition.

FC freshman Rachael Ruf had a good first showing in her sectional debut as the Cats’ underclassman placed 8th in all-around (30.975). Ruf’s best effort came on bars, her 7.175 tally good for 11th. She was 14th on both beam (7.5) and floor (8.1 tied with Shelbyville’s Renee Aldridge). The youngster rounded out her day tied for 20th on vault (8.2) with Muncie Central’s Amarrah Garrett.

Union County freshman Eliana Bostick also made the circuit around the gym, earning 12th in all-around (29.95). Seventh place on bars nearly put her into the regional, her score of 7.625 falling just shy. Bostick tied for 17th on vault with NP freshman Reagan Seal (8.275), was 22nd on beam (6.925) and tied for 23rd on the floor (7.125) with Morristown frosh Remi Spicklemire.

Rushville senior Mallory McDaniel was 20th on floor (7.65), 21st on bars (6.175) and 27th on beam (6.025). Sophomore Karma Wilson competed on vault, placing 28th (7.3). It was the first postseason action for the two Lions.

New Castle scored 99.25 to finish in second place as Rushville totaled 95.525. Connersville was next with 90.325 and Morristown fifth (88.425). FC was eighth (62.725) and UC 10th (29.95).

March In for regional at the south Indianapolis school is 6:30 p.m. Harper will be accompanied by coach and father Scott Harper. Jenni Philpot and Petra Tackett lead the Lions, with junior Gabby Pavey filling out the RCHS roster. Top three teams at regional advance to state as well as top six in each individual event and all-around. Admission is $10.

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Pair of losses for Lions

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On Feb. 21, the Rushville varsity boys basketball team lost at Hamilton Heights by a score of 63-43. Heights led 36-21 at halftime.

Dylan Thompson had 13 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks. Kameron Morton had 9 points and 4 rebounds. Quentin Cain had 8 points. Chase Woolf had 6 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. XxZavien Jenkins had 6 points. Adrian Apodaca had 1 free throw.

On Feb. 23, the JV and varsity teams played at North Decatur.

Varsity battled a good Charger team before falling 43-40 after spotting ND an 11-0 lead. Thompson had 17 points. Morton had 8. Woolf had 6. Kane Thompson had 5 and Cain 4. ND led slightly at every stop. Blake Spears had 20 points for the Chargers (6 3-pointers) and Lance Nobbe added 14.

The JV team ended its season with a double OT loss by a score of 61-51. Braydon Wilson had 19 points. Clayton Chase had 13. Apodaca had 10. Isaac Schelle added 5 and Jackson Owen and Zach Tressler 2 apiece.

Rushville’s sectional match with Franklin County Tuesday was too late for publication. A win for the 5-19 Lions would place them in Friday’s semifinal at Greensburg against the Batesville Bulldogs. That tip would be 6 p.m.

Lady Lions return to regional after 25 years

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Dogs win finale, 7th straight

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For the first time since early 2020, Batesville’s Bulldogs are the owners of a 7-game winning streak after finishing off Shelbyville at home Thursday, 55-49, despite being down 25-22 at halftime.

Junior Jack Grunkemeyer paced the Dogs with 16 points. Sam Johnson and Cade Kaiser added 11 each while Cole Pride posted 10. Gus Prickel scored 5 and Carson Laker 2. Ollie Sandman matched him for the Golden Bears while teammates Caden Claxton and Aidan Asher scored 15 and 11, respectively.

BHS (16-6) awaits the winner of Rushville-Franklin County at the Greensburg sectional this week. Tip is 6 p.m. Friday for the semifinal matchup.

Boys Basketball, Franklin County

Cats drilled by Carpenter and Co.

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RICHMOND – The Richmond Red Devils – led by future Division I guard Mason Carpenter – lit the Tiernan Center nets on fire Thursday against visiting Franklin County, knocking down 11 3-pointers en route to a 67-34 runaway victory in the regular season finale for both sides.

A field goal to end the first half by Xander Rodriguez (Tanner Weartz assist) and a 3-point bucket by junior Eli Butt to start the second (Quinn Gillman ast.) had the guests thinking positively about a 25-16 deficit.

But the Devils began ripping threes left and right to build a 45-23 advantage at the end of the third and a running clock (61-26) by the 4:30 mark of the game. Carpenter, a sophomore, had 22 points (four 3s) before exiting early in the fourth.

Weartz and Jace Lee had interior answers for Carpenter’s two early bombs in the second half. With the score 31-20, Gunner Kovach hit his only basket of the game – a three – and sophomore Cedric Horton used a Euro step for two after an FC turnover. Out of a timeout, Carpenter drained another triple and junior Ryder Cate dropped in a left-hand layup to make it 41-20.

The 10-0 Red Devil run was stopped by a Butt trey (Gillman assist). With time running out in the third, Brady Morehead was called for a phantom foul on Kainin Turner’s 3-point attempt; Turner made 2 of 3 foul shots as the only player on the court.

Butt’s third 3-pointer (Rodriguez assist) stood as FC’s lone bucket as play moved deeper into the fourth and Richmond reeled off a 20-3 run. A pair of Devil reserves joined Turner in hitting a total of four 3-balls before Horton got loose for a thunderous slam to put the hosts up by 35. Butt added to his team-high 13 points and Landen Wuestefeld hit his second and third from long range (9 pts. on the night) before the final horn.

The Cats struggled against Richmond’s full-court pressure early on, committing two turnovers that helped RHS to a 6-0 lead. A Weartz free throw broke the ice for FC at 5:08. Carpenter then completed a traditional 3-point play to make it 9-1.

The Wildcat defense kept the Devils off the scoreboard for nearly six minutes as Morehead laid one in and Gillman hit from the arc (Lee assist); it was 9-6 after one period.

A couple minutes into the next frame, however, Richmond heated up with Carpenter’s banked three followed by Turner’s triple. Wuestefeld answered from the cheap seats and Butt scored off the backboard to cut the RHS lead to 17-11. The Red Devils scored the next eight points of the game as another Carpenter 3-point play preceded two goals by Cate; the second was a 2-hand slam with the lanky Cate finishing the bonus free throw.

Gillman (3), Weartz (3), Lee (2), Morehead (2) and XRod (2) rounded out FC scoring. Turner put in 13 for RHS, Cate 9 and Horton 6.

FC (9-13) faces Rushville at the Greensburg sectional Tuesday. A win would place the Wildcats in Friday’s semifinal with Batesville, 6 p.m.

Boys Basketball, Connersville, Lawrenceburg

Connersville finishes 7-0 to win EIAC after a win over Lawrenceburg

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The 3/A #7 Connersville Spartans locked up their third consecutive conference championship with a win over the Lawrenceburg Tigers on Saturday night. They jumped out to an early lead and held off a Comeback from the Tigers to pull off a 53-37 win.

Josh Williams started the game off putting the Spartans up 2-0. Lucas Barron connected not once, but twice on old fashioned three-point play’s and the Spartans were up 8-0 after three minutes played. Noah Knigga and Logan Rohrer each scored back-to-back for Lawrenceburg then buckets were traded by both squads. Williams scored back-to-back and it was 15-7 in Connersville’s favor. James Williams scored for CHS. Knigga scored for the Tigers and dropped in a free throw. Jo. Williams ended the frame scoring his ninth point and the Spartans led after the first quarter 19-10. Cooper Bobo scored his first points of the game from the free throw line to start the second quarter. Brayden Pearson dropped a three-pointer, and the Spartans were back up by 10-points. After two minutes of neither team scoring Braxton Myers added two-points for Connersville. Knigga was good for two more freebies for LHS and the score at the half was Connersville 24, Lawrenceburg 14.

The Tigers got two free throws from Sam Cornett to start the third quarter, Bobo hit from deep, and Lawrenceburg pulled it to within five-points. Bobo completed an old fashioned three-point play, and the score was 24-22 with Connersville up and six minutes to go in the third.  Barron hit a pair of free throws for the Spartans, Myers hit a shot near the rim, Barron scored to put the Spartans on top by eight-points. Rohrer and Ben Cornett scored for the Tigers, Ja. Williams scored on a put back for Connersville, then he added a free throw to put Connersville up 35-28 after three periods. Rohrer and Knigga got the Tigers five quick points to begin the final frame. The Williams brothers and Gavin Pearson scored for CHS, B. Cornett scored for the Tigers and the Spartans lead was cut to five-points again.  Myers completed an and one for Connersville, Ja. Williams scored, and Barron hit a three giving CHS a 12-point win and locking in their third straight EIAC championship.

The Spartans improve to 17-4 on the season and finished 7-0 in EIAC games. Lawrenceburg is now 17-6 on the year and finished with a record of 3-4 in EIAC games.  

              1            2            3            4            F

CHS       19          5            11          18          53

LHS        10          4            14          9            37

Unofficial Scoring–

LHS– Rohrer 11, Knigga 10, Bobo 8, S. Cornett 4, B. Cornett 4

CHS– Barron 15, Jo. Williams 13, Ja. Williams 11, Myers 10, B. Pearson 3, G. Pearson 1

Boys Basketball, Greensburg

Pirates fend off Raiders for a win

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Versailles- The Greensburg Pirates improved to 16-5 on the season with a road win over South Ripley on Saturday night. Ki Dyer scored on the Bucs first possession and Jack McKinsey followed that with a three-point basket. Dyer hit from the baseline and the Pirates were up 7-0 after starting the game going three of three shooting. They got one more basket while South Ripley went on a 7-0 run. Greensburg was scoreless until the end of the frame when Addison Barnes-Pettit sank a long ball at the buzzer to put GCHS up 12-7. South Ripley got the better of Greensburg but the Pirates in the second quarter, but the Bucs came back at the end of the frame with another buzzer beater, this time by Dyer. The Raiders held a one-point lead with the score 22-21 at the half. Dyer got Greensburg back on top midway through the third frame with a three-pointer. The Raider got back on top, but Abe Tebbe hit two long balls and Greensburg went up by seven with just one minute remaining in the quarter. South Ripley got another basket before the period ended and the Bucs led 38-33 after three quarters. The Pirates scored 15-points in the final quarter while holding the Raiders to 14 and securing a 53-47 win.

Unofficial Scoring-

Greensburg- Dyer 18, Barnes-Pettit 11, Tebbe 7, Jeter Edwards 7, McKinsey 5, Justin Adkins 3, Grainger Maxwell 2

Boys Basketball, Rushville

Thompson walk-off defeats Twisters

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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.

Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference News

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