Gary
Franklin - Sports Writer
Senior Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagle Janelle Hardesty's
3 point shot, as time expired, opened many eyes
of those witnessing the Ripley County Voiture
1047's 40 & 8 All-Star games at Tyson Auditorium
in Versailles on Saturday evening, April 15.
With but seven-tenths of a second left on the
game clock, Janelle Hardesty of the Ripley County
All-Star Girls' Team was fouled as she crossed
into the front court, her team trailing by 3
points, 68-65.
The foul gave the Ripley County Lady Stars
the ball out of bounds at mid-court. The out
of bounds pass was sent in to Hardesty, who
in turning, sent it toward the basket from near
the mid-court sideline to find nothing but the
bottom of the net as it kissed off the back
board while the horn sounded, ending the regulation
playing time for a 68-68 tie.
During the 3:00 overtime period, the Ripley
County Lady Stars went on to win, with a score
of 77-71, out scoring the Tri-County Lady Stars,
9 to 3. Once again proven by Hoosier round ballers
and their fans, the "it doesn't really
matter, it's just a game" theory, has little
relativity to a true Indiana sports enthusiast.
This game of roundball on the high school hardwood
would likely be a last time for most of the
senior All-Star participants. Proudly these
young men and ladies gave of their talents and
time to help promote the raising of funds by
the 40/8 nursing scholarship cause.
Not a mere performance, but sweat, effort,
and sportsmanship at its finest, and not only
by the senior All-Star players, but by the four
coaches as well.
Connie Dickman - varsity girls' basketball coach
of the Batesville Lady Bulldogs led the Ripley
County All-Star Girls, Bob Bressert - varsity
girls' basketball coach of the South Dearborn
Lady Knights led the Tri-County Girls' All-Stars,
David Todd - varsity boys' basketball coach
of the Switzerland County Pacers led the Tri-County
Boys' All-Stars, and Melvin Siefert - varsity
boys' basketball coach of the Batesville Bulldogs,
led the Ripley County Boys' All-Star Team effort.
The Ripley County All-Star Girls' Team opened
with Batesville Lady Bulldog - Carrie Giltz,
Milan Lady Indian - Megan Lade, Jac-Cen-Del
Lady Eagle - Janelle Hardesty, and South Ripley's
Lady Raiders - Josie Franklin and Kristen Huss.
The Tri-County game openers were: Switzerland
County Lady Pacer - Ashley Chase, East Central
Lady Trojan - Emily Stuerenberg, Lawrenceburg
Lady Tiger - Ayrica Harvey, and South Dearborn's
Lady Knights - Amy Cleeter and Kaylee Wright.
Tri-County took the opening tip which led to
a FG by Knight Wright. Eagle Hardesty tied the
game at 2 with her first FG of the game. Trojan
Stuerenberg was whistled for the first foul
of the game, which sent Bulldog Giltz of the
Ripley County Stars to the line where she put
RC in the lead with a pair of FT 's. Lady Tiger
Harvey tied the game at 4 with her first FG.
Indian Lade was charged with the first RC team
foul of the game, sending Knight Wright to the
line. Following the miss, Eagle Hardesty sent
a long pass up court to Bulldog Giltz for the
bunny and the 6-4 RC lead. Pacer Chase quickly
tied the game at 6 with a FG. Eagle Hardesty
sent the first 3 through the net for 9-6. Raider
Franklin was called for the foul, sending Knight
Wright to the line, where she made the pair,
9-8.
Both teams substituted their bench players
in for action. Eagle Hardesty and Bulldog Fullenkamp
added a FG each, followed by Raider Thieman's
assist to Indian Lade for the 3, taking the
RC Stars to a 16-8 lead. A Tri-County run ensued
with Tiger Vorbroker drilling a 3, and Pacer
Daugherty and Tiger Harvey each scoring FG's
to the score of 16-15, with 9:52 remaining.
Knight Wright connected on 1 of 2 FT attempts
to tie the game at 16, before Pacer Chase sent
TC in the lead with a FG for 18-16.
A Raider Thieman pass to Bulldog Giltz for
a FG tied the game at 18, and a Raider Huss
feed to Giltz for the FG recaptured the lead
for RC. Knight Wright quickly answered with
a FG, tying the game at 20. Bulldog Giltz made
1 of 2 FT's, 21-20. Bulldog Fullenkamp shot
and rebounded to reshoot 4 times before being
fouled and sent to the line where she made the
pair, 23-20. Eagle Lord's assist to Eagle Hardesty
for a FG was countered by a FG by Tiger Harvey,
Bulldog Giltz and Raider Huss each added FG's,
extending the RC lead to 29-22, but, Tiger Harvey's
FG, and Pacer Chase's 1 for 2 FT shooting made
the score 29-25. Raider Thieman drained her
first 3 of the game, and the ensuing Thieman
assist to Eagle Harmeyer for the FG, followed
by a Tiger Harvey FG, left the game score. RC
34-26 TC, at the half.
Eagle Hardesty opened the second half off the
Raider Franklin feed for a reverse lay up, extending
their lead to double digits at 10 points, 36-26.
Trojan Stuerenberg made 1 of 2 FT's, and Eagle
Hardesty shot the rebound up court to Bulldog
Giltz for a lay up. Pacer Driver made 1 of 2
FT's, and Hardesty again hit Bulldog Giltz for
the FG and a 40-28 score. Knights Wright and
Cleeter each scored FG's, Eagle Hardesty netted
a 3, and Knight Mills put in a FG, before Eagle
Hardesty sent another 3 through the hoop, taking
the score to 46-34.
Knight Mills went 1 of 2 at the stripe, Eagle
Lord scored a FG, and Pacer Chase converted
the old fashioned three, making the FT following
the FG. Shiner Bowman's assist to Pacer Chase
for a FG, followed by Tiger Harvey's FG cut
the lead to 6 points, 48-42. Indian Lade scored
a FG, Pacer Chase scored a FG, Pacer Chase again
scored a FG, and Shiner Bowman's assist to Tiger
Harvey for a FG closed the gap to 2 points,
50-48.
Indian Lade scored 1 of her 2 FT attempts,
and Tiger Harvey countered with the same results.
Raider Thieman and Eagle Lord each scored FG's,
and Bulldog Giltz made 1 of 2 FT's, before Raider
Thieman added a FG and a Thieman feed to Giltz
for a FG enhanced the score to 60-49. Tiger
Vorbroker netted the 3 to cut into the lead,
Pacer Chase, and Knight Wright each added FG's,
and Tiger Vorbroker with a FG, cut the game
score to a 2 point margin, 60-58.
Eagle Hardesty sped coast to coast to add a
FG, however, Tiger Harvey and Pacer Chase each
scored to tie the game at 62. A Tiger Harvey
assist to Pacer Chase for a FG sent TC into
the lead, 64-62 with 12.9 seconds remaining.
A quick RC foul sent Tiger Harvey to the line
where she made both attempts, 66-62. Eagle Hardesty
let the long range 3 fly, and scored, and again
a quick RC foul stopped the clock, trailing
by 1 at 66-65, with 5.6 seconds left in the
game. Lady Shiner Bowman stepped to the line
and drained both FT attempts to again set the
TC team up by 3 points, 68-65.
An apparent lights out situation, except for
an over aggressive attempt to steal the ball
from Eagle Hardesty as she tried to bring the
ball into her front court, with just seven/tenths
of a second left on the game clock. The whistle
sounded, and the foul called gave the ball back
to the Ripley County All-Star Girls', where
Eagle Hardesty whirled, skied, and delivered
for the tie with the kiss off the glass as the
horn sounded. Panic, shock, disbelief, relief,
surprise, and all the other emotions one can
think of consumed those watching - WOW! A 68-68
tie in a game that does not matter – 'bologna.'
In the 3:00 overtime, Tri-County controlled
the tip and scored first with Pacer Chase connecting
for 1 of 2 FT attempts off a called Raider Huss
foul. Bulldog Giltz scored a FG to take the
lead at 70-69. Short lived, as Knight Wright
answered with a FG to again set TC up 71-70,
but that would be the last points the Tri-County
Stars would muster, as back to back Eagle Hardesty
assists to Bulldog Giltz for scores and an Eagle
Harmeyer 3 for the extra touch sent the Ripley
County All-Star Girls' out of reach. Indian
Lade and Raider Franklin dribbled the remaining
34 seconds of game time into expiration, finalizing
the win at 77-71.
Between the girls' and boys' games, Mr. Jim
Lemon announced as Mr. Abe Hooton distributed,
fifteen scholarships to designees in attendance
who were pursuing furthering of their education
in the nursing field. The 2006 scholarship recipients
are listed and/or pictured below.
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