Coach Smith’s JCD Lady Eagles capture another sectional championship!
Gary Franklin
SPORTS EDITOR
Continuing to add to his reputation of developing young basketball enthusiasts into well meshed teams, JCD Head Girls Basketball Coach Scott Smith and trusty assistants have once again molded an interested group into a poised victory seeking Lady Eagle team.
At 17-3 on their season to date, with their IHSAA Class 1A Sectional #60 Championship victory, the Lady Eagles have earned a spot in first game action at the Southwestern Shelby HS hosted Regional, where they will face Indianapolis Tindley in the 10:30 a.m. contest.
GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO
Pictured at left, as Lady Eagle teammates celebrate in the background, JCDHS AD Mark Meyer makes a presentation of the 2014 IHSAA Class 1A Girls Basketball Sectional #60 Championship trophy and game ball to Lady Eagle seniors Sydney Keene and Brooklyn Ronsheim following their 54-47 victory over the South Decatur Lady Cougars. The two seniors have been sectional team champions all four years.
Sectional 60, opening night!
Sectional 60 games at JCDHS opened on Tuesday evening with a game between the Hauser Lady Jets and the Oldenburg Academy Lady Twisters, resulting in a Lady Jet victory.
Quarter scores
Hauser 11 24 26 56
Old Acad. 8 24 31 54
The second game on opening night found South Ripley Lady Raider alum and current Girls Head Basketball Coach Jessica McConnell’s South Decatur Lady Cougars securing a 62-49 victory over the Madison Shawe Lady Hilltoppers.
Quarter scores
So Decatur 18 30 49 62
Mad. Shawe 9 23 43 44
Sectional 60, second round!
Sectional 60 games at JCDHS were postponed on Friday due to weather conditions but resumed on Saturday with action between the hosting Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagles and opening night winner the Hauser Lady Jets.
Quarter scores
Jac-Cen-Del 15 22 30 49 Hauser 3 8 22 34
Opening action on the second night resulted in hosting JCD earning a 15 point victory over Hauser, 49-34.
JCD Lady Eagles 49
Sr 22 Sydney Keene 19
So 30 Jordan Day 13
So 42 Hayley Bruns 6
Jr 50 Jacqlyn Menchhofer 6
Jr 12 Jenna Hughes 3
Sr 32 Brooklyn Ronsheim 2
Non-scoring Lady Eagles: Abby Wagner, Kelsey Bowling, Elizabeth Abel Kayla Bowling, Tiffany Burton and Rosie Newhart.
Hauser Lady Jets 34
Quarter scores
So. Decatur 14 23 36 42
Rising Sun 8 19 28 37
Sectional 60, championship!
Sectional 60 championship game at JCDHS was played on Monday night. Vying for the victory and opportunity to advance to regional action were Coach Scott Smith, led hosting Jac-Cen-Del Lady Eagles, and the Coach Jessica McConnell led South Decatur Lady Cougars.
Quarter scores
Jac-Cen-Del 16 32 43 54
So Decatur 14 29 36 47
JCD Lady Eagles 54
Sr 22 Sydney Keene 17
Sr 32 Brooklyn Ronsheim 10
Jr 50 Jacqlyn Menchhofer 7
So 42 Hayley Bruns 6
Jr 12 Jenna Hughes 6
So 24 Abby Wagner 6
So 30 Jordan Day 2
Non-scoring Lady Eagles: Kelsey Bowling, Elizabeth Abel, Kayla Bowling, Tiffany Burton and Rosie Newhart.
S Decatur Lady Cougars 47
Jr 20 Megan Niese 15
Sr 32 Julia Miller 13
Fr 14 Stacy Fox 9
Sr 42 Ashley Johannigman 6
Fr 10 Brooke Helms 4
Sr 32 Brooklyn Ronsheim 2
Non-scoring Lady Cougars: Watkins, Billingsley, Eden, Diekhoff, Fry, Deppe and Kopplin.
Championship
Quarter One
Championship scoring originated with senior Lady Eagle Sydney Keene’s delivery of a FG score. Lady Cougar Ashley Johannigman answered the call to knot the game at two with her first FG of the game. Lady Eagle senior Brooklyn Ronsheim netted a FG, followed by teammate Keene’s second for 6-2. Lady Cougar Stacy Fox scored, but Lady Eagle Keene capped it immediately for 8-4.
Lady Cougar Julia Miller scored a FG, coupled with a teammate Fox FG to knot the game at eight at the 5:12 mark. Lady Eagles Ronsheim and Keene answered back to back to go back into the lead by four at 12-8. A pair of empty attempts by Lady Cougar Brooke Helms led to a FG score by teammate Fox. Lady Eagle Keene again popped the net with another FG. Lady Cougar Megan Niese netted her first FG score of the game only to have Lady Eagle sophomore Hayley Bruns find her range to deliver her first FG score of the evening. Lady Cougar Johannigman concluded first period scoring with a FG, drawing SD to a mere two point deficit at 14-16 JCD.
Quarter Two
Lady Eagle Bruns found the rim to gain the first score in second period action. Lady Cougar Courtney Billingsley failed to connect on a pair of shots from the charity stripe leading to Lady Eagle junior Jenna Hughes first FG score and a six point Lady Eagle edge.
Lady Cougar Miller found the net for a FG score, however, Lady Eagle Ronsheim made good on a pair of FT shot attempts and teammate Keene delivered a FG to lead 24-16.0
At 5:54, Lady Cougar Miller missed the front end of a one-plus-one FT opportunity, where a missed Lady Eagle rebound led to a foul at 5:54 that sent Lady Cougar Niese to the line where she made the pair. SD teammate Miller followed the action with a FG to cut JCD’s eight-point lead to just four at 24-20. Lady Eagle Keene’s scoring of a FG led to a SD called timeout at 4:28.
Back-to-back FG scoring by Lady Cougar Niese and a pair of FT hits by teammate Fox, drained JCD’s lead to two at 26-24. A FG score by Lady Eagle sophomore Abby Wagner initiated new life for JCD, only to find Lady Cougar Johannigman scoring a FG. Lady Eagle Wagner missed a pair of FT offerings, followed by a miss on the front end of a one plus one opportunity by Lady Cougar Miller.
Dodging the bullet for a tie once again, Lady Eagle junior Jacqlyn Menchhofer sank a FG. The Lady Cougar counter attack came from the charity stripe as Helms sank a pair of FT shots at 1:16, followed by one for two charity stripe connections by teammate Fox at 1:01. Lady Eagle sophomore Jordan Day completed the first half scoring from the charity stripe with 51.8 seconds remaining as she nailed a pair of FT's to put the Lady Eagles on top by three, heading to the halftime break, 32-29.
Quarter Three
Lady Cougar Miller cut the SD deficit to one upon indication of the third period action with a FG score. Lady Eagle Bruns put in a FG and teammate Menchhofer connected on the FG plus one FT combination to edge back up by six at 37-31.
The Lady Cougar’s made the point that they were not to be intimidated, as Niese scored back to back FGs. Stepping up to defray the spark, Lady Eagle Wagner knocked down a FG with Lady Cougar Johannigman acquiring her fourth personal foul at 2:17. SD took a timeout.
On returning, Lady Eagle Ronsheim stuck in a FG score. Lady Cougar Miller connected on one of two attempted FTs. The Lady Eagle response came in the form of a Hughes FG score, which would end the third period scoring at JCD 43-36 over SD. Lady Eagle Bruns missed a pair of charity stripe offerings at 1:09.
Quarter Four
In desperation, the Lady Cougar’s battled to a FG score by Helms and then Niese in opening final period scoring. Lady Eagle Hughes sank her two FT offerings, leading to a miss on the front end of a two-shot foul opportunity by Lady Cougar Johannigman with her second missing rim and all to award the ball to the Lady Eagles on the infraction.
A fourth foul was assessed to Lady Eagle Ronsheim at 4:26, sending Lady Cougar Helms to the FT line where she missed both attempts. At 2:50, Lady Eagle Ronsheim was the benefactor of the foul call, but missed both her attempts as well, leading to another SD time-out being called.
Returning to action, Lady Eagle Menchhofer picked up her fifth and final foul, sending Lady Cougar Miller to the charity stripe for a possible three point play; however, the FT went awry and Lady Eagle Ronsheim hurriedly answered with a FG score to put JCD back on top by five at 47-42.
At the 1:26 mark, a fourth foul whistled on Lady Eagle Bruns, as Lady Cougar Miller scored a FG, found Lady Eagle favor as Miller failed to sink the FT opportunity awarded her.
Up by a mere three points at 1:24, JCD called time-out with SD preparing to inbound the ball under their own basket. Ensuing play resulted in a three-pointer by Lady Cougar Niese to knot the game at 47.
At 1:06, Lady Eagle Keene delivered a FG/FT combination to put JCD back in the drivers seat at 50-47. With 31.3 seconds remaining in regulation, Lady Eagle Ronsheim found no luck with her two FT shot attempts, however at 22.3 seconds Lady Eagle Bruns singed the net with both her FT attempts and the 52-47 all over but the shouting lead. Just 13 seconds before the writing on the wall could truly commence, Lady Eagle Wagner delivered two more daggers from the charity stripe where scoring ended with JCD the seven point, 54-47, victor and the 2014 IHSAA Girls Class 1A Basketball Sectional #60 Champions.
Following the conclusion of the game, AD Mark Meyer presented a game ball to the So. Decatur Lady Cougars. Super effort Coach Jessica McConnell and Lady Cougars!
Patiently, Lady Eagle fans awaited the okay from AD Meyer to rush the floor and celebrate with their newly earned champions following the presentation of the Sectional trophy at mid court.
Once team pictures were taken, nets cut down, a traditional ride escorted by the Osgood and Napoleon Volunteer Fire Departments through the two towns would be the order of business, eventually leading to a short victory celebration in the gym upon their return.
Hard fought and well played to another traditionally great win Lady Eagles!. Sixth straight Sectional Title.
Good Luck at Sw. Shelby!