South Range captures ITCL Tier One crown

The Raiders edged United, 49-47.

By GREG GULAS

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NORTH LIMA — The last time the South High girls basketball team won a league basketball title, it was the 2001-02 campaign and current United athletic director Don Feren was the Raiders’ head coach.

It was only fitting, then, that Feren be one of the first to congratulate South Range coach Matt Reel after the Raiders’ hard-fought, 49-47 victory over the Eagles Monday for his initial Inter Tri-County League Tier One crown.

“This is a great feeling. We’re simply ecstatic,” Reel said. “Out motto this year has been [Find a Way] and we have done just that all season long.

“We’re a one through 15 unit, not just a group of individuals,” Reel said. “I don’t know if we were picked in the preseason to be in this situation, but these girls believed in themselves when others did not and that is a testament to the hard work that they put forth all season long.”

The last time these two teams met on Jan. 7, the Raiders defeated the Eagles in their gym, 53-50 with Autumn Carter pacing South Range with 16 points.

Carter once again led the way, this time scoring 13 points with seven caroms for the Raiders (17-3, 12-2).

“We knew that we needed to get off to a good start tonight and that is exactly what we did. We got up on them early and then withstood their run late in the game for the win,” Carter said.

“When they made their run in the fourth quarter, we knew we had to calm down or else the game would get away from us,” Carter said. “We felt it all day in school and then when we got to the gym. In the end, we won by just playing our game.”

Buckets by Carter, Patty Schuster and Caitlin Carter gave the Raiders a 6-0 advantage three minutes and 33 seconds into the game before a bucket from beyond the arc by United’s Maggie Sell cut the South Range lead in half.

Alicia Withers, Schuster and Carter would add each net four points in the opening stanza for a 14-7 lead after the first eight minutes of play.

Six points by Gab Naples, another four by Carter and a stingy Raider defense that held the Eagles to seven points once again then staked the Raiders to a 29-14 advantage at intermission.

United’s Maggie Miller then added a trey and conventional three-point play after the break as the Eagles outscored South Range, 14-9 to cut the Raiders lead to just 10 points at 38-28 with eight minutes remaining.

Jaclyn Berdine then went on an offensive rampage as she scored all nine of her points in the final period, helping United (14-5, 11-3) to pull to within one at 48-47, but Carter connected on the second of two free throws with just under six seconds remaining to seal the victory for the Raiders.

“We didn’t come out to play in the first half and I will take the blame for that. I don’t know if it was being scared or intimidation, but we just weren’t ready to play,” Eagles coach Roger Zeigler said.

“It hurts to lose but I don’t think anyone at the beginning of the year would have picked us to be in this game tonight, let alone playing for the league title,” Zeigler said. “We had our opportunities and Jaclyn [Berdine] stepped up in the fourth quarter when we really needed a boost.

“Defense and free throws win games and with three starters on the bench at the end of the game it was a little tough,” Zeigler said.

“I cannot be any prouder of our girls and their effort. I am happy for Raider head coach Matt Reel as well because he’s a good guy and an excellent coach.”

The Raiders were 17 of 41 from the field while the Eagles could manage just 14 of 42 aerial attempts.

South Range held a 27-24 rebound advantage with Hoppel pulling down six caroms for the Eagles.