South Range survives against rivals

By JIM FLICK

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

MINERAL RIDGE — The South Range High girls basketball team turned back a second-half rally and defeated Springfield 47-42 Saturday night in a Division III sectional opener at Mineral Ridge High.

South Range advanced to play Waterloo, which defeated Garfield 53-52 earlier in the evening.

South Range (17-3) took an early lead against Springfield (7-14), holding a 23-16 advantage at halftime. Six players scored points for the Rangers in the first half, led by Alicia Withers with eight points.

Only the sharp shooting of Ashley Davis kept Springfield in the game in the first half. She scored 12 of her team’s 16 points, including three 3-pointers. None of her teammates sank a field goal in the first half.

But both Springfield’s offense and defense did a turnaround in the second half. Three Tigers joined Davis in the scoring column after halftime, while frequently frustrating South Range’s offense for much of the second half.

The Tigers outscored the Rangers 12-8 in the third quarter, cutting South Range’s lead to three points.

Springfield center Brittany Chamberlain tied the score late in the third quarter when she rebounded a teammate’s miss and was fouled as she scored. Chamberlain connected on a free throw to give her team a 28-27 lead.

But South Range quickly recaptured the lead on a long jumper by Caitlin Carter, who scored eight second-half points and 12 for the game. The Rangers’ Patty Schuster followed with a short jumper to increase the lead to 31-28 as the third quarter ended.

Carter sank another jumper to start the fourth quarter to boost the margin to 33-28. Springfield continued to battle back throughout the period, but South Range slowly increased the lead to 47-39 when Autumn Carter sank two free throws.

Springfield’s Melissa Huffman hit a 3-pointer as the clock expired to account for the final margin.

“Our best players stepped up in the fourth quarter and we found a way to win,” South Range coach Matt Reel said after the game.