United wins early test

By Chuck Housteau

HANOVERTON — United girls basketball coach Roger Zeigler seemed totally surprised when told his team held South Range to only eight points in the second half of its 57-27 win over South Range in an early Inter Tri-County league matchup.

“No I didn’t realize that,” said Zeigler. “Did we really?”

There isn’t much that surprises the veteran Zeigler when it comes to the Eagles these days.

Coming off a season where United defeated Ursuline last year to win a Division III district championship, the Eagles approach this season with a huge bulls eye on their backs.

“I think there is [a bulls eye],” Zeigler said. “I think everyone wants to come and get United and I think our girls know that.

“And our girls know they better be playing hard because teams are going to come after them.”

United (5-0, 2-0) dominated from the start and pulled away from a 28-19 halftime. The Eagles harassing defense allowed South Range only three second half baskets and forced 15 turnovers in the final 16 minutes.

The Raiders (2-3, 1-1) were an early favorite to challenge the Eagles for the ITCL crown and still might although they had no answer for United in this game.

“I think South Range is a very good team and Wayne Johnson is a very good coach,” Zeigler said. “Tonight I think things just went our way.

“Sometimes the ball bounces your way and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s early in the season and we still have to go to their place and play them again.”

In this contest, the Eagles were led by Chelsea Laughlin’s 13 points, including eight in the second quarter that ignited the United offense.

“I feel like it’s my job to get the team motivated sometimes being a senior,” Laughlin said. “This was a big win for us.

“Some people said South Range was supposed to win the league so we were fired up. We knew that they would be looking for revenge from last year so this was even better.”

Laughlin said she read on one of the Raiders’ players’ Facebook page that South Range was going to beat the Eagles by 20 points and that fired up the returning senior starter.

“We know people are going to be gunning for us,” Laughlin said. “But we’re ready for them.”

It looked that way from the start as the Eagles got out of the gate strong behind eight first quarter points from Joclyn Berdine and ran out to a 16-11 lead.

Laughlin’s scoring explosion in the second quarter pushed the lead out to 28-19 and then the Eagles put the game away in the third quarter by outscoring South Range 15-4.

The Eagles commanded the boards behind the strong inside play of Ruth Prosko (13 rebounds) and Hillary Hoppel (eight points, seven rebounds).

The Raiders were by Ellie Stoufer who scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds. Tabitha Stanton finished with nine points and seven rebounds.