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Raiders on a roll
Special to the Vindicator
Photo
Gab Naples (23) splits defendersGerie Sickle (14) and Morgan Newbauer (11) to score Monday night in South Range.
Special to the Vindicator
Photo
Emily Seman (32) grabs a rebound as Samantha Smith (20) and Gerie Sickle (14) try to get in on the play Monday night in South Range.
So. Range 66
Crestview 52
Next: South Range at East Palestine, 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Next: Crestview at Lisbon, 7:30 p.m. Thursday
Crestview threw a 2nd-half scare, S. Range responded with flair
By Tom Williams
BEAVER TOWNSHIP
Coming off its biggest win of the season, the South Range High girls basketball team was concerned about a letdown that could knock the Raiders out of first place.
So when Crestview sliced a 13-point deficit to three on Marissa Leon’s 3-pointer midway through the third quarter, the Raiders went into overdrive.
Mckenzie Pfeifer immediately countered with a 3-pointer that ignited a 15-2 run in South Range’s 66-52 victory on Monday in the Raiders’ gymnasium
“If we would have [blown this game], then that win wouldn’t have meant anything,” Raiders senior Tab Stanton said of last Thursday’s 52-43 victory at United that put the Raiders and Eagles into a first-place tie in the Inter Tri-County League Tier One. “We like to keep things interesting.”
Samantha Smith opened the second half with two baskets that put the Raiders (15-2, 10-1) ahead, 39-26. The Rebels responded with an 11-1 run led by sophomore Ashley Harrison’s four points. She finished with 15.
“This young group that we have has a lot of heart, a lot of desire,” Crestview coach Rick Gates said. “They don’t give up.”
Smith and Stanton led the Raiders with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Pfeifer had 10 points while Gab Naples had nine points and Emily Seman eight.
Seman and Naples each had 10 rebounds while Lexi Naples made four steals.
“She rebounded well,” South Range coach Wayne Johnson said of Seman. “She’s getting back to the point to where she’s really contributing.”
Seman missed several games with a foot injury.
Johnson estimated that he’s only had his full lineup healthy for about six games. Senior Ellen Stoffer has a knee injury and the Raiders are hoping she might be able to play in the tournament.
“We’ve just got to fill in the spots,” Stanton said. “We have juniors and sophomores to do that.”
About the Raiders, Gates said, “All of their girls shoot the ball well, they run the floor well and they can play good defense.
“They have an outstanding team, they deserve to be tied with United [but] they knew they were in a game tonight,” Gates said.
Smith and Stanton hit 3-pointers during the key run while Lexi Naples netted five points.
“We kind of ran out of gas,” Gates said. “They just come at you with so many different girls.”
For the Rebels (11-6, 6-4), junior Chelsea Caudill scored 13 points. Freshman Annie Hardenbrook came of the bench to score nine points and make 12 rebounds.
“They are young but they’ve got some talent,” Johnson said of the Rebels. “They gave us all we could handle.”
Johnson credited his defenders for rebuilding the lead to 55-39.
“We played some defense,” Johnson said. “We started playing hard at that point.”
With three league games remaining, South Range and United are tied with 10-1 records.