Post by Todd B on Feb 27, 2009 18:39:59 GMT -5
Congrats to the Ida Girls basketball team! Great job!
Article published at MonroeNews.com on Feb 26, 2009
monroenews.com/article/20090226/SPORTS/102279964
Video: www.monroepublishing.com/multimedia/0226ida.html
Blue Streaks perfect
It doesn't seem to matter who starts for the 20-0 Ida girls basketball team.
Cheyanne Horney, a freshman, came off the bench Thursday night and scored 10 points in the first half as the Blue Streaks slipped past St. Mary Catholic Central 52-47.
Nicole Farrell, another freshman, came in to contribute 10 points and 8 rebounds. She probably would have had a double-double if it hadn't been for foul trouble.
Erin Mayes came off the bench and had her best game with 7 points and 5 boards as Ida completed a perfect regular season.
On a night when some of the starters struggled, Ida's bench provided more points than the regulars.
"Our bench has been doing a good job all year,'' coach Tim Leonard said. "I'm not afraid to put anybody in. It seems like somebody always steps up.''
There have been some games when Mayes didn't get on the floor, but the junior knows her role.
"My role is motivation. I try to help from the bench and encourage the players,'' Mayes said. "Nicole and Cheyanne are freshmen. They come in and hit some threes and get us going.''
Horney was summoned from the bench in the opening quarter. She immediately hit a triple and added a layup before the end of the period. She added another 3 and a rebound basket as part of a 17-7 run that gave Ida a lead it never lost.
The Blue Streaks led by 16 going into the fourth quarter but nearly frittered it away.
"If we had played a halfway decent game, we might have beaten them,'' said SMCC coach Rick Niemi, whose Kestrels will take an 11-9 record into next week's District. "We had too many turnovers. We didn't shoot well from the floor or the field.''
SMCC missed 16 of its first 17 floor shots. Ida also struggled with its shooting until Leonard started bringing in his reserves.
Horney, Farrell, Mayes and Bree Hiteshew combined for 28 points. Ida's starters contributed 24, led by Alyssa Lassey with 11.
"I've been shocked by this team all season,'' Leonard said. "We had four freshmen (on the roster) and no returning starters. We were looking at 11 or 12 wins. After we won a couple, I told them, 'Don't worry, we're not going to go 20-0. We've just got to keep playing.' It's been an amazing ride.
"We've just gotten stronger and stronger. You put these kids together as a team and they push each other. Somehow, it's all come together.''
It is the first time Ida has been 20-0 since the fall of 1999. Leonard also coached that team. He brushes aside any compliments on how much he has contributed, but Niemi didn't.
"I was really impressed by how deep they go. They're well-coached and don't miss a beat when he brings kids off the bench,'' Niemi said.
SMCC's bench also did a good job while many of the starters were below par. The subs contributed 19 points, led by Danyel Strauss with 10 and her sister Jordan, who scored 8.
Hannah Christensen had a game-high 12 rebounds. Allison Beard grabbed 10 for Ida.
The JV game went to Ida 54-40 as Jaclyn Sawasky scored 19 points and Stephanie Turner added 11. SMCC's leader was Angelina Eby with 14.
IDA 52
FG-A FT-A R F Pts
Lassey 4-11 2-5 2 1 11
Kloster 2-9 0-0 3 4 4
Beard 2-7 0-0 10 2 5
Long 1-4 0-0 8 3 2
S. Horney 1-10 0-2 1 2 2
Farrell 3-7 2-2 8 4 10
Hiteshew 0-0 1-3 0 2 1
C. Horney 4-4 0-0 2 2 10
Mayes 2-2 3-7 5 1 7
VanKirk 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 19-54 8-19 39 21 52
Three-point field goals: C. Horney 2, Farrell 2, Lassey 1, Beard 1.
SMCC 47
FG-A FT-A R F Pts
Christensen 0-9 3-6 12 2 3
Dragich 0-2 3-4 3 3 3
Tomasik 1-1 4-4 3 1 6
Boggs 3-13 0-1 2 4 9
A. Strauss 3-15 0-2 2 4 7
D. Strauss 5-9 0-5 3 2 10
J. Strauss 2-8 3-4 4 4 8
Dikowski 0-1 1-2 2 1 1
Martin 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Zochowski 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Totals 14-58 14-28 31 21 47
Three-point field goals: Boggs 3, A. Strauss 1, J. Strauss 1.
Score by Quarters
Ida 12 17 17 6 - 52
SMCC 5 14 11 17 - 47