Using a big first half, the Alliance St. Agnes girl’s basketball team defeated Morrill 36 to 19 in action played in Morrill on Thursday. Alliance raced to a 12 to 1 lead after the first quarter then added 10 more tallies in the second in getting the win. With the victory, the Crusaders improve to 6 and 5 for the season. The Academy also got the W in the JV contest. In a 2 period affair, SA defeated the Lions 8 to 2 for their fourth win of the year. Seventh grader Penn Vergil was the leading varsity scorer for the Academy with 17 points. Adding 8 tallies was Kale Hulquist. Three Lady Crusaders-Nala Reza, Natalie Mullen, and Addison Intermill-had buckets in the Junior Varsity game.
St. Agnes was sharp on both ends in the opening varsity match up. Alliance scored the games first 12 points before the Lions scored on a free throw late in the period. Back to back baskets by Vergil and Hulquist made it 4 to 0 after three minutes of action. Eighth graders Mullen and Alexis Shelmadine then got into the scoring column as the Academy lead went up 8 to 0. The opener came to a close with hoops by Vergil and Mullen and a tally by the hosts. After one period of play, SA was ahead 12 to 1.
Quarter #2 started with 6 straight by the Academy. The guests got 2 pointers by Hulquist, Vergil, and Intermill to go up 18 to 1. Following 2 free throws by the Lions, Alliance got scores by Vergil and Intermill to increase their advantage to 22 to 3. The second ended with a three by the hosts and the Crusaders leading 22 to 6.
Both sides had troubles scoring in the third with Morrill tallying 6 points and the Academy getting just 4. Four consecutive points by the Lions sliced their deficit to 12 before a score by Hulquist made it 24 to 10. Another hoop by Vergil ensued as the Academy went by 16 at the 2 minute mark. A two by Morrill finished the score and the game went to the fourth with Alliance out in front 26 to 12.
Seven fourth period tallies by Vergil denied a Lion comeback. Hulquist began the scoring for the Crusaders with a deuce as SA went ahead 28 to 13. A 5 to 0 run by the hosts was next that made it 28 to 18. With 2 minutes left, Vergil had an old fashion 3 point play plus 2 hoops to give the Lady Crusaders a 17 point cushion. The contest ended with a Lion free throw and one from Shelmadine. final Alliance 36 Morrill 19
SA 12 10 4 10 36
MOR 1 5 6 7 19
Scoring for Alliance Vergil 17 Hulquist 8 Shelmdine 3 Mullen 4 Intermill 4
In the late game, Alliance downed the Lions 8 to 2 in a two period battle. A bucket by Mullen and a free throw by Willow Hampton gave the Academy a 3 to 2 lead after one quarter. In the second period, Alliance scored 5 points on baskets by Intermill and Reza and a free throw by Paisley Intermill. Morrill went scoreless in the period. final Crusaders 8 Lions 2
SA 3 5 8
MOR 2 0 2
Scoring for the Academy Paisley Intermill 1 Reza 2 Mullen 2 Addison Intermill 2 Hampton 1
Both schools will travel to Harrison for the Conference tournament on Monday.