A combination of stingy defense and balance scoring were key for the Alliance St. Agnes’ girls basketball team in their season opener Tuesday against Harrison. The Crusaders held Sioux County to just one basket and went on to post a 53 to 4 win in a ball game played at the Holy Rosary Parish Center. St. Agnes also placed three girls in the scoring column with double digits led by the one two punch of Reese Armstrong and Maslin Breen who combined for 29 points. Armstrong led the Crusaders with 15 points while Breen added 14 points as St. Agnes starts their year with a 1 and 0 record. Helping the cause was Kale Hulquist who tallied 12 points and Aubree Shrewsbury who scored 8. SA also got the win in the JV contest. In a two period game, St. Agnes downed the visitors 16 to 2 in picking up their first victory on the season.
Using a strong defense of man to man, SA got off to a super start by shutting out the Warriors in the opening period. Eleven first quarter points by Armstrong helped the Crusaders open a big lead. Also adding buckets in the first stanza were Breen and Shrewsbury. A three pointer by Armstrong ended the period with Alliance out in front 15 to 0. In the second, St. Agnes continued its winning ways. The Crusaders got 6 more points by Breen plus 4 points by Shrewsbury to maintain their advantage. A basket by Hulquist helped SA take a 27 to 4 lead going to half.
Any chance of a Sioux County comeback was dashed in the third. St. Agnes outscored the Warriors 18 to 0 in the period thanks to three more baskets by Breen and 4 more points by Armstrong and Hulquist. Meanwhile the Crusaders defense continued their strong effort as the Warrior offense was turned away. Also scoring in period #3 were Quinn Robertson and Shrewsbury. With three periods in the books, St. Agnes led 45 to 4. Only 2 Lady Crusaders would score in the final 6 minutes but the Alliance defense pitched another shutout in the quarter. Three hoops by Hulquist plus a score from Penn Vergil enabled St. Agnes to go on for a 53 to 4 victory.
SC 0 4 0 0 4
SA 15 12 18 8 53
Scoring 15 Armstrong 14 Breen 12 Hulquist 8 Shrewsbury 2 Robertson 2 Vergil
In the late game, St. Agnes used the same formula to get the win in the JV contest. The Crusaders held the guests to just one basket and posted a 16 to 2 win in a two quarter match. Four points early by Alliance’s Alexis Shelmadine helped the hosts get off to a quick beginning. Meanwhile the Crusader man to man defense held SC to zero points in the opening period. After one quarter of action, the Lady Crusaders led 4 to 0. An early bucket by the Warriors made things interesting in the early stages of the second but SA would tally 12 points in the 6 minute section to garner the win. Six points by Vergil led the Alliance offense while the Crusaders got second period scores from Natalie Mullen, Stella Beck, and Shelmadine to seal the deal. Final SA 16 SC 2
SC 0 2 2
SA 4 12 16
Scoring 6 Shelmadine 6 Vergil 2 Mullen 2 Beck
St. Agnes will next be in action with a road game at Rushville on Tuesday. On Thursday, Alliance hosts Crawford then the Crusaders go to Hyannis on Saturday.