Neighbors St Agnes and Alliance Middle School battled in a pair of very competitive basketball games on Saturday. Both clubs went home with victories. In the opener which featured the Academy’s varsity squad and the 8th graders from AMS, it was the Bulldogs rallying to beat the Crusaders 17 to 11. The Academy JV club would then best the AMS seventh graders in the late game 13 to 10. With the win, St Agnes’ Junior Varsity team goes to 2 and 0 on the season while the Varsity falls to 1 and 1. AMS outscored the Academy 13 to 3 in the second half in getting the W in the first match. Game 2 had SA up early and withstood a late rally by the Bulldogs. The battles were play at the Parish Center gym.
In the first game, St Agnes was sharp on both ends. The Crusaders shut out the guests 6 to 0 to take the early lead. Buckets by Alexis Shelmadine and Paisley Intermill gave the hosts a 4 to 0 advantage. The period came to a close with 2 free throws by Crusader Penn Vergil and the Academy up by 6. A hoop by Kale Hulquist began the second for SA as the Crusaders extend their margin to 8 to 0. Midway through the quarter, the Lady Bulldogs got back to back buckets by Corley Connor and T’Anna Taylor to close the gap. The teams went to half with the Academy ahead 8 to 4.
Four Taylor points began the action in the third with the visitors tying the contest at 8. Momentum would stay with AMS as hoops by Connor and Taylor increased the Dog lead to 12 to 8. The period closed with a score by Crusader Natalie Mullen. After 3 periods, the Dogs held a 12 to 10 lead. A Vergil free throw started the scoring in the finale. It cut the Academy deficit to 12 to 11. Down the stretch, it was the guests making the plays. Connor sank a free throw plus another 2 by Taylor made the score 15 to 11 in favor of AMS. With 1:24 left, a deuce by Kaitlyn Robbins put the game away. Final. AMS 17. SA 11
AMS 0 4 8 5 17
SA 6 2 2 1 11
Scoring for AMS. Taylor. 10 Connor. 5. Robbins. 2
Scoring for SA. Vergil 3. Shelmadine 2. Intermill 2. Hulquist 2. Mullen. 2
Seven points by Mullen in the second game powered the Lady Crusaders to the win. AMS would score first but baskets by Mullen and Willow Hampton gave the hosts a 4 to 2 after one period of play. The second period had just one tally with the Academy’s Nala Reza scoring on a lay up. Halftime score SA 6. AMS 2.
A free throw by Mullen started the third with the Academy going ahead 7 to 2. The Dogs then made things tight as AMS got hoops from Bristyl Helms and Blakely Bauer to pull within 1 at 7 to 6. Quarter #3 ended with a 2 pointer by Mullen and the Academy leading 9 to 6. The clubs traded buckets to start the fourth with the Crusaders getting a hoop by Sidda Wilcox and AMS getting a deuce from Viola Brummert. Down 11 to 8, the Dogs got to within one with a bucket by Helms. Mullen came back with the game’s final tally as the Academy held on for the win 13 to 10.
AMS 2 0 4 4 10
SA 4 2 3 4 13
Scoring for AMS. Brummert 4 Helms 4. Bauer 2
Scoring for SA. Mullen. 7. Reza 2 Hampton 2. Wilcox 2
It will busy week the Academy. On Monday, the Crusaders travel to Crawford. Gordon Rushville comes to town on Tuesday and SA will host Hyannis on Saturday.