On Thursday, the Alliance St. Agnes boy’s junior high basketball team traveled to Crawford for action against the Rams. The Crusaders split the contest, winning the varsity ball game 50 to 8 while dropping a 2 quarter JV battle 18 to 10. With the victory, the Crusader varsity squad now sees its record improve to 3 and 1 on the year. Earlier in the week St. Agnes picked up their second win with a W over Gordon/ Rushville.
It was all Crusaders from the jump in the varsity game. A basket by Alliance’s Jay Shelmadine began play. It was followed by a three pointer by Tripp Johnson that put the Crusaders ahead 5 to 0. Another Shelmadine hoop and a free throw by Crusader Cisco Cody made the score 8 to 0 in favor of Alliance. The Rams responded with a trey of their own that sliced the lead to 5 but Crawford would be shut out for the rest of the half. More points by Cody, Johnson, and Crusader Trey Carter helped the guests increase their lead to 16 to 2. A three ball by Alliance’s Grayson Dibrito ended the period with the Crusaders up 19 to 2. In the second Alliance got another 3 from Johnson plus a hoop from Caysen Robertson to surge ahead 24 to 2. The half concluded with another 2 from Robertson and Dibrito and the Crusaders were ahead 30 to 2.
St. Agnes would tack on 10 points in the third quarter. It began with a goal by Cody. The hosts answered with a 3, but another Cody bucket put St. Agnes ahead 34 to 5. Midway through the period the Rams scored on a basket and a free throw. Meanwhile another 2 pointer by Robertson and Cody pushed the Alliance lead to 30 at 38 to 8. A Danny Jelinek two pointer closed the quarter with St. Agnes out in front 40 to 8. The fourth was played with a running clock with the guests from Alliance ahead by over 30. St. Agnes would get fourth period points by Robertson, Johnson, Jackson Devlin, and Jett Childers and go on for the 50 to 8 win.
SA 19 11 10 10 50
CRAW 2 0 6 0 8
Nine Crusaders found their way into the scorebook led by Johnson who tallied 12 and Cody with 11. Robertson added 8 while scoring 6 was Shelmadine. Rounding out the score was: Dibrito with 5 Devlin 2 Childers 2 Carter 2 Jelinek 2.
The opener was the teams play 2 eight minute quarters due to a shortage of players by the Rams. It was all Alliance early as the Crusaders scored the game’s first 6 points. Two baskets by Dixon Bair and one by Jelinek gave the Crusaders an early lead at 6 to 0. The hosts came back with a 5 to 0 run and the period ended with Alliance in front 6 to 5. A score by Alliance’s Phoenix Red Nest began play in the second. The Rams answered with another scoring run. Crawford would tally the game’s next 7 points to move ahead 12 to 8. Another goal by Jelinek stopped the run but the contest closed with the Rams scoring the game’s final 6 points. Final Crawford 18 Alliance 10
SA 6 4 10
CRAW 5 13 18
Both Bair and Jelinek scored 4 each for St. Agnes while Red Nest ended with 2.