North Andrew tried what several other teams have tried against the Bluejays this year -- go box and one and make someone besides Jacqueline Schulte beat them. Not only did the strategy backfire, it was Schulte who fueled the Bluejays' knockout punch of North Andrew in the first quarter, scoring 12 of Northeast's 14 points in the period, finishing with 18 points on the night as Northeast beat the Cardinals 51-19 Friday night in Platte Valley Conference action before the King City Tournament. Her 18 points were within one of the entire North Andrew team total.
North Andrew played with Northeast for exactly the first three minutes of the game, with the score tied 2-2. Then, Schulte began her outburst with a driving layup, knocked down a shot from the left corner, and later added a four point play when she got a putback with seven seconds left and then stole the ball and scored at the buzzer to make it 14-2.
Coach Ryan Davis said that the team was clicking on both offense and defense and that they just needed to finish shots better. "We ran our offenses and defenses well; we just need to finish around the basket." Davis said that was important if the Bluejays were to improve on its 56-44 loss to South Nodaway on Tuesday. "South Nodaway shot 60% for the game, and we shot only 30%," he said. "If you had told me that we were going to hold Sami Jackson to 9 points, I would have thought we were going to win." Davis said that the Bluejays actually took more shots from the field that game than the Longhorns. "They were all shots I wanted them to take. But we have been working on an offense that will help when other teams throw the box and one at us," he said. Davis said that when teams focused on shutting down Schulte, it was important for his team to find the other open shots.
But when it seemed like Northeast needed to convert easy baskets in the North Andrew game, it was Rachel Runde who came off the bench to spark the Bluejays. In the second quarter, she came off to knock down a shot in the paint and then drive the lane and dish to Blair Schmitz after a brief lull to start the second. Schulte added a steal off a tipped ball from Emily Bryant, and Northeast was up 22-4. Taylor Dougan came off the bench to hit a shot from the left corner at the buzzer as Northeast maintained its 18 point lead at the break at 26-8.
The lead grew to 24 early in the second half. Jacqueline Schulte got a putback after a steal, Kristin Sherry scored off another steal, and Schulte hit from the right wing to make it 32-8 at the 5:39 mark of the third quarter. The lead grew to 37-12 as Blair Schmitz converted a 3-point play when she spun around and shot over four defenders with 2:46 left.
North Andrew crept back to within 39-18 as Northeast was having trouble finishing close under the basket, but then Runde came off the bench and took one to the rack to close out the third quarter and spark Northeast going into the fourth. Michelle Schulte then went hard to the basket and drew fouls twice and went four for four from the line in the period and added a free throw line jumper when nobody picked her up. Kenzie Waldeier added a fast break bucket and Katelyn Miller scored on a putback to round out the scoring for Northeast.
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