Tuesday, February 9, 2010

NEN Girls Run Past Depleted Trojan Squad

Sixth-ranked Northeast Nodaway's girls ran past a depleted Nodaway-Holt squad, beating them 75-26 in their final match before the showdown with #4 Jefferson Tuesday. For the second consecutive night, everyone scored for the Bluejays against the outmatched Trojans. Nodaway-Holt was playing without one of their six-footers, who was not listed on the program for the game. Consequently, they went from being post-oriented to guard oriented and having to relearn everything while Northeast was clicking along despite not having Kristin Sherry (illness) for the second straight week.

Whitney Keith hit a baseline shot with 7:41 left to put Nodaway-Holt up 2-0, but that was the only lead that they would get. Jacqueline Schulte, who had "only" 14 against West Nodaway as younger sister Michelle went off on the Rockets, nearly matched that in one quarter of work as she had 13 points in the period and 19 for the game. Normally, if Jacqueline gets her shots to fall early, they will do so the rest of the game and that was the case against the Trojans as Emily Bryant found her on the left baseline to start a 20-0 run; Jacqueline had eight points during the stretch. Blair Schmitz (11 points, 12 rebounds) followed with a steal and then Hallie Oelze got a steal and hit Blair Schmitz, who hit a pair of free throws. The shots continued to fall for Jac as Blair Schmitz found her open on the left wing and she banked one home; Hallie Oelze then got a rebound and long outlet to Schulte, who knocked down a floater.

The long run continued for Northeast as Blair Schmitz grabbed a putback on one of her many offensive rebounds for the night. Rachel Runde then took a charge and then found Michelle Schulte (12 points) open from the high post and Blair Schmitz inside. Michelle Schulte then scored from the right side off an inbounds play and then Jacqueline Schulte capped the run by blowing past two defenders on the left wing for a layup to make it 20-2.

Jodi Holmes then scored off a steal, but then Northeast got going again, this time using a 27-0 run to make it 47-4 late in the second. Jacqueline continued to have the hot hand as Emily Bryant found her open on the left wing for a 3-pointer in transition and Rachel Runde's long outlet found Schulte open for a layup with 10 seconds left in the first to make it 25-4. As Nodaway-Holt was futilely throwing up 3-pointers, Northeast was grabbing the defensive boards and pushing it up; Blair Schmitz opened with a free throw and then Hallie Oelze's long outlet found Michelle Schulte for a 3-point play. Blair Schmitz then got a steal and found Kenzie Waldeier for a layup and then Michelle Schulte got a steal and 3-point play.

Northeast continued to put on a passing clinic during the run as Kenzie Waldeier found Blair Schmitz inside, Jacqueline Schulte found Hallie Oelze open on the right side, and then Blair Schmitz found Emily Bryant on the break for a layup. Jacqueline Schulte then threw a long pass to Bryant for a layup and then was rewarded for sharing the ball as Bryant subsequently found her open for her second 3-pointer of the night on the right wing. Hallie Oelze then drove down the right side and made both foul shots after drawing contact to cap the run.

Nodaway-Holt used a 3-pointer by Alycia Keith and a drive by Darcy Brown to close to within 49-9 at the half, but then Northeast began stealing the ball away at the start of the second. Emily Bryant opened with a steal and found Hallie Oelze for a layup; Blair Schmitz then got a steal and found Jacqueline Schulte for a layup. Schulte drew a hard foul on the play from Whitney Keith, but she knocked down the ensuing free throw before coming out for the game shortly after. Blair Schmitz then found Emily Bryant open on the right wing to cap the run with Northeast leading 56-9.

Nodaway-Holt managed a pair of frives from Amanda O'Riley and a 3-pointer from Alycia Keith to make it 58-16, but Northeast outworked the Trojans on the offensive glass and got free throws from Jessica Redden, Emily Bryant, and Kenzie Waldeier. Jodi Holmes scored from the right side, but then Kenzie Waldeier converted a 3-point play after getting one of many offensive caroms for Northeast in the period and then Taylor Dougan, normally a gunslinger, found Rachel Runde for her first career 3-pointer, an NBA special from deep in the left wing to make it 67-18.

Hallie Oelze and Runde each added free throws in the fourth quarter during the running clock as the only tense moment was whether Northeast would get everyone in the scoring column. They managed that in the last few minutes as Kenzie Waldeier got a quick outlet to Rachel Runde, who found Kristan Judd all alone for a layup and then Jessica Redden kicked one out to Taylor Dougan to get everyone in the scoring column.

No comments: