The Tigers scored the first four points of the game as Megan Cassavaugh, playing one of her best games of the year, went coast to coast to start the scoring, and Anna Gladstone drove the left baseline with 5:40 left to make it 4-0.
But North Harrison, bound and determined to avenge its overtime loss to Worth County in districts last year that decided the championship, fought back by going to the rim. Emma Craig hit three free throws; Kami Gibson, unafraid that night to take it against anyone, even Anna Gladstone, added a driving layup to make it 5-4. Jill Hardy countered with two free throws for Worth County, but then Camden Castleberry countered with a 3-pointer with five seconds left to make it 8-6 North Harrison after one.
Two years ago, Camden made a miraculous 3-point shot against Worth County in junior high at the halftime buzzer that turned the Shamrocks’ whole season around; they were 0-3 going into the game, but pulled away for an easy win against Worth County’s junior high and proceeded to win 10 out of their last 13 games. This time, it didn’t quite have the same effect, but it sparked the Shamrocks going into the second quarter.
Kristin New knotted the game up at 8 for Worth County, but the momentum from Castleberry’s shot continued; Worth County went into their 1-3-1 trap, but North Harrison was ready for it as Anna Gladstone picked up her second foul and sat for the rest of the half and Addie Slaughter scored four straight to put North Harrison in the lead at 12-8. The second was set up by Kami Gibson pushing the ball up the floor; it was North Harrison who had Worth County on its heels in transition.
But Worth County righted the ship as Jill Hardy got a steal and got it to Kristin New for a basket and a chance at a three point play. She missed, but in an echo from three years ago when Jessi Badell’s offensive putback sealed a 54-50 double overtime win for Worth County’s girls over North Harrison that gave the Tigers a winning season, Badell kept the possession alive with an offensive glass and later scored backdoor off Jill Hardy’s pass to knot it up at 12-12 instead of North Harrison being up six.
Worth County looked to be in trouble again as Jill Hardy followed Anna Gladstone to the bench with her third foul after sparking the Tigers and Rainey Fordyce got loose in transition to put the Shamrocks back in front 16-14. But then threes from Kaylee McElvain and Kristin New put Worth County in front 20-16 and the Tigers maintained a 23-20 lead at the half.
North Harrison won the battle of the boards in the first half and seemed to lead a charmed life to start the second as Worth County knocked a ball loose on defense, there was a scramble for it, and the ball rolled underneath the basket to Mason Cracraft for an easy two points. But then Worth County got untracked as 3-pointers on three straight possessions, from Kaylee McElvain, Kristin New, and Megan Cassavaugh, put Worth County in control at 32-22 with 5:27 left.
It looked like Worth County might rip off another 30+ point quarter; they had 37 against Braymer and 35 against King City in a quarter this year. But Camden Castleberry kept North Harrison in the game as she countered with a 3-point play after a drive down the right baseline with 5:13 left that made it 32-25.
Anna Gladstone, who had been held to two in the first half, suddenly got untracked, getting six in the last 4:56 of the third. Kaylee McElvain got her the ball inside and she beat Emma Craig; then, Worth County got a stop and Kaylee aired it out to Anna, who got on the line for two free throws to make it 38-27. The teams traded blows for a while, but then Anna Gladstone hit two free throws and Kristin New scored off a drive to make it 42-29 after three. There were two factors that swung the game in Worth County’s favor; they won the battle of the boards in the second half after being outrebounded in the first, and they forced nine turnovers in the fourth quarter after North Harrison had only surrendered it nine times through the first three.
Megan Cassavaugh hit Anna Gladstone inside to make it 44-29 to start the fourth, but then Kami Gibson hit Emma Craig inside for a basket and a chance at a three point play. She missed, but Addie Slaughter, on a third-chance putback try, was fouled and hit both free throws to make it 44-33. North Harrison had a chance to cut it to nine, but Anna Gladstone got a steal, drew a hard foul from Addie Slaughter, and hit both free throws to make it 46-33 to turn the momentum back in Worth County’s favor. Emma Craig did all she could for North Harrison in the fourth, getting eight in the period, but Worth County pushed the lead as big as 54-37 at one point.
Anna Gladstone had 16 for Worth County. Kristin New had 14, Kaylee McElvain 12, Jessi Badell 7, Megan Cassavaugh 5, Jill Hardy 2, and Haley Hunt 1.
Jessi Badell had 2 blocks. Haley Hunt, Merrideth Spiers, Kristin New, and Justina Wimer all had 1.
Kaylee McElvain had 8 boards. Jessi Badell had 7, Kristin New and Merrideth Spiers 5, Anna Gladstone and Megan Cassavaugh 3, Jill Hardy 2, and Haley Hunt 1.
Kristin New had 6 assists. Megan Cassavaugh had 5, Kaylee McElvain 4, Anna Gladstone 3, Jill Hardy 2, and Jessi Badell 1.
Kristin New had 6 tips. Megan Cassavaugh had 4, Anna Gladstone and Jessi Badell 3, and Haley Hunt and Kaylee McElvain 2.
Anna Gladstone and Kristin New had 4 steals. Jessi Badell had 3, Jill Hardy 2, and Megan Cassavaugh and Kaylee McElvain had 1.
For North Harrison, they finally got the kind of balanced scoring they were looking for all year. Emma Craig had 13, Camden Castleberry had a varsity-high 10, Addie Slaughter 8, Rainey Fordyce 5, Kami Gibson 4, and Mason Cracraft and Sally Briggs 2.
Kami Gibson had 8 boards. Addie Slaughter had 6, Emma Craig 5, Mason Cracraft 4, Rainey Fordyce and Sally Briggs 2, and Ashlynn Gilpatrick 1.
Kami Gibson had 5 assists. Camden Castleberry, Emma Craig, and Mason Cracraft had 2 each.
Emma Craig, Mason Cracraft, and Camden Castleberry had 2 tips each. Rainey Fordyce had 1. Addie Slaughter had 4 steals, while Ashlynn Gilpatrick, Camden Castleberry, Emma Craig, and Sally Briggs had 1.
Worth County’s girls survived and advanced in districts with a 58-15 win over Gilman City Tuesday night. North Harrison gave Albany all they could handle through three quarters; it was tied 22-22 after three, but then Albany pulled away for a 37-28 win.
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