North Harrison’s junior high girls had an up and down season, and dropped the first two games of their home tournament. But they closed out the season on a positive note, beating Princeton 26-23 and getting a rare win over a school that has had North Harrison’s number in most sports in recent years. This was the second win for the Shamrocks over Princeton this year.
Before this year, the junior high girls had not beaten Princeton since the 2018-19 season, when they beat them 27-15. The junior high boys basketball team has not beaten Princeton since the 2018-19 season, when they beat them 31-16. The varsity girls have not beaten Princeton since the 2016-17 season, when they beat them 39-32 to win the Gilman City Tournament. The varsity boys have not beaten Princeton since the 2012-13 season, when they beat them 47-46 in the Gilman City Tournament. The softball team last beat Princeton in the 2020-21 season, when they beat them 7-0.
The Shamrocks were playing shorthanded, playing without Gracie Young (flu), but Addison Milligan had steadily earned more playing time as the season progressed, and meshed right in with the other four players when she was given the starting nod. She scored off an early steal for the Shamrocks.
The game was close all the way and neither team had a lead of more than one possession until Jaxcynn Hansel scored from the right side off a pass from Milligan, Hali Smith got a putback, and Ava Rinehart scored from the baseline at the halftime buzzer to put the Shamrocks up 14-8.
Princeton came storming back to start the second half as Mikaylee Henke got a three point play off a steal and Kymber Stark (no relation to the editor of the Sheridan Express) scored off another steal, but North Harrison rebuilt the lead after Hali Smith scored off a drive after getting a pass from Lani Briggs and added a shot from the left side after a pass from Ava Rinehart. Lani Briggs followed with a drive with 1:31 left in the third to make it 20-13.
Princeton made another charge after Riley Clark hit two free throws, Henke got another steal, and Stark got another to cut it to 20-19 with 3:41 left in the fourth. Princeton had no fouls to start the fourth quarter, so they could afford to be very aggressive on defense.
But once again, North Harrison rebuilt their lead as Hali Smith drove the right baseline and scored and Ava Rinehart got another score off a drive. Henke scored off a drive with 1:27 left, but Jaxcynn Hansel hit from the left wing after Lani Briggs set it up with a drive to make it 26-21 with 1:06 left.
The Blue Tigers frantically used their fouls and got the ball back several times off the press, but they missed five shots in the last 59 seconds. Ava Rinehart got behind the Princeton defense and missed a contested layup with 10 seconds left, but by the time Stark got the board and got down the court to put it back in, time had expired for Princeton.
Jaxcynn Hansel and Hali Smith had 8 for the Shamrocks. Addison Milligan and Ava Rinehart had 4 each, and Lani Briggs had 2.
Jaxcynn Hansel had 2 blocks.
Hali Smith had 11 boards. Jaxcynn Hansel had 9, Addison Milligan 7, Ava Rinehart 6, and Lani Briggs 2.
Lani Briggs had 4 assists. Ava Rinehart had 3, Addison Milligan 2, and Jaxcynn Hansel 1.
Hali Smith and Lani Briggs had 2 tips and Ava Rinehart and Addison Milligan had 1. Addison Milligan had 2 steals, while Hali Smith and Jaxcynn Hansel had 1.
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