JH Tiger Girls Riding Three Game Winning Streak

Worth County’s junior high girls are now riding a three game winning streak following their 45-32 win over Northeast Nodaway Thursday. The game was well-played, with both teams only turning it over 10 times against pressure, and both teams going all out. But it was the three headed monster of Brooklyn Smith, Audrey Runde, and Megan Tracy which prevailed.

Kynder Florea and Maddie Faustlin connected early for the Bluejays to give them a 4-2 lead, but then Brooklyn Smith started taking over, getting two free throws, going coast to coast against pressure, and getting a steal off a Kennedy Murphy tip and converting to make it 8-4. That gave the Tigers a lead they could not relinquish. Audrey Runde hit a 3-pointer to make it 11-4.

But then Northeast started climbing back as Rylee Scadden hit Kynder Florea for a drive to end the first quarter. Maddy Faustlin hit Florea to start the second to make it 11-8. Florea made tough shot after tough shot inside all night to keep the Bluejays in the game.

But then Megan Tracy got loose against the Bluejay press and got it to Audrey Runde to spark the Tigers. Audrey Runde then got a block and Megan Tracy grabbed it and pushed it ahead to Brooklyn Smith to make it 15-8. Kynder Florea scored from inside off a pass from Bristol Hicks, but then Audrey Runde scored off a drive and Megan Tracy hit a 3-pointer off a pass from Brecklyn Rush, who earned a lot more minutes Thursday thanks to her hustle plays.

Maddy Faustlin scored off a drive, Kynder Florea hit a free throw, and then followed with an inside shot to cut the Bluejay deficit to 20-15, but then Rush got Tracy the ball again for another 3-pointer to break the run. Kynder Florea got a pass from Rylee Scadden and converted, but Brooklyn Smith knocked one down from the high post to put the Tigers up 25-17 at the half.

Brecklyn Rush got a tip and Brooklyn Smith a score to put the Tigers up double digits to start the third quarter. But then Kynder Florea scored off a Rylee Scadden steal and Sadie Hall knocked one down from the left side to make it six again at 27-21. Sadie was carrying the team and keeping them in the game when she was on the floor despite not being one of the main scorers; she was playing tough hard-nosed defense and keeping the ball moving on offense.

But then Audrey Runde hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to stop the bleeding for the Tigers. Maddy Faustlin hit a free throw for the Bluejays, but then Hall picked up her fourth foul, Brooklyn Smith hit a 3-pointer, and Runde another to make it 36-24 before she picked up her third foul and Kynder Florea hit two free throws to cut it to 36-26 after three.

Hall picked up her fifth foul early in the fourth, but Florea provided a push for the Bluejays, scoring four straight to cut it to 39-30. But then Kennedy Murphy, who made a number of hustle plays for the Tigers, kept a possession alive and got it to Megan Tracy to give the Tigers a double digit lead. Maddy Faustlin scored off a steal, but Audrey Runde hit two free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

For Worth County, Brooklyn Smith had 22, Audrey Runde 15, and Megan Tracy 8.

Megan Tracy had 2 blocks.

Megan Tracy and Kennedy Murphy had 7 rebounds each. Brooklyn Smith, Brecklyn Rush, and Audrey Runde had 4 each, and Hadley Rush had 1.

Megan Tracy had 5 assists. Brecklyn Rush had 3, Kennedy Murphy and Audrey Runde had 2, and Hadley Rush 1.

Audrey Runde had 5 tips. Brooklyn Smith had 4, Brecklyn Rush 3, Kennedy Murphy 2, and Megan Tracy 1.

Kennedy Murphy had 4 steals. Brooklyn Smith had 3, Megan Tracy 2, and Brecklyn Rush 1.

For Northeast Nodaway, Kynder Florea had 21 points. Maddy Faustlin had 9, and Sadie Hall 2.

Kynder Florea had 2 blocks and Bristol Hicks 1.

Rylee Scadden was the littlest player on the floor, but what she lacks in size, she more than makes up for with her muscles. She led the Bluejays with 7 boards and also kept the Bluejays in the game all night by getting Kynder Florea and Maddy Faustlin the ball when they were open. Kynder Florea had 6, Bristol Hicks 5, Sadie Hall 4, and Maddy Faustlin 1.

Rylee Scadden had 6 assists. Maddy Faustlin had 4, Sadie Hall 2, and Khloe Burns 1.

Kynder Florea had 8 tips. Rylee Scadden had 5, Maddy Faustlin 3, and Bristol Hicks 2.

Maddy Faustlin had 5 steals. Kynder Florea had 2, and Sadie Hall and Rylee Scadden had 1.