Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Gracie Young Sparks Shamrocks to Win

North Harrison’s girls beat North Nodaway for the second time this year 46-18 in the elimination round of the Gilman City Tournament Wednesday.

Like the Pattonsburg game, the Shamrocks got off to a hot start, this time scoring the first 13 points of the game. Ave Rinehart had 8 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Hali Smith had 3 and Jaxcynn Hansel had 2.

But the game looked like it might follow the Pattonsburg script, where the Shamrocks came out red hot only to see it evaporate. North Nodaway put together one of their best offensive runs of the year when Lily Blane scored off a drive, then took a charge on defense. Mya Hansen got a three point play and Lily Blane hit from the high post to make it 13-7 with 20 seconds left.

But just when it looked like North Nodaway would turn things around and catch the Shamrocks, Gracie Young sparked the Shamrocks when she grabbed an offensive board and flung it up and it went in at the first quarter buzzer to make it 15-7. Young had returned the game before from a knee injury; with the addition of Stella Rinehart, the Shamrocks are up to seven players.

Young has made these sorts of hustle plays for the Shamrocks before; in softball, she turned a double play when she stepped on third and threw to first to spark the Shamrocks to five wins late in the season after they had gone winless up to that point.

The second quarter saw the Shamrocks take control with six straight from Hali Smith to start the period. Lani Briggs added a free throw and Ava Rinehart hit a 3-pointer following a steal to make it 25-7. Addalea Barcus countered with a free throw for the Mustangs, only for Jaxcynn Hansel to score four straight and make it 29-8 at the half.

North Nodaway tried to rally to start the second half, scoring the first three points, only for Lani Briggs to get the hot hand in the third quarter and scored five points in the period. Hali Smith added four and the Shamrocks led 38-14 after three. Four by Hansel in the fourth made it 46-14.

 

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