Pattonsburg dug itself into an 18-7 hole against Mercer that it could not get out of Monday during districts. They made several comeback tries, but fell in the end to the Cardinals 47-32.
The Panthers ended their season after having won 10 games, an improvement of two over last year. Mired in a long losing streak of seven games, they broke out of it in their last two games of the year, beating OSHS 32-27 and North Nodaway 44-19. They came a long ways despite graduating shot-blocking phenom Kinsley Johnson and current NCMC track athlete Katelyn Jones, who tore her ACL against Gilman City last year, but who is back this year for the Pirates.
Five different Cards got into the scoring column in the first quarter, led by Zoe Fisher with seven. They were rebounding at will, getting the ball inside at will, and Pattonsburg was doing too much hacking and fouling on defense. Mercer scored seven of its 18 points from the free throw line.
Pattonsburg tried to make a stand in the second quarter as Cheyenne Miller hit two free throws to start the period, but then a costly foul sent leading rebounder Jayden Goble to the bench with three fouls. Without their leading rebounder, the bottom threatened to drop out as the Cardinals pulled away to a 27-11 halftime lead.
Kavinly Bumgarner resurrected Pattonsburg’s chances in the third quarter, hitting back to back jacks to make it 29-17. Cheyenne Miller became the slasher/scorer that coach Lee Warford always thought she could become, attacking the rim time and time again. Carly Pittsenbarger, who had shown steady improvement in the post all year, suddenly discovered a 3-point shot after Mercer once again threatened to pull away.
With Goble once again on the bench with four fouls, Annabelle Gardner stepped up on the defensive end, grabbing rebounds for the Panthers, but the Cards proved difficult to guard with all five people on the floor a threat to score. They pulled away to a 42-24 lead after three and extended it to 45-26 on Kylie Holt’s free throw early in the fourth.
Annabelle Gardner got a steal, threw it to Carlie Pittsenbarger, who fed Miller for a finish, Jayden Goble came back and took her second charge on defense, and Gardner posted up and scored to make it 45-30, but Pattonsburg could get no closer.
The Panthers graduate Gardner, a defensive stopper and rebounding force as well as Bumgarner, who turned into a three-point threat late in the season and showed some newfound aggression on defense to throw a wrench into Mercer’s offense. They will return Addie Iddings, who can light up the scoreboard in a hurry, rebounding machine Jayden Goble, who showed a newfound willingness to attack the basket, Cheyenne Miller, who is rapidly becoming a scoring threat and ballhandling presence, and Carlie Pittsenbarger, who provides some size and who showed steady improvement in the post.
Cheyenne Miller had 13 points for the Panthers. Carlie Pittsenbarger had 7, Kavinly Bumgarner 6, Jayden Goble 4, and Annabelle Gardner 2.
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