Marysville’s Cassie Francisco (42) battles for a rebound against Hilliard Darby on Friday. The Lady Monarchs opened the season with a 57-50 victory.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
––––
Marysville High School’s girls basketball team proved to be a scrappy group as it scratched and clawed its way to a 57-50 victory over Hilliard Darby on Friday.
“This team won’t back down from anybody,” said Lady Monarch coach Mindy Eisnaugle after her team’s season opener. “That’s what I like to see.”
The game was ragged on offense for both teams throughout the opening quarter as a number of possessions came up empty.
The game was nearly three minutes old before a pair of free throws by Sarah O’Neil gave MHS its first lead at 5-4.
Katherine Hazelbaker sank a couple of charity tosses for a 7-4 margin before a pair of buckets by Syndey Wyngardner returned an 8-7 edge to the Panthers.
Annie Rausch used her 6-1 frame to muscle in a shot that gave Darby a 10-7 lead.
O’Neil then sank two free throws that pulled MHS to within 10-9 at the end of the quarter.
Wyngardner swished a three-pointer that stretched Darby’s lead to four early in the ensuing period.
The Lady Monarchs, though, kept up the fight as a basket from Hazelbaker, a free throw by Cassie Francisco and O’Neil’s traditional three-point play gave them a 16-15 lead.
The battle continued over the next few minutes.
Emily Daniel knocked down a three-pointer for a 19-17 Marysville lead.
Hazelbaker later followed suit to push the Lady Monarchs out to a 22-19 margin.
A couple of free throws by Kinzi Lee pushed MHS’ lead to 25-19.
Allie Rioch went to the stripe for two shots that sent the Lady Monarchs into the turn with a 27-21 advantage.
Lee went baseline for a basket that stretched MHS’ lead to 29-21 early in the third period.
The Panthers, however, refused to back down as they scored five quick markers.
Rioch drove the lane for a 31-26 Monarch lead and Sydney Lee’s three-ball gave MHS a 34-28 advantage.
Buckets from Sophia Iosue later tied the game at 34.
Franciso scored on the offensive glass, but Wydgardner’s trifecta gave the visitors a 37-36 edge with 21 seconds left in the quarter.
Francisco then scored on an assist from O’Neil to send the Lady Monarchs into the final period with a 38-37 lead.
Francisco scored on two strong low post moves to give MHS a 44-40 lead.
The MHS junior would go on to notch 11 points before fouling out late in the game.
Rioch added four points to give Marysville a nice inside presence.
“Adding Jamilia (assistant coach Banks) to the staff was important,” said Eisnaugle. “She’s a post coach and her work with Cassie and Allie showed up tonight in the first game.”
The Panthers stayed within striking distance, but buckets from Hazelbaker and O’Neil kept Marysville up by six points.
O’Neil sank one technical foul free throw and added two others as MHS’ lead expanded to 51-42.
Francisco then tallied another basket on the low block as the Lady Monarchs took their biggest lead of the night at 53-42.
Darby went on an 8-0 run and pulled to within 53-50 as the clock raced toward the one-minute mark.
Haley Cook hit a key basket with about 12 second to play for a 55-50 MHS margin.
Wyngardner then missed the front end of the one-and-one.
The Lady Monarchs (who will host Hilliard Davidson on Tuesday) worked the ball to O’Neil, who was intentionally fouled on a drive to the basket.
The clock read 0.9 seconds when she sank both free throws to give MHS its final margin of victory.
“We held our composure when Darby pulled to within three late in the game,” said Eisnaugle. “We didn’t shoot very well from the field, but our free throws (22-of-31) pulled us through.”
Marysville
O’Neil 2-10-14, Hazelbaker 3-5-12, Francisco 5-1-11, K. Lee 2-3-7, S. Lee 1-1-4, Rioch 1-2-4, Daniel 1-0-3, Cook 1-0-2, Sutter 0-0-0, Welsh 0-0-0. Totals 16-22-57.
Three-point goals: Hazelbaker 1, S. Lee 1, Daniel 1.
Hilliard Darby
Wyngardner 7-0-17, Rausch 5-5-15, Iosue 2-2-6, Pizzuro 2-2-6, Dixon 3-0-6, Williams 0-0-0, Turner 0-0-0, Coe 0-0-0, Rasul 0-0-0, Fowler 0-0-0. Totals 19-9-50.
Three-point goals: Wyngardner 3.
Marysville’s jayvees opened the season with a 42-34 victory during the preliminary game.
Tinley Graves and Sydney Wade each scored eight points for the Jr. Monarchs.