Lady Squires Win 2A Sectional OpenerNORTH MANCHESTER – Played three days after it was originally scheduled, Friday night’s Class 2A Sectional 37 first-round game was definitely worth the wait for the Manchester Lady Squires.
Hosting the sectional for the first time in four years, Manchester overcame a slow start – which fifth-year coach Jake Everett attributed to being out of school this week because of the weather – and held the Rochester Lady Zebras to one point in the second quarter en route to a 38-29 victory.
It was the second time this season the Lady Squires beat their Three Rivers Conference rival – the other being a 39-28 win at Manchester on Jan. 18. The significance of Friday’s win, though, was Manchester advanced in postseason play for the first time since its four seniors were in sixth grade.
The Lady Squires’ last win in the state tournament was a 49-23 victory over Cass on Feb. 5, 2013. Manchester (16-7) will play Cass (1-21) in tonight’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal game.
No. 3 Oak Hill (19-3), a 54-23 winner over North Miami in Friday’s first game, will play Wabash (9-13) in tonight’s first semifinal at 6 p.m.
The championship game is scheduled for Monday at 7:30 p.m.
“This group has never won a sectional game, none of my players have ever won a sectional game,” said Everett, who is no stranger to postseason success as a player, having been a standout on Triton’s Class 1A boys basketball state championship team in 2008.
“For them to experience this, where they have to bring it or they’re going home, and they were able to walk away with a win is something special.”
Neither team scored for nearly five minutes to open the game.
Rochester sophomore Kaitlin Rogers scored the first points of the contest with 3:19 remaining in the first quarter.
Manchester took its first lead of the game at 6-5 with on a bucket from senior Kennedy Lauer and never looked back.
The Lady Squires led 8-5 after one quarter of play, 17-6 at halftime and 25-13 heading into the final frame.
Rochester finished the game with 27 turnovers, with nearly 20 of them in the first half.
Manchester turned the ball over 23 times, and Everett said the sluggish start was due to the lack of a routine this week, a circumstance brought on by Mother Nature.
“Nobody’s been at school since Monday,” said Everett. “The kids like to be in a routine. I think everyone’s routine was a little off. Not being in school, I think all that does is hamper your shooting.
“You saw it early, we got really good shots, they just didn’t go in. We practiced Monday and Thursday, and that’s it. I think the routine of getting back to school and getting back in the routine of daily life is good.
“We’ll be ready tomorrow because it’s a Saturday, and hopefully we get a chance to play again on Monday.”
Senior Kennedy Fierstos and sophomore Eva Bazzoni scored 10 points each for the Lady Squires, while Lauer and senior Emma West chipped in with six points each.
Rogers led Rochester with 11 points. Junior Kensey McKee finished with six points.
MANCHESTER 38, ROCHESTER 29
M 8 9 8 13 – 38
R 5 1 7 16 – 29
Manchester – Jirni Cripe 1 2-4 4, Kennedy Fierstos 4 1-2 10, Emma West 0 6-9 6, Kiera Hatfield 0 1-3 1, Mackenzie Day 0 1-2 1, Eva Bazzoni 3 3-4 10, Bailey Mooney 0 0-0 0, Kennidy Lauer 2 2-4 6. Totals 10 16-28 38.
