BLANCHARDVILLE - Free throws, a timely 3-pointer and a defensive switch helped carry the Albany High School girls basketball team to a 48-40 victory over Pecatonica on Thursday.
Freshman Payton Zurfluh scored a team-high 12 points, including the Comets' only 3-pointer that came with about a second left in the first half and gave Albany (4-15, 3-5 Six Rivers East) a 25-17 advantage.
"Probably the last eight minutes or so of the first half, we hit a wall, scoring-wise," Pecatonica coach Bobby Rose said. "It's something that happens to us. We have been working on finding different ways to score and being aggressive."
The Comets started in a 1-3-1 zone but switched to a man-to-man defense during the first half.
"We were able to get some stops in man and get out in transition," Albany coach Adam Wamsley said. "We were able to get in the passing lanes, find the shooters better, and we were in better rebounding position."
Pecatonica (1-15, 0-7) made 14 field goals compared with 13 by Albany, but the Comets made 10 more free throws. Albany was 21 of 26 from the free-throw line and the Vikings were 11 of 19.
"It was a four-point game with about a minute 15 (seconds) left, and one bounce one way or one bounce the other way would have made the difference," Rose said. "I hope they realize they played a really good game."
Senior Sydnee Woyak added 11 points for Albany, including seven free throws.
Wamsley credited the Comets' win to solid free-throw shooting.
"We are still learning how to win and those free throws late helped," he said.
Pecatonica's Liz Tisch led all scorers with 14 points. Sam Mabin, Jessica Erickson and Adriana Johnson each added six points for the Vikings.
Juda 47, Argyle 32
JUDA - Junior Chelsea Burkhalter scored a game-high 17 points and hit four 3-pointers to propel Juda past Argyle.
Argyle junior Kayla Butler-Paulson scored a team-high nine points to lead the Orioles (2-17, 1-7 Six Rivers East). Freshman teammate Jena Saalsaa added seven points.
The Panthers (8-7, 5-3) jumped out to a 26-17 lead at the half. Burkhalter scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half to spark the Panthers.
Juda's Riley Adkins knocked down three 3-pointers for nine points, and sophomore MacKenzie Byrne chipped in eight points.
Both teams struggled from the free-throw line. The Orioles made just 12 of 22 free throws, and the Panthers were 12 of 23.
Mineral Point 71, Darlington 25
MINERAL POINT - Jessica Schultz scored a game-high 22 points to power Mineral Point past Darlington (6-10, 4-5 SWAL).
Schultz made 8 of 11 free throws to lead the Pointers (15-2, 11-0), who remain unbeaten in league play. Mineral Point outscored the Redbirds 37-12 in the first half.
Big Foot 66, Brodhead 58 (OT)
WALWORTH - Brodhead is no longer alone atop
the Rock Valley South Conference.
With the overtime loss to Walworth-Big Foot, Brodhead (15-3, 11-2 Rock Valley South) drops into a first-place tie atop the conference with Big Foot.
The Cardinals have three conference games remaining.
Freshman Payton Zurfluh scored a team-high 12 points, including the Comets' only 3-pointer that came with about a second left in the first half and gave Albany (4-15, 3-5 Six Rivers East) a 25-17 advantage.
"Probably the last eight minutes or so of the first half, we hit a wall, scoring-wise," Pecatonica coach Bobby Rose said. "It's something that happens to us. We have been working on finding different ways to score and being aggressive."
The Comets started in a 1-3-1 zone but switched to a man-to-man defense during the first half.
"We were able to get some stops in man and get out in transition," Albany coach Adam Wamsley said. "We were able to get in the passing lanes, find the shooters better, and we were in better rebounding position."
Pecatonica (1-15, 0-7) made 14 field goals compared with 13 by Albany, but the Comets made 10 more free throws. Albany was 21 of 26 from the free-throw line and the Vikings were 11 of 19.
"It was a four-point game with about a minute 15 (seconds) left, and one bounce one way or one bounce the other way would have made the difference," Rose said. "I hope they realize they played a really good game."
Senior Sydnee Woyak added 11 points for Albany, including seven free throws.
Wamsley credited the Comets' win to solid free-throw shooting.
"We are still learning how to win and those free throws late helped," he said.
Pecatonica's Liz Tisch led all scorers with 14 points. Sam Mabin, Jessica Erickson and Adriana Johnson each added six points for the Vikings.
Juda 47, Argyle 32
JUDA - Junior Chelsea Burkhalter scored a game-high 17 points and hit four 3-pointers to propel Juda past Argyle.
Argyle junior Kayla Butler-Paulson scored a team-high nine points to lead the Orioles (2-17, 1-7 Six Rivers East). Freshman teammate Jena Saalsaa added seven points.
The Panthers (8-7, 5-3) jumped out to a 26-17 lead at the half. Burkhalter scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half to spark the Panthers.
Juda's Riley Adkins knocked down three 3-pointers for nine points, and sophomore MacKenzie Byrne chipped in eight points.
Both teams struggled from the free-throw line. The Orioles made just 12 of 22 free throws, and the Panthers were 12 of 23.
Mineral Point 71, Darlington 25
MINERAL POINT - Jessica Schultz scored a game-high 22 points to power Mineral Point past Darlington (6-10, 4-5 SWAL).
Schultz made 8 of 11 free throws to lead the Pointers (15-2, 11-0), who remain unbeaten in league play. Mineral Point outscored the Redbirds 37-12 in the first half.
Big Foot 66, Brodhead 58 (OT)
WALWORTH - Brodhead is no longer alone atop
the Rock Valley South Conference.
With the overtime loss to Walworth-Big Foot, Brodhead (15-3, 11-2 Rock Valley South) drops into a first-place tie atop the conference with Big Foot.
The Cardinals have three conference games remaining.
