DARLINGTON — The host Darlington Redbirds held off Shullsburg’s second-half comeback by holding the Miners scoreless over the final two minutes, 54 seconds to pull out a 32-22 victory in a non-conference girls’ basketball game held at DHS on Friday, Nov. 19.
The Miners (0-1 overall) shaved a 10-point deficit down to two at 23-21 with 4:32 to play. However, the Redbirds (1-0) halted a nearly six-minute scoring drought of their own by outscoring their guests 9-1 over the final four minutes to roll to a 10-point victory and snap a two-game losing streak to the Miners.
“It was your typical first game. Our shooting percentage can only go up from here,” said Darlington head coach Brad Solberg. “I was happy with our defensive effort. Defense can give you a chance to win on tough offensive nights. That was the case tonight.”
Shullsburg held a 7-4 lead early on following a basket by freshman Taylor Russell, but the ‘Birds bounced back with six straight points on baskets by Jaidyn Evenstad and Cayla Golackson and free throws by Aubrey McCarthy and Jaylyn Schwartz to pull in front to stay.
A basket by Camden Russell pulled the Miners within a point midway through the opening half but that was as close as they could get as Darlington closed the half on a 7-2 scoring run to take a 17-11 lead into the locker room at the intermission.
“We know we’re going to be an offensive work-in-progress all year. Credit to Darlington because they really made us work for what little we got,” said Shullsburg head coach Nathan Russell. “We’re going to have plenty of growing pains with this young a team this season.”
The Redbirds’ lead swelled to as many as 10 early in the second half following back-to-back baskets by Schwartz and McCarthy. But, the ‘Birds would go over eight minutes between fields goals and nearly six minutes without scoring to allow the Miners to creep back into the game.
Senior Kennedy Allendorf scored six straight points during a three-minute stretch to bring the Miners within two at 23-21 with 4:32 to play.
“Shullsburg had a nice defensive game plan coming in. They made it tough for us to get clean looks,” Solberg said.
A free throw by senior Taylor Wedig snapped the Birds’ scoreless streak, and then Golackson scored a putback on her missed second free throw attempt to put the hosts ahead 26-21.
A free throw by Shullsburg freshman Stella Spillane cut the deficit to four at 26-22 with 2:54 to go, but McCarthy knocked down a pair of baskets down the stretch and Jaylyn Schwartz registered a putback on another missed free throw with 27 seconds remaining to seal the victory for the Birds.
“The kids really battled. I don’t think they ever quit. We gave up those two open layups (to McCarthy) with a mix-up on defense that we had not had happen all night. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a good defensive effort tonight,” Russell said.
McCarthy scored six of her team-high seven points in the second half to lead Darlington. Schwartz added five points and led the team with 12 rebounds — 10 offensive — along with three steals and two assists.
Golackson chipped in with five points and nine boards, while Wedig finished with four points and Greta Volkening led the hosts with four steals.
Allendorf led the Miners with seven points and two assists. Camden Russell followed with six points and eight rebounds, while Spillane tallied four points, six boards and two blocked shots. Taylor Russell paced the Miners with two steals.
Darlington has a non-conference game at River Ridge on Tuesday, Nov. 30, and the Redbirds begin SWAL play at Cuba City on Friday, Dec. 3.
Shullsburg will host Belleville on Tuesday, Nov. 30, and will open Six Rivers West play at Benton on Friday, Dec. 3.
