Ark Valley News - VCMS girls battle to league title games

Eighth-graders Zayda Perez and Aysia Arrowood pressure Eisenhower's Olivia Adams in the first half Feb. 9.

VCMS girls battle to league title games
By The News staff
Last Updated: February 12, 2015

With victories in the first round and the semifinals, both Valley Center Middle School girls' basketball teams have advanced to the Feb. 12 finals of the Pioneer League II tournament at VCMS.

The seventh-graders will take an 11-4 record into the 5 p.m. championship game against Goddard. The eighth-graders are 7-8 and will play Augusta following the eighth-grade title tilt.

Eighth grade

In a Feb. 9 semifinal matchup, Valley Center outlasted Eisenhower 43-31 in four overtimes. The Hornets struggled in the first half and trailed 10-4 at halftime.

"We fought hard and pushed the game into overtime, which we were trailing most of the extra minutes," coach Laura Jordan said. "Finally in the last overtime, with Eisenhower's best player fouling out, we capitalized and scored 12 points sealing the win."

Only five players scored for Valley Center, but two of them were in double figures. Zayda Perez scored 21, and Aysia Arrowood had 15.

"Zayda Perez took care of the ball for us and created opportunities in the overtimes," Jordan said. "Aysia Arrowood also had a very strong game and her points helped keep us in the game prior to all the overtimes."

Alyssa Turner had three points, while Emily Breault and Kirsten Stanhope each scored two. Jordan said these three girls, along with Anna Valdez, played significant minutes to help seal the win.

It was no contest for Haysville in the first round, as the Hornets jumped to leads of 17-0 after the first quarter and 32-6 at halftime, en route to the 47-22 victory.

Despite the absence of Stanhope, who missed the game with medical issues, Valley put forth what Jordan called "a great team effort."

"The girls pushed the ball up the floor, and we got several fast-break opportunities," she said. "We also played inside-out, which is something we have been focusing on the past several weeks."

Seven Hornets scored, led by Perez with 13, followed by Breault with nine, Anna Valdez eight and Alyssa Turner seven. Rounding out the scoring for Valley Center was Arrowood with six points, while Kara Harden and Sarah Schaar each had two.

Seventh grade

The Hornets trailed 20-15 at halftime, but put the game away with a 20-8 margin in the second half, en route to a 35-28 semifinal win over Prairie Hills.

"Ellie Shank was pressured a lot by Prairie Hills, and it put several of the other girls in positions to step up and hit shots," coach Kaitlin Woellhof said. "Elana Schmelzle and Kassie Kinniburgh both stepped up and had outstanding games. Riley Ranzau also did a great job taking care of the ball and hitting a couple needed shots."

Ranzau and Kinniburgh each finished with 10 points, and Schmelzle tossed in nine. Shank had four, and Amber Haden scored two.

In the first round against Eisenhower, the Hornets waltzed to a 13-0 lead after the first quarter and 24-6 at the intermission. With Shank and Kinniburgh each scoring 11, Valley Center rolled to a 42-17 win.

"The girls played extremely hard and with a lot of intensity," Jordan said. "They put a lot of pressure on Eisenhower, leaving them scoreless in the first quarter. The girls also did a great job pushing the ball to get fast-break opportunities."

Five other players contributed points to the cause. Carlie Claussen and Haden tossed in seven each, while Ranzau, Schmelzle and Sophia McNeil each added two.