Friday, March 05, 1999
Boone continues surge
Old friend Highlands awaits in semis
BY RAY SCHAEFER
Enquirer contributor
UNION — In December, the Boone County girls basketball team thought just getting to the Ninth Region tournament would be a significant accomplishment.
Thursday at Ryle High School, the two-time defending champion Lady Rebels went a step farther. Sophomore forward Ciara Henderson scored 15 points and senior guard Brigette Beimesch added 13 in a 50-41 first-round win over Scott.
A familiar foe awaits in the semifinals at 8:30 p.m. Monday: Highlands, a 64-43 winner over Holy Cross.
Boone County coach Nell Fookes stopped short of saying her team is on a roll.
“But I'm sure pleased with the way we played and our chemistry and what we have out there,” she said.
Beimesch said the Lady Rebels are playing their best basketball, even though they scored just 26 points in a 33rd District finals loss to Conner last Saturday.
“As a team, yes, we're on a roll,” Beimesch said. “On a winning streak? No, but it's bound to happen.”
Boone County and Highlands have met for the regional title the last two years.
Thursday was also the end of Scott coach Linda Moore's career. She finished with a 322-247 record.
“I wish we could have played better and could have won. That's what's going through my mind,” Moore said.
Boone County and Scott took different paths to a 16-16 tie after one quarter.
The Lady Rebels chose balanced scoring. Four different players scored, and Henderson led with nine points.
Scott took advantage of its size. Six-foot senior forward Beth Lye scored 10 points, 5-8 senior guard Stephanie Kreimborg had four and 6-2 sophomore center Colleen Pairan added the other two.
Boone County stayed with balanced scoring to open the second quarter and it worked again: Three different Lady Rebels — Beimesch, sophomore forward Katie Schleisman and freshman forward Chrissy Isaac, led a 10-2 run that put Boone County ahead, 26-18, with 4:49 left in the half.
Beimesch, Schleisman and Henderson opened the third quarter with seven, five and two points respectively, and the result was a 40-25 lead with 4:23 left in the quarter.
But Scott stayed with the Lady Rebels.
The Eagles closed Boone County's lead to 45-41 with 2:16 left in the game on an 11-1 run in which Pairan scored seven points and Lye added four.
But Scott couldn't come back far enough. Isaac and sophomore forward Nikki Molleson hit 1-and-1 bonuses in the final two minutes.
BOONE COUNTY (50) — Petty 1-0 3, Beimesch 5-1 13, K. Schleisman 5-1 11, Molleson 0-2 2, Isaac 2-2 6, Henderson 6-2 15. Totals: 19-8 50.
SCOTT (41) — Lueke 0-1 1, Pairan 6-1 13, Lye 9-0 18, Jackson 1-0 3, Kreimborg 3-0 6. Totals: 19-2 41.
Boone County ....... 16 12 16 6—50
Scott ....... 16 7 7 11—41
Three-point goals: BC-Beimesch 2, Petty, Henderson. S-Jackson. Records: BC 16-11, S 16-9.
Sports Stories
Vaughn goes deep - into infielder
REDS NOTEBOOK
REDS 4, TWINS 2
UC 76, SOUTH FLORIDA 56
UC NOTEBOOK
C-USA ROUNDUP
XAVIER 72, MASSACHUSETTS 68
A-10 ROUNDUP
Pitt picks coach - and it's not Prosser
Bengals still in running for Ball
