Lady Lions' run ends at regional

Feb. 14—CHARLESTOWN — Rushville arrived at Charlestown High School for the regional as the lone unranked team. The Lady Lions faced No. 5 Washington in the opening game. No. 1 Silver Creek and No. 4 Evansville Memorial squared off in the other semifinal. Being unranked did not slow the Lady Lions as Rushville proved they belonged in the field.

In the morning session, Rushville shot 50 percent from 3-point range en route to knocking off the No. 5 Lady Hatchets 55-52.

Washington entered the semifinal with a 19-1 record, but were playing without junior Kendra Levasseur who averaged 15 points and nine rebounds per game. Levassuer suffered a foot injury and was forced to watch from the Washington bench.

Washington looked to exploit its height advantage by going to 5-11 junior Alaina Thorne for the first two points of the game. Rushville came right back with its top weapon, the 3-point shot. Briley Munchel hit from distance to put the Lady Lions up early. Jaeda Miller followed with a lay-up to extend the Rushville lead to 5-2. The Lady Lions held the lead until a bucket by Jade Browning and rebound bucket by Jesse Ledgerwood gave Washington an 8-7 lead. Rushville regained the lead on a rebound bucket by Sophia Dora. After Thorne scored her sixth point to put Washington up by one point, Miller converted a lay-up to put the Lady Lions in front 13-12 after one quarter.

Rushville opened the second quarter with five straight by Annika Marlow and a lay-up by Miller to extend the lead to 20-12. After a Washington bucket, Munchel connected on a 3-pointer and Miller scored again going to the basket to push the lead to 25-14. Washington went on an 8-2 run with six coming from Thorne to cut the deficit to 27-22. Marlow connected from beyond the arc before a lay-up by Thorne closed the first half with the Lady Lions on top 30-24.

Rushville extended the lead to eight as Olivia Yager scored to open the third quarter. Washington then scored the next six points, four from Browning, to cut the deficit to 32-30. Following a Munchel lay-up, Washington's Ledgerwood hit a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one point. Miller scored on another lay-up, but Ledgerwood hit another bomb on the other end to tie the game at 36-36. The Lady Lions got a 3-pointer from Marlow and free throw from Yager around a bucket by Washington's Thorne to lead 40-38 heading to the final eight minutes.

Thorne scored to open the fourth and tied the game. Yager put the Lady Lions back on top with a 3-pointer. Back-to-back buckets by Browning had Washington in front for the first time since the first quarter. The Lady Lions answered quickly with a lay-up by Yager and Miller 3-pointer. After a steal and bucket by Alida Ajradinoska for Washington, Marlow hit a 3-pointer to extend the lead to five. Washington was able to cut the deficit to three with :25.6 to play. The Lady Hatchets had a chance at the tie with a 3-pointer at the buzzer, but it was no good and the Lady Lions held on to advance to the regional final.

For the Lady Lions, Marlow had 16 points followed by Miller, 15, Yager 12, Munchel 10 and Dora two.

Silver Creek 54, Rushville 45

CHARLESTOWN — Top ranked Silver Creek was looking for its first regional title in girls basketball when the Dragons faced Rushville in the night-cap of the Charlestown Regional. The Dragons never trailed at the end of any quarter and claimed the regional crown 54-45.

Rushville ends the season at 18-9. The Dragons (23-3) advance to the Jeffersonville Semistate to face Tri-West (17-6).

The Lady Lions opened the game with a 3-pointer by Briley Munchel. Silver Creek answered with a bomb by Kynidi Striverson. Belle Gossett hit from long range as the Lady Lions led 6-3. Rushville went up 8-5 on a rebound bucket by Olivia Yager. The Dragons then scored seven straight points, four from Marissa Gasaway. Two free throws by Jaeda Miller closed the opening quarter with the Dragons leading 12-10.

Gasaway scored to open the second quarter, but Yager answered with a traditional three point play. Silver Creek got a 3-pointer from Jaclyn Emly before Munchel scored to close the gap to 17-15. Silver Creek pushed the lead to 25-18 on back-to-back triples from Emly. After a Rushville timeout, Yager scored on a lay-up, Annika Marlow matched it with a lay-up of her own and Gossett hit another 3-pointer to tie the game at 25-25. A 3-pointer by Sydney Sierota closed the first half with the Dragons leading 28-25.

Only 17 points were scored in the third quarter. A rebound bucket by Emme Rooney for Silver Creek opened the quarter. After the Dragons extended the lead to five, Yager scored three straight points to cut the deficit to 32-30. Striverson drained a 3-pointer and Gasaway followed with a bucket to push the lead to seven. A traditional three point play by Munchel closed the third quarter with Rushville trailing 37-33.

Striverson's traditional three point play opened the fourth quarter. Rushville responded with a Lexi Morris 3-pointer before Silver Creek got another bomb by Rooney as the lead grew to seven. Later in the quarter, Rushville closed to within six on a bucket by Yager. That was as close as Rushville could get. Silver Creek scored six straight to push the lead to double figures with less than one minute to play. After a bucket by Gasaway for Silver Creek, Marlow's 3-pointer capped the game with Silver Creek advancing 54-45.

Yager led Rushville with 12 points. Munchel was next with 11. Miller and Gossett both had six points. Marlow and Morris both added five points.

Gasaway led the Dragons with 13 points followed by Striverson and Emly both with 12.

Contact Aaron Kirchoff at aaron.kirchoff@greensburgdailynews.com