Greencastle shakes off Edgewood to win sectional championship

NASHVILLE -- The Greencastle girls' basketball team is the best in its sectional.

The Tiger Cubs fought off a late run by Edgewood to win the Indiana High School Athletic Association Section 28 championship on Saturday night 41-39.

It is Greencastle's first sectional championship since 1993 and the first for any team from Putnam County since South Putnam won its sectional in 2005.

"We've worked hard for this," GHS coach Brad Key said. "It started four years ago ... We started doing the right things a long time ago, and it's really paid off. The girls have bought into the program.

"We've got a great group, and I couldn't be happier for them."

Senior Rayleigh Amis and sophomore Jessica Lenihan led the way for the Tiger Cubs. Lenihan had team-highs in points (11) and rebounds (13), while Amis keyed the Greencastle defense.

Amis, who scored 10 points of her own, was charged with guarding Edgewood junior Vanessa Brown, a tough task that forced GHS to fall back into a box-and-one.

She succeeded, limiting Brown to just 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

"We wanted Ray (Amis) to shut down Brown, and man she did an outstanding job," Key said. "(Brown was) 4-for-16, and I bet two of those came when Ray wasn't guarding her. Rayleigh played unbelievable."

For Amis, the sectional championship, and beating Edgewood in particular, was special. The Mustangs have knocked GHS out of the postseason for the last four years.

"I'm just shocked to finally have done it," Amis said.

GHS beat Edgewood 44-35 earlier this year, but the intensity with the sectional trophy at stake.

"They've always been a big rival, so it means a lot to beat Edgewood," Amis said. "It was more intense than the regular season. It's sectionals, so it was harder, but we both played a good game."

The two teams started the game tentatively, each working the clock for more than a minute on its first possession. GHS took the early advantage, leading 8-2 after the first quarter, largely due to Lenihan's rebounding inside.

"I came into this game and I knew I hadn't been rebounding a lot the last couple games," Lenihan said. "I thought, I'm just going to get in here and rebound, and I knew all my other teammates would come to score so I just did my job."

The game became more frantic but the scoring gap stayed mostly even until the fourth quarter.

GHS carried a 34-26 lead into the final period, then became passive, playing not to lose instead of playing to win.

The Mustangs (11-11) took advantage with Brown leading by example.

She drew a pair of charges in the final 10 minutes of the game and grabbed five of her game-high 16 rebounds in the fourth.

Edgewood began an 8-1 run with five minutes remaining, cutting the gap to just one point when Brown went coast-to-coast for a lay-in with 5.2 seconds remaining.

Greencastle (14-9) nearly turned the ball over trying to inbound it under its own basket, but junior Shelby Earl held on for a jump ball, with the possession arrow going to GHS.

Rayleigh Amis was fouled on the subsequent inbound, sent to the line for a pair of free throws with 1.8 seconds remaining.

She missed the first, then calmly sank the second.

A final heave came up well short, giving Key his first sectional championship and first postseason win over the Mustangs.

"They've had our number since I've been here," Key said. "They're a good basketball team. They're well coached. They play hard. But tonight was our night. It feels good."

Sophomore Taylor Stoltey tacked on nine points and four rebounds and sophomore Callan Taylor had four points and four steals in the win.

The Tiger Cubs have a week to regroup before they take on Indian Creek in the first game of regionals at Danville on Saturday, Feb. 16 at noon.

The Braves (19-5) defeated the Danville Warriors 68-34 on Saturday.

Key said he is proud of his team, particularly his two seniors, Amis and Jessi Covert.

"It's been 20 years since we won a sectional, and that means something. I kept telling them cutting down that net: that means something," Key said. "What an outstanding way to play in senior year ... For the senior year, to go out sectional champions? conference champions? Awesome.

"Good for Rayleigh Amis ... I couldn't be happier for Jessi Covert. What an awesome teammate, cheering on her team. It's good. It's really good."

Greencastle senior Rayleigh Amis fights through the contact of Edgewood freshman Jasmine Carter to get off a shot attempt on Saturday. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

IHSAA sectional 28 finals at Brown County
Greencastle....8 16 10 7 -- 41
Edgewood......2 14 10 13 -- 39