Patriots use streaks to remain unbeaten

Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Caitlin Capps of South Putnam goes up for a shot against Owen Valley on Monday night.
Banner Graphic/Joey Bennett

By Joey Bennett

Sports Editor

SPENCER — South Putnam entered Monday night’s game at Owen Valley knowing they had a tough chore ahead of them.

The Lady Patriots are one of just 15 undefeated teams left across the state, and pulling off a victory was going to take a complete effort.

The Eagles battled the Patriots to just a 9-7 deficit after one period and trailed 25-18 at halftime.

However, Owen Valley opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run and the second half on an 8-0 run to break the game open and went on to a 55-39 win to keep its perfect record intact.

“That’s the best basketball team we’ve played this year,” South Putnam coach Brian Gardner said. “They run their stuff really well and play hard. We competed with them very well, but that 8-0 run to start the second half put them over the top.

“You can’t make any mistakes after giving up a run like that.”

The Patriots got the first four points of the game, before a Lillie Stein got the Eagles on the board with 3:52 left in the opening quarter.

Freshman Lexi Vanihel added a pair of free throws and Caitlin Capps had a basket as the Eagles fought to a two-point deficit at the first stop.

The Patriots got a basket from Hailey Mitchell, two from Kara Schafer and another from Payton Cattorini to open the second half.

Owen Valley extended its lead to 40-24 with 2:32 left in the third period, but South Putnam’s Miranda Bieghler scored the final seven points of the third period on two baskets and a trey to cut the gap to 40-31.

The Eagles could never get closer than that margin the rest of the way.

Capps and Bieghler led South Putnam with 11 points each.

“Caitlin is doing a lot of good things in the post,” Gardner said. “She’s starting to understand how to maneuver in the post, and we are starting to see her.”

Gardner thought his team did a good job against a tough opponent.

“This was the first time we’ve gone up against a team good at changing defenses on the fly,” he said. “It was a good, hard-fought game. We have some things to improve upon.”

SOUTH PUTNAM (39) — Nichols 1 0-0 2, Bieghler 4 2-4 11, Barker 1 1-2 3, Vensko 0-0 0-0 0, Stein 3 0-2 7, Boswell 0 0-0 0, Bratcher 0 0-1 0, Vanihel 1 3-4 5, Hill 0 0-0 0, Capps 4 3-5 11. Totals 14 FG, 9-21 FT, 39 TP

OWEN VALLEY (55) — Drake 5 0-0 11, Cattorini 7 0-0 14, Schafer 3 1-2 7, Mitchell 3 0-2 8, Herrington 0 2-3 2, Wesley 0 0-0 0, Johnson 0 0-0 0, Truax 0 0-0 0, Lighter 0 0-0 0, Godwin 4 5-9 13. Totals 22 FG, 10-16 FT, 55 TP

South Putnam 7 11 13 8 — 39

Owen Valley 9 16 15 15 — 55

3-point goals — Drake, Stein, Bieghler.

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