Lady Jays Basketball
Launch the media gallery 1 playerVarsity Lady Jays Fight With Riverside
by Rhayna Waldner
The varsity Lady Jay basketball team took on Riverside at home on Saturday, December 2. Being tied neck and neck throughout the whole game, the Lady Jays were just short of the win, losing 40-44.
In the first quarter of play, the Lady Jays outscored Riverside 13-11. To start the scoring off for Pierce, Maggie Brahmer laid in a two-point basket, and Kayla Simmons made a free throw. Brenna Collison made a shot worth two points, and Sidney Zimmerer made a three-point basket. Brahmer also made two more two-point shots and a free throw this quarter.
In the second quarter, the Lady Jays and Riverside were neck-and-neck offensively, as both teams scored eight points apiece. Scoring for Pierce this quarter were Brahmer with a two-point shot and Carly Sutherland with two two-point baskets and a free throw. Heading into halftime, the Lady Jays were ahead of Riverside 21-19.
Coming out of halftime, the Lady Jays could not find their rhythm and managed to score only four points to Riverside’s 14. Brianna Aguilera made a shot worth two, and Sutherland made two free throws. Going into the final quarter of the game, the Lady Jays were led by Riverside 25-33.
In the final quarter of the game, the Lady Jays found their stride and scored 15 points. Zimmerer had a three-point shot, Brahmer and Collison each had two two-point shots, and Sutherland had a three pointer and a two-point basket. To end the game, Simmons had a three-point basket. Defensively, however, the Lady Jays allowed Riverside to score 11 points this quarter and fell 40-44.
Coach Darren Sindelar said, “We were not consistent in our execution on the defensive or offensive end. Many times our breakdowns led to points or turnovers against Riverside. We need to make sure we are all on the same page, no matter if it is offense or defense. Everyone needs to fit their piece. We need to give a consistent effort for a whole game. We need to continue to practice at game speed. We need to be able to play and not think during games.”
The varsity Lady Jays’ next game will be held at home against the Boone Central/Newman Grove Cardinals on Friday, December 8. Both boys’ and girls’ JV and varsity will play.
Varsity Lady Jays Battle Jaguars
by Rhayna Waldner
The varsity Lady Jays had their first game of the season on Thursday, November 30. The game was held in Dodge against the Howells-Dodge Jaguars. After a close game at the end, the Lady Jays were not able to top the defending C-2 state champions and lost 49-51.
In the first quarter of play, Kayla Simmons hit a three-point shot to start off the game. Following suit, Sidney Zimmerer made another three-point basket for the Lady Jays to give them an early lead. Also scoring this quarter were Brenna Collison, who made two buckets, and Brianna Aguilera, who made two free throws. At the end of the quarter, the Jaguars’ score was half of the Lady Jays’ at 12-6.
Carrying their momentum over into the second quarter, the Lady Jays were able to score 17 points. Carly Sutherland scored two two-point baskets and a free throw, and Maggie Brahmer made a two-point shot along with a free throw. Zoe Brenden made a free throw and a three-pointer, and Collison made a free throw. Simmons made another three, and Zimmerer added a free throw. After allowing the Jaguars 11 points, heading into halftime, the Lady Jays were up with a score of 29-17.
Coming out of halftime, the Lady Jays scored 14 more points and let the Jaguars have only 12. Collison started out the half by make a two-point basket, and Zimmerer made a three-pointer. Sutherland made two shots worth two points each, Rhayna Waldner added a bucket, and Aguilera hit a three. Going into the final quarter of the game, the Lady Jays were ahead 43-29.
Despite having a large lead on the Jaguars going into the final quarter, the Lady Jays struggled offensively in the final minutes and were kept at only six points. Brahmer made two-two points shots, and Collison made another shot worth two. Not able to hold off the Jaguars in the end, the Lady Jays fell 49-51.
“I thought we hustled throughout the game,” said coach Darren Sindelar. “We were able to get to some loose balls. I thought we played well defensively for three quarters of the game. We need to be able to finish out games. In the fourth quarter, we got out of system offensively and defensive. Against good teams, that will hurt you. We need to be consistent and discipline for four quarters. If we play as a team and fit our piece of the puzzle, we will get better.”
The varsity Lady Jays’ next game will be played against the Boone Central/Newman Grove Cardinals at home on Friday, December 8.
JV Lady Jays Take Down Jaguars
by Rhayna Waldner
The Pierce high basketball teams headed down to Dodge to play the Howells-Dodge Jaguars on Thursday, November 30. Coming out victorious in just three quarters played, the JV Lady Jays defeated the Jaguars 24-18.
In the first quarter of the game, the Lady Jays scored four points, which were both layups by Kenzie Moeller. The Jaguars matched the Lady Jays’ efforts, also scoring four poitns. With a shortened game, this took the game into halftime with a score of 4-4.
Starting of the third quarter, the Lady Jays came out strong and scored 12 points. Zoe Brenden made a two-point shot and three free throws. Also aiding the team, Moeller made two free throws, a three-pointer, and another basket. The Lady Jays were able to hold the Jaguars to only four points. Heading into the final quarter of the game, Pierce was able to take a comfortable lead 16-8.
In the final quarter of the game, the Lady Jays scored eight points. Rhayna Waldner made two shots worth two points each, Moeller made a two-point shot, and Mikala Stone made a basket worth two. Allowing the Jaguars to score ten points, the the Lady Jays were still able to keep their lead with a final score of 24-18.
The JV Lady Jays’ next game will be held at home against the Boone Central/Newman Grove Cardinals on Friday, December 8.
JH Girls’ Teams Fall to Wayne
by Montana Ruppert
The junior high girls’ basketball teams played Wayne Saturday, December 2, in a road game where the A team lost 25-37, the B team lost 23-24, and the C team tied 9-9.
In the first quarter of the A-team game, the Lady Jays got off to a rocky start, getting outscored 4-16. Payten Simmons scored two free throws and also two points for the Lady Jays. In the second quarter, Simmons hit another two free throws plus a basket, and Kennedy Warneke scored four points. Wayne put up another ten points, putting the Jays behind 12-26. In the third quarter, the Lady Jays matched Wayne offensively, as both teams scored seven points. Morgan Moeller scored a three-pointer, and Simmons scored four points, but the Lady Jays remained down. The fourth quarter ended with the Lady Jays outscoring Wayne 6-4 but still taking a loss. In the final quarter, Simmons scored two points plus a free throw for the Lady Jays, Warneke scored two free throws, and Graison Pfeiffer scored a free throw.
The 7th B team lost 23-24. In the first quarter, the Lady Jays put up seven points and held Wayne to just two. Brynlee Marks scored two points, Marlie Kroupa scored two points, and Samantha Fischer scored two points and a free throw. In the second quarter, both teams managed just two points, the Lady Jays’ coming from Brynlee Marks, so going into halftime, the Lady Jays were ahead 9-4. In the third quarter, the Lady Jays put up eight points, while Wayne managed seven. Marks scored two points, and Fischer scored six. Despite going into the fourth quarter with the lead, Pierce was outscored 2-8 in the final minutes to send it into overtime. Marks scored the Lady Jays’ final two points. In overtime, the Jays barely fell to Wayne, getting outscoed 4-5 to lose 23-24. Marlie Kroupa scored one point, and Fischer scored three points.
The 7th C team tied with Wayne 9-9. They played only one quarter, and in that Kallie Edins scored four points, Isabelle Skrdla scored two, Alyssa Cederburg scored two, and Ciara Garcia scored one.
The next junior high girls’ basketball game will be Saturday, December 9, at Wayne for a tournament.
JH Lady Jays Shoot Down Bravettes
by Morgan Crist
The junior high Lady Jays defeated the Battle Creek Bravettes at the home of the Jays on Monday, November 27. The A team won 26-18, the B team won 35-6, and the C team won 16-10..
For the A team game, in the first quarter Callie Arnold, Gina Wragge, and Morgan Moeller each made two-pointers, while the Bravettes put up seven points to take a lead of 6-7. The Lady Jays answered back in the second with one free throw made my Moeller and two made by Payten Simmons, who also made one two-point shot. Kennedy Warneke also put up two points during this quarter. Battle Creek attempted to catch up with two points of their own, but the Lady Jays led 13-9. During the third quarter, Warneke added six point to the Jays score of now 19 with three buckets. Keeping the scoring streak up was Graison Pfeiffer with one of two free throws made. Battle Creek was able to add five more points to their score but still trailed the Lady Jays. For the fourth and final quarter, Pierce put up six more points. Four of the six points were free throws made by Arnold with one, Wragge with two, and Warneke with one. Simmons made one more basket in this quarter, as well. The Bravettes were unable to catch up in the final quarter with four points scored, ending the game with a 26-18 Lady Jay victory.
In the B game, scoring all of Pierce’s 10 points in the first quarter of the game was Samantha Fischer with five buckets. In an attempt to catch up, the Bravettes scored six points in the first. Marlie Kroupa scored the Lady Jays’ only two points of the second quarter, while the Bravettes were unable to put up any points to leave the score going into halftime at 12-6. The Lady Jays got the ball rolling in the third quarter with 13 total points scored. Six of those thirteen points were scored by Brynlee Marks, who had three baskets. Fischer and Makinzie Parsons each scored two points. With a free throw and a basket, Addison Sporleder scored three points, ending the 3rd quarter with a team score of 25. The Bravettes were unable rise to the Jays level in the 3rd quarter with 0 points scored. During the fourth and final quarter, Taylor Miller and Fischer each scored two baskets, adding a total of 8 points for the Lady Jays. Parsons also scored a basket. With the Bravettes still unable to score, the game ended with the Lady Jays up 35-6.
Finally, in the C game, the Lady Jays took the lead in the first quarter, outscoring the Bravettes 4-0 courtesy of baskets from Alyssa Cederburg and Ella Gaes. Ciara Garcia put up a basket for the Lady Jays in the second quarter, and the Bravettes finally got on the board with three points to bring the score going into halftime to 6-3. In the third quarter, Raegan Theisen, Cederburg, and Morgan Schnoor all added buckets for the Lady Jays, while the Bravettes scored four points to remain behind Pierce. The Lady Jays sealed their victory in the fourth, scoring four points on baskets from Cederburg and Garcia while holding the Bravettes to two points.
Coach Brenda Fleecs said of the girls’ performances, “All three groups have improved immensely since their first game.”
The next JH game will be played in the Wayne tournament on Saturday, December 9.
