Red-hot Bulldogs pull plug on Moniteau’s winning streak
CHERRY TWP — The execution that led to 11 straight victories eluded Moniteau’s girls basketball team Friday night.
The Warriors committed 28 turnovers and were just two of 17 from the free throw line as their winning streak ended with a 46-31 loss to visiting Redbank Valley.
The result clinches for the Bulldogs (20-1), winners of 13 straight, the KSAC Large School Division title. Their only loss this season came against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, a very strong team from the WPIAL.
“In my opinion, Mylee Harmon (Redbank sophomore) is one of the best point guards in the state,” said Moniteau coach Dee Arblaster. “You have to play a certain way to beat them and we weren’t at that level tonight.”
Despite its flawed effort, Moniteau was still within striking distance as the fourth quarter began with the Bulldogs leading 31-24. Nearly two minutes into the period, Catherine Kelly drained a trey, making the score 36-27, but Redbank soon pushed its edge to double digits for good.
Helping the Bulldogs pull away was a much better effort on the boards in the second half. Despite leading 22-14 at halftime, they were outrebounded by Moniteau 26-13 in the first two quarters. Redbank grabbed 20 rebounds in the final 16 minutes to Moniteau’s 16.
“At halftime, we stressed to the girls that we had to crash the boards,” said Redbank coach Chris Edmonds. “You have to rebound to win a playoff game and this felt like a playoff game.”
Raucous fans contributed to that.
“It was a great atmosphere and we responded to the crowd,” added Edmonds.
The Warriors (17-4) began missing opportunities at the beginning of the contest. They controlled the first nine rebounds of the game and Redbank missed its first six shot attempts, but all Moniteau could manage during the same time was Kelly’s 3-pointer early in the first quarter. Ten turnovers in the period held the Warriors down and they struggled all night against Redbank’s trap defense.
“Redbank’s a great team and there’s no shame losing to them, but it was very frustrating tonight,” Arblaster said. “I believe we are a better team than the scoreboard showed.
“We didn’t seem to want the ball as much as they did. We didn’t deserve to win.”
Harmon led all scorers with 19 points. Her five free throws in the fourth period were part of her team’s 11-of-14 effort in the quarter that helped keep the Warriors at bay.
Kelly scored 12 points for Moniteau, which will close the regular season Wednesday at Karns City.
REDBANK VALLEY 46
Alivia Huffman 2 4-4 8, Brooklyn Edmonds 1 2-4 4, Mylee Harmon 5 8-12 19, Isabelle Bond 0 1-2 1, Caylen Rearick 3 0-0 7, Adyson Bond 2 0-0 5, Kira Bonanno 0 2-2 2, Alyssa Bowser 0 0-0 0, Quinn White 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 17-24 46.
MONITEAU 31
Abbey Jewart 3 0-0 7, Sophia Fleeger 1 0-0 3, Catherine Kelly 4 2-4 12, Allie Pry 3 0-3 7, Davina Pry 1 0-2 2, Kendall Sankey 0 0-4 0, Autumn Stewart 0 0-4 0. Totals: 12 2-17 31.
Redbank Valley 5 17 9 15 — 46
Moniteau 3 11 10 7 — 31
3-point goals: Redbank Valley 3 (Harmon, Rearick, A.Bond); Moniteau 5 (Kelly 2, Fleeger, Jewart, A.Pry).
Wednesday: Moniteau at Karns City
