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GIRLS HOOPS: Greencastle pulls away from Waynesboro


MERCERSBURG -- In the opening game of the Franklin County Tip-Off Basketball Tournament on Friday, the Greencastle-Antrim Lady Blue Devils used a strong third quarter to beat the Waynesboro, 61-36.

Greencastle scored 12 quick points before allowing the Maidens to get their first basket, and they traded baskets with the Blue Devils for the rest of the first half, leading to a halftime score of 28-16. Waynesboro struggled to shut down Greencastle guard Hannah Crist, who scored 14 of the team’s 28 points in the first half.

“We started out really strong going up 16-2,” Greencastle coach Mike Rhine said, “We have to give Waynesboro some credit; they stuck with it and kept playing, and rebounded the ball well.”

Greencastle came out at halftime looking to increase its 12-point lead and settled into a press defense. The press hurt the Maidens as they struggled to move the ball up the court, turning it over multiple times. Crist was a pest as a presser and ended the game with nine steals, most of them coming in the third quarter.

The Blue Devils took advantage of the turnovers and caught fire from beyond the arc by making six 3-pointers and outscoring the Maidens 20-8, doubling their lead from the first half.

“I think we lost our heads a little bit and then they pressed us and we didn’t do what we worked on in practice. We weren’t ready and we weren’t patient on offense in the second half and then we lost it on defense," Maidens coach Allison Steiger said.

Forward Jenay Faulkner drained five of her seven 3-point shots in the third and fourth quarters, and led the team with 24 points. She also had nine rebounds, five assists, five steals and four blocked shots.

Following closely was Crist, who netted four 3-pointers en route to 23 points while dishing out seven assists and grabbing seven rebounds to go along with her nine steals.

“We say the ball can’t stick, move the ball and move yourself. They (Faulkner and Crist) are unselfish players, they can shoot and score, but they’re unselfish players and pass the ball well.” Rhine said.

Thirty-nine of Greencastle 61 points came from the team's 13 3-point shots.

The game was not completely negative for Waynesboro -- it showed a strong and smart passing game in the first half, with most of its points coming off wide-open uncontested shots.

“Our girls feel good about some things and they know they have to play with their heads, not just everything else," Steiger said. "When we worked for a good shot we did well, but when we shot a quick shot it allowed them to rush down the floor and spot up for three.”

Greencastle 61, Waynesboro 36

Greencastle (61)

Jenay Faulkner 8-20 1-1 24, Hannah Crist 8-18 3-5 23, Megan Hirneisen 2-8 2-4 8, Morgan Wagaman 2-7 0-0 4, Madison Sweitzer 1-4 0-0 2, Lydia Crist 0-6 0-0, Hannah Hailey 0-2 0-0, Alicen Hoover 0 0-0 0, Ashley True 0 0-0 0. Totals — 21-65 6-11 61.

Waynesboro (36)

Chelsea Cover 3  5-6 12, Cat Weber 2 4-6 8, Olivia Gardenhour 2 0-0 6, Sara Gsell 2 1-2 5, Elizabeth Churchman 2 1-1 5, Brooke Heise 0 0-0 0.Totals — 11 11-15 36.

Greencastle _ 18 _ 10 _ 20 _ 13 _ — _ 61

Waynesboro _ 7 _ 9 _ 8 _ 12 _ — _ 36

3-point goals — GA 13 (Faulkner 7, Crist 4, Hirneisen 2), Way 3 (Gardenhour 2, Cover).