GIRLS HOOPS: Greencastle's Faulkner reaches 1,000
HUMMELSTOWN - Greencastle-Antrim junior Jenay Faulkner hit a career milestone Tuesday night in perfect Faulkner fashion.
Needing 18 points to pick up 1,000 for her career, Faulkner put up 25 points, 10 rebounds and five steals to lead the Blue Devils to a 50-30 win over Dover in the opening game of the Lower Dauphin Tournament.
And the record-breaker came in vintage fashion.
Holding a 31-23 lead over Dover in the fourth quarter and sitting at 14 points, Faulkner went 1-for-2 at the line to pull within three of the milestone. Then, after a defensive stop, Faulkner received a pass in transition from just past half court. She took three dribbles, pulled up for a 3-pointer from three feet behind the line and buried it for her 1,000th point.
After the basket, the officials stopped play to recognize the junior’s achievement.
“It was a great moment. It definitely gave me chills,” Faulkner said. “Somebody told me before my free throws that I was four points away, so when I made only one and was open for a three, I took it.”
G-A coach Mike Rhine said, “It was a great individual accomplishment, and it’s something we’ve never experienced since I’ve been here. The girls were pumped up all game, counting down her points, and it was perfect that she did it on a three.”
Faulkner finished with 11 points in the final quarter to help Greencastle (7-1) close out Dover (2-8), which cut the deficit to eight at the end of the third quarter.
“We played good defense most of the game, but our offense is still a work in progress,” Rhine said. “We struggle at times when our outside shots aren’t falling, but we’re getting there. The season is still young.”
After Dover jumped out to a 4-0 lead to start the game, Hannah Crist provided a spark for the Blue Devils. She scored five straight points to give G-A a 5-4 lead then assisted on the next two to go up by six. She finished with 14 points and four assists, and Morgan Wagaman also provided a lift with a career-high 10 points.
“These holiday tournaments are challenging,” Rhine said. “The girls are off school, who knows what they do all day and then we have such a long bus ride to get here. But we played well and got the win.”
And Faulkner’s accomplishment made the win that much sweeter. But she has no intention of settling at 1,000.
“My ultimate goal is to get 2,000 points,” said Faulkner, who still has over a season and a half left in her career.
NOTES: Faulkner has a good chance to at least break the school’s scoring record. The girls' record is 1,421 by Kylene Helman in 1999, and the overall school record is 1,612 by Dave Hann in 1993.
Greencastle 50, Dover 30
Greencastle (50)
Jenay Faulkner 8-16 4-6 25, Hannah Crist 5-12 2-4 14, Morgan Wagaman 5-12 0-0 10, Meghan Hirneisen 0-5 0-0 0, Madison Sweitzer 0-2 0-0 0, Lydia Crist 0-2 1-2 1, Ashley True 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-50 7-12 50
Dover (30)
Alaina Reaver 2 1-4 7, Julie Fox 1 0-0 3, Sienna Woodyard 1 0-0 3, Alexis Kohr 1 0-0 2, Rajah Fink 3 3-4 10, Emily Eckard 1 1-2 3, Marissa Coley 1 0-0 2. Totals 10 5-10 30
Greencastle _ 15 _ 9 _ 7 _ 19 _ — _ 50
Dover _ 5 _ 6 _ 12 _ 7 _ — _ 30
3-point goals: G-A 7-21 (Faulkner 5, Crist 2), Dov 5 (Reaver 2, Fox, Woodyard, Fink).