Hardwood Heroes
Trimble girls hang on to defeat Federal Hocking
By: Cameron Knupp
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Glouster, Ohio (WOUB) – It was youth night at William White Gymnasium as the future Lady Tomcats were on hand to watch their high school counterparts take on the Federal Hocking Lancers in a TVC-Hocking matchup.
The Tomcats defeated the Lancers by a score of 50-43 to improve to 5-12 on the season.
Trimble came out of the locker room ready to play. They implemented a full court press to start the night, which left the Lancers struggling to get anything going. The Tomcats defense created 4 turnovers in the first frame in order to begin the game on a 12-2 run.
Rilynn Fouts lead the way on offense for Trimble. She had 10 points in the first half and finished her night with 21 points.
“From the beginning we started off really nice. We played some good ‘D’ and everything was going fast. We had some good momentum,” said Fouts of the fast start. “I think I just kind of set the tone for the game.”
Jaylee Orsborne also made an impact on the offensive end; she finished with 18 points and four assists. As one of Trimble’s few returning players with meaningful varsity experience, Orsbourne is settling in to her new role as a team leader.
“I’ve told her since June that she’s got to be our leader. I know sometimes it’s tough as a sophomore, but she played 26 games last year, so she’s got to do it,” said Trimble Head Coach Joe Richards. “I think for the most part, unless 12 [Fouts] gave her a run for her money, she was the best player on the floor tonight.”
Despite Trimble’s 24-9 halftime lead, Federal Hocking did not go quietly into the night.
The Lancers began to sneak back into the game in the third quarter. Trimble committed 8 fouls in the quarter, which helped the Lancers inch closer to the Tomcats.
After missing the first half, Takira Walker lead the charge for the Lancers in the second frame. She was able to contain Orsborne on the defensive end registering four steals, and scored 10 points on offense. The Lancers cut the lead to 36-18 by the end of the third.
In the fourth quarter, the Lancers full court press, which gave the Tomcats minimal resistance for the majority of the game suddenly became a problem. Federal Hocking scored 25 points in the final quarter, which is 7 less than their total in the first three quarters combined.
Despite forcing 15 turnovers in the second half, the late push would prove to be too little too late for the Lancers. The Tomcats were able to ice the game at the free throw line to escape with the victory.
The Tomcats will look to continue to build momentum ahead of the OHSAA Tournament as they finish up conference play on Thursday, when they travel to Waterford to take on the Wildcats.
Meanwhile, the Lancers will look to get back on track when they welcome the Southern Tornadoes.