Girls basketball: Lady Cougars post first MHC win of season

South Decatur improved to 2-0 on the girls’ basketball season and 1-0 in the Mid-Hoosier Conference with a 50-31 victory against Southwestern (Shelby). The Lady Spartans drop to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the MHC. The Lady Cougars jumped out to a 13-7 lead after the first eight minutes. Dalilah Martin drained a trio of 3-pointers for nine points in the opening quarter. Brynklie Ortman and Taylor Somers both added a bucket for South. In the second quarter, the Lady Spartans outscored South 13-11 to cut the halftime deficit to 24-20. Five Lady Cougars scored in the quarter, led by Raegan Benge with four points. Martin, Riley Benge and Somers all had two points while Lyndsey Shireman hit a free throw for one point. South broke open the game in the third quarter. The Lady Cougars scored 22 points and allowed just two points to Southwestern. South led 46-22 heading to the fourth quarter. Somers had a team-high nine points in the third quarter. Riley Benge added five points followed by Martin with four, Raegan Benge with three and Skylar AmRhein with one. Southwestern outscored South 9-2 in the final quarter, but the third quarter was too damaging as the Lady Cougars closed out the 50-31 win. AmRhein drained a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter and Raegan Benge added a free throw. For the game for South, Martin tallied 15 points, one rebound, two assists and seven steals. Somers finished with 13 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals. Raegan Benge added eight points, a team-high eight rebounds and two steals. Riley Benge had seven points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals. AmRhein had four points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. Ortman finished with two points, two rebounds, one assist and three steals. Shireman had one point, three rebounds and two assists. Jocelynne Collins added one rebound and one assist. South hosts Morristown (2-0) Friday and travels to Rising Sun (1-1) Saturday. Lawrenceburg 43 North Decatur 28 The Lady Chargers traveled to Lawrenceburg to open the girls’ basketball season. The Lady Tigers (1-1) jumped out to a 22-7 lead after the first quarter en route to the 43-28 victory. Lawrenceburg held a 33-9 lead at the half. North regrouped at the half and outscored the host squad 19-10 in the second half. Jewel Verseman led the Lady Chargers in scoring with nine points. Brooklyn White finished with seven points. Keiran Lusk added six points. Norah Amberger and Brynlee Green both scored three points. Verseman also grabbed a team-high six rebounds. Amberger and Lusk both had five rebounds. White pulled down three rebounds. Green and Allee Gray each had one rebound. Amberger and Green both dished out two assists. White and Gray both tallied four steals. Verseman and Lusk both had one steal. Kori Abbott led Lawrenceburg with 13 points. Autumn Wolfe added 12 points. North travels to Greensburg Friday. Eastern Hancock 64 Rushville 49 Saturday, the Lady Lions played at home for the first time in this young season, hosting Eastern Hancock. The Lady Royals outscored the Lady Lions 46-25 in the middle quarters en route to the 64-49 victory. Rushville drops to 0-2 while Eastern Hancock improves to 2-0. The Lady Lions led after the first quarter 13-12, but the Lady Royals went on a 26-11 run to grab a 38-24 lead at the half. Eastern Hancock added to the lead in the third quarter, outscoring Rushville 20-14. Rushville won the fourth quarter 11-6 to cut the final margin to 64-49. Charlotte Caviness led Rushville with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and three steals. Lia Bohn finished with 13 points, seven rebounds, two assists and one steal. Kelsey Morgan tallied six points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals. Josie Corn had five points and one rebound. Charli Marcum chipped in with five points, seven rebounds and two assists. Avri Shaffer had two points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Melaney Mahan had two points, a team-high eight rebounds and one assist. Rushville won the junior varsity game 28-25. The Lady Lions travel to South Dearborn (0-1) Saturday. New Castle 43 Rushville 35 The Lady Lions opened the season on the road at New Castle. Rushville led 13-9 after the first quarter, but a 19-7 run by New Castle gave the Lady Trojans a 28-20 lead at the half. With both teams scoring 15 points in the second half, that 8-point halftime lead stood up in New Castle’s 43-35 win. Rushville’s Lia Bohn finished with a double-double. She had 18 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Josie Corn tallied four points, two rebounds and two steals. Charli Marcum added four points, five rebounds, a team-high four assists and two steals. Charlotte Caviness had three points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. Avri Shaffer chipped in with two points, one rebound and one assist. Melany Mahan had two points and six rebounds. Jerrica Taylor added one point and three rebounds. Kelsey Morgan had one point and nine rebounds. Althea Tellas grabbed one offensive rebound. In the junior varsity game, Rushville defeated New Castle 43-30. For the Lady Lions, Emily Rouse scored 11 points, Natalie Dora tallied eight points, two rebounds and one steal. Althea Tellas added seven points, three steals and one block. Haylie Tucker had seven points, one rebound and one assist. Mollie Corn added four points and four rebounds. Jasmine Taylor finished with four points, three rebounds and one steal. Elaine Angle had two points, three rebounds, one block and two steals. Annie Buzzard added one rebound, one assist and one steal.