JV Girls – Italy’s Khadijiah Davis scores quickly but Mildred had the early lead 4-2. Mildred builds their lead to 7-2 when Danielle Baugher blocks a shot ending a Mildred fast break. Then Davis dishes to Melissa Smithey for a layup drawing Italy closer 7-4. With :33 left in the first, Alma Suaste scores on a fast break when she pulled up for a jump shot making the score 7-6. Mildred answered with a bank shot from the right block as the first period ended giving Mildred a 9-6 advantage.

In the second, Mildred jumps ahead 17-6 before Sa’Kendra Norwood steals a pass and then banks in a medium jumper making the score 17-8 with Mildred leading. Mildred adds another 2-points at the 3:50 mark of the second period. Suaste then drives the baseline earning a shooting foul. After missing both charity shots, Smithey is fouled while shooting but can’t get a free throw to fall either. Khadijiah Davis gets a steal but the ball is deflected out as she passed it up court. Italy comes up empty again and Mildred then scores on a fast break layup. Mildred followed that with a bucket from C. McCann who was the leading scorer for Mildred with 8-points. The score was now 25-8 with 2:23 left in the first half.

Baugher gets a block for Italy and Smithey scores a bit later making the score 25-10 as Mildred was leading with :43 left. Mildred’s York hits the first of a 1 and 1 but when she missed the second free throw, Mildred’s McCann caught the rebound and put it back in for 2-points. The play gave Mildred the halftime lead 28-10.

Mildred goes up 32-10 in the third period before Baugher scores and gets fouled on the shot. The free throw missed and the score showed 32-12 with Mildred ahead. Mildred added 4 more points to end the third 36-14.

Starting the fourth, Norwood steals but can’t convert it into points. Italy would manage to score, however, and the score was now 36-14. Norwood then comes up with the ball and hits a turn around jumper drawing the foul. Norwood makes the charity shot and the score is 36-17. The play pumped up the Italy squad Lupita Luna drew a foul and hit 1 out of 2 to make the score 36-18. Then Baugher hit from the paint making the score 36-20. Kaytlyn Bales makes it 36-22 with 2:06 left in the game.

With 1:29 left, Norwood hits a 3-point shot straight through the rim making the score 36-25. Bales scores at the buzzer but Italy loses 36-27. The JV Girls did finish strong and will be able to carry a little momentum into practice this week.

Scoring for Italy:

Sa’Kendra Norwood, 7-points
Kaytlyn Bales, 6-points
Danielle Baugher, 5-points
Melissa Smithey, 4-points

Varsity Girls – Mildred scored first but Jimesha Reed answers and the score is tied at the 7:13 mark in the first period. Shay Fleming made a steal and setup the offense. Kaitlyn Rossa then rips down an Italy missed shot and gets fouled on the put back. The free throws wont drop and Mildred counters with a bank shot taking the lead 4-2. Jimesha Reed tears down a defensive rebound but Mildred finds a way to score making it 6-2 at the 5:15 point in the first. Mildred scores 4 straight points before Shay Fleming gets another steal but Italy doesn’t score right away. Marisol Perez ends up snapping a bounce pass to Shay Fleming on the block. The bucket makes the score 10-4 with Mildred in the lead. Kaitlyn Rossa then drops a dime to Jimesha Reed who banks it making the score 10-6.

Mildred fires back with a quick jumper for 2-points. With :14 left in the first period, Jimesha Reed banks in another bucket off the inbound and the score is 12-8 at the end of the first.

Shay Fleming scores at the 7:24 mark of the second period making the score 12-10. Mildred’s Horn nails a jumper and is fouled while shooting. Horn misses the free throw and Jimesha Reed skies for the board but Italy comes away empty at the offensive end. Mildred stretches their lead to 16-10. Italy’s Kaitlyn Rossa inbounds to Shay Fleming who pops the jumper making the score 16-12. Marisol Perez steals the ball but picks up a charge. Mildred’s Horn hits a jumper from the left elbow giving Mildred the lead with 4:46 left in the half. Mildred added 2 more points before Jimesha Reed fouled a Mildred player. When the free throw missed, Becca DeMoss ripped down the rebound and pushed the ball down court for a layup along with a drawing a shooting foul. The free throw wouldn’t drop in and the score was 20-14.

A couple of trips later, Mildred inbounds to a wide open player on the block for the easy deuce. Kaitlyn Rossa counters at the other end with an open layup making the score 22-16. Each squad trades a free throw making the score 23-17. Shay Fleming’s next shot attempt literally got stuck between the rim and the backboard which seemed to lighten the tension for the moment at the 1:28 mark. After the delay, Mildred was no longer laughing when Becca DeMoss dished the ball back to Shay Fleming who scored on the fast break making the score 23-19. Becca DeMoss was fouled but missed the front end of the 1 and 1. Shay Fleming gathered in the miss and scored closing the gap 23-21 with Mildred still ahead. With :20 left, Senior Captain Becca DeMoss steals the ball and lays it in tying up the game 23-23 at the break.

Mildred scores first to start the second half. Marisol Perez responds driving to the bucket on the fast break. Perez gets fouled but strains her calf muscle and exits the game. Blanca Figueroa goes in for the shooter and hits 1 of 2 foul shouts making the score 25-24 with Mildred leading. Mildred hits a medium range jumper at the 5:55 mark increasing their lead to 27-24. Mildred puts in a technical foul shout to go up 28-24. Fleming finds Reed for a hoop making the score 28-26 at the 5:11 point in the third. Later, Reed goes on a one girl fast break losing the handle on the ball but still managing to power it up and in tying the score once again at 28-28 with 4:00 remaining in the third. Mildred’s Horn responds with a lane shot. DeMoss gets the ball and drives for a layup to tie the score at 30-30. DeMoss creates a steal and gets fouled but Italy comes up empty and it’s still 30-30 with 2:40 now left in the third.

DeMoss passes across the lane to Reed but the shot doesn’t fall. DeMoss then drives the lane again getting fouled but misses the front end of the 1 and 1. Mildred does score, however, and regains the lead 32-30 with 1:58 left in the third. Jimesha Reed steals the rock and passes to DeMoss who lays it in for the 32-32 tie at the 1:07 mark. Mildred squeezes on more bucket in before the period expires and heads into the fourth with a 34-32 advantage.

At the 6:45 mark in the fourth period, DeMoss flies in for a layup on a fast break as she is hounded by two mildred players. The shot doesn’t drop but Rossa follows up the miss and ties the game 34-34. The action goes back and forth until a second effort play by Mildred’s Horn scores 3-points the old fashioned way putting Mildred in front 37-34. With 4:22 showing on the clock, DeMoss stops and pops for 2-points making the score 37-36. DeMoss would foul out on Italy’s next possession with 3:45 left in the contest. Mildred ran up 5 straight points after that to stay in control 42-36. With :25 left, Megan Richards scored on a baseline move but the time expired with Mildred winning 42-38 in an exciting matchup.

The Varsity Girls squad looked more aggressive in this second game of the season. DeMoss is taking chances defensively to make sure her team has a chance to win at the end. As the Freshman players start to spread their wings, watch for DeMoss to become even more of a pressence on the offensive end.

Scoring for Italy:

5 – Becca DeMoss, 10-points
32 – Shay Fleming, 10-points
40 – Jimesha Reed, 10-points
3 – Kaitlyn Rossa, 4-points
22 – Megan Richards, 2-points
4 – Marisela Perez, 1-point
21 – Blanca Figueroa, 1-point

High Scorer for Mildred:

25 – C. Horn, 15-points