Italy — Italy Junior High’s girls’ teams won 2-out of-3 against visiting Blooming Grove within the safe, yet loud, confines of the Italy Coliseum dome. With the temperature outside at freezing, the action inside heated up early.

Combo Team (7th and 8th mixed):
The combo game started out as a close one with both Italy and Blooming Grove tied 4-4 at intermission. In the second-half, however, Italy began to pull away with 5-points for the game from Karla Perez and a bucket from Emily Guzman to give the combined Lady Gladiators a 9-6 edge entering the final 6 minutes.

Scrappy defense by Jill Varner, Virginia Stephens and Sydney Weeks helped to hold BG scoreless in the the fourth. Italy put the game away when guard Paige Cunningham drove to the basket and put in her lone basket of the contest, ending any hopes of a BG comeback, 11-6.

Italy Jr. High Combo Roster:

7th Grade Game:
Tatum Adams scored Italy’s only bucket of the first-quarter and teammate Hannah Haight added 2 more points in the second but Blooming Grove’s girls took a commanding lead into intermission, 18-4.

Italy did a better job of matching BGs intensity in the second-half with Karson Holley having three chances to put in a free-throw and Karley Nelson going 1-of-2 from the stripe. Although Italy’s defense held BG to just 10-points in the final two quarters, that was more than enough to secure a convincing win for the 7th grade Lady Lions, 28-5.

Italy 7th Grade Roster:

8th Grade Game:
Italy’s 8th grade Lady Gladiators trailed 3-0 early to Blooming Grove but never showed any signs of panic. Keeping their composure, Emmy Cunningham made a pair of free-throws and a basket and teammate Brycelen Richards scored her first basket to give Italy a 6-3 advantage after one.

Cunningham added 8-points in the second period along with 2-points from Charisma Anderson to give Italy a 16-15 lead at the break.

Complimenting the scoring production from Cunningham, Anderson and Richards were the defensive efforts of Grace Haight, Annie Perry, Noeli Garcia and Jenna Holden who helped contain BG to just 7 second-half points.

Cunningham finished with a game high 17-points including a 3-pointer and went 3-of-6 from the line. Richards dropped in 8-points and Anderson totaled 7-points to ensure a 32-22 victory for Italy’s 8th grade Lady Gladiators.

Italy 8th Grade Roster:

Go Italy Junior High!