The Adrian Blackhawks fell to the Skyline Tigers 68-56 Wednesday night at the sectional round of the Class 2 Championship Bracket. Adrian ends its season with a fantastic 26-3 record that featured an unbeaten WEMO conference championship and the first district championship in almost two decades.
The Lady Blackhawks stumbled a bit out of the gates and saw a quick 4 point deficit. Adrian roared back to take the lead for a short time. Skyline tied the game at 8 then Lauren Shipley made a bucket but was fouled in the process. Shipley hit the free throw giving Adrian an 11-8 lead with 3:05 to play in the first period. Skyline hit two jumpers to take a 12-11 lead before Adrian tied it up at 12 to end the quarter.
Adrian stumbled, fought back, stumbled some more and fought back again. Making it out of the first quarter tied was a small victory for the team. Unfortunately the second quarter the wheels came off. Skyline's athletic players and their high-tempo press forced Adrian into a few mental errors in which the Tigers quickly capitalized on. What was a 12-12 ball game turned into 13 point hole for the Lady Blackhawks. Considering the final point spread this quarter cost them the ballgame.
The second half saw Skyline balloon their lead to 18 points. Adrian, again, fought back bring the game within 7 points to start the fourth quarter. The girls fought bravely and never gave up but in the end Skyline was too much for them winning by 12 points. From the disastrous second quarter the Lady Blackhawks actually outscored the Lady Tigers.
A tip of the hat goes to Lauren Shipley scoring 31 points in the contest. Her hot shooting came at a time when Adrian needed it the most. Another tip of the hat goes to senior Malory Moles. Malory will leave a big hole to be filled next season. In her four years two have been spent as the elder statesman to the talented group of girls behind her. A lot of the heart and fire this team shows is a reflection of her own competitive fire. She graduates as the third member of the 1000 point club in her own household. Her brother Eric accomplished that milestone as well as her father, Derek.
There should be no reason for them to hang their heads tomorrow. Sure the season ended much sooner than anyone would have liked. The team , the fans and the town had been riding the wave of community pride brought on by their march through districts. The communities of Adrian and Rich Hill even formed a union to support each other's teams this week. The past week has been filled with memories that nobody will soon forget. A dramatic come from behind victory over last year's nemesis, the Jasper Eagles, set the town on a euphoric high. A high that can only be balanced by a heartbreaking loss to end the season.
But a loss does not define the season as a loss. No. Far from that. To make it this far the team had to be among the best of the best. It just so happens that the ladies went up against another team that is among the best of the best. It just so happens that the Skyline Tigers were a little better than the Lady Blackhawks tonight.
The Lady Blackhawks stumbled a bit out of the gates and saw a quick 4 point deficit. Adrian roared back to take the lead for a short time. Skyline tied the game at 8 then Lauren Shipley made a bucket but was fouled in the process. Shipley hit the free throw giving Adrian an 11-8 lead with 3:05 to play in the first period. Skyline hit two jumpers to take a 12-11 lead before Adrian tied it up at 12 to end the quarter.
Adrian stumbled, fought back, stumbled some more and fought back again. Making it out of the first quarter tied was a small victory for the team. Unfortunately the second quarter the wheels came off. Skyline's athletic players and their high-tempo press forced Adrian into a few mental errors in which the Tigers quickly capitalized on. What was a 12-12 ball game turned into 13 point hole for the Lady Blackhawks. Considering the final point spread this quarter cost them the ballgame.
The second half saw Skyline balloon their lead to 18 points. Adrian, again, fought back bring the game within 7 points to start the fourth quarter. The girls fought bravely and never gave up but in the end Skyline was too much for them winning by 12 points. From the disastrous second quarter the Lady Blackhawks actually outscored the Lady Tigers.
A tip of the hat goes to Lauren Shipley scoring 31 points in the contest. Her hot shooting came at a time when Adrian needed it the most. Another tip of the hat goes to senior Malory Moles. Malory will leave a big hole to be filled next season. In her four years two have been spent as the elder statesman to the talented group of girls behind her. A lot of the heart and fire this team shows is a reflection of her own competitive fire. She graduates as the third member of the 1000 point club in her own household. Her brother Eric accomplished that milestone as well as her father, Derek.
There should be no reason for them to hang their heads tomorrow. Sure the season ended much sooner than anyone would have liked. The team , the fans and the town had been riding the wave of community pride brought on by their march through districts. The communities of Adrian and Rich Hill even formed a union to support each other's teams this week. The past week has been filled with memories that nobody will soon forget. A dramatic come from behind victory over last year's nemesis, the Jasper Eagles, set the town on a euphoric high. A high that can only be balanced by a heartbreaking loss to end the season.
But a loss does not define the season as a loss. No. Far from that. To make it this far the team had to be among the best of the best. It just so happens that the ladies went up against another team that is among the best of the best. It just so happens that the Skyline Tigers were a little better than the Lady Blackhawks tonight.
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