By Skip Hunter –

Last Monday the SWC girls’ basketball team played their third game without a practice session in between. After a pair of defeats against Minneota and TMB, the Eagles hoped to get back on the winning track. Their opponent was the RTR Knights who had a good reputation and was another formidable opponent on the Eagles’ schedule. After Makenna Moss, the team’s leading scorer, went home sick during the school day, it appeared that the task grew even more formidable. However, even thoughtthe Knights were ahead early, the Eagles came back and won 86-71.

Riley Fey got the tip to open the game. She tipped it to Morgan Pap who passed to Ana Veldkamp for the bucket. The Knights scored the next 3 buckets before Veldkamp assisted Fey for a hoop. RTR scored 6 more points before Pap drained a trey using a Veldkamp pass. Shaylee Van Essen, who had a good game, scored next using a pass from Kensie Nelson. Van Essen scored again to cut the Knight lead to 16-11.

Things were looking bleak for the Eagles as the Knights increased their lead to 26-13. Then the Eagles got rolling. Fey hit a putback shot, Veldkamp looped a pass to Pap for a bucket, and Kierra Binford was fouled while shooting and made the free throw. The Knights tried to increase their defensive pressure, but that led to more fouls. Fey and Pap each canned a pair of charity tosses, as the Eagle pressure was more effective and led to some easy shot attempts. Pap scored twice with the second shot assisted by Veldkamp. Later the sophomore was fouled while shooting and made 1 of 2 free throws. The Eagles trailed 30-27 with 5:49 left on the clock.

Pap cut a point off RTR’s lead with a free throw. Later, Veldkamp added a pair of charity tosses before Pap fed Fey for a bucket which tied the score at 32. The two seniors played very well during the game and were the glue to hold the team together. RTR put together a scoring spurt and led by 6 before the Eagles made another run. Binford fed Pap for 2 points. On the Eagles next possession Pap was fouled and went 1 of 2 from the line. Van Essen was also sent to the line and made both free throws. Pap assisted Binford for a bucket which put the Eagles ahead 39-38. After an RTR free throw tied the score, Pap hit a bucket to give the Eagles a 41-39 half-time lead.